So you're moving to Northern Virginia

Maureen Landes
7 hours ago
8 min read

Why move to Northern Virginia? Read on to find out from a Real Estate who has lived in Loudoun County since 1993 what it’s like living in Northern Virginia!

Have your eye on Fairfax or Loudoun County? Wondering what the difference is, or if there even is one?

Metro Silver Line from DC to Ashburn, VA

Like many suburbs in America, Northern Virginia (Nova) has seen a steady and large increase in growth over the past several decades. With the completion of the Metro silver line (public transportation train to Washington, D.C.) earlier this year - a plan that has been in the works since the 1970s, there is even easier access to downtown D.C. as well as all stops along the way. Yet some of the small town charm that Loudoun has been known for - horse country, wine country, access to West Virginia and the Appalachian Trail - and the historic buildings and battlefield sites in Fairfax, along with mom and pop businesses and the natural wonder of Great Falls Park - still exist and part of the lure of living in these areas.

Meadowlark Botanical Garden in Vienna, VA

Turtles at a park in the master-planned community of Brambleton in Loudoun County, VA

In one sense, there is no shortage of housing, and yet like all of the United States, there is an affordable housing shortage which the local governments are continuously trying to rectify. Let’s take a look at some of the areas you might choose to live in both Fairfax and Loudoun County in Northern Virginia and some highlights of living in each.

Schools

Both school districts are rated top nationally and have exceptional amenities and special programs. In Loudoun, there is the Academies of Loudoun, which offers high level professional instruction in medicine, science, tech, engineering, as well as cooking, HVAC, cosmetology, and much more. Loudoun is continuously building new schools to keep up with the demand of the growing community, and there is a chance your child(ren) will go to a newly built school, depending on which neighborhood you choose to live. Fairfax has a reputation of strong academics, as well. The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is the accelerated school in Fairfax. While many of the school buildings are older because the county is older, they are designed with accessibility and sustainability in mind.

Parks

Each county has a wide variety of both National and Regional Parks as well as its own Parks and Recreation Department. And because the counties are adjacent, it’s easy to visit places in each. Some highlights include (in Fairfax): Meadowlark Botanical Garden, Great Falls National Park, Clemyjontri Park, Huntley Meadows Park and (in Loudoun) Cox Farms, Hal & Bernie Hansen Regional Park, Bull Run Park, and A.V. Symington Aquatic Center at Ida Lee Recreation Center. Visit NOVA Parks for a complete list of parks in the region.

Swans at a lake in a park in Fairfax County, VA

Washington, D.C.

Kennedy Center, Museums, Nationals baseball, Union Station, the White House, Smithsonian National Zoo. An entire category could be devoted to the outstanding museums in Washington, D.C. There are also multiple monuments and a huge array of entertainment opportunities that come to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. See the DC Visitors guide for more information and to plan your visit.

Entertainment

This category really needs its own blog post, so I will include a list here with links to some of my favorites: Middleburg Film Festival, Steven F. Udvar Hazy Air & Space Museum, Tyson’s Galleria and Tyson’s Corner, One Loudoun, Reston Town Center, Top Golf, Dulles Sport & Golf, Harper’s Ferry (WV), Reston National Golf Course, Lansdowne Resort, Brambleton Town Center, Bush Tabernacle Roller Rink, Ion International Ice-skating Center, Great Country Farms, Baltimore National Aquarium (MD).

Jellyfish at an exhibit at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD

Dulles International Airport and Reagan International Airport

In Loudoun and Fairfax, respectively, these two airports being nearby are a huge convenience for domestic and international travel.

Trips within Driving Distance

It should be mentioned that the Northern Virginia area is an excellent location for reaching other vacation destinations not requiring air travel. Some places that locals like to visit are:

OBX (Outer Banks) beaches in North Carolina

Delaware beaches (Rehoboth, Lewes, Dewey, Bethany)

Ocean City, MD beaches

Nashville (TN), Savannah (GA), Philadelphia (PA), and NYC (NY) are also drivable destinations.

As you can see, this area has a lot to offer. The only downside that most people mention is the cost of living, which is high. Some mention traffic as a downside, but with more people working from home since COVID, the commuter traffic may be less, depending on your opinion. Others mention the transient nature of the area, since many people relocate for work and then end up leaving.

