Leila @leila_hack lives in Reston, Virginia with her family. Her educational background includes degrees in Public Relations and Project Management. She completed her Master's degree in 2016 and relocated to the United States in 2018. Today she is sharing her story and useful tips on building a family in a new place. 

My first impression of Reston, specifically Lake Anne, was incredibly impactful. Even though it was 2021 and we were still navigating pandemic restrictions, my husband and I were actively searching for a home in the broader Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. We had been looking in other areas, but the moment I stepped foot in Lake Anne, I knew I wanted to live here. It was an instant connection.

We’ve been living in our townhome for over three years now, and I absolutely love Reston. It's a truly special place. What I appreciate most is the unique combination of urban infrastructure and a strong connection to nature. Reston offers an abundance of trails, parks, and lakes, creating a beautiful and peaceful environment. Beyond the natural beauty, Reston also has a wonderful sense of community.

When we began our first home search, we explored various areas within the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region (the DMV). Several key factors influenced our decision. Walkability was a top priority; we wanted to be able to leave our house and easily go for a walk without needing to drive every time. Knowing we wanted to start a family, a strong school district was essential. We also prioritized established infrastructure, including convenient access to stores, a library, and other amenities. Our love for Washington, D.C., where we had lived for several years, meant we wanted to remain relatively close to the city. Finally, proximity to an airport was important, and Dulles, with its extensive international flight options, was our preferred airport.

Reston perfectly met all of these criteria. It's a wonderful place that's just a 35-minute drive from D.C. and only 20 minutes from Dulles Airport. Reston boasts an impressive network of trails for walking and biking, while simultaneously offering all the conveniences one could need. From grocery and home improvement stores to a diverse range of dining options, including both upscale restaurants and casual eateries, Reston truly has it all.

Generally speaking, I love the D.C. area for its robust and stable economy. I also appreciate experiencing all four distinct seasons here. Specifically, I'm drawn to Reston because of its balanced location. We're equidistant from Washington, D.C., and areas further into Virginia, like Leesburg. As for potential drawbacks, traffic congestion can be an issue during the rush hours of the week. Especially with federal workers having to go back to the office 5 days a week, traffic is becoming a big factor in mobility.

Reston is extremely well-connected in terms of transportation. We have the toll road for those who prefer to pay a fee and avoid potential traffic congestion on the free highways. Additionally, two Metro stations provide convenient access to the entire DMV area. Reston also has a robust bus system, with several hubs strategically located throughout the community, facilitating easy transfers to the Metro or park-and-ride lots.

As for my favorite spots in the neighborhood, Lake Anne Plaza remains my absolute favorite from the moment I first visited Reston. I enjoy its restaurants, trails and the quirky, brutalist architectural style. When I'm in the mood for a more upscale experience, I head to Reston Town Center. It's a beautiful area, especially during the Christmas season with its festive lights. Reston Town Center also hosts one of the best Thanksgiving parades in the country.

Another aspect of Reston I truly appreciate is the convenience of having all my medical and hospital needs addressed in one central location near the Reston Hospital Center. This is incredibly convenient. The Walker Nature Center is another wonderful resource, offering classes and workshops for both children and adults led by naturalists. These programs allow us to learn more about the natural environment we live in. For example, I learned that Reston's signature bird is the beautiful pileated woodpecker.

Choosing Our Home

The area we live in is highly desirable, which unfortunately means significant competition for housing. Often, in order to purchase a home, it's necessary to offer considerably more than the listed price. This was the case four years ago when we were house hunting, and it's even more prevalent now. My biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to buy in this area is to hire a good real estate agent. A knowledgeable realtor can guide you through the entire process and provide invaluable advice on current market conditions, how to structure an offer, and how to effectively bid on a house. While we relied heavily on our realtor, I also used resources like Redfin to conduct my own research.

It took us several months to find our home, and we lost multiple bids on other houses we liked. From the time we placed our offer on our current home, it took about a month to receive the keys.

In Virginia, sellers have to tell buyers about certain important things wrong with the property. For example, if the house was built before the 1970s, the seller has to say if they know about any lead paint or asbestos. Sometimes, sellers don't want to find out about these problems because then they'd have to tell buyers, and that could make the house harder to sell or cost a lot to fix.

