Homes close to school boundaries--getting to choose your school district?

[Anonymous]

I just saw a listing for a SFH at 2722 N. Yucatan in Arlington. The house is right near the Falls Church/Arlington border, and the house listing claims that the owner can choose what school district to send their kids to. Does anyone have any experience with this? I always thought you were in one school district or another--this is the first I've heard that there's wiggle room. How would someone verify that you really can choose? The Arlington schools website has maps with school boundary info, but they're not terribly useful in this situation.

Thanks!

Jennifer

[Anonymous]

If the city/county line is in the property, then I don't see why not. Given that you're probably going to Yorktown/W-L/George Mason, I don't see how you'd really lose either way IMO.

But it could lead to a few situations like the scene from Sergeant York where the bartender can't serve York a drink in Tennessee, so he just goes to the other side of the bar and serves York a drink in Kentucky.

[Anonymous]

Yes if you look at the tax maps, the boundary line goes right through that lot (and right through the house too). So you will get tax bills from each jurisdiction and may also get water/sewer/trash bills from both (not sure how that works). Choosing which school to send your child is a nice perk but I'm sure there are few hassels of being in two jurisdictions. For example, if you wanted to add on to the house, you may have to be permitted in each jurisdiction. That kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

But it might help in getting away from pesky law enforcement types: "Nyah, you can't catch me, I'm out of your jurisdiction!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes if you look at the tax maps, the boundary line goes right through that lot (and right through the house too). So you will get tax bills from each jurisdiction and may also get water/sewer/trash bills from both (not sure how that works). Choosing which school to send your child is a nice perk but I'm sure there are few hassels of being in two jurisdictions. For example, if you wanted to add on to the house, you may have to be permitted in each jurisdiction. That kind of thing.

This house has been on the market a long time. I wonder if some creative agent is trying to dress up an incurable defect as a positive.

Also stands to reason that whichever school you "choose" you pay property and car taxes to THAT jurisdiction, which may also affect delivery of services.

[Anonymous]

I've seen a few houses listed that have this distinction - and yeah, the agents all use it as a selling point. (in one case, the house was REALLY crappy so that was about the only thing they had.) Honestly, both school pyramids are so good that I'd have trouble choosing. (smaller class sizes in falls church might be good for some kids.) I'd probably want the bigger-city services of Arlington.

let us know if you see the house, and what you think - I've run near that house a few times - it's a nice neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

The fun part about being on the border of Arlington and Fairfax County/Falls Church is leaf collection. Arlington County does much faster and more organized leaf collection. I have a friend whose entire house is in Fairfax County, but the next door neighbor's house is in Arlington County. During leaf season, she shoves her pile next door (with the neighbor's permission) for faster pick up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes if you look at the tax maps, the boundary line goes right through that lot (and right through the house too). So you will get tax bills from each jurisdiction and may also get water/sewer/trash bills from both (not sure how that works). Choosing which school to send your child is a nice perk but I'm sure there are few hassels of being in two jurisdictions. For example, if you wanted to add on to the house, you may have to be permitted in each jurisdiction. That kind of thing.

Taxes are determined based on the total assessed value of the property multiplied by the square footage on each side. You would only need the permit in the jurisdiction where the work was occur (if it was occurring in both you would need two permits (same rule for allocation of permit fees would apply).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes if you look at the tax maps, the boundary line goes right through that lot (and right through the house too). So you will get tax bills from each jurisdiction and may also get water/sewer/trash bills from both (not sure how that works). Choosing which school to send your child is a nice perk but I'm sure there are few hassels of being in two jurisdictions. For example, if you wanted to add on to the house, you may have to be permitted in each jurisdiction. That kind of thing.

Taxes are determined based on the total assessed value of the property multiplied by the square footage on each side. You would only need the permit in the jurisdiction where the work was occur (if it was occurring in both you would need two permits (same rule for allocation of permit fees would apply).

What an annoyance.

You'd think the owner would petition to be annexed fully into one jurisdiction or the other.

[Anonymous]

That's not the way the boundary of Arlington and Falls Church City works though. The original boundary is the outline of the square making up old the District of Columbia. If you look at the tax maps, the line goes through a number of properties. Its not bound at all by geographic features like most jurisdictions such as the City of Alexandria or the town of Vienna. The properties cannot be annexed one way or the other, as it would alter the historic boundary line. And yes, the homeowner would get 2 tax bills, which hopefully are allocated correctly based on the SF of the property in that jurisdiction. A tax appeal would be a pain, I'm sure.