Maybe moving to Richmond VA.

[earlyriser26]

I am retiring at the end of the year and my daughter is moving to Ricmond VA. The wife wants to tagg along. Anyone out there from that area? Thoughts? Good places to live nearby? We will be moving from Columbus, Ohio.

[HikerMom58]

I am retiring at the end of the year and my daughter is moving to Ricmond VA. The wife wants to tagg along. Anyone out there from that area? Thoughts? Good places to live nearby? We will be moving from Columbus, Ohio.

Oh, that sounds FUN!! How far do you want to live from Richmond? Do you want to live closer to the beach or the mountains? I think you will like VA. Columbus is nice but the winter is a lil longer than I like winter's to be... Fun, Fun... hope you won't have trouble selling your house, if you need 2.

[Creek Dancer]

I am retiring at the end of the year and my daughter is moving to Ricmond VA. The wife wants to tagg along. Anyone out there from that area? Thoughts? Good places to live nearby? We will be moving from Columbus, Ohio.

I moved away from Richmond about 3 years ago. I liked the area okay, but if I were to move back, I would move to the outskirts, like Powhatan or Manakin-Sabot. The suburbs around the city have become rather congested compared to 20 years ago when I first moved there. The Old Dominion Appalachain Trail Club is quite active in Richmond.

[Majortrauma]

I live 1 hour North of Richmond in Fredericksburg and I like it here quite a bit with the exception of the God awful traffic. There is a lot of hiking to be done here and the AT, especially the GW and Jefferson Natl Forests are close.

[earlyriser26]

I am looking at the subburbs or maybe just a little ways farther out. I would choose the mountains. The wife would choose the beach. So, richmond is the compromise. Plus, my daughter will be there. Going there on friday to look around before heading to the outter banks.

[johnnybgood]

Having lived here in the Richmond area for the past 32 years I can give any information you like.

Rather than posting a very long rambling account of possible options I'd be happy to answer your questions personally. Send me a pm and we can either communicate that way or I'll give my cell number.

johnny

[bigcranky]

Lived there for ten years; left almost sixteen years ago. Still miss it. Great town. If you like urban living, there are some terrific neighborhoods. The suburbs look like anywhere else Good luck.

[scree]

Beautiful city with a lot to do nearby. You're about 2-2.5 hours to SNP via Afton Mountain West and the same time to the Atlantic Ocean (VA Beach). The James and other rivers nearby are great for tubing. Unless you like traffic and McMansions, my recommendation is to avoid the whole area around Innsbrook/Short Pump/most of the West End at all costs and look for a place in some of the older parts of the city or its suburbs. If you want to have ready access to the city (within an hour) and the mountains, you can find some beautiful land out past the city right off I-64, really anywhere between Richmond and Charlottesville.

[BigRing]

I lived in Richmond for several years. Richmond is a great city....lots of family owned restaurants, great hiking nearby, close to the outer banks, and a very strong road cycling community.

[Hairbear]

are there jobs in the area,do they have a state tax,housing costs?

[scree]

are there jobs in the area,do they have a state tax,housing costs?

There are plenty of jobs in Richmond and down towards Newport News. Financial services and IT are decent, and if you're looking for a service/restaurant type job it's a college town with a very diverse set of restaurants and shops. Virginia has significant state tax, in addition to sales tax and lots of significant private property taxes for things like cars and boats. Housing costs in Richmond are very reasonable and it's an affordable city to live in. Have a friend there making just $27K who is able to rent an older house, owns a car, and lives very comfortably.

[Whack-a-mole]

The best thing about Richmond, is that it is close to NC, but I'm prejudiced.

[Creek Dancer]

The best thing about Richmond, is that it is close to NC, but I'm prejudiced.

North Carolina is kinda awesome.

[Creek Dancer]

There are plenty of jobs in Richmond and down towards Newport News. Financial services and IT are decent, and if you're looking for a service/restaurant type job it's a college town with a very diverse set of restaurants and shops. Virginia has significant state tax, in addition to sales tax and lots of significant private property taxes for things like cars and boats. Housing costs in Richmond are very reasonable and it's an affordable city to live in. Have a friend there making just $27K who is able to rent an older house, owns a car, and lives very comfortably.

Glad to hear the job market has improved. I moved away from Richmond three years ago because I couldn't get a job, even after 25 years experience and two advanced degrees. I had no problem finding something in Raleigh, NC at the time.

