The right neighborhood in Arlington?

[Anonymous]

DH and I are planning to move out to northern VA in a year or two to expand our family. We’re currently living in DC.

We would like to move to a neighborhood that has good schools, some walkable amenities (e.g. neighborhood bar, corner store, little shops, etc) and is about a 5 minute drive from a metro stop. Our budget is under $900k for a 3bed (or 2 bed 1 den/basement) home. We’re open to a townhouse.

Any suggestions on potential areas to consider? Some have suggested Falls Church City but anything along that metro line would work. We want a small community feel.

[Anonymous]

You can find this is the westover neighborhood but it will be a very old small home... if you're ok with that you should look there, it's a great neighborhood and close to East Falls Church metro.

[Anonymous]

Also look in Bluemont near Ballston (e.g. near Wilson blvd/Bluemont trail). Walkable to Ballston Metro but more like a 10 min walk. Ashlawn school district which is a very close community.

[Anonymous]

There are townhomes that are really nice back behind Clarendon Market Common. Not as much of a "small community feel" as Falls Church, but right at the metro and and lots of walkable amenities. 900k might very tight for townhomes in that area though.

[Anonymous]

Look at the townhouses near the East Falls Church Metro off Washington Blvd, Sycamore St, abs Langston Blvd. They are older but tend to be better built than the newer townhouses and have more space. Schools are good and several nice parks. You are close to Falls Church which has much better restaurants than Arlington, a Harris Teeter, new Whole Foods and a great farmers market

[Anonymous]

Small and up against 66 - but this house might work? Pretty cute!

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5862-14th-St-N-Arlington-VA-22205/12069390_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are townhomes that are really nice back behind Clarendon Market Common. Not as much of a "small community feel" as Falls Church, but right at the metro and and lots of walkable amenities. 900k might very tight for townhomes in that area though.

They start at 1.3 and go up from there in that townhouse development.

[Anonymous]

Shirlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the townhouses near the East Falls Church Metro off Washington Blvd, Sycamore St, abs Langston Blvd. They are older but tend to be better built than the newer townhouses and have more space. Schools are good and several nice parks. You are close to Falls Church which has much better restaurants than Arlington, a Harris Teeter, new Whole Foods and a great farmers market

+1

I live close to the EFC metro (the border of Arlington and FCC is nearby so you can look in both). Lots of parks and bike trails. On nice days, we don’t mind the walk to Westover. Closer by are a handful of restaurants (sushi, smoothies, etc.) off Westmoreland St. And if you’re closer to the FCC side then you’ll be walkable to the area around Northside Social and State Theater, and the shops/restaurants along Broad Street. There’s also a big new Whole Foods complex being built right now. This area wasn’t even on our radar when we first started house hunting, but we’re so glad it’s where we landed.

Elementary schools around here would be Cardinal (this one is closer to Westover), Tuckahoe, or Mount Daniel/Oak Street.

Under a million can be a tight price range, but I do still sometimes see houses or townhomes pop up in the 900k range. They will just likely be older and possibly smaller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the townhouses near the East Falls Church Metro off Washington Blvd, Sycamore St, abs Langston Blvd. They are older but tend to be better built than the newer townhouses and have more space. Schools are good and several nice parks. You are close to Falls Church which has much better restaurants than Arlington, a Harris Teeter, new Whole Foods and a great farmers market

+1

I live close to the EFC metro (the border of Arlington and FCC is nearby so you can look in both). Lots of parks and bike trails. On nice days, we don’t mind the walk to Westover. Closer by are a handful of restaurants (sushi, smoothies, etc.) off Westmoreland St. And if you’re closer to the FCC side then you’ll be walkable to the area around Northside Social and State Theater, and the shops/restaurants along Broad Street. There’s also a big new Whole Foods complex being built right now. This area wasn’t even on our radar when we first started house hunting, but we’re so glad it’s where we landed.

Elementary schools around here would be Cardinal (this one is closer to Westover), Tuckahoe, or Mount Daniel/Oak Street.

Under a million can be a tight price range, but I do still sometimes see houses or townhomes pop up in the 900k range. They will just likely be older and possibly smaller.

Here’s a cute townhouse that sold this year for under 900.

https://redf.in/CVakcd

And here’s an idea of what it gets you for a SFH. https://redf.in/CFBi43

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are planning to move out to northern VA in a year or two to expand our family. We’re currently living in DC.

We would like to move to a neighborhood that has good schools, some walkable amenities (e.g. neighborhood bar, corner store, little shops, etc) and is about a 5 minute drive from a metro stop. Our budget is under $900k for a 3bed (or 2 bed 1 den/basement) home. We’re open to a townhouse.

Any suggestions on potential areas to consider? Some have suggested Falls Church City but anything along that metro line would work. We want a small community feel.

Increase your budget by $500K.

[Anonymous]

Staying above route 50 (north Arlington) will get you good schools. You can probably find that degree of walkabilty (some neighborhood shops and restaurants) in any neighborhood. A 5 minute drive to a metro is achieved by staying fairly close to 66 corridor (orange/silver line runs parallel).

[Anonymous]

Also, that price point isn’t impossible in north Arlington given you aren’t asking for many bedrooms and would take a townhouse.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/1061-N-Nelson-St-22201/home/11245258

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/4120-21st-Rd-N-22207/home/11233738

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/6835-Washington-Blvd-22213/unit-C/home/11239199

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also look in Bluemont near Ballston (e.g. near Wilson blvd/Bluemont trail). Walkable to Ballston Metro but more like a 10 min walk. Ashlawn school district which is a very close community.

Agree with this - but you are going to have to buy a borderline tear down at 900k. So you could get into bluemont at 900k for an older small home. Just be aware that there is also a fair share of 1.5-2m neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Small and up against 66 - but this house might work? Pretty cute!

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5862-14th-St-N-Arlington-VA-22205/12069390_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

14th St bore the brunt of the Westover flood. The flood vault next to Cardinal has not yet been tested to see if it will help that spot.