Recommendations for neighborhoods in the DMV

[Anonymous]

I realize this is quite broad but we are thinking of relocating from NYC and thus don't have any family or friends (or work!) in the area we need to be near. Dh will commute to NYC and work 2 days from office there, once a week (stay in hotel overnight). Budget is $6-$8k per month. Could be city or burb. Number one priority: would love really good schools for DCs (who are 8 and 10), and some historic element/ oldness to the area. And a yard! Ideally house not apartment. Any tips so so so welcome and ty!

[Anonymous]

Why here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why here?

we want to be near a city and not too far from NY so it's either DC or boston (we don't want philly) and we prefer dc

[Anonymous]

How will he get to NYC? Do you need to be close to IAD, DCA, or Union Station?

Old/historic and good schools don’t have a lot of overlap.

Have you researched VA vs MD? I think you will want to have an idea which is a better fit for your taxes, future employment opportunities, and other lifestyle preferences. We didn’t have any ties to the area and visit family just outside NYC often, but we chose VA because I work in IT and the Arlington - Reston area is where I would most likely find employment if I left my current company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How will he get to NYC? Do you need to be close to IAD, DCA, or Union Station?

Old/historic and good schools don’t have a lot of overlap.

Have you researched VA vs MD? I think you will want to have an idea which is a better fit for your taxes, future employment opportunities, and other lifestyle preferences. We didn’t have any ties to the area and visit family just outside NYC often, but we chose VA because I work in IT and the Arlington - Reston area is where I would most likely find employment if I left my current company.

op - I work in advertising so I'm guessing DC but I'm taking some time off work (and will never likely again take a role that is in person more than a couple days a week) so it sort of doesn't matter.
good point about getting to nyc. i guess anywhere within 1h of an airport or station is ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How will he get to NYC? Do you need to be close to IAD, DCA, or Union Station?

Old/historic and good schools don’t have a lot of overlap.

Have you researched VA vs MD? I think you will want to have an idea which is a better fit for your taxes, future employment opportunities, and other lifestyle preferences. We didn’t have any ties to the area and visit family just outside NYC often, but we chose VA because I work in IT and the Arlington - Reston area is where I would most likely find employment if I left my current company.

You can get old, historic, good schools in Georgetown/Burleith/Glover Park, but you will not find big yards there.

[Anonymous]

How long are you staying? Good middle schools are especially hard to come by.

[Anonymous]

Alexandria is the only inner suburb of Northern Virginia that I would consider "historic" but you would need to send your kids to private if you want "good schools."

Northern Virginia probably isn't for you - lots of new construction.

[Anonymous]

Somewhere NW DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How will he get to NYC? Do you need to be close to IAD, DCA, or Union Station?

Old/historic and good schools don’t have a lot of overlap.

Have you researched VA vs MD? I think you will want to have an idea which is a better fit for your taxes, future employment opportunities, and other lifestyle preferences. We didn’t have any ties to the area and visit family just outside NYC often, but we chose VA because I work in IT and the Arlington - Reston area is where I would most likely find employment if I left my current company.

You can get old, historic, good schools in Georgetown/Burleith/Glover Park, but you will not find big yards there.

op - i think ok if not big yard! little yard would be nice though (we have no yard rn)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long are you staying? Good middle schools are especially hard to come by.

i'm not sure i guess we'll see. but do need a middle bc older dc goes into middle this sept.

[Anonymous]

Are you looking to rent or buy? I'm guessing rent based on how you said your budget is 6-8k per month. With making schools the priority I would cross DC off the list (unless you are willing to go private, but you mention schools in your post so I'll assume you want public) and look at NoVA or MD. I only know about NoVA so I'll leave MD to others.

Your budget is large, but that won't change the fact that inventory is low. Old Town Alexandria is very historic, but good luck finding a big yard and I don't think the schools are great. I love Hollin Hills for gorgeous mid-century homes, but they never come on the market and I think the schools aren't great there. Finding a historic property is generally going to be tough and most NoVA neighborhoods are full of new development. I'm in Falls Church and can think of some incredible historic homes, but they are sprinkled in with the McMansions and crumbling ramblers and finding one to rent would be tough to impossible. Schools are wonderful, though.