Arcola Town Center, one of the new construction developments in Loudoun County

My advice for people wanting to move here and stay here is to use the resources above to get involved in community activities, enjoy the abundant resources, visit nature, and find a neighborhood or community that is a good fit for the kind of lifestyle you are desiring. For example, Reston is an established city with a nature vibe, plenty of trails and wooded areas, yet a short distance to D.C. and also highlighting nightlife with the Reston Town Center. Whereas, Ashburn is a newer area, with a focus on families and new construction still being built, and while it’s still a short trip to D.C., it’s closer to the mountains of West Virginia and farmland in Western Loudoun (which Ashburn itself used to be!).

Interior of Carolina Brother's BBQ Restaurant in Old Ashburn, VA

Please do reach out if you have any questions or are looking to buy or sell your home in the area. Refer a friend who is relocating or needs a Realtor to sell their Northern Virginia home. I would love to help!

Home Selling Tips

Let’s talk about what you really care about - how to sell your home effectively, for the greatest amount of money, in the least amount of time, with the least amount of hassle. Here are my tips for a successful home sale.

Have a plan - If I were going to be selling my home, I would start by envisioning my ideal situation: by what date do I want to have moved by? how much money do I want to net? Where am I going? Who is handling that transaction? You will have a Real Estate Agent to help you with the technical details (see next step), but you should have an idea of how you want your move to go and even how much you are expecting your home will sell for. Your Realtor will be able to advise you on whether that’s a realistic price or not.
Choose your Real Estate Agent wisely - you might know grandma’s friend who is a real estate agent, but this is a time to choose someone YOU have met with, YOU are able to communicate with, who YOU are confident in with the precious sale of your home. Trust your gut. If the first person you talk with doesn’t give you a peaceful feeling about handing the sale of your home, there are many people to choose from. I advise you to wait until you the find the person that sits well with you.
Stage - this is something else your Realtor can help you with, but a simple Google search can give you some tips on how to stage your home so that it presents better to buyers. For example, if your home features a sit-in eating area in the kitchen and your family uses that area as a homeschool room, remove the school materials before your house goes on the market and stage the area to highlight its potential as a lovely dining area - tablecloths and place settings take it up a notch. Also, if you have exercise equipment in the bedroom, take that out and put it in storage, move it to your new home, or move it to a different location in your house if that’s feasible. Make the bedroom look and feel relaxing and ideal for sleeping. If you can use what you have or afford to buy a simple duvet and matching pillowcases, it will add to the effect.
Declutter and clean - As you stage, or before you start staging, you will most likely need to declutter, and you will definitely have to clean. You know yourself - if you anticipate it taking a long time to declutter, start early, as soon as you know you’re moving. Do a double whammy and start packing the things you want to keep but won’t need before you move (ie holiday decorations, extra dishware, clothes that are out of season). The things that you don’t want to keep can be donated or trashed, if they’re beyond use. You will make space in your current home and get a head start on moving for your new home at the same time. Spring for a storage unit if you must, or depending on the timing of your move, you might move your things into your new place.
Packing early helps with staging as well as moving
You can even keep packed boxes in a storage area of your current home in a basement or garage, if you must. Some areas to focus on: cabinets - keep a place setting for four or six and remove the rest. Especially cups! For some reason, people tend to have a lot of cups. :) The idea is to make your cabinets seem spacious and with plenty of storage potential for the new owners. Closets - a good rule of thumb is keep them half empty (or half full, depending on how you look at it :)). As with the kitchen items, pack and store what you can. If this area is really not your strength, there are people you can hire on places like Thumbtack to help. (If you hire me as your Real Estate Agent, I am happy to help!) Before the house officially goes on the market, you need to clean it or have it professionally cleaned. Hopefully, your Realtor will be honest with you if there are any noticeable smells. Years of living in a home with pets, cooking, smoking, children, or just day to day living can allow smells to embed in carpets and other materials, and you may have become immune to them. Ask your Real Estate Agent’s opinion, if you’re not sure. A good professional cleaning can eliminate odors. One more thing is to depersonalize. Some family photos may be fine, but remember that the potential buyers need to see themselves living there, so personal items shouldn’t be distracting. Same with polarizing items, like religious or political items on display. The reason model homes have a “beige personality” is that they need to apply for all types of people, so that should be the goal you keep in mind when selling your home.
Curb Appeal - You can start by looking online for ideas, but your Realtor is also a great resource for ideas specific to your home. Some general ideas for all homes are to clean up landscaping and/or grass. Keep walkways an porches clean and decluttered. Add annual flowers. Highlight your homes best features. For example, if there is room on your porch for a sitting area, stage it with a nice pair of chairs and perhaps a pillow or two to draw attention to that feature. Whatever is special about your home, highlight it!