Military Relocation-Getting to Know Quantico

Since Quantico Marine Corps Base first opened its doors in 1917 it has taken on the role of not only being the “Crossroads of the Marine Corps” but also the “Frontline of Innovation” for the Marines. As you drive through the gates of Quantico you can’t help but realize how many important enlisted and officers of the Marine Corps have also passed through those gates and under the Welcome to Quantico Sign.

Drive past the Marine Corps University complex where officers attend both OCS and advanced training at among others the War College or enlisted marines attend leadership training at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy and you can see the emphasis that the Marine Corps places on training and education. Wander throughout the base and you will see the blend of old and new as the base continues to prepare for the movement of new military and civilian jobs as part of BRAC. Enjoy a stop along the way to take in the Potomac River views and if you are a golfer make a reservation for a round or two.

Quantico MCB contains the only town in the US (Quantico Town) actually contained within a military base. Though the town is small it does contain homes, a marina, plenty of restaurants, shops and VRE station. Marine Corps life and history are evident just outside the gates of Quantico as well. With the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps Cemetery both located minutes from the gate. If you are looking for a little more adventure without as much Semper Fi then take some time and enjoy Prince William Forest Park at the same time.

Once you are done with your tour of the area stop by the Globe and Laurel Restaurant. The place is usually packed with fellow Marines, both young and old. With the planned widening of Route 1 the current restaurant may have to make a move but rest assured you will still feel like you are part of the family no matter where they go. If you need help with finding housing while you are stationed at Quantico give me a call. Marines stationed at Quantico have plenty of choices. Both Prince William County and Stafford County provide a wide variety of neighborhoods that Marines like to call home.

Outside the Gates of Fort Belvoir-Homes of the Rich and Famous

Just a few miles outside the gates of Fort Belvoir visitors and residents of Fairfax County can find some of Virginia’s finest historic homes and our nation’s treasures. For their time these homes were the envy of the neighborhood and the owners most certainly among the richest families in Fairfax County.

Sitting on the best piece of property that any colonist could have imagined is Mount Vernon the home of George Washington. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to picture the prominent colonist in the 1770’s sitting on the back porch watching the large mast ships headed into the docks in Alexandria. With the distinguished white frame home, stone fences and outbuildings wandering through the grounds is a great way to get a feel for how life might have been like so long ago.

If you happen to be in the area between on a weekend between January 12 and February 10th you can get a peek in the basement of Mount Vernon to see the cornerstone of the property. This is a special event coinciding with the movie National Treasure II which suggests that the cornerstone actually opens to a secret passageway under Mount Vernon. Sorry but that is just a bit of Hollywood magic.

Just a short hop down the road you will enter the gates to Woodlawn Plantation. Looking at this stately brick home built between 1800-1805 you have to be amazed by the construction and architecture that created a home that has stood for 200 years. Built for George Washington’s grand-daughter Nelly Custis-Lewis on a 2,000 acre site, the property the home is a beautiful example of the Federal style popular with mansions at the time. Designed by the same architect, William Thornton, who created the US Capitol the home was furnished with many of the original pieces from Mount Vernon. Situated at the top of a hill known as Gray’s Hill the back porch of the home has a view of the Potomac River and was the first property owned by the National Historic Trust formed in 1951.

The last stop on this tour of Fairfax County’s rich and famous colonists is Gunston Hall home of George Mason. Built between 1755-1760 and designed by one of the indentured servants, William Buckland, the home was one of the first with elaborate woodworking details that were not typical for the time. Originally situated on 5,500 acres the home had a unique architectural design the most notable was that the upper and lower floors were not an exact duplicate of each other. There are still archeological digs on the grounds of the property trying to determine some of the placement of the original landscaping and outbuildings. Gunston Hall maintains a flock of rare Hog Island Sheep and Devon Steer.

So if you have PCS orders to Fort Belvoir this spring and are planning house hunting you might want to check out these famous Fairfax County homes while you are in town. They aren’t for sale but I would be glad to help you find one that is.

© Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved. Cindy Jones

Military Relocation-What’s Inside the Gates at Fort Belvoir

Yesterday was the day that most military members dread, waiting at the ID office to get your updated cards for your new post and new tags for your car. Fortunately for me they Fort Belvoir ID office takes appointments and my wait to update all my information only took an hour so I didn’t have to waste the entire day. It gave me a chance to look around and see what was new on post.

One of the things that strikes most people with PCS orders to Fort Belvoir is how big the base actually is. With 8,600 acres Fort Belvoir is one of the largest installations in the Military District of Washington and houses multiple commands including other branches of the US Armed Forces. The largest and best known commands on post include the Department of Defense agencies such as the Defense Systems Management College and the Defense Mapping School.

When you drive through Tulley Gate (where you will need to register your car) one of the first things you see are the signs for the Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge which has well marked trails and plenty of wildlife for the whole family to enjoy. If you aren’t in to walking outdoors the two fitness centers or two 18 hole golf courses might be more what you are looking for.

Over the last few years base housing at Fort Belvoir has been going through a significant upgrade. Newer neighborhoods have been built to replace some of the smaller outdated homes and historic neighborhoods refurbished. In fact if you didn’t know you were on post when you see the first of the new neighborhoods you would think you were in Cameron or Lorton Station just a few miles away. With small shops set around the different neighborhoods you can grab a Starbucks or a sit at an outdoor café for a bite to eat.

The historic neighborhoods built in the 1930’s feature Colonial Revival homes with slate roofs, dormer windows and tall brick chimneys. And just like the Lustron homes that graced Quantico, Fort Belvoir also had a prototype home built as well. In 1948 in conjunction with Higgins Industries a “Thermo-Con” cement home was built on base. Though only one house was built it was considered important enough historically to be placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and is used to today for guest housing.

The next big change coming to Fort Belvoir will be the new state of the art hospital to replace DeWitt Hospital. When the announcement was made in 2005 that Walter Reed Army Medical Center would be closing it was obvious that the current facilities (where my daughter was born) would not support the almost 85,000 military and civilian patients that the area has. The new hospital will have 1.2 million square feet of space and have the facilities to support all of the new technologies needed for a leading medical facility. The new hospital will open in 2010.

So that is a quick tour inside the gates of Fort Belvoir. There is a lot to see and do when you get here both in and outside the gates. If you have orders to head to Fort Belvoir this year give me a call. I’ll be glad to help you with all of your questions about the area and show you around.

Related Posts for Military Reloccation
Tour of Northern Virginia Neighborhoods
Should I Buy a Northern Virginia Home in 2008

© Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. Cindy Jones.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Is a Move to Fort Belvoir in Your Future?oir r

As someone who has moved all around the world with the military the first few days after the PCS orders arrive the questions about housing, schools and shopping can lead to sleepless nights and the big question “where are we going to live?”If the orders in your hand mean you are heading to Fort Belvoir then let me welcome you to the neighborhood! Most military personal headed to the base often choose to live in either Fairfax or Prince William County and whether you are going to buy or rent there are plenty of neighborhood options for you to choose from. The first thing you need to do is check the 2008 BAH rates for Fort Belvoir. Fort Belvoir rates fall in the Washington District (DC053) under zip code 22206.

If you are thinking of buying a home, the current Northern Virginia market provides you the chance to find a good value on a home closer to the main gates of Fort Belvoir. Many military personal are dusting off their VA Certificate of Eligibility (remember that green certificate) and checking with local lenders about the options available to use their VA loans. If buying is the plans make sure you have talked to a lender prior to making your house hunting trip. Knowing what monthly payment you are comfortable with is important for looking at homes in neighborhoods that meet your price criteria.

Once you have determined your price range you have the option to start your search on-line to get an idea of the type of homes that are within your price range. There are a number of neighborhoods in Northern Virginia that have always been popular with military families stationed at Fort Belvoir including Kingstowne, Lorton and Westridge. If you have school age children starting with information on local schools through the Fairfax County or Prince William County sites or the Great Schools website will also assist you in determining the right neighborhood for your family.

