Use the following link to start your real estate journey to Northern Virginia. You can schedule a private Zoom session to talk about all of your real estate questions. askaw.us/schedule-perfect-home
NOVA here... I grew up in Fairfax from the late 80's, lived in several locations in the county (aside from some years away at university / overseas / in neighboring Arlington Co.), just moved back and bought a condo last year. I think you are spot-on with this video!
@@AskAWalker I'm really enjoying the neighborhood! Peaceful location, lots of trees and dog-walkers. For the condo itself, I can only compare it to the apartments and townhouses I lived in myself -- the in-unit washer-drier, and way that the front door opens onto a breezeway instead of a hallway, are big improvements over the apartment; there's a decrease in storage space even from the apt, though. The HOA has some annoyingly nitpicky rules; but they do keep the grounds nicely landscaped. Townhouses are probably my favorite; not in the budget this time around, though. :)
Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you have found some positive aspects of living in a condo. We live in a townhouse right now and will be moving into a condo in the wharf once the kids graduate from high school. I can't wait to have less space.
I’ve lived in Centreville, Shenandoah, and Fairfax for the last 18 years. I can’t recall any year it didn’t snow. Every year we get one or two massive snowfalls that shuts everything down, and which disappears in a week.
I had an opportunity to speak with Abraham. The guy is accommodating, honest, and knowledgeable regarding Virginia, DC, and N.Virgina and can drill down to each community best suited for your liking.
I lived in Centerville VA… and worked in Vienna. I loved living there.. beautiful area to explore. Traffic is the biggest con.. Friday night car accidents on Rte 66, peak hour starts at 3.30pm and football traffic on 495.
I love Virginia. Everything there is beautiful. I lived there for about 2 years but was forced to move away back to my hometown in Sin City. It was so expensive there in Va despite the jobs opportunity or options I was not qualified for any of its position. I have no educational background never have finished high school, my hubby had no work experience. So during the time of residing in Fairfax, my hubby and I became homeless. However, after been moved to my hometown with just a few years of working we went from being poor to the middle class. We still trying to come back to Fairfax as this place is a seriously nice area. But how? We now in our 40's. It's not possible. So what is the suggestion on how to move back to Virginia?
My suggestion is to move to the Western Parts of Northern Virginia and slowly move up in your field. As you get pay raises you can upgrade your housing option. Unfortunately, this area isn't affordable so it's challenging to make the numbers work if you don't make a certain income. There are pockets of the county that are less expensive but you'd have to have all your duck in a row to make the numbers work. Plus, be ready to jump on the opportunity when it presents itself. Hope this information helps. Thanks for watching the video.
Hi Im from Louisiana, moved from Metairie to Savannah and now have a job offer at NG in Dulles,VA. Im a little reluctant to move out there due to cost of living and traffic, but the job opportunity is very enticing.
Hey neighbor! Man I feel so bad for you and your family, moving here from somewhere awesome like New Orleans. Welcome to NOVA. I’ve been here for about 20 years now (w/some temporary work relocations) and don’t really mind it. But, if I could pick up and move to New Orleans I would ;) I live about a mile from Vienna Metro. ( You’ll know where it is but pls don’t anyone outright say pls) If you like live music there’s this little hole in the wall venue/bar called Epicure. It’s in Fairfax. They have open mic nights and other stuff. Who knows you may just end up bumping into me Lol!
Con. Being a single teacher attempting to make rent for a one bedroom/studio apartment and necessities near the school you teach at while navigating through life ruining traffic. Pro. You have the world in your hands… if you can afford it.
Cons plenty of that tBut it is a great place to get work and resources don’t know what else I can sayOh yeah don’t forget the trafficYeah it’s always cold it seems likeAnd right now in June it’s colder than what it should beThings are more expensive here
I could see why you would say that. Arlington is land-locked and densely populated. They don't have the space to fit in the trails, parks, and medians that Fairfax County has in its footprint. One of the things we like most about Fairfax County is the number of trees that are located throughout the county. While this place has over a million people living in the area, they have managed to add large green spaces throughout the region.
My wife and I visit the historic town of Clifton VA . It’s population is small great country like roads and the towns ice cream 🍨 shop is always a hit. Pistachio is my favorite.
