Reviews & Comments
Hyattsville, MD
Black/Hispanic Bedroom Community -
9/15/2006Pros: Close to train stations, More shops and stores being built, close to major highways, University of Maryland, etc. Crime not as bad as some may make it out to be...
Cons: ...however it does exist. Is right on the border of the bad parts of DC. Some would say "overrun" by illegal immigrants. Its nice. Just not one of your ritzier areas.
Burke, VA
Nice Place -
9/15/2006Its a DC Suburb. If you're looking for more besides endless swaths of condos, single family homes and strip malls, forget it. Mostly white, home to a LOT of military officers who commute to the Pentagon.
And if you do want a house, you will probably need to be a millionaire
Fairfax, VA
Good Points, Bad Points -
9/15/2006The Good Points: Clean, good schools (or so I've heard, I don't have kids)
Mixed between Repubs and Dems, but almost universal disdain for the Bush Admin. New homes, lots of malls, churches, afterschool activities, bars, restaurants, etc etc. If you want arts, culture and museums, you can't do any better except for NYC. Crime? Some theft, but very low. Any homicides here are usually because of some nutcase. Unemployment almost non-existent. It is almost impossible not to have a job in Northern Virginia. Transportation is good, you've got buses all over. However there's only a smattering of train stops in the area. They were good for 10 years ago, but as population grew outward, you might spend an hour in traffic just getting to the train station, depending on where you live.
The Bad: TRAFFIC. If you can live near your job, you really might want to think about it. HIGH RENTS/HOME PRICES: You will pay minimum $800 for a 1-bedroom. Houses are starting at $900,000 and that's for a fixer-upper. TAXES: As more people move here, more services are demanded. Fact of live.
IMMIGRANTS: Yes, there are tons of illegal immigrants in the area. PEOPLE: Stuck-up, pompous, often rude, and can't drive. WEATHER: Only good months are April and September - October. Hot, sticky and humid in summer, and winter cold gets cold. I'm leaving in Sept but secure in the knowledge that if I need to, I can come back and find a job tomorrow.