The best way to get to know the area is to call on a Realtor® who not only has been through the stress of numerous military moves but is a native of the area. I’ve lived through the best and worst military moves and know how to help your family learn about Northern Virginia and find a neighborhood that you will want to call home while stationed at Fort Belvoir. My military relocation network is at your fingertips through my on-line resources, on the phone and in person. Don’t lose sleep over your orders. I’m here to help you with a smooth transition!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Military Relocation-Welcome to the Pentagon

As someone who has moved all around the world with the military the first few days after the PCS orders arrive the questions about housing, schools and shopping can lead to sleepless nights and the big question “where are we going to live?”If the orders in your hand mean you are heading to the Pentagon then let me welcome you to the neighborhood! Most military personal headed to the base often choose to live in Northern Virginia close to public transportation and the famous “slug” lines. Whether you are going to buy or rent there are plenty of neighborhood options for you to choose from. The first thing you need to do is check the 2008 BAH rates for the Pentagon. Pentagon rates fall in the Washington District (DC053) and you can use zip code 22152 as an example.

If you are thinking of buying a home, the current Northern Virginia market provides you the chance to find a good value on a home closer to the the Pentagon in Alexandria and Fairfax County. Many military personal are dusting off their VA Certificate of Eligibility (remember that green certificate) and checking with local lenders about the options available to use their VA loans. If buying is the plans make sure you have talked to a lender prior to making your house hunting trip. Knowing what monthly payment you are comfortable with is important for looking at homes in neighborhoods that meet your price criteria.

Once you have determined your price range you have the option to start your search on-line to get an idea of the type of homes that are within your price range. There are a number of neighborhoods in Northern Virginia that have always been popular with military families stationed at the Pentagon including Kingstowne, Lorton and Farilington. If you have school age children starting with information on local schools through the Fairfax County or Alexandria City sites or the Great Schools website will also assist you in determining the right neighborhood for your family.

The best way to get to know the area is to call on a Realtor® who not only has been through the stress of numerous military moves but is a native of the area. I’ve lived through the best and worst military moves and know how to help your family learn about Northern Virginia and find a neighborhood that you will want to call home while stationed at the Pentagon.

My military relocation network is at your fingertips through my on-line resources, on the phone and in person. Don’t lose sleep over your orders. I’m here to help you with a smooth transition!

Related Posts:
Tour of Northern Virginia Neighborhoods
Moving to Fort Belvoir
Military Relocation to Northern Virginia
Should I Buy a Northern Virginia Home in 2008

© Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Military Relocation to Northern Virginia

Did you just get your PCS orders for the Northern Virginia area?Not to worry. Once the surprise of your latest set of orders is over, it’s time to get started figuring out where you want to live in Northern Virginia. One of the nice things about this area is the variety of neighborhoods, home styles and price ranges available. There are traditional neighborhoods that have always been popular with military families and in the last few years plenty of new construction that has expanded the options even further.

As a native of the area and having lived all over the US and world as a military spouse, I know a lot about relocating to and from this area and what it takes to make it happen smoothly. One of the first things most families with PCS orders to Northern Virginia do is schedule the initial house hunting trip. With the internet, digital photos and virtual tours the stress of these trips has been greatly reduced.

Working with an agent familiar with the area and your needs, you can narrow down your choices before you ever leave home. Instead of spending days trapped in the car looking at homes you can focus on the houses that really interest you and spend more time learning about the other benefits of the Northern Virginia area. I’ve actually helped military families who were not able to make a house hunting trip find a home to rent “sight unseen.”

You can use this handy BAH chart with 2008 rates to help you determine your allowance for Northern Virginia.

No matter whether you are headed to an assignment at the Military District of Washington, Pentagon, Fort Belvoir or Quantico finding your next home doesn’t have to be a logistical nightmare. If you have orders and are looking for an agent experienced with military relocation and who will go the extra mile with your move to Northern Virginia give me a call at 703-346-2213.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________