The government is going to find a way to make their money. In addition to the taxes you named, there's also a congestion relief tax homeowners pay when they sell their properties. It's a strange tax to pay when you sell your property.
Unfortunately, Fairfax County is more a giant suburb than a traditional city. The good news is that you're a quick'ish ride into DC. Thanks for commenting.
Lack of night life? There's plenty of that here! The only problem with the night life here is if you want to go to someplace to dance or to see a local band live. In order to do that you have to go into D.C. in order to do that. The best clubs in the area that is. If you want to go to a restrauant this area is great for that and you will find plenty of cusines here. It's my guess you lived here sometime in the past? I'll let you figure out the other negative reason that I've expirenced when it comes to night life here. Clue there's a couple of them in Spriinfield!
Our public transportation is nothing like New York but it works to certain degree. If your goal is to live in the area without a car, do not move to the suburbs. Several parts of Fairfax County have busses that are not designed to be reliable and only for the purpose of moving commuters to the metro stations. Live as close to DC as possible if your goal is to live without a car.
incorrect it snows every year our biggest snowstorm average is 10 inches for the biggest yearly snow. Every 4 or 5 year we get a 3 or 4 foot blizzard though, last in 2016
Yeah it’s good for a young girl assistance and everything in Fairfax county but they are shopping centers that look like they should be tore down from right I don’t know about that you just haven’t seen It all I’m from here they used to have so nice I love your shopping centers I don’t know what happened great resources though
The pro Nice benefits but the only places you really want to live out here is Great Falls Tysons corner or McLean or maybe Reston town Center some of the other places are so run down a questionable Great Falls is gorgeous though there’s pros and cons here but there’s a run down shopping center and always trouble in some areas
I need some advice. I have been saving to rent a condo in Fairfax, VA. I plan to move in a year. Right now I live with my parents and I only plan to stay in Fairfax for school for about 9 months. Do you have any suggestions on what areas I should look into? maybe near fairfax and such?
Where you stay should be based on your lifestyle and daily routine. Try to stay as close as possible to school because commuting decreases your quality of life in the area. What school will you be attending?
Also... I don't know how you feel about housemates, but being open to that living arrangement expands your possibilities (plus, splitting the rent was the only way I was able to afford rent in the area). While I was attending GMU / newly-graduated, I split a single-family home with two other students, and then a townhome with two others. IIRC, Mason runs an online board where you can search for available rooms and/or roommates.
Not that I'm aware of at this time. Are you planning on staying in the same field? When you say Fairfax, are you talking about Fairfax County, Fairfax City, or both?
O.k. Where should I start? I've lived here in this area again since 1982 in Reston here in Fairfax County. This was after I lived in this area back for a short perorid of time back in 1973 in Woodbridge. I'm sorry if I sound too negative but do I like living here? To tell you the truth I don't. This area was better back in 1982 too. The thing I hate the most about living here? The high cost of living. Yes this area provides residents a great opputunity for growth and a good carrer but only if you had the opputunity to do it. Some of the facts about my life have made moving up so to speak difficult. To do that here is hard. I won't go into more details here because this response is already getting too long. Thanks!
Thanks for chiming in and sharing your story. There's no need to apologize for being negative. You've been living here for as long as I've been alive and your insight is valuable to other people who plan to call Fairfax County home. Thanks again for sharing your story. Get on our Exclusive Buyer's VIP list here, to know of new properties - BEFORE they hit the market - AskAWalker.com/ - or of course just call or text 703-539-2053
I moved to Nova from the Towson area in Baltimore county because I like being close to DC for music shows and nightlife and events. I have lived in Annandale and Arlington with my girlfriend. Its a nice area but the cons are that its expensive and I find in Nova that people are not very out going or friendly in Nova. It seems like people keep to themselves more than other place that I have lived. But at least there is a lot to do here.
