Poor Quality Housing; Nightmarish Highway System
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11/14/2017
Living in Fairfax, or any of the Northern Virginia suburbs of DC, means dealing with highways that are a Gordian knot of converging lanes and overpasses, making long commutes in bumper-to-bumper traffic even more of a nightmare. Rte 66 into Washington, DC, is a parking lot during rush hour, and in both directions. If you buy a home near your place of employment, know that in a right-to-work (i.e. non-union) state, housing is often built by unskilled labor. Before you buy, check that the kitchen cabinets are level, the doorways square, the fireplace operable, etc. In a subdivision of large homes selling for (base price) $800,000 new in 2005, I saw roofs starting to be replaced after 3 years, windows replaced, flashing missing. When the driveway of my own house started sinking I had the macadam replaced and found no gravel bed under the original drive. Poor housing construction is a serious issue in Fairfax County and in all of Northern Virginia, even in expensive homes. That also applies to contractors hired to make repairs. Good luck.
Kay | Washington, DC