Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

[Sorrento 25]

We'll be moving to VA in January and as a field service engineer I would be ideally located somewhere between Richmond and Hampton. I'm looking for an inexpensive smaller rural house with a few acres (the nest is real close to empty now ), and good access for trailer boating in the area. Can anyone local to this area offer any advice for some locations that might offer what I'm looking for?

Thanks!

Mike

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

Welcome to Va and good luck with the house hunting. House prices have skyrocketed the past few years. It has long passed the ridiculous point. You would probably do well to look between Richmond and Williamsburg as the further south you come, the higher the prices. Out of curosity what company are you with?

 

[Sorrento 25]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

I talked to a realtor and it looks like I may have to search around the Suffolk area to find what I am looking for. I service medical equipment.

 

[Blue Water Runner]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

Are you gonna commute from Suffolk to Richmond? Thats a long ride. My brother lives in Windsor and likes it.

 

[Sorrento 25]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

No, I service medical equipment which is be almost anywhere in the area, but there is a greater concentration in the Richmond - Hampton Roads area.

Unfortunately, the FSE currently in VA that was relocating to Tampa decided to stay. So now if I want to relocate it will need to be to Tampa.

I have some mixed feelings about relocating there, but we've been here in WI for 30+ years with the exception of 5 in Phoenix 12 years ago. We feel a need for a change of scenery and the only prerequisite is water for boating.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Blue Water Runner]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

I would take Tampa over SE Virginia. Virginia is cooler in the summer but not by much. Humidity is terrible in both places. Taxes in Florida are probably cheaper. You have a 12 month boating season in Florida, you only have a 9 month season in SE Virginia. The biggest drawback to Florida is the hurricane factor. Good luck on your decision. I moved from Chesapeake, VA to NC to get away from high taxes in 1993. NC is heading to high taxes now.

 

[cigar_stub]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

I relocated to Richmond 14 months ago. We're actually in Midlothian and like it very much. When moving, my choices were Richmond or Chesapeake and although I've have preferred being closer to the bay, the housing prices in Chesapeake are much higher so we settled on Richmond.

But there are lots of places to fish and boat within a resonable drive. Such as the James River (15 minutes), Lake Chesdin (1 hour), Lake Anna (1.1 hours) and of course the Chesapeake Bay at 1.7 hours, a trip I made today depite 20 mph winds. Lets just say it was a challenge. Of course there are many others, including a few rivers. Those are just the one's I've visted so far.

Good luck on the move. Let me know if you need any local advice. I'm only here a short time, but I'll help if I can.

 

[Jdubb16]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

The best prices for houses are going to be in the more rural areas that are being built up, but that appears to be what you want. I would look into Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Windor , amybe even western Chesapeake. Virginia Beach is the most expensive.

My in-laws live in Suffolk and it is a nice area with a lot of building going on, but you can still get a big lot in a community or acreage out on your own. Suffolk is along the Nansmond River and there are several nice 'boating' communities there. The James River is also close by with a ton of new riverfront comunities. Gattling Pointe is a newer one that is very nice, but a little pricey.

William E. Wood and Rose and Womble are two local realty companies you could contact along with the national realty companies.

Jon

 

[v1_0]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

But there are lots of places to fish and boat within a resonable drive. Such as the James River (15 minutes), Lake Chesdin (1 hour), .

I live nearby - haven't been to the James river, but I was told that above the I95 bridge is not so good for larger boats as there are rocky places. I've gone to Lake Chesdin and found some stumps or something - went a bit too far 'up river'. I've been told "don't go past the 2nd power lines".

We've only just begun to do the boating thing, and we intend to go more places - there are a number of nice river rides (including the lower James). But I will buy the maps before we go...

-V

PS: They are still building like crazy out here. Prices have dropped a bit from April, looks like Chesterfield county's average price is lower than the average for VA. We used "zillow.com" to get a ballpark on a house, and internet house searches (mls.com, longandfoster.com, realtor.com) to narrow things down. That was a couple of years ago.

 

[Sorrento 25]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

Just got back from St. Pete. We rented a place on Terra Ceia Island at the end of the Bay for 6 months until the house in WI sells. I'll be down on and off for the next few months and then permanently in January. Can't wait to get the boat out in FL!

 

[180shabah]

Re: Moving to Richmond - Hampton VA

We have family just south of you in Sarasota, and we really love the area. Just watch out for gators and Manatees.