Vb is basically a giant strip mall and car dealership. Also since the interstate splits the city in half so everyone has to drive to it first to go anywhere else in the 757, it's hell to do anything from 7-9am and 4-6pm I moved from Norfolk to VB and it's hell. Even the worst parts of Norfolk had more culture
The comment about 264 is so true! I live 8 miles from my job in VB. There is absolutely no direct or easy route there. I have to drive 15 minutes one way to hop on 264 then get off two exits later then navigate Independence Blvd and all the red lights. 45 minutes each way every day for a 16 mile commute.
Some notes on Portsmouth from a nearly-20yr resident: - You don't HAVE to take the tunnel to leave. It's just more convenient (and costly) to do so. - The "downtown" area--right at the harbor--is VERY walkable and bikeable. Leave that small 1/2mi x 1mi box though, and it's not safe to walk OR bike. - Although VA's state law says that bicyclists can cycle on the sidewalk OR the road (whichever they feel comfortable with), the Portsmouth City Council has decided that bicycles on the sidewalk is against City law; that lightweight bicycles traveling 14mph belong on our crumbling, pothole-filled, shoulder-less roads with 2,000-6,000lb vehicles going 45+ mph. - Our crime is high. Really high. If you're thinking of a house here, be sure to look up the address on NeighborhoodScout's crime map. We play a fun game here almost nightly, where we try to figure out if the pops we just heard were fireworks or gunshots. - Our City Council has a very long, very sordid history of being corrupt, and all of the news stories are true. - They also just built a brand-new casino, without building sufficient traffic infrastructure for it, so the area around Victory Blvd & 264 is often over-congested now, and crime in that area has spiked despite putting a City police department outpost INSIDE the casino itself. Thieves wander the parking lot, waiting for victims to exit the casino, and rob them when they get to their parked car.
Dont forget the school system here as well and how they decided to build a casino instead of a new school so our 6th graders can finally get outta elementary
Just about everyday there are multiple stories from around Hampton roads about guns. People getting shot, killed and even innocent people killed in their living room. To me that's the most unsettling part of this area, but it's not just this area. Most anywhere up and down the east coast has similar problems.
This is a approved for all audiences discussion on best places to live. As in most American urban areas people want to live where it is safe, clean and the schools actually work. That is a delicate conversation that usually takes place on the down low.
I'm in northern Newport News. I'm in the middle of a few subdivisions and 15 to 20 minutes to Hampton and most anyplace I might need to go. I got lucky in 2017 and found a diamond in the rough. My place is 1.6 acres and the whole area used to be a horse farm owned by two families. So I have a 2 story, 5 bedroom, 5 bath home, barn, 2 car garage and almost a whole acre of fruit trees, gardening area, I raise chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. My property is so big that I have 12 connecting neighbors. But, no HOA, yeah! The subdivision around has hoa. The zoning is such that I can put between 4 to 6 homes in the property, not that I am doing that, but the potential is there. People are really surprised when they see the property in the back. The problem is it is going way up in value. Why is that bad? Because I love the property and would hate to sell it. I get approached all the time to sell it. Having grown up and lived in Hawaii, almost my entire life, people wonder why I am here. I followed my daughter and grandkids. Her husband was in the military. Frankly I had never heard of Newport News before moving here. Now I realize the history of this area from the first settlers, revolutionary war and civil war. It's also a center for ship building, NASA and military. Soon the new Amtrak station will open 10 minutes from me. I can't wait to take some railroad trips.
Great information thanks for the Gloucester Va shout out 🎉. My great grandparents owned farms in Gloucester and Northumberland County VA respectfully and a split my summers between those two places and Virginia Beach great memories.
Hey Sam, thanks for the great content! Would love to see a video on purchasing property for the purpose of investing in long-term vs. short-term rentals in VB. I know there has been much controversy about airbnb and vrbo. However, I noticed there are not a whole lot of long-term rentals in VB available. Maybe bring light to the best areas/neighborhoods in VB to invest in? How much you could get monthly for these properties. Im also wondering if it would be smarter to purchase a property close to the military base for long-term rental investments. Also, what are the most recent city council regulations on short-term rentals? Thanks!
Virginia Beach resident here. - The jet noise is almost EVERYWHERE because the pilots fly as low as they are allowed to - our walls actually shake sometimes. And no, most of us DON'T forget it's here. We're tired of it. - If you don't want to pay the state to own your stuff, don't move here. - The schools aren't as great as they're touted to be unless you attend one of the special programs or go to a private school. There are also major drug issues in most of them, whether they're being talked about or not. - If you don't like the smell of weed, don't move anywhere between the beach and Town Center. - Apartment and home costs are ridiculous. - Are you a cyclist? Don't come to this city - it's not bicycle friendly unless you're in VERY specific sections (similar to what the Portsmouth resident below said). - Have a kid who will be learning to drive? In addition to your private tutelage, Driver's Ed is REQUIRED here - but it's only a half-semester, and it is only classroom instruction. You will then have to pay for a course called Behind the Wheel ($200-$300), which is the ACTUAL on-the-road lesson and lasts a week. To get their permit, your 15-year-old must have completed and passed the classroom portion, be 15 and 9 months old, AND pass a 2-part DMV test. At that point, they will be issued a permit and can legally drive with an adult in the car. They can't test for their license until they are 16 and 9 months old. Don't want to pay for the aforementioned course? The kid has to wait until they're 19. There are pros and cons to every city and locale; unfortunately the cons are usually either heavily glossed over or altogether ignored. At the end of the day, due diligence is key.
