If you work in Tysons Corner, Vienna is a small-town Oasis just 3 miles to the j-o-b. While the traffic can be horrid (Did I really just sit through three traffic light cycles to cross Rt. 7?), it's best to avoid prime time commutes. Tysons is a huge employment base with aspirations of growing to a GINORMOUS employment hub. I don't expect traffic to improve no matter how many traffic calming studies are produced. I just rest in the fact that it's only 3.2 miles door-to-door.
We've been in Vienna for 18 years and love it. Just a great community to raise a family. Our first house was a major fixer-upper. We built our current home 6 years ago. Finding a SFH in Vienna for under $500k is going to be tough. Builders are paying $450k - to $550k for the better Vienna Woods lots , tearing down the houses and then building homes at re-sales in the $1.2M - 1.6M range. Yes, $500k for dirt. You CAN find renovated Vienna Woods ramblers in the $525k and up range, the pricing varies widely based on specific location and the extent of the renovation. As you get further out from the town core, your pricing objective becomes more feasible -- take a look at Vienna Woods West and Dunn Loring Woods.
There is only a small stock of Townhomes in Vienna proper. The ones at Maple and Buehlah (or is it East St?) are above $500k. There are three very small T-home communities that I can think of in your range -- one on Center Street (South) by the fire station, one on Center Street (North) by the Elks Club, and one by James Madison High School. You may want to look in Oakton by Blake Lane for a larger inventory.
So, bottom-line -- the center of Vienna is transitioning from small ramblers on big lots to newly built custom homes. I continue to be amazed at the pace of new home construction in Vienna (what recession?). As you move in concentric rings outward from the core, affordability improves.
