Marshall, Virginia area?

[boatman37]

Hello all. Looking to the forum here for help/advice. My son had a phone interview the other day for a job that offered placement in either Marshall, VA or Forestville, MD. He thinks he would rather have the Marshall, VA location based on information from the interviewer. They are looking to bring people in this Friday for face to face interviews. He is trying to decide if he should go or not. What is the area like? Cost of living? Rent for a 1 or 2 bedroom place? He will be living by himself so doesn't need much room or even amenities. Based on our basic search it looks like maybe $1500 per month? Seems a little high. Is there anything lower but still safe areas? He is a recent college grad and is currently working in Pittsburgh but drives about 80 miles a day round trip so he is hoping for something no more than 20 miles from work. Currently he lives at home with us so although this job pays quite a bit more, still not sure he can afford to pay rent, utilities, etc. Based on our rough calculations he would be comfortable at about $800/month but not seeing much under $1300-1500.

I may even consider moving...lol. Be nice to buy a 32'er on the Chesapeake...lol

Any help or advice?

 

[Jaybeaux]

re: Marshall, VA.....it is quite frankly in "the middle of no-where". Horse estates, vineyards, and old money....as far as safety is concerned, I wouldn't have a problem sending my daughter there. Not knowing you, your son, or what he is doing, I would say that there isn't a lot of "night life" in that immediate area. You're talking about Warrenton, or Leesburg, or going into Manassas or Fairfax for youthful activities. Maybe even Winchester (which is where we live).

I'm not offering advice on the job as you didn't share any of those details. Just trying to be frank about an area for what I "assume" to be a young, single male, and thinking about my past.

 

[boatman37]

He isn't into the nightclub scene too much. He has a girlfriend who will still be up here so doubt he will be hanging out in nightclubs...lol. Not really looking for too much on the job itself but he works in safety management. The company has several locations but told him he could work out of either of those 2 offices. Mainly looking to see if you can get an apartment in a decent area for around $800/month. With student loans and car payment he has a pretty tight budget for rent. Big move for a 23 year old on a tight budget to a place we aren't familiar with...lol. It's pretty early in the process but it turns out that the interviewer graduated from the same school and is a member of the same fraternity as my son and another person there graduated a year before my son and when he saw his name recommended him as they were in a few classes together. So looks like he may have a really good shot. So is $800/month rent reasonable for a decent place?

 

[blaster]

The only thing $800 will get this side of WV is a shared apartment or a room in a nice house. In Marshall there are not really apartment buildings. In town it's old houses and such. It's kinda far out if his commute takes him closer in than Fairfax. I don't see him getting his own place somewhere decent under $1500 in the northern Virginia area.


Forestville would certainly be the more dangerous choice, especially if you happen to find an $800 apartment. It's not the worst but it would be more "urban".

 

[Mikemapva]

To follow on to what the others have said, Marshall is way out in the country. I would definitely pick that one over Forestville, MD unless he wanted to try to get a place on the bay. But that would definitely be outside his price range.

I would try to find an apartment or someone renting a room in the Warrenton area. That shouldn't be too bad a ride to Marshall and he would be near a lot of shopping options. I don't know much about things to do, or nightlife for a recent college grad though.