If you can afford it Norfolk is the best all around city in the 757. My rankings Best to Worst: Norfolk Chesapeake Virginia Beach Newport News Williamsburg Hampton Roads Yorktown Suffolk Portsmouth Honorable Mention: Granby St Norfolk Dishonorable Mention: Lynnhaven Virginia Beach
Great question! I actually really like it for what you can get in the area for the price (that area and Toano). Though to me it depends on the neighborhood as to if I'm a bigger far or not. The biggest drawback generally is the drive to the rest of town. Getting to Williamsburg is around 25-30 min, but then heading to Hampton/Newport News it's pushing around 50ish minutes, so it's a drive to live there. Not to mention if you wanted to go to Virginia Beach or Norfolk regularly.
@@samsansalone im considering the brickshire neighborhood. There are some new constructions there but Im not sure of the area. Do you think it will gain value in the near future? I really like williamsburg but prices increased a lot
I’m from MD , currently in TX, thinking about moving back east. I had to laugh because it can take 15-20 to go 1 mile away, no exaggeration! Traffic gets bad.
Vb is basically a giant strip mall and car dealership.
Also since the interstate splits the city in half so everyone has to drive to it first to go anywhere else in the 757, it's hell to do anything from 7-9am and 4-6pm
I moved from Norfolk to VB and it's hell. Even the worst parts of Norfolk had more culture
I made the right decision when I bought my house in Chesapeake instead of VB back in 2021.
The comment about 264 is so true! I live 8 miles from my job in VB. There is absolutely no direct or easy route there. I have to drive 15 minutes one way to hop on 264 then get off two exits later then navigate Independence Blvd and all the red lights. 45 minutes each way every day for a 16 mile commute.
Some notes on Portsmouth from a nearly-20yr resident:
- You don't HAVE to take the tunnel to leave. It's just more convenient (and costly) to do so.
- The "downtown" area--right at the harbor--is VERY walkable and bikeable. Leave that small 1/2mi x 1mi box though, and it's not safe to walk OR bike.
- Although VA's state law says that bicyclists can cycle on the sidewalk OR the road (whichever they feel comfortable with), the Portsmouth City Council has decided that bicycles on the sidewalk is against City law; that lightweight bicycles traveling 14mph belong on our crumbling, pothole-filled, shoulder-less roads with 2,000-6,000lb vehicles going 45+ mph.
- Our crime is high. Really high. If you're thinking of a house here, be sure to look up the address on NeighborhoodScout's crime map. We play a fun game here almost nightly, where we try to figure out if the pops we just heard were fireworks or gunshots.
- Our City Council has a very long, very sordid history of being corrupt, and all of the news stories are true.
- They also just built a brand-new casino, without building sufficient traffic infrastructure for it, so the area around Victory Blvd & 264 is often over-congested now, and crime in that area has spiked despite putting a City police department outpost INSIDE the casino itself. Thieves wander the parking lot, waiting for victims to exit the casino, and rob them when they get to their parked car.
Dont forget the school system here as well and how they decided to build a casino instead of a new school so our 6th graders can finally get outta elementary
Just about everyday there are multiple stories from around Hampton roads about guns. People getting shot, killed and even innocent people killed in their living room.
To me that's the most unsettling part of this area, but it's not just this area. Most anywhere up and down the east coast has similar problems.
How about everywhere in America. You notice Europeans don’t immigrate here. It is Central Americans, Arabs, etc with more dangerous societies.
This is a approved for all audiences discussion on best places to live. As in most American urban areas people want to live where it is safe, clean and the schools actually work. That is a delicate conversation that usually takes place on the down low.
So glad I found your channel. Great information for a new resident such as myself.Thank you will watch more now that I found you.
Moving to the area in June. Found our place to live due to the videos you provide. Thanks
I'm in northern Newport News. I'm in the middle of a few subdivisions and 15 to 20 minutes to Hampton and most anyplace I might need to go.
I got lucky in 2017 and found a diamond in the rough.
My place is 1.6 acres and the whole area used to be a horse farm owned by two families.
So I have a 2 story, 5 bedroom, 5 bath home, barn, 2 car garage and almost a whole acre of fruit trees, gardening area, I raise chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys.
