Moving to Fairfax, VA Soon!

[PK3]

Thank you so much. This is definitely what I am going to do. I am so excited to move out!

 

Does anyone here live in the Fairfax area? We've been leaning towards a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment at Van Metre at Fairfax Square. It's around $1430/month. I'd love to find a detached though.

 

Welcome to the club! There is a pretty nice fish store like 2 minutes from that location.

[Brian Ward]

One thing that might take some getting used to is the attitude about commuting out here. Truthfully - people in general think nothing of a 2-hour drive to work. I had one person working for me that drove down from the middle of Pennsylvania. Same way with buying corals and stuff here - we TRY to avoid driving a couple of hours to pick up a coral frag - but we do it anyhow.

 

bob

 

This is definitely true. I know many people that do a 1-hr commute in heavy traffic every day. I did it as an intern and my aunt did it for 20 years. When I moved here, I remembered it with intense hatred and vowed to live somewhere that would be less stressful and not require such a long commute. That is why I chose to live in DC and not in the suburbs. I would very strongly recommend renting (not sure if that's what you were doing anyway) for at least 4-6 mos to be sure you understand the traffic patterns and what the commute is really like. When you're stuck on 66 for 3 hrs on a Friday afternoon trying to get out of DC and drive the 15 miles to your house (which didn't seem like that far away when you bought it), you may reconsider living in Fairfax and decide that it's worth the extra $300 or $400 a month to gain 22 hrs per month of your life back. I have a very easy 20 minute commute to my office in SW DC and would never trade it for the headache of crossing one of those god-forsaken bridges into DC ever again.

[DJBoy98]

All depends where you work and what you do. If you are a software developer, then you can find jobs in the 'burbs like Reston/Dulles/Tysons area also. There's alot of tech companies there.

[Ryan S]

Also - if anyone knows of any apartments in Fairfax, or near an Orange Line Metro stop, we'd love to hear from you. We'll be looking for a lease beginning June 1, 2009. Right now, we're leaning towards the Van Metre Fairfax Square apartments, but haven't signed the lease yet.

 

Thanks!

 

-Ryan

[Amuze]

Also - if anyone knows of any apartments in Fairfax, or near an Orange Line Metro stop, we'd love to hear from you. We'll be looking for a lease beginning June 1, 2009. Right now, we're leaning towards the Van Metre Fairfax Square apartments, but haven't signed the lease yet.

 

Thanks!

 

-Ryan

 

Camden Fairlakes.

[Ryan S]

Jeanette (my gf) and I did some talking last night, and there are a few properties we wish we could "see" in the Fairfax area. But since we're in Kansas, that's not quite possible. We looked into a plane, car rental, hotel, and that adds up fast. I had an idea that maybe we could find somebody here who lives in the Fairfax area that could check out a few properties for us, and we could pay them something, maybe $25/house? Does anyone here live in the area or have some free time to do something like this?

 

We have about 1-5 properties we're considering. We'd like someone whose lived in the Fairfax area for a while, and knows where the better areas are. I would give you an address, a contact person, at your convenience, you would go and check out the property, take some photos with a digital camera, and most importantly, give us your "personal thoughts" on the property. Would you live there, or would you let family live there, that sort of thing. (I of course want to know if you see a good spot for a 6 foot fish tank - jk!). I wouldn't expect a visit to take very long, maybe 30-60 minutes of your time?

 

If anyone is interested, please PM me, and we can work something out. You'd be doing us a huge favor, and could make a little money as well, to do as you wish, but your fish tank would enjoy new things I'm sure!

 

Thanks a lot,

Ryan & Jeanette

[Ziggy953]

I've been in VA for 16 years now and I've lived in several different areas around the metro region. Started out in Fairfax (Fair Lakes area) then moved to Centreville and then to Springfield and then back to Fairfax then out to Haymarket and off to Madison. After I got married my wife and I moved to Sumerduck (I know where the heck is that, it sounds like the middle of nowhere and it is) I don't have to commute to DC though. My drive is against traffic 30 minutes (35 miles) and only 4 days a week.

 

I guess it all boils down to what you like in your living environment. The DC metro area has it all. You can live in what seems like the country side and still be close or you can live in a high rise looking down on the city. Money has everything to do with it! I like being out in the country on a few acres but I'm just as at home in the bustle of the city.

 

I think if I were in your situation I would find something cheap for 6 months and deal with what ever commute you end up with and find the area that works best for you.

[davidm]

you could try posting the 5 possiblities - those of us in Fairfax might be able to divide and conquer and split up the load depending on their proximity. We'd all have slightly different perspectives, but photos can't lie. just a thought - David

[Grav]

I would take the LFS up on the offer.

 

I lived in an appartment for 18 months in fairfax before we got the house. I bet if you post the locations you will find someone that lived in or knows someone that lives in 4 of the 5 and will comment for free. (I would.)

[Ryan S]

I want to thank each of you that have posted here, as well as PMed and helped us out. We have submitted an application for a condo, and expect to sign the lease very shortly. We will be renting a 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo at Main Street Green Condominiums for $1450/month including utilities.

 

This is where it's located. Does anyone leave nearby? Are there any good LFS nearby?