Buying a Property in Virginia: Step by Step

Before discussing the home-buying process, it's important to consider homeowners' association (HOA) fees. For example, our townhome has annual dues paid to the Reston Association, which maintains trails, lighting, roads, community events, etc. We also have separate fees for our specific cluster of townhomes, which cover road maintenance, trash collection and landscaping within our immediate neighborhood. Those fees can be an important decision-making factor as they come out-of-pocket each year.

So, let’s talk buying a home. Before we started looking at houses, we established our budget. Since we were planning to finance the purchase with a mortgage, we consulted with a mortgage broker. They assessed our credit score and other financial circumstances to determine how much we could borrow. We also decided on a 20% down payment, which is often recommended.

With a pre-approved mortgage in place, thanks to our loan officer who worked closely with our realtor, we had a clear understanding of our budget and began our search. When we found the right house, we submitted an offer through our realtor. Interestingly, all communication throughout the process was handled through our respective realtors. We never had any direct contact with the sellers, to this day I don’t know what they look like and most certainly don’t have their contact information.

After the sellers accepted our offer, we hired a home inspector to thoroughly assess the property's condition. Key areas of focus included the HVAC systems (cooling and heating), the basement, the condition of the wood and potential insect infestations, and the gas and water tanks. Once the inspection was complete and we were satisfied with the results, we proceeded with the purchase. Had the inspection revealed any fundamental damage, we would have been legally within our rights to withdraw our offer. In that scenario, our only expense would have been the inspection fee, which typically ranges from $200 to $700.

Our loan officer then finalized the paperwork with the bank. Much of the behind-the-scenes work was handled by our realtor and mortgage broker. Once everything was read, we met with both the realtor and the loan officer and signed all the necessary documents and received the keys to our new home.

Legally, we couldn't enter the house unaccompanied until we officially received the keys. We were either required to be with our realtor or present with the inspector during the home inspection. My strong advice is to invest in a highly reputable inspector who provides a detailed report. Ours meticulously checked every detail, from the proper closing of doors and the sturdiness of stair rails to ensuring all gas burners on the stove functioned and every outlet worked. Even the smallest issue was marked with masking tape and included in a 3D map of the house. We've referred to his report numerous times over the years, so his thoroughness was invaluable.

Funny story, our inspector noted that the HVAC system was somewhat outdated, which gave us a heads-up that we'd likely need to replace it eventually. He jokingly predicted it would probably happen during a winter snowstorm on a federal holiday, and he was remarkably prescient. Shortly after we moved in, on President's Day during a huge snowstorm, we found ourselves with our three-month-old baby in a house with a non-functioning heater! Needless to say, we had to expedite the HVAC replacement process.

Useful Tips

I absolutely love our home, especially the generous outdoor space with the deck and patio. The open flow between the kitchen, dining room, and living room is also a huge plus, particularly with young children. I'd describe our home-buying experience as remarkably smooth. We still keep in touch with our realtor, who even sends us small gifts and includes us in a gift subscription program. I believe investing in good professionals is invaluable, as they can make one of life's most significant experiences not only smooth but also truly memorable. Purchasing our home was a very exciting time for us, and we were incredibly happy and pleased with the entire process.

It's important to remember that the price of a home is directly related to its condition, including any remodeling, finishes, and appliances. When taking out a mortgage, the loan amount is typically tied to the purchase price of the home as is. Therefore, if a house requires significant renovations – such as new flooring, remodeled bathrooms, or a new kitchen and appliances – those costs would need to be covered separately and would not be included in the mortgage loan. This is why many buyers prefer homes that have already been remodeled, as those renovation costs can then be incorporated into the mortgage. When we were buying our home, we carefully considered these factors and, before making an offer, had a general idea of any renovations we anticipated needing to do.

One piece of advice I would offer is to avoid becoming emotionally attached to a house until you have the keys in hand. Emotions can easily cloud your judgment. Remember, anything can happen during the buying process, and you need to be prepared to walk away if necessary. It's just a building, after all. Another common mistake is not getting pre-approved for a mortgage. This can be incredibly disappointing if you find your dream home only to discover you can't afford it. I also want to emphasize the importance of carefully considering all associated costs, including property taxes, insurance, and potential HOA fees. These are significant annual expenses that you'll need to factor into your budget and ensure you can comfortably afford.

I wish everyone the best of luck in their home-buying journey! Owning a home is a wonderful feeling, giving you the freedom to make real estate decisions for your family and create lasting memories in a place where your children will grow up.