3:55 very close to my old schools kings park (k-3) kings glen (4-6) and my current school Lake Braddock Secondary (7-12) Pro: terrific for making friends Con: I wish there was more countryside :(
Ah yes fairfax I was born there in a Asian community with my mom it was nice but soon after I lived overseas in Asia with my grandma and family then I came back but to Florida
Hi Danielle, Depends on the section of the county you reside in. The county is less divers when you move further north because income levels and price of homes increase. Diversity is greater in the southern regions as income levels decrease along with home prices. City Data is a great website to review the diversity of the different areas in Fairfax County on a map. Let me know if you have any other questions about the area. Onward, AW
@@AskAWalker yes I’m like an 8 minute drive to fort belvoir. This kind of scares me bc most homes close to base are in not so nice areas not sure if this applies to belvoir
I don’t think it’s that bad, especially lately its been nothing compared to what it typically is. (Due to pandemic) I’ve lived here for about 20 yrs, before that i lived in south Florida. Miami traffic is horrible. San Francisco? Horrific. I have family out west and I despise driving around that city.
Traffic is a positive sign of opportunity. I'm not sure of one place in America that has Good Jobs and no traffic. The good news is that there's enough houses and turnover to reduce your traffic concerns.
Really depends where u live I've lived in vienna Virginia for 8 years now it's a small town in Fairfax country 15 min away from d.c and we deal with alot of crime heres even though where technically a suburb.... not saying everywhere in fairfax is like that but be mindful before thinking about moving here... and oh u do deal with racist ppl here
Fairfax County Public Schools are controlled by money. They can just re assign your district without your consent sending you to a lower ranked school.
@@maxmadill while you are correct that FCPS could reassign your district, what's the likelihood of this activity happening? Reassigning districts (high school pyramids) are indeed tied to politics. I guess my question is, what decision isn't? You can't find a better school system void of politics. Make the best of what you have.
@@Highlikeheaven89, maybe you're not talking to the right people. I don't know too many bad things about this location other than the ones mentioned in this video. Maybe we could work together on a cons only list about Fairfax County isn't that great to get your message out to a wider audience. Feel free to email your ideas to Abraham (at) AskAWalker (dot) com. I look forward to hearing from you.
![[UA] NAVI vs MOUZ | BO5 | IEM Rio 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CMBYk0cbGoA/mqdefault.jpg)
![12 Things You Must Know Before Moving to Northern Virginia [2022]](/img/n.gif)
Use the following link to start your real estate journey to Northern Virginia. You can schedule a private Zoom session to talk about all of your real estate questions.
askaw.us/schedule-perfect-home
NOVA here... I grew up in Fairfax from the late 80's, lived in several locations in the county (aside from some years away at university / overseas / in neighboring Arlington Co.), just moved back and bought a condo last year.
I think you are spot-on with this video!
Thanks for the feedback. How do you like living in a condo?
@@AskAWalker I'm really enjoying the neighborhood! Peaceful location, lots of trees and dog-walkers. For the condo itself, I can only compare it to the apartments and townhouses I lived in myself -- the in-unit washer-drier, and way that the front door opens onto a breezeway instead of a hallway, are big improvements over the apartment; there's a decrease in storage space even from the apt, though. The HOA has some annoyingly nitpicky rules; but they do keep the grounds nicely landscaped. Townhouses are probably my favorite; not in the budget this time around, though. :)
Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you have found some positive aspects of living in a condo. We live in a townhouse right now and will be moving into a condo in the wharf once the kids graduate from high school.
I can't wait to have less space.
This was one of the most informative videos ever thank you sir so appreciative
Great video Abraham. I could not have said it better myself. I love living in NoVA.
Thanks for the feedback.
I’ve lived in Centreville, Shenandoah, and Fairfax for the last 18 years. I can’t recall any year it didn’t snow. Every year we get one or two massive snowfalls that shuts everything down, and which disappears in a week.
I'm 14 and live in Fairfax County. I love it here and I've lived here since I was born.
We're glad to hear that you like living in the area. Our boys like living here as well.
I had an opportunity to speak with Abraham. The guy is accommodating, honest, and knowledgeable regarding Virginia, DC, and N.Virgina and can drill down to each community best suited for your liking.
Thanks 🧡 for the kind words.
Excellent video, thank you for making this.
My pleasure.
I lived in Centerville VA… and worked in Vienna. I loved living there.. beautiful area to explore. Traffic is the biggest con.. Friday night car accidents on Rte 66, peak hour starts at 3.30pm and football traffic on 495.
