Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services

It isn’t often that you see an event being planned in the community and it makes you think of a Dr Seuss book. However the latest event being planned by the Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association is a “fishing trip.”

Trip might actually be a bit of a misnomer. Actually the fish are going to be in the Ridgewood swimming pool. Yes you read that correctly. The association is going to fill the pool with 700 rainbow trout and for $7.00 per person you can drop a line and catch your limit (of two). Now as someone who has a tendency to sea sickness the idea of fishing in a swimming pool has some appeal. However, as someone who really likes to swim I’m hoping that the pool gets a good scrubbing after the fishing party is over.

The fishing event doesn’t happen until March which is a good thing as I would assume otherwise you would be fishing for Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sticks. For families and the die hard anglers who can't wait until the ice thaws on the lakes it should be a fun event. If you like in Lake Ridge or the surrounding Prince William County area keep your eyes open for more information on the Ridgewood Pool Fish Out event coming in March.

Military Relocation, Military Relocation Virginia, Quantico

Within minutes to the gates of Quantico in Stafford County VA is the gated community of Aquia Harbour. Built in the early 1970’s the neighborhood original attracted weekend boaters and those wanting a retreat from the city. Then with the widening of the major highways, the addition of the VRE as a commuting option and the growth of Northern Virginia, Aquia Harbour became a full time community.

With 2000 acres, including 400 acres of protected wetland, you have a hard time realizing that you are only 45 miles south of DC and 15 miles north of Historic Fredericksburg. The Aquia Harbour neighborhood is different from many others in the area due to the fact that the homes do not fall in the standard tract home category. With a variety of builders and styles each of the areas in the community are unique and for residents who have been there since the beginning, tell a long history about each builder who came and went.

If you are a boater then the Marina and Yacht Club are the first place you want to check out. There is a 150-slip Marina with dredged waterways offering 5 feet of depth leading to the Potomac River. Want to play golf? There is a nine whole course with alternate tees to create a “back nine” for you to play. There are two community swimming pools, nine park areas with a variety of activities and if that wasn’t enough there is a 20 stall stable with indoor and outdoor riding arenas.

Homes in Aquia Harbor range in size and price depending on location and age of the property. With over 2300 homes finding what you want shouldn’t be a problem. As of January 2008 there are 73 active listings ranging in price from $241,500 to $749,000. There are currently three properties listed as foreclosures within the community.

So if you are looking for an affordable neighborhood in Stafford County with loads of commuting options to Quantico, Pentagon, or Fort Belvoir, consider Aquia Harbour. If your orders bring you to Northern Virginia this year give me a call. I've been through the best and worst of military moves and know how stressful it can be.

If buying is not in your plans. Don’t worry I am happy to help youfind a place to rent in any of this or other Northern Virginia neighborhoods as well.

©2008. All Rights Reserved. Cindy Jones

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As an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Allegiance in Northern Virginia and native of the area I can assist you whether you are buying, selling or renting a home anywhere in Northern Virginia. For more information about the area or my services you can check VaRealEstateTalk or my Northern Virginia website.

Search all homes available in the Northern Virginia area.

As you drive around many older neighborhoods in Fairfax County Virginia you see street after street where both the booming real estate market and potential oversight by the local zoning authorities have created neighborhood nightmares. Whether it is the McMansions sitting next to the original single family homes or where zoning violations are evident the question becomes can these neighborhoods be saved?

Having grown up in the area and watched some of these Fairfax County neighborhoods go from quiet "country" hamlets to full blown subdivisions it is sad to see the transformation. Yesterday I was driving through one area to check in on some original neighbors and began to wonder what it would take to put things right again.

Now don't get me wrong I'm not against progress and most of these older homes are obsolete by today's building standards. However when there are no community standards for expansion then you end up with neighborhoods that have little appeal to anyone. The larger McMansions were not truly built to be large single family homes and the smaller homes now surrounded by them bring little interest from younger buyers who might have considering purchasing them with plans to update or undertake a reasonable rennovation.

Unfortunately, it seems that the only thing that can be done is for a smart developer to come in and rebuild the entire community. Does that sound like a radical choice? If you had asked me that question a few years ago I would have thought NO. Now as I look around at the number of homes in foreclosure, the original homes that can't be sold and the look of neglect that is creeping into the streets of these neighborhoods it could be that the answer is very different.

Many of these neighborhoods are close to public transportation, county parks and plans for revitalization of the shopping areas are already approved. With raw land close in being harder to come by it makes me curious as to how long it will take for a smart developer to figure out how ripe these neighborhoods are for the picking and start quietly buying up the foreclosures and getting their plans in order to rebuild when the market rebounds.

