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Considering Moving to VA-Help!
My husband and I (age 30 and 28) are considering moving to Virginia. We currently live in Northeast Ohio and are frankly getting sick of the horrendous winters that we have here and for other reasons as well but the winter issue is the main factor.
This move probably wouldn't be for another 2 or 3 years but I love to plan and research so of course I'm on it full force already. Currently we enjoy a low cost of living where we live so we would like to live somewhere affordable so I'm guessing that would rule out anywhere near DC. I was kinda looking at Richmond. Can anyone give me some personal opinions of this area? Also if there is any other area you think we might be a good fit for I would love to hear all recommendations.
Things we are looking for:
1.) Mild winters
2.) Lot's of things to do-restaurants, shopping, outdoor activities, etc
3.) Good schools-we currently do not have any children but will probably in a couple of years
4.) Affordable but nice housing
5.) A culturally rich and beautiful place to live
Thank you!
Re: Considering Moving to VA-Help!
I think you can pretty much tick everything off that list in Richmond. I'm no help with the school districts - but with 2-3 years of researching I'm pretty darn confident you'll find the right one for you.
Winters are a lot milder than Ohio I imagine - though it does get downright cold (in my humble Virginian opinion) and coats, hats, scarves and mittens are a necessity. You don't need snow pants though. We get snow - but on average about 2-3" and usually only in January and/or February. Frost and ice are very common.
I'm actually hoping to move back to Richmond myself within the next year so I should really start researching where I want to live also.
On a personal note though, DH and I are actually looking to have a bit more land than the city has to offer and will look more at Midlothian, Mechanicsville and Glen Allen. Both within reasonable commuting distance and probably have more bang for your buck.
If you like city living, you'll be just fine inside the city. There are plenty of beautiful old homes - and even new construction really, just smaller yards than what we're desiring (think 1+ acres here?)
We live right outside of Charlottesville, about an hour away from Richmond. Might be somewhere you'd want to look into.
The downtown area has a lot to do - the downtown mall area with lots of restaurants and cute shops right near the UVA campus with all sorts of other restaurants and clubs and stuff. Our main mall is pretty sucky (very small), but like I said - it's not too far of a drive to the malls in Richmond or even Harrisonburg.) There are lots of historical sites to visit too - Monticello being one.
It's beautiful here too - especially in the fall - and Skyline Drive isn't too far away. Plenty of mountain views and country too, when you want to get away from the main city.
The Albemarle County school district is pretty good as well for when you have kids.
I've lived in Richmond for 5 years now and have grown to love the Richmond area. My husband grew up here and loves it as well. I'll go through your points with my opinions and let me know if there are more questions. Sorry if it's long - there really is that much to say about Richmond!!! I hope this helps!
1. The winters here I imagine are milder than what you experience in Ohio, but if it does snow, things shut down. Last winter, they could not plow our neighborhood streests (and we only live 5 miles from the city) and did not get mail for 3 workdays!
2.
A. The suburbs have really exploded. And with that comes chain restaurants and big malls. We even have one that has very high class stores, including Louis Vuitton (where I cannot to afford to visit!). Carytown still has the unique shops as well as many original (and yummy) restaurants. The Fan is a favorite for restaurants and bars.
B. There are lots of parks in Richmond, but my husband and I will do a 1-2 hour drive out to the mountain for a day hike. For longer backpacking trips, like on the Appalachian trail, we'll drive the 4-5 hours. My husband also said to me, "We are 2 hours from the mountains and 2 hours from the beach." (He means Virginia beach.)
C. If you are concerned about meeting people and like sports (or really just want to meet people), Richmond also has exploded with recreational sports to play. My husband and I play 2-hand touch football along with flag football. There is a tier system for competitiveness so if you just want to meet people, join the lowest tier where the "athletes" drink on the sideline or even bring their beer ON the field
They also have dodgeball, wiffleball, etc. There is always some kind of happy hour at a bar afterwards. Also, there are lots and lots of races for runners and bikers so I'm sure there are running and biking clubs.