I grew up in Fairfax County. I love the diversity, good schools, and the amazing diversity of restaurants!
I love Virginia. Everything there is beautiful. I lived there for about 2 years but was forced to move away back to my hometown in Sin City. It was so expensive there in Va despite the jobs opportunity or options I was not qualified for any of its position. I have no educational background never have finished high school, my hubby had no work experience. So during the time of residing in Fairfax, my hubby and I became homeless. However, after been moved to my hometown with just a few years of working we went from being poor to the middle class. We still trying to come back to Fairfax as this place is a seriously nice area. But how? We now in our 40's. It's not possible. So what is the suggestion on how to move back to Virginia?
My suggestion is to move to the Western Parts of Northern Virginia and slowly move up in your field. As you get pay raises you can upgrade your housing option. Unfortunately, this area isn't affordable so it's challenging to make the numbers work if you don't make a certain income.
There are pockets of the county that are less expensive but you'd have to have all your duck in a row to make the numbers work. Plus, be ready to jump on the opportunity when it presents itself.
Hope this information helps.
Thanks for watching the video.
I'd buy a house for 6k in petersburg and fix it up you can get it through a tax sale gorgeous city up and coming
Hi Im from Louisiana, moved from Metairie to Savannah and now have a job offer at NG in Dulles,VA. Im a little reluctant to move out there due to cost of living and traffic, but the job opportunity is very enticing.
Same! I'm from Alabama and recieved an offer in my field of study but uncertain how will I afford the cost of living
Hey neighbor! Man I feel so bad for you and your family, moving here from somewhere awesome like New Orleans. Welcome to NOVA. I’ve been here for about 20 years now (w/some temporary work relocations) and don’t really mind it. But, if I could pick up and move to New Orleans I would ;) I live about a mile from Vienna Metro. ( You’ll know where it is but pls don’t anyone outright say pls) If you like live music there’s this little hole in the wall venue/bar called Epicure. It’s in Fairfax. They have open mic nights and other stuff. Who knows you may just end up bumping into me Lol!
Con. Being a single teacher attempting to make rent for a one bedroom/studio apartment and necessities near the school you teach at while navigating through life ruining traffic.
Pro. You have the world in your hands… if you can afford it.
I'm a teacher looking to move to this area. Would you say the cost of living was worth the stay?
Cons plenty of that tBut it is a great place to get work and resources don’t know what else I can sayOh yeah don’t forget the trafficYeah it’s always cold it seems likeAnd right now in June it’s colder than what it should beThings are more expensive here
Fairfax seems more kid-friendly and cleaner to me than Arlington. Plenty of playgrounds and parks.
I could see why you would say that. Arlington is land-locked and densely populated. They don't have the space to fit in the trails, parks, and medians that Fairfax County has in its footprint.
One of the things we like most about Fairfax County is the number of trees that are located throughout the county. While this place has over a million people living in the area, they have managed to add large green spaces throughout the region.
My wife and I visit the historic town of Clifton VA . It’s population is small great country like roads and the towns ice cream 🍨 shop is always a hit. Pistachio is my favorite.
I live in Fair fax and go to school right next to tj and that school is Holmes middle school
Nice.
Biggest con is constant taxes for everything
Sales
Property
Vehicle
Etc
Pro historic sites and big malls
The government is going to find a way to make their money. In addition to the taxes you named, there's also a congestion relief tax homeowners pay when they sell their properties.
It's a strange tax to pay when you sell your property.
Lived in Fairfax City and worked in Tysons Corner. The only con I remember is lack of night life
Unfortunately, Fairfax County is more a giant suburb than a traditional city. The good news is that you're a quick'ish ride into DC.
Thanks for commenting.
Lack of night life? There's plenty of that here! The only problem with the night life here is if you want to go to someplace to dance or to see a local band live. In order to do that you have to go into D.C. in order to do that. The best clubs in the area that is. If you want to go to a restrauant this area is great for that and you will find plenty of cusines here. It's my guess you lived here sometime in the past? I'll let you figure out the other negative reason that I've expirenced when it comes to night life here. Clue there's a couple of them in Spriinfield!
