<p>I wouldn’t count on Google map estimates at all for driving time. Around there, less than ten miles could easily be 30 minutes. I second looking around Gainesville.</p>
<p>I grew up in the Woodbridge/Manassas area, and now live further out. I agree wholeheartedly with the previous poster who advised looking in the Gainesville area. Haymarket may be a possibility as well. The crime rates in the Manassas and Woodbridge areas are very high. </p>
<p>I only mentioned Winchester as food for thought. I realize it is outside of the preferred area. Visiting is a great idea as it will help with understanding the difficulties with commuting in that area. </p>
<p>I have a good friend who lives in Haymarket. If there are specific complexes you are interested in, I would be glad to run the names by her. Feel free to PM me if that would be helpful. </p>
<p>There is also a website “city-data” that may have some useful information; some of the info is dated, but it’s essentially a forum for these types of questions. </p>
<p><a href=“Northern Virginia Forum - Relocation, Moving, General and Local City Discussions - City-Data Forum”>http://www.city-data.com/forum/northern-virginia/</a></p>
<p>Momof3Stars,</p>
<p>Somethings additional pieces of advice about the Mannassas / Western Prince William County area you need to pass onto your DD and her room-mates that they need to consider:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>First off, NOT having to deal with the traffic needs to be added into their “is it worth it to live at XXXX” equation. Those of us familiar with the area have already spoken, and we can’t emphsize enough, that the traffic on the major roads (especially I-66 in that area) going into the DC region in the morning and leaving DC in the evening is ONE OF THE WORST IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY (yearly ranks in the top 5 as “worst traffic areas”) If they want to stay within a 30 minute commute, they need to either be within 10 miles of work, or live in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION of the traffic if it’s farther out (i.e. live NORTH or EAST of Manassas to go opposite the traffic).</p></li>
<li><p>Unfortunately, what they will find (and what you have already discovered) is that the prices go down the further WEST and SOUTH of DC you get. This kind of hurts the whole “live North and East” advice I just gave you.</p></li>
<li><p>It really comes down to “what is it worth to you?” They have some choices to make: 1) Live near Manassas in a place that meets the low end of their budget, but will therefore be in some “not so frieindly” neighborhoods; 2) Live near Manassas in some nicer neighborhoods, but pay a little more; 3) Move farther South / West (i.e. Winchester), where it is cheaper, but they’ll have to deal with at least an hour on the road each day commuting (with the associated fuel maintenance, sanity costs involved); 4) move farther North / East (Centerville / Woodbridge) to avoid the traffic, but pay a little more.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>My advice: Find a place in Gainesville / Bristow area, and pay the extra couple of hundred dollars above the $1100 they are shooting for as a monthly rent goal. Btween the two of them, you are talking around $25/week more in rent. They are some nice neighborhoods / townhome complexes just of off Linton Hall Road in Gainesville that are WELL WORTH THE PRICE, in my opinion. </p>
<p>Like I said, I am VERY familiar with the area you are looking, and can give you some insights into which “local” neighborhoods to look at and which to avoid. Start looking at all the townhomes Linton Hall Road (which I mention above) then look near Sudley Manor Road or Gideon Road. PM me if you want further advice…</p>
<p>Thank you all so much. I will definitely pass this advice on to my DD. I actually just emailed her an apartment in Gainesville and told her I think this is the place to look. I will also check Haymarket and Bristow. </p>
<p>Is the Warrenton area somewhere to avoid? Also, I asked earlier but I lost it, is Bealeton not a good area? Cheap apartments there so I am suspicious.</p>
<p>Warrenton: Farther west. Quiet little town. Building up because A LOT of folks are looking / have looked at the same thing you are: it’s cheaper. It also requires you to take Rte 29 to get to Manassas. You, and the tons of your new “closest friends” every morning getting there and back. Rt 29 near Gainesville is the choke point, and a nightmare if you’re not prepared for it.</p>
<p>Bealton: South, even quiter than Warrenton. Think “one step above a farm town”, and they’ll see all those farms as they travel up and back Rt 28 in SLOW MOTION. The traffic on 28 near the Nokesville / Bristow area is a BEAR every day. </p>
<p>Sorry, the unavoidable truth. ALL the major roads going to DC in the morning and leaving DC in the evening have traffic issues. If you want to avoid them, live where you would travel AWAY from DC in the orning and TOWARDS DC in the evening. Otherwise, get used to “rolling along”…</p>
<p>LOL @ Bullet. The girls are in jobs with non-traditional hours although they will see that early commute, just not the late one. </p>
<p>City Data is extremely helpful. Crime rate is not as bad in most areas as I thought, very similar to the college town my older DD lives in. Seems that thefts are the worst problem but violent crimes are not extremely high so that is a relief.</p>
<p>Please understand that in the D.C. Metro area when one talks about “within 30 minutes drive time”, by default that means commuting to D.C. YOU didn’t specify otherwise. I’m sure it’s like this around all major cities. </p>
<p>They might do better renting a condo from an owner.</p>
<p>There are good and bad areas of Manassas just like anywhere. An in-person visit would definitely be the best thing to do. </p>
<p>Gainesville and Haymarket are nice, brand spanking new pretty much. I dislike it personally out there because I miss the sleepy little crossroads they used to be. The state is doing a humongous, major bridge/road construction out there to help the traffic but more and more and more and more and more houses are going up with the people to go with them. But a commute from there to Manassas is defintely doable.</p>
<p>One of my young just out of school coworkers just relocated here from Alabama and lives in Arcadia Run off Wellington Road and she absolutely loves it. It’s a brand new complex still under construction and renting right now.
the other place she liked was in Centreville off 66 and behind the Giant on 29. I guess there are several complexes in that area. That would be the southwestern quadrant of the I-66 and Rt. 29 cross.</p>
<p>Some complexes we think would be ok and may look at in person are:
Warrenton:
Highland Commons</p>
<p>In Manassas:
Ashton Glen
Westgate
Woodburn - a couple of bad reviews so if anyone knows anyone with first hand experience I would love that
Fields of Manassas - same as above
Manassas Meadows</p>
<p>In Gainesville:
Somerset Pointe - hoping we can talk the roomie into this one</p>
<p>In Bealeton:
The Aspens - price is right on this but the commute IDK</p>
<p>Thanks for all the good info!!! I have been trying to do research as much as I can but my head is spinning and both girls are in the midst of finals/graduation/moving.</p>
<p>In Manassas:
Ashton Glen
Westgate</p>
<p>No. Trust me. NO.</p>