Va Beach Neighborhoods

[Afterburner76]

Been looking at some Va Beach real estate sites and am finding plenty of info on houses. However, having never been there, I'm unsure on what neighborhoods to narrow down my searches. My wife and I are looking to live in a trendy, young, upscale community (think inner loop/Galleria area of Houston, Bethesda MD, or Santa Monica CA). A place with plenty of shopping, restaurants, nightlife, etc. Can someone please break down for us the goods on neighborhoods in the Va Beach/Norfolk area? Not only the cool spots, but places to avoid as well. Pretty much anywhere within a 30 min commute to Oceana. Thanks so much!

 

[FLYTPAY]

How about new construction? Does anyone have any gouge? I personally am leaning towards east of Oceana.

 

[jus2mch]

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137261&highlight=HAMPTON+ROADS

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134661&highlight=REALTOR+WEBSITES

This one was recommended by SteveG75 and is phenomenal.

http://www.williamewood.com/

 

[Single Seat]

You'll love anything next to Lynn Haven Mall.

 

[Afterburner76]

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137261&highlight=HAMPTON+ROADS

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134661&highlight=REALTOR+WEBSITES

This one was recommended by SteveG75 and is phenomenal.

http://www.williamewood.com/

thanks, but we're looking for specific info on NEIGHBORHOODS. Not just properties or realtors. do appreciate the links though!

Again, if anyone can help out with suggetions based on the original post... that would be awesome!

 

[Afterburner76]

You'll love anything next to Lynn Haven Mall.

how about macarthur center in norfolk? familiar with that? just saw it online...

any upscale museum/theater district living too?

 

[hscs]

A bunch of the single/newly married types in my squadron like the Ghent/downtown Norfolk area, but the commute may be long. I don't know what the traffic would be like to Oceana. I would avoid Lynnhaven mall, and instead check out the Great Neck area. You could also check out Town Center in Va Beach -- fairly new, but in my opinion, pretty overpriced for the apartments.

 

[jus2mch]

thanks, but we're looking for specific info on NEIGHBORHOODS. Not just properties or realtors. do appreciate the links though!

Again, if anyone can help out with suggetions based on the original post... that would be awesome!

Sorry, I should have pointed out there is some stuff about "NEIGHBORHOODS" in the first link. Not much but it's a start.

 

[Uncle Fester]

You going to NASO or Norfolk? #1 consideration is the commute. Avoid living anywhere you'd have to go on 64/264, or any of the bridges or tunnels for your daily drive. Traffic is horrendous, and nobody has any idea how to drive in exotic conditions like "rain" or "ice".

If Norfolk, Ghent sounds like the kind of neighborhood you're looking for. It's the "hip college town" area of Norfolk; popular with the EVMS med students, PETA hipsters, etc. Walk to everything kind of place. Neat, but spendy. Freemason is closer to the downtown area, has lots of condos and townhouses, that kind of thing.

 

[hscs]

-- exotic conditions like dustings of snow that get your kids a snow day....true story

 

[Afterburner76]

You going to NASO or Norfolk? #1 consideration is the commute. Avoid living anywhere you'd have to go on 64/264, or any of the bridges or tunnels for your daily drive. Traffic is horrendous, and nobody has any idea how to drive in exotic conditions like "rain" or "ice".

If Norfolk, Ghent sounds like the kind of neighborhood you're looking for. It's the "hip college town" area of Norfolk; popular with the EVMS med students, PETA hipsters, etc. Walk to everything kind of place. Neat, but spendy. Freemason is closer to the downtown area, has lots of condos and townhouses, that kind of thing.

would be at NASO. looking to keep the commute under 30min (or so). Yeah, we like the hip artsy area thing (like Montrose area of Houston, Greenwich/SoHo NYC, or Hillcrest in San Diego), but also like the more conservative, classy type areas. Restaurant scene is a big plus as we are both "foodies". The nightlife we're into isn't the typical collegiate "party" atmosphere. We def dig the "neighborhood jazz bar" scene and lounges rather than the Senor Frogs kinda joints. Basically we're a married couple, early 30's, and no kids looking to buy in a cool area that's also safe and clean. While in Kingsville, we def fell in love with Houston over Austin. Especially around the Uptown/Galleria area.

 

[trvsmrtn]

I live in Kempsville near the intersection of 64 and Indian River Rd. Nice area, 1 exit from greenbrier, and about 5 minutes from town center. No noise from aircraft flying overhead which is nice. A lot of people tell you that you get accustomed to the F18's, but I say to hell with that. Depending on what time I leave, I can be at NOB in 15 minutes. The longest it's taken is about 25. Those are usually the mornings where I leave too late to get in the HOV lane.

 

[P3 F0]

About 7 years ago, I worked on the Little Creek Amphib Base and lived off of Shore Dr in the Baylake Beach area and can pretty much tell you that anything west of the Bridge (Lynnhaven Bay) on Shore is pretty tame. It's a bit better East of the Bridge, but only for a few blocks and even then I'd have a hard time comparing it to someplace like Bethesda.

For keeping your commute under 30 mins, the downtown Va Bch area is probably your best bet, although again, I'd have a hard time comparing it to anything nice. I also lived in the Kings Grant area and it's all suburbia and strip malls along Rte 58, getting more run down as you go west.

I think you'll eventually have to make a choice--take a longer commute from downtown Norfolk with a nicer place or slum it in Va Bch. But I really can't speak for how bad the commute is from downtown to NASO--you're kind of going against traffic for a part of the way, so it may not be that bad.

 

[HeyJoe]

how about macarthur center in norfolk? familiar with that? just saw it online...

any upscale museum/theater district living too?

That would Ghent in Norfolk (lot's of town houses and condos). Bit of drive to Oceana, but E-2 and helo dudes from NAS Norfolk have been known to habitate there. The newest "downtown" is Town Center at Independence and Va Bch Blvd. They are building upscale condos and apts there, but have to get better housing up at Thoroughgood, Thalia or anything in Little Neck (King's Grant, Middle Plantation, etc.)

 

[BigIron]

That would Ghent in Norfolk (lot's of town houses and condos). Bit of drive to Oceana, but E-2 and helo dudes from NAS Norfolk have been known to habitate there. The newest "downtown" is Town Center at Independence and Va Bch Blvd. They are building upscale condos and apts there, but have to get better housing up at Thoroughgood, Thalia or anything in Little Neck (King's Grant, Middle Plantation, etc.)

I'll piggy back HJ here with a link for Town Center.

On Ghent.

Everybody else has pretty much hit it right.

As an aside, you can live in Portsmouth. The little downtown area is pretty hip and bohemian if that's what you're looking for. Just don't venture too far west.