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A driving lesson for Northern Virginia home buyers

November 9, 2009 By Doug Francis

Route 95 Construction
Image by Jef Nickerson via Flickr

An essential part of your housing search in Northern Virginia is a clear strategy for dealing with the traffic that you will encounter on a daily basis. I have to confess; I hear many things from clients but virtually everyone who visits here comments about the volume of cars they see on the roads all day long.

We need to discuss where you are going to work, if you have kids in soccer or who take piano lessons, local schools, where you like to go to the grocery store, and your willingness to get in the car and drive. Keep in mind that most of Northern Virginia’s master plan was designed using a classic 1960’s suburban design formula.

And the one constant in that Northern Virginia formula is the automobile.

Many of the roads have been improved over the past decade, like Beulah Road in Vienna or Braddock Road in Fairfax. The Wilson Bridge and Mixing Bowl projects are done, and the Fairfax County Parkway is ever closer to completion.

But bottlenecks still abound and that is why having a discussion about you lifestyle is essential. Again, living in Fairfax requires a car even if you take the Orange Line from Dunn Loring to D.C. like one of my neighbors does every day. She needs to get rolling by 7:15 to get to the parking lot or it will be filled. So it is essential to know that the Vienna Metro has two large parking garages, and Dunn Loring has a parking lot.

Interstate 66 has issues to and from the Beltway to Route 50 because they have not replaced the 1960’s overpasses at Route 123 and Jermantown Roads. This is a daily nightmare in either direction due to a predictable, documented high accident zone… so you need to get a handle on alternate routes.

Capital-Beltway-Road-Construction-Tysons-Corner-VirginiaThe Dulles Toll Road will be a construction zone for the next three years, The Dulles Greenway is super-expensive, and the Capital Beltway or 495 from Tyson’s Corner in McLean to Braddock Road in Springfield will also be under the shovel.

And I hear stories from my clients about co-workers who overlooked this step when buying their “bargain” homes, and they pay the price everyday.

Fear not home shoppers… there are ways around the chaos!

Your success simply will require a little strategic planning when picking the right house.

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Filed Under: Blog, Home Buyer Tips Tagged With: Fairfax County Parkway, Orange Line, traffic

About Doug Francis

A Realtor specializing in unique and new homes around Vienna, Virginia, Doug started writing a first-hand blog about his everyday real estate experiences a decade ago. In depth, helpful and fun has always been the objective. Outside real estate, he "starred" in a tech commercial for Verisign's "Where the World Clicks" campaign, and was quoted in Money Magazine's Best Places to Live article on Vienna. He's a Boston University graduate who feels morning coffee is non-negotiable.

Being able to guide my clients through many real estate sales, either moving out, moving in, or just across town, has been a rewarding experience that helps when discussing a plan with a future client.

Being able to help them focus and understand our proven sales plan always eases their anxiety of this looming personal task. And, putting it into bite-sized steps always helps them get where they really want to be.

My background… I’ve been an active licensed agent in Virginia for 25 years, work at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in McLean, and sell homes in all price ranges. I donate to the town tree replacement fund, participate in a neighborhood citizens association, and try my best to stay in shape.

Questions? Email doug@dougfrancis.com or call me at (703) 304-6827 to discuss your plans. Cheers!

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About Doug Francis

I am a Realtor with TTR Sotheby's International Realty® just outside Washington D.C. in Northern Virginia. I have been a full-time Realtor licensed in Virginia since 1991, and cover a big territory specializing in the Vienna real estate market and custom homes for sale.

I have unique knowledge of digital real estate marketing ~ and my marketing starts here. My elite clientele has been attracted to my results-oriented strategy for years, and I am accepting new clients now.

Thanks for reading... and feel free to contact me at 703-304-6827 or send me an email at doug@dougfrancis.com anytime!

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TTR Sotheby's International Realty
6723 Whittier Avenue McLean, VA 22101

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