Moving Guides.

Northern Virginia for our purposes covers Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington and Prince William counties, each with different home types, commutes and costs. Arlington is mostly condos near Metro, while Loudoun and Prince William offer more newer single-family homes. Virginia also taxes vehicles locally. Start with a county guide, then narrow to towns.

It depends on your income, home price and cars. Maryland adds a county income tax, while Virginia has no county income tax but taxes vehicles as personal property. Closing costs are generally lower in Virginia. Our state guides compare these costs side by side so you can run your own numbers.

Start with a lender licensed in Maryland and a buyer's agent who can tour homes by video, then plan one or two focused visits. Contracts, inspections and settlement can be handled largely remotely with electronic signatures and mail-away closings. We set up MLS searches and preview homes for you.

Yes, if your lender can approve you with your current or new income documented. Many relocating buyers buy first so they only move once, while others rent short term to learn the area. If you have a signed job offer, ask your lender whether it can be used to qualify.

Look for an agent licensed where you are moving who works with remote buyers, can coordinate timing with the sale of your current home, and knows the counties you are weighing. Levi Loveless is licensed in Maryland and Virginia, so one team can compare both sides of the river with you.

Montgomery County mixes walkable centers near Metro, such as Bethesda and Silver Spring, with established suburbs and a large agricultural reserve in the north. Homes range from high-rise condos to large-lot houses. Our county and city guides cover price, pace and commute for each town so you can compare.

Fairfax offers older established neighborhoods, Metro access and a wide price range. Loudoun has more newer planned communities, HOAs and the western Silver Line stations. Commute route, home age and budget usually decide it. Read both county guides, then tour each county on separate weekends.

Howard County sits between Montgomery County and Baltimore, with planned communities like Columbia and older towns like Ellicott City. Many homes carry HOA or Columbia Association charges. Its recordation tax is the lowest of the Maryland counties we cover, which helps buyers at closing. Our county guide covers the rest.

Prince William includes Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Gainesville and Dale City, with Manassas and Manassas Park as separate cities inside it. It offers more space for the price than the inner counties, and commuters rely on the interstate corridors or VRE trains. Quantico brings many military moves.