Thank you man I was worrying about public transportation because I’m from nyc
Our public transportation is nothing like New York but it works to certain degree. If your goal is to live in the area without a car, do not move to the suburbs. Several parts of Fairfax County have busses that are not designed to be reliable and only for the purpose of moving commuters to the metro stations.
Live as close to DC as possible if your goal is to live without a car.
@@AskAWalker is Alexandria VA close to D.C that’s where I’m looking at
Same!! Moving to fairfax from new york in a few weeks
Welcome to the area.
incorrect it snows every year our biggest snowstorm average is 10 inches for the biggest yearly snow. Every 4 or 5 year we get a 3 or 4 foot blizzard though, last in 2016
You're correct. Thanks for the insight.
It looks 2022 will be the year of the snow storms.
Yeah it’s good for a young girl assistance and everything in Fairfax county but they are shopping centers that look like they should be tore down from right I don’t know about that you just haven’t seen It all I’m from here they used to have so nice I love your shopping centers I don’t know what happened great resources though
The pro Nice benefits but the only places you really want to live out here is Great Falls Tysons corner or McLean or maybe Reston town Center some of the other places are so run down a questionable Great Falls is gorgeous though there’s pros and cons here but there’s a run down shopping center and always trouble in some areas
Hi sir, can you please give an idea about George Mason University, surrounding markets, house rents, living costs, commuting, etc.?
We'll add the video to the list. Thanks for the suggestion.
I need some advice. I have been saving to rent a condo in Fairfax, VA. I plan to move in a year. Right now I live with my parents and I only plan to stay in Fairfax for school for about 9 months. Do you have any suggestions on what areas I should look into? maybe near fairfax and such?
Where you stay should be based on your lifestyle and daily routine. Try to stay as close as possible to school because commuting decreases your quality of life in the area.
What school will you be attending?
@@AskAWalker Oh I go to school at George Mason
Also... I don't know how you feel about housemates, but being open to that living arrangement expands your possibilities (plus, splitting the rent was the only way I was able to afford rent in the area). While I was attending GMU / newly-graduated, I split a single-family home with two other students, and then a townhome with two others. IIRC, Mason runs an online board where you can search for available rooms and/or roommates.
One of the biggest cons is that yearly car tax: Seems more like a fine than a tax
Good point.
Thinking of moving to fairfax when I retire from Nypd. Any job prospects for retired Nypd employee.
Not that I'm aware of at this time.
Are you planning on staying in the same field?
When you say Fairfax, are you talking about Fairfax County, Fairfax City, or both?
O.k. Where should I start? I've lived here in this area again since 1982 in Reston here in Fairfax County. This was after I lived in this area back for a short perorid of time back in 1973 in Woodbridge. I'm sorry if I sound too negative but do I like living here? To tell you the truth I don't. This area was better back in 1982 too. The thing I hate the most about living here? The high cost of living. Yes this area provides residents a great opputunity for growth and a good carrer but only if you had the opputunity to do it. Some of the facts about my life have made moving up so to speak difficult. To do that here is hard. I won't go into more details here because this response is already getting too long. Thanks!
Thanks for chiming in and sharing your story.
There's no need to apologize for being negative. You've been living here for as long as I've been alive and your insight is valuable to other people who plan to call Fairfax County home.
Thanks again for sharing your story.
Get on our Exclusive Buyer's VIP list here, to know of new properties - BEFORE they hit the market - AskAWalker.com/ - or of course just call or text 703-539-2053
I moved to Nova from the Towson area in Baltimore county because I like being close to DC for music shows and nightlife and events. I have lived in Annandale and Arlington with my girlfriend. Its a nice area but the cons are that its expensive and I find in Nova that people are not very out going or friendly in Nova. It seems like people keep to themselves more than other place that I have lived. But at least there is a lot to do here.
3:55 very close to my old schools kings park (k-3) kings glen (4-6) and my current school Lake Braddock Secondary (7-12) Pro: terrific for making friends Con: I wish there was more countryside :(
Good point.
How do you like Lake Braddock Secondary so far?
@@AskAWalker great school just too big 😂 biggest school in virginia
@@AskAWalker also it does snow every year. But yes the blizzard is every 5. Just noticed a mistake
Good point. This year it looks like it's going to snow three times.
