Arlington neighborhoods?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

Friends of ours are considering relocating from Manhattan to VA for a few years. They're confirmed urbanites, so they don't want to live somewhere too car-dependent. Her commute will be to Falls Church (Fairview Park.) His could be anywhere. I was thinking somewhere along the Orange Line in Arlington would be ideal, but I don't know enough about specific neighborhoods to offer a recommendation.

They've got two preschool-age children, so things like proximity to daycare, kids in the neighborhood, etc. will be factors; and they definitely want someplace walkable.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If they want walkable, close to Orange Line, and lots of kids, I highly recommend the neighborhoods around Clarendon.

[Anonymous]

Yup. Which neighborhood depends on how much money they have. I'd recommend Lyon Village if they are very well-to-do, and Lyon Park or Ashton Heights if a little less well-to-do (but still doing well).

North of Lee Highway is far more suburban in attitude and proximity to things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

Friends of ours are considering relocating from Manhattan to VA for a few years. They're confirmed urbanites, so they don't want to live somewhere too car-dependent. Her commute will be to Falls Church (Fairview Park.) His could be anywhere. I was thinking somewhere along the Orange Line in Arlington would be ideal, but I don't know enough about specific neighborhoods to offer a recommendation.

They've got two preschool-age children, so things like proximity to daycare, kids in the neighborhood, etc. will be factors; and they definitely want someplace walkable.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Ouch. The Falls Church thing is firm?

[Anonymous]

Yup, it's firm. They'd be relocating for that specific job. The office has a shuttle from Dunn Loring, so it's at least a Metro-able commute.

[Anonymous]

They could live in Foggy Bottom if they can find enough space. Then they will be on the edge of Georgetown, a few blocks from Foggy Bottom metro. Most residents there walk most everywhere. When I lived there our car was used mostly for runs to Target and the other big box stores. They will probably get most of their groceries at Trader Joe's or the safeway under the Watergate, they will walk to the restaurants and coffee shops and to see a movie, and they will either walk or metro to most activities. They will walk to the cleaners, walk to the bank, walk to the hardware store unless they need to run out to Home Depot for something special. If they like the arts, they will be a few minutees from the Kennedy Center.

Foggy Bottom is also really easy for access to 66 and the GW parkway if they need it, too, for their husband.

The downside is that there is not much housing stock, so they may get lucky or not. And if they need public schools, that is another issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They could live in Foggy Bottom if they can find enough space. Then they will be on the edge of Georgetown, a few blocks from Foggy Bottom metro. Most residents there walk most everywhere. When I lived there our car was used mostly for runs to Target and the other big box stores. They will probably get most of their groceries at Trader Joe's or the safeway under the Watergate, they will walk to the restaurants and coffee shops and to see a movie, and they will either walk or metro to most activities. They will walk to the cleaners, walk to the bank, walk to the hardware store unless they need to run out to Home Depot for something special. If they like the arts, they will be a few minutees from the Kennedy Center.

Foggy Bottom is also really easy for access to 66 and the GW parkway if they need it, too, for their husband.

The downside is that there is not much housing stock, so they may get lucky or not. And if they need public schools, that is another issue.

Yes, but then what do they do when their preschool aged kids are ready for elementary school? I ask because I'm curious. Where do people in Foggy Bottom send their children to kindergarten and above?

[Anonymous]

I agree they should stick closely to the Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Virginia Square and Ballston metro stops. That's 22201, 22203 and 22209.

If they want to talk with a real estate agent who knows the area well, I highly recommend Mike Pugh. 703-593-6320 (www.mikesellsvirginia.com )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could live in Foggy Bottom if they can find enough space. Then they will be on the edge of Georgetown, a few blocks from Foggy Bottom metro. Most residents there walk most everywhere. When I lived there our car was used mostly for runs to Target and the other big box stores. They will probably get most of their groceries at Trader Joe's or the safeway under the Watergate, they will walk to the restaurants and coffee shops and to see a movie, and they will either walk or metro to most activities. They will walk to the cleaners, walk to the bank, walk to the hardware store unless they need to run out to Home Depot for something special. If they like the arts, they will be a few minutees from the Kennedy Center.

Foggy Bottom is also really easy for access to 66 and the GW parkway if they need it, too, for their husband.

The downside is that there is not much housing stock, so they may get lucky or not. And if they need public schools, that is another issue.

Yes, but then what do they do when their preschool aged kids are ready for elementary school? I ask because I'm curious. Where do people in Foggy Bottom send their children to kindergarten and above?

