Virginia is one of the most prosperous and economically stable states in the US. It was recently elected one of the top states to conduct business in by Forbes magazine, and has one of the highest PCI (per capita income) for any state in the US. Fairfax County is located in Northern Virginia and currently has the highest median household income ($100,318) of any county in the United States. Fairfax County is home to the CIA and is also one of the richest counties in the US. Fairfax's economy is centred on the central government and thousands of central government employees call Fairfax County home.

People from all over the US are relocating to cities in Fairfax County, and even independent cities like Alexandria are benefiting from the influx of people to Fairfax County. There are plenty of employment opportunities in Fairfax County, and apart from various government organizations, there are currently 6 fortune 500 companies headquartered in Fairfax County (Inova Health System, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) and Freddie Mac). Apart from employment opportunities, Fairfax County is also popular with students as it has a well developed education system and the George Mason University is located just outside Fairfax City.

Fairfax County will spend nearly $2.2 billion on its education system in 2008 and Fairfax County currently spends nearly $13,407 on each student every year. Interestingly, a majority of the companies headquartered in Fairfax County contribute to the education budget. Fairfax County has one of the lowest ?high school drop outs? rates, and is well known for the high average SAT scores of its students. Fairfax County is also home to the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

In terms of real estate, Fairfax County has one of the most developed and competitive real estate markets in the US. Housing options are vast and varied, and people have choices ranging from new age apartments to colonial homes. Fairfax County's high standard of living and multiple housing options have ensured that people from different income groups can afford homes in Fairfax County. Independent cities like Alexandria which are located near Fairfax County actively encourage people to relocate to Alexandria, and there are numerous housing camps held each year which allow people with low and moderate income to buy homes in Alexandria.

Growth in the number of government employees has fuelled the demand for rental homes in Fairfax County, and numerous homes and apartments are on lease to the government. Fairfax County has a well developed transportation system and is served by road and 4 airports that are located close to Fairfax County. Fairfax County's health care system provides more than adequate health care to residents of Fairfax County. Major localities in Fairfax County include Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Fort Belvoir, Burke and McLean. Since Virginia Law prohibit the creation of any new municipalities within any county with a population density of over 1,000 per square mile, there are numerous unincorporated municipalities and communities within Fairfax County.

Alexandria is popular with realtors and home owners alike, although it is an independent city, many Fairfax County real estate agents deal in Alexandria properties. Alexandria is one of the few cities in the US to offer state of the art housing loans and the Alexandria city council actively holds seminars and camps to help people from middle and lower income groups buy homes in Alexandria. Alexandria has the distinction of being one of the few cities to offer home improvement loans that are specifically designed for physically challenged individuals. In essence, Alexandria is popular with home owners because it encourages and facilitates relocation. Alexandria also offers a wide variety of housing options, and condos, apartments and homes are available in a variety of architectural styles.

For a comprehensive listing of Fairfax County properties visit www.fairfaxcountyhomesonline.com