In Old English, woodburn means "streamlet through a shaded glen," which is an apt description of Woodburn in Fairfax County, Virginia. Lush green trees frame the sparkling waters of the Accotink Creek that runs through this area.
Just a hop, skip and jump away from D.C., Woodburn is a great option if you want to live in a rural area while enjoying all the benefits big city life has to offer. Woodburn, a census-designated place in Fairfax County, covers an area of just 2.78 square miles and had 8,480 residents in 2010. Folks in the area are friendly and involved in the community. They do seem to suffer from a bit of a snow phobia, though (or they are fond of snowball fights).
Moving to Woodburn
Finding a rental apt in Woodburn is not a walk in the park. You need to do some thorough research and planning before you can call this picturesque place your home. It is always important to know what to expect from the real estate market in the area and exactly what you are looking for before calling a prospective landlord.
Is it Annandale, Fairfax or Falls Church?
Just finding Woodburn in an apartment search is challenging. Locals identify themselves living in Fairfax, Annandale or Falls Church. The largest part of Woodburn falls under Annandale, so this is where you might want to start your search for places to live in Woodburn. For the rest, keep your eye on the street names to see where you are: Woodburn is bordered by Prosperity Avenue, Arlington Boulevard, Capitol Beltway and Little River Turnpike.
Your Housing Options
Woodburn has a nice variety of housing options. It offers spacious family homes and cozy apartments. Just don't dream of settling into a snug studio apartment, as you will not find that type of abode in Woodburn. If you manage to find any one-bedroom apartments -- knock on wood -- you need to stake your claim quickly because these units are few and far between. Your best bet would be to focus your search on either a two-bedroom condo or a four-bedroom house.
How Hard Can it be?
Because of its premium location close to excellent schools, major employers, large interstates and roads as well as the business district of Tysons Corner, Woodburn is a wildly popular area. The bad news is that a high popularity means fewer available rental properties. Keeping this in mind, treat each prospective landlord like a king -- don't be too picky, and start your search well in advance. If you do find a place you fancy, you are not out of the woods yet: have all the needed documents ready to allow a smooth transaction, as well as a fat security deposit.
Woodburn Neighborhoods
As Woodburn is not really a town and spans fewer than three miles, you can't really divide it up into neighborhoods. There are, however some differences between the northern and southern parts of this area.
North: The northern part of Woodburn is bordered by Arlington Boulevard and gives you quickest access to the Capital Beltway and main shopping centers, such as the Fairfax Plaza and Loehmann's Plaza Shopping Center. There are some beautiful family homes here, and this is where you will find the Amberleigh complex, which mostly offers townhouse-style apartments.
South: This area of Woodburn is where you can go for bicycle rides, nature walks and picnics. It is home to some beautiful parks, such as the Accotink Stream Valley Park, Woodburn Park and Mill Creek Park. The Woodburn Village, which offers 606 condominiums, is here.
Life in Woodburn
Apart from recreational walking on the hiking and bicycle trails, Woodburn people are not too fond of walking. When they want to get somewhere, they take the car, although the Metro is within easy walking distance. Living in Woodburn, you will be part of a vibrant, diverse community and will find that there is always something going on, whether it is civil war re-enactments, farmers markets or art festivals.