 

We can't even begin to tell you how excited we are to move later this month! We also plan on making the next Wamas meeting, so that's exciting too! Now I just need to find a job with the Dept. of Justice and we're golden!

[davidm]

Both the Aquarium Company and Marine Scene are about 10-15 minutes from your condo. I'm also about 10 minutes away, so once you get set up you should come and see if you want any frags from my tank. welcome.

[Ryan S]

Both the Aquarium Company and Marine Scene are about 10-15 minutes from your condo. I'm also about 10 minutes away, so once you get set up you should come and see if you want any frags from my tank. welcome.

 

Just so you know, we will totally take you up on that offer next month! Plus we can hook you up with frags from the midwest as well!

[Integral9]

I lived in Post Forest Apartments in Fairfax for 3 years. It was probably the best apartment living experience I've ever had in N. VA. I encourage you to take a look at them. While they didn't have stone counter tops and faux rock walls on the buildings, the apartments were clean w/ modern appliances. I also found the office staff great people to deal with. Also, parking was never an issue and I could have as many guests as I wanted. They are pet friendly, and offer garages for a little extra per month. Pool, workout facilities, tennis courts and a gated community. The walls are completely sound proof as I never heard my neighbors and they never heard me.

[Ryan S]

Well, we are back to thinking about transporting the fish and corals ourselves, and saving the money that shipping would cost ($160 for 2 boxes). The trip will bne 3 days, 2 nights. We'll be towing our honda accord behind the budget truck.

 

The current plan is to put 2 18g rubbermaids in the backseat of the car, with the windows down. We would run a battery powered airstone in the fish tub. The corals will all be individually bagged in their tub. The fish would all be loose in theirs. We'd bring each tub inside both nights at the hotels, and I would put heaters in each, airstones in each, and do water changes in each. Weather.com says the weekend we'll be moving (May 30-June 1), the temperature will be 80 degrees outside. I figure with the windows down, the car won't get higher than the outside temperature, so it might be right where it needs to be. And with a little luck, everything will survive, and then I can go to my new LFS and spend the $150 on new things, from the saved shipping money...

[Ryan S]

Well, we are back to thinking about transporting the fish and corals ourselves, and saving the money that shipping would cost ($160 for 2 boxes). The trip will bne 3 days, 2 nights. We'll be towing our honda accord behind the budget truck.

 

The current plan is to put 2 18g rubbermaids in the backseat of the car, with the windows down. We would run a battery powered airstone in the fish tub. The corals will all be individually bagged in their tub. The fish would all be loose in theirs. We'd bring each tub inside both nights at the hotels, and I would put heaters in each, airstones in each, and do water changes in each. Weather.com says the weekend we'll be moving (May 30-June 1), the temperature will be 80 degrees outside. I figure with the windows down, the car won't get higher than the outside temperature, so it might be right where it needs to be. And with a little luck, everything will survive, and then I can go to my new LFS and spend the $150 on new things, from the saved shipping money...

 

We are in a hotel in Dale, Indiana tonight. The fish and corals survived day 1 in the backseat of the car. We will arrive Monday morning to: 10570 Main Street, Unit 201, Fairfax, VA, to our new condo.

 

I was wondering/hoping any of you had some free time Monday afternoon and wouldn't mind swinging by to help me bring in a couple things? My girlfriend and I can almost everything, but 3 things are too heavy for her; the couch, my 135g tank, and the 135g tank stand. If anyone was able to help me get them upstairs from the Budget truck, you'd have an instant friend for life! I could offer food, beer, or frags in a couple weeks once my tank is up and running? My cell is 516-270-5581, we'll be on the road all day tomorrow, so if anyone is nearby and wouldn't mind helping me, I'd seriously owe you one. Thank you all in advance. We're so excited to be moving to Virginia finally!

 

-Ryan & Jeanette

[Jon Lazar]

I would absolutely pay the $160 for shipping the corals. It buys you plenty of time to get your new tank set up in the apartment,, and is much less of a hassle than carrying the livestock across country, unbagging and rebagging every night. That's the last thing I would want to do after driving all day. And, believe it or not, you may want to spend your first few days in DC moving in to your new apartment and what not, rather than having to deal with a bunch of livestock from day 1.

 

Welcome in advance to WAMAS!

 

Jon & Maureen

 

 

Well, we are back to thinking about transporting the fish and corals ourselves, and saving the money that shipping would cost ($160 for 2 boxes). The trip will bne 3 days, 2 nights. We'll be towing our honda accord behind the budget truck.

 

The current plan is to put 2 18g rubbermaids in the backseat of the car, with the windows down. We would run a battery powered airstone in the fish tub. The corals will all be individually bagged in their tub. The fish would all be loose in theirs. We'd bring each tub inside both nights at the hotels, and I would put heaters in each, airstones in each, and do water changes in each. Weather.com says the weekend we'll be moving (May 30-June 1), the temperature will be 80 degrees outside. I figure with the windows down, the car won't get higher than the outside temperature, so it might be right where it needs to be. And with a little luck, everything will survive, and then I can go to my new LFS and spend the $150 on new things, from the saved shipping money...