If you don't cross DC off the list, I will say that I love Capitol Hill. But when I lived there someone broke into my home while I was sleeping, so ... I'm a little gun shy about that area. Oh, and my car was stolen too. But my car was stolen in Rossyln, as well. So whatever. I think there are some elementary schools there that people like, but I don't know much about it. Georgetown has been mentioned and I love it there (I work at Georgetown), would even live there if I had a bigger budget than I do, but like PP said, finding a big yard there might be tough if not impossible.

Really, with your budget, I'd suggest you find a good real estate agent who works with folks looking to rent and tell them what you want/need. Because it's going to be difficult to figure this out, especially with inventory being what it is, but a real estate agent is going to know a lot more about what all is available and how to get it than we do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking to rent or buy? I'm guessing rent based on how you said your budget is 6-8k per month. With making schools the priority I would cross DC off the list (unless you are willing to go private, but you mention schools in your post so I'll assume you want public) and look at NoVA or MD. I only know about NoVA so I'll leave MD to others.

Your budget is large, but that won't change the fact that inventory is low. Old Town Alexandria is very historic, but good luck finding a big yard and I don't think the schools are great. I love Hollin Hills for gorgeous mid-century homes, but they never come on the market and I think the schools aren't great there. Finding a historic property is generally going to be tough and most NoVA neighborhoods are full of new development. I'm in Falls Church and can think of some incredible historic homes, but they are sprinkled in with the McMansions and crumbling ramblers and finding one to rent would be tough to impossible. Schools are wonderful, though.

If you don't cross DC off the list, I will say that I love Capitol Hill. But when I lived there someone broke into my home while I was sleeping, so ... I'm a little gun shy about that area. Oh, and my car was stolen too. But my car was stolen in Rossyln, as well. So whatever. I think there are some elementary schools there that people like, but I don't know much about it. Georgetown has been mentioned and I love it there (I work at Georgetown), would even live there if I had a bigger budget than I do, but like PP said, finding a big yard there might be tough if not impossible.

Really, with your budget, I'd suggest you find a good real estate agent who works with folks looking to rent and tell them what you want/need. Because it's going to be difficult to figure this out, especially with inventory being what it is, but a real estate agent is going to know a lot more about what all is available and how to get it than we do.

TY!!!
i think we are going to rent just bc our plan is to keep our NYC property and rent it out, see how we like DC (that's how we got to our budget - is our NYC property minus its bills and minus some more so that I can take a beat from working - have burned out in absolutely epic and emergent way).
I love georgetown (one of only areas I know) and when i went to alexandria I loved that too, but assume those are sort of 'obvious' (like when people want to move to nyc and live in west village) and people would say impossible to find inventory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why here?

we want to be near a city and not too far from NY so it's either DC or boston (we don't want philly) and we prefer dc

Why not a NY, CT, or NJ suburb? Many have excellent public schools. I live in Princeton, NJ and many NYC transplants have moved here since 2020. We also thought about moving to the DMV for work, but ultimately decided to stay and are happy. Love the schools, people, town, small class sizes for elementary, activities and no violence! There are multiple clean and cheap compared to DC town pools, swim teams, loads of athletics kids can easily get into, etc. I LOVE DC, but after speaking with friends in DC we are happy we stayed.

As others said if you are looking for good public schools and are planning to stay after elementary do some research. I have close friends in DC proper including Palisades (that has issue with planes so I would nix), Mt. Pleasant, Capital Hill, and CCDC. Public schools in DC are a mixed bag and more of my friends are complaining/looking at privates/looking to move in the last couple years. Most were happy in elementary. Also, check out Woodly Park, but unless you want your child to attend immersion program, look at properties that go into Eaton.

Go visit and check out different neighborhoods. Go to a playground, park, farmers market, something and talk to people and ask about the neighborhood. Do you know anyone who lives in the area? Ask them! Good luck.

[Anonymous]

The town of Somerset in Chevy Chase MD has local elementary school, neighborhood pool and swim team, very idyllic. Walking distance to friendship heights and Bethesda and metro. MCPS public schools.