Retirement move to Virginia, please help (Charlottesville, Harrisonburg: homes, living, price)

[petsandgardens]

Originally Posted by ship4u

Wow, those are incredible views, especially the back view. That is exactly what we are looking for. Edinburg looks perfect. Please explain what you mean by "mouth south." Thanks for your help.

ship4u....looks like the poster means to start "more south" as in start looking more/further south in this instance.

[ship4u]

Originally Posted by petsandgardens

ship4u....looks like the poster means to start "more south" as in start looking more/further south in this instance.

Ah, good observation, Mr. Holmes!

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by ship4u

When I look at your photos, it reminds me exactly of the rolling terrain of the English Countryside. What is the climate like there (summers, winters, humidity, snow) as compared to other areas? Thanks!

We almost always have 4 seasons. Once in a while the spring can seem too short and summers comes in early but this year (2020) we had a beautiful spring and fall. Summers can be hot and humid but nice days will magically appear during this as well. We can see snow in the winter then a couple days later it is up in the 40's and 50's. We just got home from a trip yesterday and it was over 50. Rarely do we get large snows and rarely do the snows last for long. Once in a while we will get a good one though. I grew up in Fla and can no longer take that long of a hot and humid summer so VA gives us all of the seasons so you can enjoy the changes. Also, the valley here provides more windy days for us and sometimes some good strong winds. I am on 5 acres with two as a yard then the rest surrounded by woods. I do not have to rake but a few small areas as these strong winds blow all my leaves into the woods. Was pleasantly surprised with this. Here are a couple more images of my immediate area. Snow is my home and the other is a neighbor. EDIT: My end does not show the videos attached so apologies if they didn't.

https://i.imgur.com/VWXHCG6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/20nJLfY.jpg

[nm9stheham]

Originally Posted by ship4u

When I look at your photos, it reminds me exactly of the rolling terrain of the English Countryside. What is the climate like there (summers, winters, humidity, snow) as compared to other areas? Thanks!

Much more of a 4 seasons area than NE OH. (I lived 7 years in IN and OH.) The spring comes 3 weeks or so earlier than in northern IN or northern OH and comes on more mildly. And the fall does not get as cold until around Thanksgiving and still has some warn days to mid Dec. Winter is not as cold. The summers are hotter, and you don't get those nice brilliant, clear, and low humidity summer days that you can up on the Great Lakes. But the much longer spring and fall seasons more than makes up for it.

Down the Valley, you don't get the persistent winds that you can get in some parts of the upper midwest. IDK if your exact spot in NE OH is like that, but it sure was so up around Ft Wayne IN; the wind was usually not severe but it never stopped.

Plus the big difference: Those long spells of low, grey cloudy days that you experience in the midwest. They don't make it over the high mountains of western MD and WV. The weather systems come up from the SE as well as from the west and creates a good sun/cloud mix in winter. Snow is very little compared to to NE OH. Those rare big dumps of snow come roughly every 5-6 years and are from nor'easters coming up the coast on juuuuust the right track. They invariably occur from mid Feb to early March.. at least for the last 30 years. On those very few occasions, you may be in your house for a few days waiting for the snowplows to get around to all the roads.

[ship4u]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

Much more of a 4 seasons area than NE OH. (I lived 7 years in IN and OH.) The spring comes 3 weeks or so earlier than in northern IN or northern OH and comes on more mildly. And the fall does not get as cold until around Thanksgiving and still has some warn days to mid Dec. Winter is not as cold. The summers are hotter, and you don't get those nice brilliant, clear, and low humidity summer days that you can up on the Great Lakes. But the much longer spring and fall seasons more than makes up for it.

Down the Valley, you don't get the persistent winds that you can get in some parts of the upper midwest. IDK if your exact spot in NE OH is like that, but it sure was so up around Ft Wayne IN; the wind was usually not severe but it never stopped.

Plus the big difference: Those long spells of low, grey cloudy days that you experience in the midwest. They don't make it over the high mountains of western MD and WV. The weather systems come up from the SE as well as from the west and creates a good sun/cloud mix in winter. Snow is very little compared to to NE OH. Those rare big dumps of snow come roughly every 5-6 years and are from nor'easters coming up the coast on juuuuust the right track. They invariably occur from mid Feb to early March.. at least for the last 30 years. On those very few occasions, you may be in your house for a few days waiting for the snowplows to get around to all the roads.

