S/O: Most overrated neighborhood in the area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I obviously don't read the Real Estate forum enough bc I had no idea there was this much vitriol between Arlington and McLean residents ... Coming from the other side of the river, I always thought of those towns like the counterparts to Bethesda and Potomac, respectively - and I really don't think either Bethesda or Potomac trashes the other.
Back to the Op's question -- I echo those Georgetown comments, as well as most other expensive areas of DC which are not metro accessible and have crappy public schools ...

OMG! Bethesda and Potomac tear each other to shreds. It can be brutal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to live in Maywood and yes, it is one of the prettier parts of Arlington but it is still pretty patchy with some dun-down houses and ugly rambler in-fills. Palisades, the most similar area in NWDC, has just as much of the charm and less of the ugly IMO.

Arlington IS ugly though, really ugly, and almost all of it. Some pretty areas of Country Club Hills, Cherrydale, Maywood and Lyon Village but even in the prettier areas, you still get the in-fill 1950s rambler or split level or an abandoned/run-down house. There also seem to be less of a premuim put on pretty landscaping.

I certainly do not hate Arlington, it is a convenient place to live but, it is UGLY.

you're entitled to your narrowminded view but from where we sit (Lee Heights, with a wooded park area running from our house ~2 miles to the Potomac) I'd have to say you're only revealing your ignorance.

don't like it? don't move here... you won't be missed. ;-o

Sorry, I have to agree with the Arlington is ugly posters. There may be nice patches, but Arlington is mostly ugly. I totally get why people would choose to live there (schools, commute), but I don't think anyone was ever drawn to Arlington by its aesthetics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Sorry, I have to agree with the Arlington is ugly posters. There may be nice patches, but Arlington is mostly ugly. I totally get why people would choose to live there (schools, commute), but I don't think anyone was ever drawn to Arlington by its aesthetics.

ITA. Arlington has many virtues but aesthetically pleasing it is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do people who think Arlington is ugly think all of it is ugly? Or just Lyon Village? Or just the many 1950s ramblers that are all over North Arlington.

I heart Maywood. I think it's beautiful, not that I live there and not that I love it enough to want to move.

The problem with arlington is that the tiny crappy 50s 60s homes are above tear down price so they stick around

[Anonymous]

if arlington is ugly, then what does that make bethesda? seriously.

i think arlington is great. closer in you have beautiful views of DC and/or the cemetary. further up glebe and old dominion you have big grassy lawns and nice old trees. the climate and topography are the same all over the region, as is the architecture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here ... I'd rather live where we do (Lee Heights) and have several million $ in the bank than spend it all on some trophy house in a neighborhood full of social climbers in (fill in the blank with your favorite McLean/Spring Valley/MoCo/DC neighborhood). LOL....

Wouldn't it be better still to live in a nice area in a "trophy house" and still have several million in the bank?

The fact that you think it's an either/or proposition, accompanied by the obligatory reference to your finances, is so Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here ... I'd rather live where we do (Lee Heights) and have several million $ in the bank than spend it all on some trophy house in a neighborhood full of social climbers in (fill in the blank with your favorite McLean/Spring Valley/MoCo/DC neighborhood). LOL....

Wouldn't it be better still to live in a nice area in a "trophy house" and still have several million in the bank?

The fact that you think it's an either/or proposition, accompanied by the obligatory reference to your finances, is so Arlington.

Who says we don't have that $ in the bank? Also--another home in the city. You make a lot of assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here ... I'd rather live where we do (Lee Heights) and have several million $ in the bank than spend it all on some trophy house in a neighborhood full of social climbers in (fill in the blank with your favorite McLean/Spring Valley/MoCo/DC neighborhood). LOL....

Wouldn't it be better still to live in a nice area in a "trophy house" and still have several million in the bank?

The fact that you think it's an either/or proposition, accompanied by the obligatory reference to your finances, is so Arlington.

Who says we don't have that $ in the bank? Also--another home in the city. You make a lot of assumptions.

Remind us again where the social climbers are in short supply. Apparently it's not Lee Heights.

[Anonymous]

Arlington is just depressing and actually, so is most of the DC area, the quality of life is low here. It's the jobs and that's it. And, most of the jobs are "the Dark Side", i.e. biglaw defending big corporations, defense, lobbyists, the military-industrial complex, the farce that is the Hill. It results in cynicism, aggression. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

I'm the original "except that it's ugly" poster. What I meant by that is that Arlington seems to have grown without ANY urban planning concern for aesthetics. It's depressing to me that major highways, boulevards, and streets cut right through the county, and with relatively little mature tree growth to offset the concrete jungle feel.

I agree that there are charming pockets of ARL, but if we're going to talk about North Arlington as a whole, it's an aesthetic disater. Still, as a parent, I would choose
NoVA public schools and good public transit over the charm and questionable public schools (middle and HS) of parts of upper NW DC. Priorities, I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Arlington is just depressing and actually, so is most of the DC area, the quality of life is low here. It's the jobs and that's it. And, most of the jobs are "the Dark Side", i.e. biglaw defending big corporations, defense, lobbyists, the military-industrial complex, the farce that is the Hill. It results in cynicism, aggression. Ugh.

Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people who think Arlington is ugly think all of it is ugly? Or just Lyon Village? Or just the many 1950s ramblers that are all over North Arlington.

I heart Maywood. I think it's beautiful, not that I live there and not that I love it enough to want to move.

The problem with arlington is that the tiny crappy 50s 60s homes are above tear down price so they stick around

Not really $800k properties are tear-downs in my neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

May I ask where you live? Or at least could you say, DC or burbs?

Glad you have found a good scene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people who think Arlington is ugly think all of it is ugly? Or just Lyon Village? Or just the many 1950s ramblers that are all over North Arlington.

I heart Maywood. I think it's beautiful, not that I live there and not that I love it enough to want to move.

The problem with arlington is that the tiny crappy 50s 60s homes are above tear down price so they stick around

Not really $800k properties are tear-downs in my neighborhood.

Developers buy them, tear them down, rebuild and sell for $1.4-1.8 mill.

[Anonymous]

Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

Also, can you say what type of private business you all are in...roughly? Thanks.