“Northern Va. is a lost cause.”
Maybe so. If you’re honest about Virginia, you realize that Virginia has benefited, fiscally, from it’s proximity to DC. Northern VA, particularly so.
With coming DoD and Federal government cutbacks (they are coming, as hopeless as it seems now) you will have a sea-change in Northern VA.
The exodus is likely to reverse itself, for a brief time, with Maryland as former gov’t folks seek free stuff and bennies.
Maybe, just maybe N. Va will be able to be rehabilitated, at least a little bit.
The sea-change begins when Moran loses his job. If jobs are the issue, the exodus may not reverse. I grew up in Maryland and throughout all my job-hunting years, the jobs I always wanted were in Virginia. After awhile, the commutes weren’t worth it.