We live in the garden city of Shaker Heights, OH, east of Cleveland. It's a community, founded in 1911, with beautiful British architecture, as well as other styles, and we live in a beautifully crafted Tudor Revival. The medical care and availability is top notch with the Cleveland Clinic facilities nearby. We have access to 2 Whole Foods, Home Depots and Lowes not far away. It's a safe, walkable and bike friendly community, but there are other aspects that we do not like anymore, such as the very high property taxes and the liberal ideology that is unescapable with yard signs, etc. (Shaker Heights is more than 2/3 Democratic) We would like to be in a more peaceful and scenic area. The summers here are wonderful, but short, relatively cool with low humidity. One can play golf all day long. But, as you say, the winters are gray and brutal.

Having grown up north of Baltimore, I'm familiar with humid summers, but I was wondering how the Shenandoah might compare humidity wise. My experience is that areas that have an abundance of trees are much more pleasant.

Thanks for your help!

[nm9stheham]

Humidity won't be quite as bad as Baltimore and Washington, but it still can get humid. Temps will average about 3-5 degrees less, due to the elevation change so that helps too.

Nothing personal towards anyone, but fact is that you will find folks more friendly, and more relaxed and easy going in the Shenandoah Valley versus NE OH or Baltimore. No big city push.... Get south of Winchester to find that at its best IMHO.

I worked for a corporation HQ'd in Solon (Allen Telecom) and so know Cleveland a little bit! My favorite restaurant was in Chagrin Falls. OBTW, the Shenandoah River has never caught fire like the Cayahoga LOL

[ship4u]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

Humidity won't be quite as bad as Baltimore and Washington, but it still can get humid. Temps will average about 3-5 degrees less, due to the elevation change so that helps too.

Nothing personal towards anyone, but fact is that you will find folks more friendly, and more relaxed and easy going in the Shenandoah Valley versus NE OH or Baltimore. No big city push.... Get south of Winchester to find that at its best IMHO.

I worked for a corporation HQ'd in Solon (Allen Telecom) and so know Cleveland a little bit! My favorite restaurant was in Chagrin Falls. OBTW, the Shenandoah River has never caught fire like the Cayahoga LOL

So, you probably know that Cleveland has been irreverently jeered as "the mistake on the Lake", lol.

Thanks for the information, and, most importantly, the encouragement that we might find a nice place to settle in.

[native_va_gal]

So I've not been to England, but perhaps this checks some of your boxes:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5_M61629-54238

Beautiful part of Virginia, between Bluemont Winery and Sky Meadows State Park!

[ship4u]

Originally Posted by native_va_gal

So I've not been to England, but perhaps this checks some of your boxes:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5_M61629-54238

Beautiful part of Virginia, between Bluemont Winery and Sky Meadows State Park!

Thank you very much for the suggestion. Yes, it has a lot of appeal.

[Wayfarerz]

I lived in the UK for 4 years, so I'm familiar with the English countryside and what I think you're looking for. IMO the closest thing to what you're looking for is Loudoun and Fauquier counties in Northern Virginia - lots of rolling hills, older towns, British style country homes.

However, having said that, Loudoun and Fauquier counties has also seen tremendous growth because of their proximity to Washington DC and have become more congested, and more expensive. If you don't mind paying $2 million for a home, you can probably find EXACTLY what you want. Parts of Fauquier county are further out, less developed and less expensive.

Lots of stone structures in Middleburg, Leesburg, Winchester, and Warrenton. Much of these areas are also Virginia horse country which gives these areas are certain genteel flavor. But again, some of these areas are among the wealthiest in the country and have property prices to match.

IMO, the Shenandoah valley (as recommended by others) makes more sense for retirement. These areas are still much less crowded and less expensive, yet you're close to good quality medical care because you're still close to the DC metro area. Many areas of the northern Shenandoah Valley were settled by Pennsylvania Germans and have a certain "tidiness" that much of the rural South lacks. Because the Shenandoah Valley is relatively narrow with mountain ranges nearby, some of the mountain views will take your breath away. In places, the mountains rise up right out of the fields (no foothills).

If you visit and area and stay someplace like Warrenton, all of these areas are within an hour's drive and you could visit ALL of them if you stay a few days.

Good luck.