So I'll be standing by, checking the tax records and county planning maps to see if there are others who are thinking the same way I am. In the meantime it is a sobering view of what happens when no one is minding the store! Neighborhoods with no identity!

Sometimes you can drive past a landmark for years and not really notice it. Then one day you happen to glance at it again and wonder a bit more about the story behind the little white building by the side of the road. In this case it is another one of the small white frame churches you find that hasn’t been demolished to make way for “progress.”

The Sacred Heart Parish first began in 1914 as a congregation made up primarily of Czech and Austrian families living in Manassas. In 1929 part of the congregation left and built the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin on Hoadly Road in Manassas. In 1937 they were able to buy an acre of property and took the beams and windows from the old church and used those as part of the structure of the new Church.

Now 65 years later the small church remains, surrounded by a well kept cemetery where some of the original church members are buried. It is now a chapel of the much larger Sacred Heart Church which is located across Purcell Road in Manassas. The chapel is used every day for mass and is a popular location for weddings due to its history.

Though not as famous as other historic churches in the area it is still a great place to stop and see how our area once looked and the efforts that some take to continue to save Prince William County history.

Related Posts on Historic Churches in Northern Virginia

Cranford Methodist Church

Washington Street Church

Pohick Church

Fairfax Station

©2008. All rights reserved. Cindy Jones
All original photos taken January 2008

Your military relocation specialist for Northern Virginia

Of course you might want to buy a million dollar mansion while you are stationed in the Northern Virginia but most likely you are going to look for a home that fits more into the range of the 2008 BAH rates or you VA loan limits. Fortunately there are a number of great neighborhoods where you can find a big selection of townhouses and detached homes that should fit your needs.

If you haven’t been stationed in Northern Virginia before one of the first things that you want to become familiar with are all the different commuting options available. Depending on the neighborhood you may have the option for an express bus, a metro ride, VRE or slug line. Many who “slug” in the morning take a bus home in the evening, so you are not stuck with just one choice of how to come and go.

Once you have an idea of your commuting options then we can take a closer look at some of the Fairfax County neighborhoods that have always been popular with military personnel. This tour takes you down Old Keene Mill Road one of the main throughfares in Springfield. One of those neighborhoods is the tree lined neighborhood of Cardinal Forest located in West Springfield.

With well maintained homes spread out on large lots, the ability to walk to Accotink Park and express Metro bus (18G) service to the Pentagon this area has been a prime location since it was built in the late 1960’s. Currently homes are priced between $450,000-$600,000 most with 4 bedrooms and at least 2 full baths.

Just around the corner is the townhouse community of Charlestown. Built to reflect Colonial Williamsburg the all brick homes are well maintained by the homeowners and the association. Having lived in and owned a townhouse in Charlestown for five years I can personally attest to the popularity of the neighborhood and the convenience for commuting to DC. The HOA is responsible for all of the exterior maintenance of the homes, including a three year paint cycle for trim, brick courtyard walls, roofs, front yard mowing and trash removal.

Just as with Cardinal Forest you can walk to all of the same recreation, shopping and commuting options. The largest model town houses the Concord and Hermatage have 2500 square feet of living space on three levels. Current prices in Charlestown range from $375,000 to $425,000.

The final stop on this tour down Keene Mill Road is the neighborhood of Orange Hunt Estates. Orange Hunt also is on a direct bus line to the Pentagon and is only minutes away from one of the major slug lines and connector bus points in the area. Just like Cardinal Forest the homes in Orange Hunt Estates sit on large tree lined lots and have been maintained well over the years by the owners.

Close by is Huntsman Lake, South Run Community Center and Burke Lake Park. Our family called Huntsman Estates home (connected to Orange Hunt Estates) home for seven years and would ride our bikes from our house to Burke Lake Park and back, a perfect 11 mile loop to enjoy on a nice day. Current homes in the Orange Hunt Estates neighborhood are priced between $400,000-$550,000

All of these neighborhoods are part of the West Springfield HS Pyramid.

So if you are looking for affordable neighborhoods in Fairfax County with loads of commuting options to the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir or other locations in the area, consider these terrific neighborhoods. Our family called them home for many years! If your orders bring you to Northern Virginia this year give me a call. I've been through the best and worst of military moves and know how stressful it can be.

If buying is not in your plans. Don’t worry I am happy to help you find a place to rent in any of these or other Northern Virginia neighborhoods as well.

©2008. All Rights Reserved. Cindy Jones
Original photos January 2008 by Cindy Jones

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Allegiance in Northern Virginia and native of the area I can assist you whether you are buying, selling or renting a home anywhere in Northern Virginia. For more information about the area or my services you can check VaRealEstateTalk or my Northern Virginia website.

Search all homes available in the Northern Virginia area.