Looking to buy in McLean

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean Hamlet is a great family neighborhood with no cut through traffic and an elementary school and pool/tennis club that you can walk to without going out of the neighborhood. That said, a recent split level in need of work went for $1.4M. A bit nicer colonial that backs to the highway sold for $1.2.

+1

This is what you want/need.

Most neighborhoods in McLean do not have sidewalks and can be dangerous in that regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you driven around various neighborhoods? If you are local to DC metro, please do this to get a feel for the area, the types of homes, natural scenery, access to amenities, all of this is different in different parts of Mclean, so are the prices. Some parts have smaller homes, others have large expensive homes, some areas are hilly and wooded, others are smaller lots with sidewalks, some areas provide walkability to the Mclean downtown, others are very car dependent where you cannot walk anywhere. You said nothing about your price range or what "family friendly" means to you, so it is hard to recommend anything.

+1

30 yers ago, McLean was mostly (all?) old people. It still has its share - which is fine, but now there are more strollers and families about. You want a neighborhood with a true mix of people, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean Hamlet is a great family neighborhood with no cut through traffic and an elementary school and pool/tennis club that you can walk to without going out of the neighborhood. That said, a recent split level in need of work went for $1.4M. A bit nicer colonial that backs to the highway sold for $1.2.

+1

This is what you want/need.

Most neighborhoods in McLean do not have sidewalks and can be dangerous in that regard.

Quite a few neighborhoods in McLean have sidewalks. And, of those that do not, many are not cut-through neighborhoods and have plenty of walkers. They are not dangerous.

I can think of a few neighborhoods that do not have sidewalks but get a lot of cut-through traffic. Some of the areas between Balls Hill and Churchill Roads, for example. Or Bellview, where everyone seems to drive anyway.

There are many other options besides McLean Hamlet, as much as a few posters routinely try to make it out as the best or only option.

[Anonymous]

Potomac Hills has sidewalks. It feeds to Chesterbrook Elementary. Tons of families with young kids. It is also pretty close-in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any recommendations for a buyer agent that knows these areas well?

Jennifer Thornett at Washington Fine Properties was the seller's agent when we were buying in McLean and we'd probably use her if we were selling. I think most agents work on both the buyer and seller sides. Also met and liked both Marianne Predergast and Dean Yeonas. [And, no, I'm not any of them, nor do I work at their firms. Just sharing the names of some agents who seemed knowledgeable and low-key for what you might come across in McLean.]

I have also heard positive things about Dean Yeonas. We worked with Debbie Shapiro of Sotheby's in McLean and thought that she was great as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook elementary zone is the best as there are no apartments or townhomes and work your way down from there.

omg

[Anonymous]

Most of the inside the beltway neighborhoods are full of kids. What’s your price point, OP? That will help narrow the suggestions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook elementary zone is the best as there are no apartments or townhomes and work your way down from there.

wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook elementary zone is the best as there are no apartments or townhomes and work your way down from there.

wow.

Blunt but true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook elementary zone is the best as there are no apartments or townhomes and work your way down from there.

wow.

Blunt but true

Classist and bullish-t.

[Anonymous]

Megan Fass does a ton of work in McLean Hamlet. She would know if there are any likely houses coming on the market.

McLean Hamlet is amazing for kids. AMAZING. Lots of very nice families and easy play dates. After having to drive DD everywhere for play dates and activities, it was heaven when I suddenly had 5-6 other girls around her age. Plus she can walk to school, walk to the pool and walk to soccer practice. We still drive for a for things (art, piano, etc) of course.

Depending on your budget, there are starting to be a few tear downs on the older side of McLean Hamlet. Having a new home in McLean Hamlet would be a great setup if you can afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Megan Fass does a ton of work in McLean Hamlet. She would know if there are any likely houses coming on the market.

McLean Hamlet is amazing for kids. AMAZING. Lots of very nice families and easy play dates. After having to drive DD everywhere for play dates and activities, it was heaven when I suddenly had 5-6 other girls around her age. Plus she can walk to school, walk to the pool and walk to soccer practice. We still drive for a for things (art, piano, etc) of course.

Depending on your budget, there are starting to be a few tear downs on the older side of McLean Hamlet. Having a new home in McLean Hamlet would be a great setup if you can afford it.

We considered that neighborhood but were turned off by how close it was to the noise and pollution from the Dulles Toll Road. The over-the-top boosterism seems to be over-compensating for its shortcomings.

[Anonymous]

Timberly? Decent lots, mature trees, sidewalks, pretty family homes