DMV Sticker Shock Advice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just FYI: my kids are in DCPS at a school that a lot of people like. There’s no TAG/whatever but I’d say nearly all the kids would have been in the GATE program I attended in elementary. These are all bright kids whose parents care about their education. People’s expectations here are just SO different from where I grew up that I think you could send your kids to many schools without an explicit AAP program and expect them to be challenged.

And FWIW, your husband’s commute from here (we are on Capitol Hill) would be a breeze by Metro, car, or bus.

Since you’re willing to live in less that 2000 feet, DC might not be a bad fit at all.

I honestly haven't even looked in DC as we simply did not believe we could afford to. I just automatically defaulted to elsewhere, but now I'll look in DC.

Are there areas in DC to avoid? To aim for?

Clearly, I don't even know what I don't know so asking good questions is/has been difficult.

Do not live in DC. You could not pay me any amount of money to send my kids to quite possibly one of the worst school districts in the country.

You are an uninformed person, you should not be giving advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just FYI: my kids are in DCPS at a school that a lot of people like. There’s no TAG/whatever but I’d say nearly all the kids would have been in the GATE program I attended in elementary. These are all bright kids whose parents care about their education. People’s expectations here are just SO different from where I grew up that I think you could send your kids to many schools without an explicit AAP program and expect them to be challenged.

And FWIW, your husband’s commute from here (we are on Capitol Hill) would be a breeze by Metro, car, or bus.

Since you’re willing to live in less that 2000 feet, DC might not be a bad fit at all.

I honestly haven't even looked in DC as we simply did not believe we could afford to. I just automatically defaulted to elsewhere, but now I'll look in DC.

Are there areas in DC to avoid? To aim for?

Clearly, I don't even know what I don't know so asking good questions is/has been difficult.

Do not live in DC. You could not pay me any amount of money to send my kids to quite possibly one of the worst school districts in the country.

You are an uninformed person, you should not be giving advice.

+1

[Anonymous]

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. No ya'll. It sounds so cheesy and fake.

You haven't heard me say it! It's so truly genuine excitement ... usually.

When you say it, it sounds ridiculous. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Ya’ll is fine. Anyone who judges you for that is not someone you’ll want as a friend.

[Anonymous]

OP, you and your enthusiasm sound fun and you'll have a great time in the DC area. I concur with the other posters on focusing on commute and schools and not taxes - I've lived in MD, VA and the District and it really is pretty much a wash - higher income taxes in MD and DC but higher property taxes, including that damn car tax, in VA. You do get what you pay for, though - good options for schools, nice parks, etc.

Although, I admit the new Federal tax cut does hit this area pretty hard - getting rid of the SALT deduction is why so many people's taxes are staying the same or increasing. But getting rid of AMT is a help and will matter to you guys.

On neighborhoods, you might look at Rockville, MD zoned for Richard Montgomery HS. It has a long established and very good IB program and the area around Rockville metro station has been developed into an urban center type thing with cafes, restaurants and a really fun county library around a walkable plaza. And you still have some suburban conveniences.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read the posts, so I apologize if this has been said before. If you’re open to renting a TH, you’ll have no problem finding something $3000 or slightly less in Vienna (22181/22182). Benefit to living in a TH when you first move here - no real yard work. Use the school playground for playing. Join a summer neighborhood pool (but get on the waitlist now, or at least an August pass). I think you’ll enjoy it here.

And I’ve heard many people say “y’all”. The majority of us are transplants from somewhere. It’s the locals that are harder to find!

[Anonymous]

To the crazy poster going on and on about trash cans.

I am from Florida. Three things to note

1) until about the 60s almost no one lived in Florida full time until a/c became ubiquitous. Florida spring/summers are a humid hell if you have to actually go to work etc. hence very few old homes except beach houses and vacation homes.

2) Florida is HUGE and flat. No topography, so they build a community of new homes, then abandon them after the retirees die off and move 5 miles over and build brand new community. That is at least true for any of the houses you post. Truly desirable coastal areas are very expensive. If you were to post the 1960s tract homes that litter the state basically abandoned, those trash cans and townhouses look stellar.

3) Florida weather sucks. And the roaches and wolf spiders and mosquitos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the crazy poster going on and on about trash cans.

I am from Florida. Three things to note

1) until about the 60s almost no one lived in Florida full time until a/c became ubiquitous. Florida spring/summers are a humid hell if you have to actually go to work etc. hence very few old homes except beach houses and vacation homes.