With that being said, there are no national sports teams in Richmond to watch, but there are many minor ones that are just as fun and cheaper. (Flying Squirrels for baseball, Revolution for indoor football, etc).
D. Oh, there are also the festivals in Richmond. Some people think they are cheesy, but I think they can be pretty fun!
3. Can't help with schools since I do not have children. However, I do hear from co-workers that Henrico county schools are on the richest in the state and have top ranking schools in the country. (You'll have to verify this.)
4. Unfortunately I will be moving to Maryland, outside of Baltimore. The housing there is astronomical. To me, Richmond housing is cheap. But if you are from a small town in Ohio, Richmond may be expensive.
5. Before Richmond, I lived in the DC area and then in Manhattan. I cannot vouch for Richmond to be culturally diverse due to where I've lived. But I have worked in smaller towns in America where I shocked people by telling them that my family does not celebrate Christmas. (I really think I was the first person they knew that was 1. Asian and 2. Was not Christian.) So I think Richmond has become culturally diverse enough, and will continue to grow in this area. And, yes, in my biased opinion, I think Richmond is beautiful. You should just come for a visit and see for yourself
I would recommend looking into Charlottesville. Charlottesville is surrounded by many of Virginia's best vineyards, not to mention all of the cultural things UVA brings to the city. It's really close to Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains, so there's plenty of hiking and skiing near by. There's also a daily train to and from DC (and it's pretty darn cheap).
Roanoke will definitely be cheap to live in and will have a lot of things to do, I'm just not sure on the schools.
I live in Lynchburg, which has really good schools and is really cheap, but doesn't have quite as much to do as C'ville or Roanoke.
I'v lived in the midlothian area my whole life.
1) I've been to Ohio during the winter and Virginia is much much milder. We do get snow but like a PP said its usually around 2-3 inches (we did get a bit more last year and have so far this year).
2) Theres a lot to do in Midlothian. It is being rapidly developed so a lot of resturaunts, movie theaters, malls (there are 3, one which is really really and like someone else said has stores such as Louis Vuitton, Coach, etc.), we have some of the best state parks in the country so if you are active there is plenty to do. They are also about to open a place called Sports Quest in Midlothian which is around 250 acres of sports fields where there are small recreation teams.
3) Chesterfield and Henrico have some of the best schools in the country. I know of two in Chesterfield that are nationally ranked as well as a really really nice new school in Chesterfield.
4) There is some affordable housing in both areas but there are also some really expensive houses but I'm thinking most range around 200,000 - 300,000 in chesterfield.
5) Richmond was the capitol of the civil war and it is beautiful. Chesterfield and Henrico are also places rich with history and civil war battelfields. We have found plenty of arrow heads and even musket balls in the backyard.
I hope you enjoy Virginia if you decide to move here. It has always been my home and it is in my opinion the greatest place on earth.
I have lived in the Roanoke area all of my life. Its cheap (average rent is $600/month and you can find a great 3 bedroom house for under $140k), has great schools, the mountain scenery is beautiful, our local shopping has alot to offer and your not too far away from Smith Mountain lake which offers boating, beaches, and swimming.
I know this isnt Richmond (we are a 3 hour drive from there) but I thought I would throw in another option :-)
I'm loving this idea. Must look into graphic design jobs in Roanoke area now?
We live in Fairfax, about 20 miles outside of DC. It's far enough away from DC, though, that it doesn't feel like part of the city. There is a lot to do in our neighborhood, and the school district is very good (though we don't have children, so I'm going by what I hear).
Housing is fairly expensive, although cheaper lately since home values have taken a tumble. If you want to rent, I'd expect it to be around $1600-$2000 per month for a two bedroom. If you want to buy, the cost can range from $250,000 up to $900,000 in this area.