I'm scared very scared (Arlington, Hampton: fit in, transplants, HOA) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

anjin007 · 10-01-2006, 11:27 PM

Well the military is moving me to DC specifically to an organization in Chantilly and I have been researching places to live and the like. So far I know three things; traffic will suck, people don't like Hispanics (wife is Mexican) and it will be hard to find a place without an HOA. Someone throw me a bone and tell me it's not that bad, please.

I have lived in the Southwest a majority of my life and I'm pretty sure I will not be able to stand people telling me what type of brick border I can have around my house or fining me because my garage door was open 1 minute to long. Hell why not just bring Kim Jong-il over and have him teach HOA boards how his republic is run so we can get closer to emulating it? The HOA's can start telling us how many kids we are allowed to have and then charge us for the privilege! Sorry, I've been reading South Riding's community board and everyone seems to be ***** about each other or about some perceived wrong within the utopia they created.

Anyone else have suggestions?

peach49 · 10-02-2006, 02:06 AM

Well, i am glad i am not the only person that are worry.i live in the southwest also.and my hubsand is white and i am a black american.and i am so afraid of moving because of what i have read on the board.i just hope and pray it cann't be real.

meplus3 · 10-02-2006, 07:54 AM

THIS IS FOR anjin007 and peach49.....I AM FROM THE NORTHERN VA/D.C./FAIRFAX AREA...BORN AND
RAISED....GETTING READY TO MOVE BACK...FROM FLORIDA. I HAVE GOTTEN PLENTY OF DIRTY LOOKS HERE. WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH HISPANICS OR MIXED RACE RELATIONSHIPS ?
I AM WHITE, I HAVE NEVER DATED OR MARRIED A WHITE GUY,MY
CHILDREN ARE MIXED.....I HAVE LIVED ALL OVER VA,MD
AND D.C......I GREW UP IN ARLINGTO/FALLS CHURCH AREA....VERY HISPANIC AREA....NEITHER OF YOU WILL HAVE ANY PROBLEMS....EXCEPT FOR MAYBE SOME OUT OF THE WAY SOUTHERN VA TOWNS....AND SO WHAT....STOP BEING SCARED...YOU WILL BE FINE
TRUST ME...I KNOW

peach49 · 10-02-2006, 11:11 AM

Well, what made me feel that way was from what i read on the tennesse board.would tennesse be different than virgina.would asheville be safe.i really worry about this move.and i am a nurse so i do need a good hospital to work at.thank you for your time.

GradVT06 · 10-02-2006, 11:18 AM

I'm not sure in Northern VA, but I know many people throughout VA don't dislike Mexicans or Latinos.... just ones that speak Spanish. People are sick of it. Speak English in the United States. I don't think most people care if she's Mexican if she speaks English. Again, that's just the way a lot of people I know throughout the state. Also, I don't know about NOVA, but neighborhoods in Hampton Roads are getting way too carried away wit HOAs. In case you wanted one, no HOA is allowed to prevent a satellite dish from being installed anywhere you want on your property according to Federal FCC law. Definitely read the bylaws and who can change them and whether you have a say or not. I' seriously considering not buying a home in a neighborhood with an HOA.

Mike from back east · 10-02-2006, 11:27 AM

Northern Virginia is very diverse. Neither of you will have any problems there. I lived there 31 years, in Chantilly.

Brookfield is one sub-div in Chantilly with no HOA, there are more. Any good realtor back there should be able to tell you which areas do or don't have an HOA. I'm no realtor, but if you'd like the name of a good one, ask, I'll send you the data on the crackerjack of a lady we worked with back there, and I get nothing in return if you use her, just a thank-you note.

Should be great nursing jobs in the DC region. Fairfax Hospital is fabulous and even does heart transplants. The big university hospitals in DC are also world class places. There are some equally great hospitals in the MD suburbs of DC. Don't rule out Baltimore either for nursing, home of Johns Hopkins Univ & Hospital, as well as University of MD hospital on the west side of Baltimore with a great shock trauna center. Baltimore is easily accessible by MARC train from the DC area, and many locations in MD.

s/Mike

anjin007 · 10-02-2006, 07:18 PM

Well my wife is a teacher with 9 years experience and a master’s degree as well as being bi-lingual. When I mentioned I was concerned about her being Hispanic and living in Virginia, here is why I was concerned:
https://www.city-data.com/forum/virgi...se-prices.html

From the looks of it, maybe Herndon has a good Mexican restaurant. The closest thing to home for me as far as food is Anita's on 50. The family is from New Mexico and has many restaurants there and they actually have real green chili (New Mexican).

dullnboring · 10-02-2006, 09:01 PM

Anjin, do not be concerned. You and your wife will fit in just fine. Northern Virginia is an extremely diverse area and truthfully, I've lived in some of the nation's most diverse metropolitan areas (New York, Los Angeles, etc.) and have found the DC suburbs (not necessarily DC proper, but the more multicultural suburbs of Fairfax, Arlington and Montgomery counties) to be among the most well-integrated and racially harmonious places I've ever lived. I'm no fan of the DC area whatsoever, but one thing I will give the area credit for is the amazing level of diversity and the acceptance of it. Even if your wife did solely speak Spanish, I doubt she'd have any problems. This is a very highly-educated area and generally tolerance goes hand in hand with an area's education level. This is an extremely conservative website and there are oftentimes xenophobic, and yes, anti-Latino posts on this site, but please know that these are not representative of the feelings both of most Virginians, and most Americans. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the sentiments seem to creep into practically every other thread on this board for reasons unbeknownst to me, but again, you and your wife should not have any problems due to her ethnicity.

Now, the HOAs, that's another story. I WOULD be scared of those and they seem to be all over the place in Northern Virginia. As Mike mentioned, the Brookfield neighborhood is one that does not have one, and there are several others in the area, I believe the areas right by Lees Corner Elementary School, and the Greenbriar neighborhood Unfortunately, much of the growth in the past 20 years or so has taken place in new subdivisions which maintain a Gestapo-like control over an area's appearance but there are a handful of perfectly nice older communities in the area where one can still paint the color of their door the way they choose without being treated as a criminal.

VT Hokie 2007 · 10-02-2006, 11:21 PM

All I can say is, what the hell? I was born and raised in Northern Virginia and never in my entire life have I ever heard that the DC metro area has racial tensions--NEVER. I don't know where the heck you could have read such a thing. Tennessee, btw, is a different planet compared to metro DC. I don't know how Tennessee and Northern Virginia could even be put into the same sentence--they are absolutely nothing alike whatsoever.

Lookingforasafehome · 10-03-2006, 07:35 AM

Why do people equate education level with tolerance? That to me is like saying if your poor and did not go to college, then your a racist. I am college educated and half of the ones I met in college and then professionally in life, were very prejucied...so why are we being unfair to those who were too poor to attend college? What is up with this tude anyhow? I think it stinks!