Only 400k to spend: don't mind small but want nice

[Anonymous]

Montgomery:
Forest Glen, Four Corners, Woodmoor, and a few other Silver Spring-area neighborhoods

PG:
Hyattsville, University Park, College Park, Riverdale Park, Cheverly

NoVa:
fuggettaboutit

We tried hard to buy in or near Arlexandria but couldn't afford even a shoe box. Found some prospects in Silver Spring, but they were small and drab and we love large, pretty houses. Ended up in northwest PG, where we could afford a big, beautiful Victorian and still pay for private school (although the public options are getting better due to recent gentrification). I work near Foggy Bottom and it's a 30-minute door-to-door commute using Metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/1831-Cherri-Dr-22043/home/9471560

I didn't say it was big but it is cheap and nice

is this slab built? I thought the homes there had basements?

No basement and thats why there are a lot of tear downs, small easy and cheap to relive on over quarter acre lots with sidewalks, good schools and location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/1831-Cherri-Dr-22043/home/9471560

I didn't say it was big but it is cheap and nice

is this slab built? I thought the homes there had basements?

No basement and thats why there are a lot of tear downs, small easy and cheap to relive on over quarter acre lots with sidewalks, good schools and location.

remove not relive.

[Anonymous]

But someone in that price range most likely can't finance a tear down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/1831-Cherri-Dr-22043/home/9471560

I didn't say it was big but it is cheap and nice

is this slab built? I thought the homes there had basements?

No, Pimmit Hills homes typically do not have basements unless the owner has rebuilt. A part of the neighborhood (Pimmit Court for instance) is in the flood zone so I am actually relieved to not have a basement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montgomery:
Forest Glen, Four Corners, Woodmoor, and a few other Silver Spring-area neighborhoods

PG:
Hyattsville, University Park, College Park, Riverdale Park, Cheverly

NoVa:
fuggettaboutit

We tried hard to buy in or near Arlexandria but couldn't afford even a shoe box. Found some prospects in Silver Spring, but they were small and drab and we love large, pretty houses. Ended up in northwest PG, where we could afford a big, beautiful Victorian and still pay for private school (although the public options are getting better due to recent gentrification). I work near Foggy Bottom and it's a 30-minute door-to-door commute using Metro.

Where in PG did you buy pp? Which areas do you think are gentrifying, and which areas do you think are going to get worse as DC gentrifies and its poorer people get pushed out? We ended up closer to Bowie/Glenn Dale because I didn't want to deal with an older home as my first home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/1831-Cherri-Dr-22043/home/9471560

I didn't say it was big but it is cheap and nice

looks like the same contractor flipped this one http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/1945-Hileman-Rd-22043/home/9472523

[Anonymous]

This was recently listed in my neighborhood, 3BR/1BA 900 sf fixer upper, $452k. Great schools, convenient to Metro. Could be great for a young couple who are handy and have some vision.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/2110-N-Cameron-St-22207/home/11236227

[Anonymous]

Visited this place over the weekend:

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/2830-Bisvey-Dr-22042/home/9551222

They already had multiple offers. It will definitely go for above ask. Small and cute around 400k is a hot commodity in this area. Good luck to us all...

[Anonymous]

Gone in two days.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/5845-Reservoir-Heights-Ave-22041/home/9654016?utm_source=myredfin&utm_content=address&utm_campaign=instant24_listings_update&utm_medium=email

[Anonymous]

Hopefully these buyers do private school or didn't get taken because they didn't look up the horrid schools of 22041 and 22042

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully these buyers do private school or didn't get taken because they didn't look up the horrid schools of 22041 and 22042

The 22042 house is zoned for great schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully these buyers do private school or didn't get taken because they didn't look up the horrid schools of 22041 and 22042

The 22042 house is zoned for great schools.

http://www.greatschools.org/search/search.page?search_type=0&q=22042&state=VA&c=school

The elementary schools get a 4-6 rating.
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/454-Beech-Tree-Elementary-School/
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/481-Falls-Church-High-School/

High school gets a 5 rating
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/496-Graham-Road-Elementary-School/

The middle school is ok at 8 rating.
http://www.greatschools.org/search/search.page?search_type=0&q=+JACKSON+MIDDLE+SCHOOL.&state=VA&c=school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully these buyers do private school or didn't get taken because they didn't look up the horrid schools of 22041 and 22042

The 22042 house is zoned for great schools.

http://www.greatschools.org/search/search.page?search_type=0&q=22042&state=VA&c=school

The elementary schools get a 4-6 rating.
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/454-Beech-Tree-Elementary-School/
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/481-Falls-Church-High-School/

High school gets a 5 rating
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/496-Graham-Road-Elementary-School/

The middle school is ok at 8 rating.
http://www.greatschools.org/search/search.page?search_type=0&q=+JACKSON+MIDDLE+SCHOOL.&state=VA&c=school

There's a lot more to school quality than test score averages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully these buyers do private school or didn't get taken because they didn't look up the horrid schools of 22041 and 22042

The 22042 house is zoned for great schools.

http://www.greatschools.org/search/search.page?search_type=0&q=22042&state=VA&c=school

The elementary schools get a 4-6 rating.
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/454-Beech-Tree-Elementary-School/
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/481-Falls-Church-High-School/

High school gets a 5 rating
http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/falls-church/496-Graham-Road-Elementary-School/

The middle school is ok at 8 rating.
http://www.greatschools.org/search/search.page?search_type=0&q=+JACKSON+MIDDLE+SCHOOL.&state=VA&c=school

There's a lot more to school quality than test score averages.

+1

I wish more people understood this. My high school has a greatschools rank of 9 and I assure you it's awful. There are no "minorities" to drag down test averages, but there are no opportunities for those at the top either -- no IB, no AP, etc.

I wouldn't hestitate to send my children to lower "ranked" schools that had such opportunities.