Working in Ft. Belvoir, where to live? (Burke, Springfield: to rent, townhouse)

[Clementine420]

I just accepted a job in Ft. Belvoir. I'm in my 40s, husband is in his 50s. We have no kids, but we have 2 cats. We'll be renting, the budget is $2000 to $2400 a month. We love playing tennis and running/hiking. We want at least 2 bedrooms and would prefer a townhouse or house to rent. I don't know if our budget would be big enough for a walkable area, so its not a requirement but it would be nice. Since I only have to be in the office at Ft. Belvoir 3 times a week, I'm ok with an up to 1 1/2 hour (one way so 3 hr round trip) commute. We aren't from the area so we have no idea what areas would be good for us. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

[ersatz]

Your budget is reasonable for a townhouse if you stick to points south and southwest of Ft Belvoir. There are a number of possible locations, but you sound like a good fit for Burke or Fairfax Station. There are a number of hiking/running trails in that area and multiple tennis/racket clubs. Neither really have a classic walkable downtown as such, but a number of shops and restaurants are available.

Other areas you may want to consider are West Springfield and Kingstowne. They are more built-up but closer to Belvoir. If you want a classic historic downtown nearby your residence (and lots of shops/restaurants), consider going further south to Fredericksburg. There are a more limited number of tennis courts available, but it has a number of trails plus recreational opportunities on the Rappahannock River. Fredericksburg is around 40 miles from Ft Belvoir, but the straight shot along I-95/Route 1 can be a difficult commute and will normally take you around an hour and a half. Sometimes less, often more. Even if you don't rent a house in Fredericksburg, the downtown is a really cool place to visit, especially if you have any interest in American History.

[kww]

Montclair might work, has tennis courts and a lot of area to get out and walk, plus PWC forest park right outside the neighborhood

[oneasterisk]

Originally Posted by Clementine420

I just accepted a job in Ft. Belvoir. I'm in my 40s, husband is in his 50s. We have no kids, but we have 2 cats. We'll be renting, the budget is $2000 to $2400 a month. We love playing tennis and running/hiking. We want at least 2 bedrooms and would prefer a townhouse or house to rent. I don't know if our budget would be big enough for a walkable area, so its not a requirement but it would be nice. Since I only have to be in the office at Ft. Belvoir 3 times a week, I'm ok with an up to 1 1/2 hour (one way so 3 hr round trip) commute. We aren't from the area so we have no idea what areas would be good for us. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

Not sure what your priorities are, but in this area traffic can be miserable so I always suggest living as close to work. Have you considered Lorton? It's just south of Belvoir so would be an easy commute. Mason neck and meadowood would be nearby, fountainhead wouldn't be too far away as far as parks go. That would put you closer to dc and old town alexandria if you wanted to explore there.

Personally I wouldn't want to live in Fredericksburg and make that commute even if it was only a few times a week.