Do you not know there are schools in the District? Probably Francis Stevens or Key, both of which I've heard are good.

[Anonymous]

I vote for Clarendon, CourtHouse, and VA Square. Wonderful homes/apartments, very good schools and lots of options for people willing to walk everywhere.
We barely use our car.

[Anonymous]

10 year resident of 22201 and 22204 here. Don't advise them to go to Rosslyn. Yes, it's "urban" but there are very few families and I don't get a sense of it being much of a neighborhood after 5 PM. Highly recommend Lyon Park. It has a wonderful elementary school (Long Branch) a great park maintained by the community, walking distance to all of the shops in Clarendon, walkable to the metro or bike...a nice bikepath runs through the middle of Lyon Park ending at HWY 50 and Washington Blvd.
22204 (the neighborhood just south of Lyon Park) in the area south of Hwy 50 and north of Columbia Pike, between Glebe and Walter Reed Rd has nice single family homes as well but is not "walkable" in the metro accessible sense.
Lyon Village would be nice, but they'd want to be on the closer end towards Wilson, not towards Lee Highway. Either way they'll be looking at 650k (on the low side) up to 2 mil on the high end for a SFH. If they are Manhattanites this probably won't seem like a lot...unless they were renters.

[Anonymous]

If they are only here for a few years it might not be worth the expense of buying a home (realtor fees, etc.). If it truly is just a few years then I'd consider renting (apt/TH/SFH) - maybe check out the inventory & prices in rentals and run the #s to see if it's worth buying or not.

And if they don't want a car, then I'd definitely try to stick as close to the orange line as possible - specifically near Courthouse/Clarendon/VA Square/Ballston. Further out might still have public transportation options (bus, etc.) but would probably have a longer commute. I'd vote for Lyon Village/Lyon Park/Ashton Heights. Lots of kids/families.

[Anonymous]

what about Del Ray in alexandria? VERY walkable, braddock road metro. we are ex-Nyers and we love it here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could live in Foggy Bottom if they can find enough space. Then they will be on the edge of Georgetown, a few blocks from Foggy Bottom metro. Most residents there walk most everywhere. When I lived there our car was used mostly for runs to Target and the other big box stores. They will probably get most of their groceries at Trader Joe's or the safeway under the Watergate, they will walk to the restaurants and coffee shops and to see a movie, and they will either walk or metro to most activities. They will walk to the cleaners, walk to the bank, walk to the hardware store unless they need to run out to Home Depot for something special. If they like the arts, they will be a few minutees from the Kennedy Center.

Foggy Bottom is also really easy for access to 66 and the GW parkway if they need it, too, for their husband.

The downside is that there is not much housing stock, so they may get lucky or not. And if they need public schools, that is another issue.

Yes, but then what do they do when their preschool aged kids are ready for elementary school? I ask because I'm curious. Where do people in Foggy Bottom send their children to kindergarten and above?

Do you not know there are schools in the District? Probably Francis Stevens or Key, both of which I've heard are good.

Of course I know there are schools in the District! I was just curious which schools Foggy Bottom was zoned for and whether they were good or whether it was more likely you'd have to pay for private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10 year resident of 22201 and 22204 here. Don't advise them to go to Rosslyn. Yes, it's "urban" but there are very few families and I don't get a sense of it being much of a neighborhood after 5 PM. Highly recommend Lyon Park. It has a wonderful elementary school (Long Branch) a great park maintained by the community, walking distance to all of the shops in Clarendon, walkable to the metro or bike...a nice bikepath runs through the middle of Lyon Park ending at HWY 50 and Washington Blvd.
22204 (the neighborhood just south of Lyon Park) in the area south of Hwy 50 and north of Columbia Pike, between Glebe and Walter Reed Rd has nice single family homes as well but is not "walkable" in the metro accessible sense.
Lyon Village would be nice, but they'd want to be on the closer end towards Wilson, not towards Lee Highway. Either way they'll be looking at 650k (on the low side) up to 2 mil on the high end for a SFH. If they are Manhattanites this probably won't seem like a lot...unless they were renters.

You can't find anything in Lyon Village for $650k...not even a complete tear-down. The average home price is now $1.050.000. 2 houses just sold in less than a week (3days!) near us for ~1.150-1.2k and they weren't even fully renovated. However, I agree that out of all the Arlington neighborhoods...Lyon Village closer to Wilson is the most urbanite...you don't even need a car.