Ah yes fairfax I was born there in a Asian community with my mom it was nice but soon after I lived overseas in Asia with my grandma and family then I came back but to Florida
Glad to hear that you liked living in Fairfax when you were here. I hope Florida is treating you well.
That's so cool man, I am thinking to move from Florida to Fairfax and I am so worried about the weather, how hard was it to adjust?
How's the diversity in fairfax?
Hi Danielle,
Depends on the section of the county you reside in. The county is less divers when you move further north because income levels and price of homes increase. Diversity is greater in the southern regions as income levels decrease along with home prices.
City Data is a great website to review the diversity of the different areas in Fairfax County on a map.
Let me know if you have any other questions about the area.
Onward,
AW
Pretty diverse, especially near the George Mason University campus.
@@AskAWalker So by you’re Logic (al Fallacy), I surmise you’re a Peasant?
I’m moving to lorton Virginia I’m stationed at fort belvoir. Is this the same area as fairfax county?
Yes, Lorton is in Fairfax County.
Also, Lorton is a fairly large zip code. Try to move closer to the eastern side to have the shortest commute to Fort Belvoir.
@@AskAWalker yes I’m like an 8 minute drive to fort belvoir. This kind of scares me bc most homes close to base are in not so nice areas not sure if this applies to belvoir
Bro you can make it from Springfield to Philly in 2hours????? How....
It's more like 2.5 hours.
Nice but bro now way you can get there under 3 hours..... love your videos
We haven't been in awhile but I don't recall it taking longer than 3 hours. I could be wrong.
I m student of University of North America....is it good location wise
Yes. Fairfax will be a perfect location for you to get to and from school.
I want to know more about the shuttle bus to the Pentagon. Is there a link?
The best thing would be to search for the Fairfax Connector with the neighborhood or area. There was so many buses going from different areas.
Is Fairfax great for opening a business?
Depends on the type of business
@@AskAWalker Thank you so much for sharing 🥰🥰🥰
Are there shopping malls in Fairfax?
We have three shopping malls in Fairfax County.
Also trying to go to tj
Good luck. I know TJ can be a challenging school to gain admission.
The traffic here (Fairfax) is horrible
That just means a lot of people like living here enough to travel to work. Traffic is an excellent indicator of a thriving market.
I don’t think it’s that bad, especially lately its been nothing compared to what it typically is. (Due to pandemic) I’ve lived here for about 20 yrs, before that i lived in south Florida. Miami traffic is horrible. San Francisco? Horrific. I have family out west and I despise driving around that city.
How do you compare to LAX?
Prose The peace and Quiet
I live in fairfax va
Sweet. How are you enjoying living in the area?
Pro: good jobs Minus: traffic
Traffic is a positive sign of opportunity. I'm not sure of one place in America that has Good Jobs and no traffic. The good news is that there's enough houses and turnover to reduce your traffic concerns.
Really depends where u live I've lived in vienna Virginia for 8 years now it's a small town in Fairfax country 15 min away from d.c and we deal with alot of crime heres even though where technically a suburb.... not saying everywhere in fairfax is like that but be mindful before thinking about moving here... and oh u do deal with racist ppl here
Thanks for sharing your experience living in the area.
Is Fairfax a good place for African Americans? I heard VA can be pretty racist.
We haven't had any issues thus far and we've been living here 10 years.
Lived there 40 years. Taxes high and cater to illegals. Goodbye
Have you already left the area?
Fairfax county is not great.
... it's amazing.
Fairfax County Public Schools are controlled by money. They can just re assign your district without your consent sending you to a lower ranked school.
Ive never heard good things about fairfax, especially their police. Im so confused about this video 😂
@@maxmadill while you are correct that FCPS could reassign your district, what's the likelihood of this activity happening? Reassigning districts (high school pyramids) are indeed tied to politics. I guess my question is, what decision isn't? You can't find a better school system void of politics.
Make the best of what you have.
@@Highlikeheaven89, maybe you're not talking to the right people. I don't know too many bad things about this location other than the ones mentioned in this video. Maybe we could work together on a cons only list about Fairfax County isn't that great to get your message out to a wider audience.
Feel free to email your ideas to Abraham (at) AskAWalker (dot) com.
I look forward to hearing from you.