My property is so big that I have 12 connecting neighbors.
But, no HOA, yeah!
The subdivision around has hoa.
The zoning is such that I can put between 4 to 6 homes in the property, not that I am doing that, but the potential is there.
People are really surprised when they see the property in the back.
The problem is it is going way up in value. Why is that bad?
Because I love the property and would hate to sell it.
I get approached all the time to sell it.
Having grown up and lived in Hawaii, almost my entire life, people wonder why I am here.
I followed my daughter and grandkids. Her husband was in the military.
Frankly I had never heard of Newport News before moving here.
Now I realize the history of this area from the first settlers, revolutionary war and civil war.
It's also a center for ship building, NASA and military.
Soon the new Amtrak station will open 10 minutes from me. I can't wait to take some railroad trips.
Great information thanks for the Gloucester Va shout out 🎉. My great grandparents owned farms in Gloucester and Northumberland County VA respectfully and a split my summers between those two places and Virginia Beach great memories.
You should do a video with Michael Bordenaro. You and him have a great feel for things in real estate. He also ties it all back to the economy.
Hey Sam, thanks for the great content! Would love to see a video on purchasing property for the purpose of investing in long-term vs. short-term rentals in VB. I know there has been much controversy about airbnb and vrbo. However, I noticed there are not a whole lot of long-term rentals in VB available. Maybe bring light to the best areas/neighborhoods in VB to invest in? How much you could get monthly for these properties. Im also wondering if it would be smarter to purchase a property close to the military base for long-term rental investments. Also, what are the most recent city council regulations on short-term rentals? Thanks!
Is he a STR investor? The city websites shows which areas and types of properties can be used as an STR
Great info Sam. Thank you. ❤
You're very welcome!! Glad you enjoy 😀
I appreciate your vids! I will be moving to VA beach from NYC in two months!
Awesome!! For work, fun, or family? Or all three?
Virginia Beach resident here.
- The jet noise is almost EVERYWHERE because the pilots fly as low as they are allowed to - our walls actually shake sometimes. And no, most of us DON'T forget it's here. We're tired of it.
- If you don't want to pay the state to own your stuff, don't move here.
- The schools aren't as great as they're touted to be unless you attend one of the special programs or go to a private school. There are also major drug issues in most of them, whether they're being talked about or not.
- If you don't like the smell of weed, don't move anywhere between the beach and Town Center.
- Apartment and home costs are ridiculous.
- Are you a cyclist? Don't come to this city - it's not bicycle friendly unless you're in VERY specific sections (similar to what the Portsmouth resident below said).
- Have a kid who will be learning to drive? In addition to your private tutelage, Driver's Ed is REQUIRED here - but it's only a half-semester, and it is only classroom instruction. You will then have to pay for a course called Behind the Wheel ($200-$300), which is the ACTUAL on-the-road lesson and lasts a week. To get their permit, your 15-year-old must have completed and passed the classroom portion, be 15 and 9 months old, AND pass a 2-part DMV test. At that point, they will be issued a permit and can legally drive with an adult in the car. They can't test for their license until they are 16 and 9 months old. Don't want to pay for the aforementioned course? The kid has to wait until they're 19.
There are pros and cons to every city and locale; unfortunately the cons are usually either heavily glossed over or altogether ignored. At the end of the day, due diligence is key.
Thank you for the info. I was thinking VB is my next move.
If you can afford it Norfolk is the best all around city in the 757.
My rankings Best to Worst:
Norfolk
Chesapeake
Virginia Beach
Newport News
Williamsburg
Hampton Roads
Yorktown
Suffolk
Portsmouth
Honorable Mention:
Granby St Norfolk
Dishonorable Mention:
Lynnhaven Virginia Beach
Great video ❤...this helps a lot
Any statistics on which ranks highest in crime and violence?
No stats here but avoid Portsmouth and Norfolk at all costs.
Great video thank you 🙏🏻 what do you think about new kent providenge forge area ?
Great question! I actually really like it for what you can get in the area for the price (that area and Toano). Though to me it depends on the neighborhood as to if I'm a bigger far or not. The biggest drawback generally is the drive to the rest of town. Getting to Williamsburg is around 25-30 min, but then heading to Hampton/Newport News it's pushing around 50ish minutes, so it's a drive to live there. Not to mention if you wanted to go to Virginia Beach or Norfolk regularly.
@@samsansalone im considering the brickshire neighborhood. There are some new constructions there but Im not sure of the area. Do you think it will gain value in the near future? I really like williamsburg but prices increased a lot
if ya live in ptown, ya better have a lot of brass
Everything looks the exact same
Yes it does. No matter what anyone tries to tell you it always does.
great. What’s your whatsup? I would like to ask some questions.
I’m from MD , currently in TX, thinking about moving back east. I had to laugh because it can take 15-20 to go 1 mile away, no exaggeration! Traffic gets bad.