2) Florida is HUGE and flat. No topography, so they build a community of new homes, then abandon them after the retirees die off and move 5 miles over and build brand new community. That is at least true for any of the houses you post. Truly desirable coastal areas are very expensive. If you were to post the 1960s tract homes that litter the state basically abandoned, those trash cans and townhouses look stellar.

3) Florida weather sucks. And the roaches and wolf spiders and mosquitos.

1. I don't know about the 60s. I was dead. "hence very few old homes..." huh? Non-sequitur.

2. I grew up on a beach. I don't care where you grew up or where you lived. I didn't post those houses. Someone else did. Coastal areas, like Miami Beach, aren't that expensive. At least not in my price range. I don't know about the 60s tract homes that litter the state -- I fly in and out of MIA. Why would I need to see all that sh**?

3. I miss the heat and humidity. Get in an air conditioned car to go to work. Don't work somewhere that doesn't have air conditioning. Embrace your frizzy hair. I didn't deal with roaches - I understood how to utilize pest control. Don't have to worry about mosquitos anymore. Monsanto released their GMO mosquitos that murder non-gmo mosquitos. I don't know what a wolf spider is and I was born and bred in Miami. Sounds like you lived on an Indian reservation.

Anyway, I remain disgusted by the trash cans. I get the spirit of defending your hood, but, dude, your ugly huge garbage cans lined up in front of your horrible little row houses depress me. But if you love it, that's all that matters. Let's agree to *agree* that we're happier'n sh*** never to be each other's neighbor.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm from FL, so I understand wanting to get the hell out of that miserable state. We have a HHI of $350k and live quite comfortably--and we didn't have any family help either. You'll be fine.

I'd recommend N. Arlington if your "hubs" is working near the Mexican consulate. I'd take metro (silver/orange) or the 38B bus (yes really, the bus)--that'd basically drop him outside his work.

I don't get the poster who says it looks dumpy here. The entire state of Florida is one strip mall after another. Sure, it's green all year long, but it's hella ugly once you leave your gated community, which you have to do to do anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the crazy poster going on and on about trash cans.

I am from Florida. Three things to note

1) until about the 60s almost no one lived in Florida full time until a/c became ubiquitous. Florida spring/summers are a humid hell if you have to actually go to work etc. hence very few old homes except beach houses and vacation homes.

2) Florida is HUGE and flat. No topography, so they build a community of new homes, then abandon them after the retirees die off and move 5 miles over and build brand new community. That is at least true for any of the houses you post. Truly desirable coastal areas are very expensive. If you were to post the 1960s tract homes that litter the state basically abandoned, those trash cans and townhouses look stellar.

3) Florida weather sucks. And the roaches and wolf spiders and mosquitos.

1. I don't know about the 60s. I was dead. "hence very few old homes..." huh? Non-sequitur.

2. I grew up on a beach. I don't care where you grew up or where you lived. I didn't post those houses. Someone else did. Coastal areas, like Miami Beach, aren't that expensive. At least not in my price range. I don't know about the 60s tract homes that litter the state -- I fly in and out of MIA. Why would I need to see all that sh**?

3. I miss the heat and humidity. Get in an air conditioned car to go to work. Don't work somewhere that doesn't have air conditioning. Embrace your frizzy hair. I didn't deal with roaches - I understood how to utilize pest control. Don't have to worry about mosquitos anymore. Monsanto released their GMO mosquitos that murder non-gmo mosquitos. I don't know what a wolf spider is and I was born and bred in Miami. Sounds like you lived on an Indian reservation.

Anyway, I remain disgusted by the trash cans. I get the spirit of defending your hood, but, dude, your ugly huge garbage cans lined up in front of your horrible little row houses depress me. But if you love it, that's all that matters. Let's agree to *agree* that we're happier'n sh*** never to be each other's neighbor.

You sound insipid, insufferable and of limited intelligence (you were dead in the 60s? wtf...). My suggestion is that you move back to the heat and humidity of Miami because you're not adding anything to this area.

To each his own, but I would never choose to live in Florida. I've even stopped going there for vacation - it's old people and strip malls and I find it to be unbelievably depressing.

[Anonymous]

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. No ya'll. It sounds so cheesy and fake.

You haven't heard me say it! It's so truly genuine excitement ... usually.