Your suggestion about choosing a spot between Richmond and Charlottesville is a good one. Housing prices may be even less, and you would still be relatively close to both the mountains and the City of Richmond. Louisa is rather nice.

[scree]

Glad to hear the job market has improved. I moved away from Richmond three years ago because I couldn't get a job, even after 25 years experience and two advanced degrees. I had no problem finding something in Raleigh, NC at the time.

Your suggestion about choosing a spot between Richmond and Charlottesville is a good one. Housing prices may be even less, and you would still be relatively close to both the mountains and the City of Richmond. Louisa is rather nice.

I think it's improved from three years ago, as there have been several large companies increasing hiring or moving in. Capital One or one of its feeder contractor shops is the old standby, but GE has increased its presence recently as well. I am trying to move back to Richmond from NOVA because NOVA is a terrible, soulless, life-sucking hamster wheel of traffic jams and bad neighbors. Lots of people are moving to NOVA to get jobs but there is practically zero culture and a pervasively hostile eff-you-got-mine attitude. Richmond is like a whole other planet.

I don't know Raleigh that well, though at one point I considered a move to Cary for work. Sometimes think I should have. I imagine the job situation would still be better there than in Richmond since it's a major and well-planned tech hub. Richmond squandered its opportunity to be the southeastern financial hub back in the 90s. While it's better than it was, I don't imagine there would be as many opportunities in Richmond as there would be in the Triangle.

[Creek Dancer]

I think it's improved from three years ago, as there have been several large companies increasing hiring or moving in. Capital One or one of its feeder contractor shops is the old standby, but GE has increased its presence recently as well. I am trying to move back to Richmond from NOVA because NOVA is a terrible, soulless, life-sucking hamster wheel of traffic jams and bad neighbors. Lots of people are moving to NOVA to get jobs but there is practically zero culture and a pervasively hostile eff-you-got-mine attitude. Richmond is like a whole other planet.

I don't know Raleigh that well, though at one point I considered a move to Cary for work. Sometimes think I should have. I imagine the job situation would still be better there than in Richmond since it's a major and well-planned tech hub. Richmond squandered its opportunity to be the southeastern financial hub back in the 90s. While it's better than it was, I don't imagine there would be as many opportunities in Richmond as there would be in the Triangle.

I hear you about NOVA. I used to live in Reston 20 years ago. When I was looking for a job three years ago, I was offered a position in NOVA. After going back there a couple of times for interviews, I decided there was no way I could live there again for all the same reasons you described. I turned down the job and focused on Raleigh. You're right. Richmond is like another planet. I probably would have stayed if I had been able to find employment.

The Triangle is a great area too. What I really love about the area is that the planners did a good job of preserving natural recreational areas. In fact, a section of the Mountain-to-Sea-Trail goes through Raleigh. I find the pace of life here to be slower than Richmond, and I like that. But I am also further away from the mountains than I was in Richmond.

[johnnybgood]

Chesterfield County has a average house price of $250k , and is the largest suburban county with a medium household income of $59,000. Henrico County's average house listing is $229k and is currently growing faster than Chesterfield with new housing start ups and business permits with Short Pump at the epicenter of this growth.
School systems in both counties are good and both are relatively safe areas to raise a family.

Outlying counties of Powhatan and Hanover are good choices if you like more country than suburb and don't mind a longer commute to everything. Even Amelia county has a new housing development which was once farmland three short years ago. A low tax base there is one lure if you like a rural setting with cows possibly out numbering people.

The housing bust didn't affect the Richmond area like other places and pre-existing home sales have been moderate with the economy here on an up tick and looking good.

[SawnieRobertson]

Asolutely, Glen Allen! REI and Whole Foods. Need I say more?

And welcome to Virginia.

--Kinnickinic

[Virginia Archer]

I moved away from Richmond about 3 years ago. I liked the area okay, but if I were to move back, I would move to the outskirts, like Powhatan or Manakin-Sabot. The suburbs around the city have become rather congested compared to 20 years ago when I first moved there. The Old Dominion Appalachain Trail Club is quite active in Richmond.

I'm actually in Powhatan and powhatan and Goochland(where manakin sabot is located) areas I believe are some of most friendly areas around. From my house which is located slightly west of central powhatan I can make it into town to most stores within 20-30 minutes. I can reach the closest AT crossings either at buena vista or rockfish gap in 1 hour and 30/45 minutes. Richmond is starting to get alittle more hiker friendly since alot of places are now making very nice hiking trails. and I'm noticing more local hiking clubs/outdoors clubs to visit and hike/walk/kayak different places.