OP you sound like a delightful and happy person. Be prepared for many unfriendly, even rude people. (see above) I understand your enthusiasm for better job opportunities. You should consider coming here and staying for a week, before you decide to move to this area. Go to the stores, police stations, schools, etc. Not only is the COL very high, but the schools in this area do not do the type of standardized testing that is done in Florida. It is very liberal here. Recreational marijuana is legal in DC. Read comments on the other forums, like the relationships and religion ones. Did you go to an Ivy? Do you believe that a person is only worth talking to if you can "network"? I moved here for "opportunity"; looking forward to getting out. Ask around & you will find many transplants don't stay more than 3-5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. No ya'll. It sounds so cheesy and fake.

You haven't heard me say it! It's so truly genuine excitement ... usually.

OP you sound like a delightful and happy person. Be prepared for many unfriendly, even rude people. (see above) I understand your enthusiasm for better job opportunities. You should consider coming here and staying for a week, before you decide to move to this area. Go to the stores, police stations, schools, etc. Not only is the COL very high, but the schools in this area do not do the type of standardized testing that is done in Florida. It is very liberal here. Recreational marijuana is legal in DC. Read comments on the other forums, like the relationships and religion ones. Did you go to an Ivy? Do you believe that a person is only worth talking to if you can "network"? I moved here for "opportunity"; looking forward to getting out. Ask around & you will find many transplants don't stay more than 3-5 years.

Please. dc isn’t that different from any other large city in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you and your enthusiasm sound fun and you'll have a great time in the DC area. I concur with the other posters on focusing on commute and schools and not taxes - I've lived in MD, VA and the District and it really is pretty much a wash - higher income taxes in MD and DC but higher property taxes, including that damn car tax, in VA. You do get what you pay for, though - good options for schools, nice parks, etc.

Although, I admit the new Federal tax cut does hit this area pretty hard - getting rid of the SALT deduction is why so many people's taxes are staying the same or increasing. But getting rid of AMT is a help and will matter to you guys.

On neighborhoods, you might look at Rockville, MD zoned for Richard Montgomery HS. It has a long established and very good IB program and the area around Rockville metro station has been developed into an urban center type thing with cafes, restaurants and a really fun county library around a walkable plaza. And you still have some suburban conveniences.

The tax bill did not get rid of AMT for individuals. Made a few tweaks and increased the phase out amount but I am so sick of seeing on here that there is no more amt because it is not accurate. OP you need to just crunch the tax numbers yourself to see if it is a “wash” for your family or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. No ya'll. It sounds so cheesy and fake.

You haven't heard me say it! It's so truly genuine excitement ... usually.

OP you sound like a delightful and happy person. Be prepared for many unfriendly, even rude people. (see above) I understand your enthusiasm for better job opportunities. You should consider coming here and staying for a week, before you decide to move to this area. Go to the stores, police stations, schools, etc. Not only is the COL very high, but the schools in this area do not do the type of standardized testing that is done in Florida. It is very liberal here. Recreational marijuana is legal in DC. Read comments on the other forums, like the relationships and religion ones. Did you go to an Ivy? Do you believe that a person is only worth talking to if you can "network"? I moved here for "opportunity"; looking forward to getting out. Ask around & you will find many transplants don't stay more than 3-5 years.

Please. dc isn’t that different from any other large city in the US.

actually, dc is quite different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ikornika wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. No ya'll. It sounds so cheesy and fake.

You haven't heard me say it! It's so truly genuine excitement ... usually.

OP you sound like a delightful and happy person. Be prepared for many unfriendly, even rude people. (see above) I understand your enthusiasm for better job opportunities. You should consider coming here and staying for a week, before you decide to move to this area. Go to the stores, police stations, schools, etc. Not only is the COL very high, but the schools in this area do not do the type of standardized testing that is done in Florida. It is very liberal here. Recreational marijuana is legal in DC. Read comments on the other forums, like the relationships and religion ones. Did you go to an Ivy? Do you believe that a person is only worth talking to if you can "network"? I moved here for "opportunity"; looking forward to getting out. Ask around & you will find many transplants don't stay more than 3-5 years.

Please. dc isn’t that different from any other large city in the US.

actually, dc is quite different

Nope. There are ambitious and cutthroat people in any city with high paying jobs. People will also be mean whenever they are dealing with fighting traffic and crowds which again applies to most us cities. I’ve lived in a number of cities and they are alll very similar.