Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much! Please keep the ideas coming!

Here's some additional info for those who asked:

* prefer SFH instead of townhome
* prefer "suburban" to "urban" feel, though it would be nice to have some places to eat and amenities in walking distance
* really would like yard/outdoor space
* closest Metro stop will be Farragut West
* pools, parks, tennis opportunities all very important to us--private club OK if not too pricey
* will probably choose private schools initially, but would like to be in good public school area in case we stay long-term

Tenleytown, AU Park, or CCDC. There is a Franklin Montesorri but have no idea if it is good. Aidan is further south in Woodley Park. These neighborhoods are on the redline and your DH's commute will be great.

For more suburban but still walkable, look into Takoma Park (md or dc) or close in Silver Spring. You can get a great house easily there for under 4K. There are a few montesorri schools around these towns, and I have a feeling that they might be warmer. But, you'll need a car to commute to them. Not sure, but I think Aidan might be a "cold". These schools have been extensively discussed in the Schools forums. Both towns are on the red line and your DH's commute will be about 45 minutes or so.

[Anonymous]

I would say live in n Bethesda there is a great school called white flint Montessori

[Anonymous]

I would call the local montessori schools, figure out which ones he can get into, then triangulate with husband's work commute and narrow down for commute. I actually think living in DC is much nicer than the far off burbs because of commute and proximity to all DC has to offer.

Consider Aiden Montessori, Franklin Montessori (I like this one much less but know a lot of families who are happy there), I have a friend who loves Georgetown Montessori but otherwise don't know much about it (her daughter is a gem though), and Evergreen. I disagree with what they said about Palisades - it's lovely there. Very close to DC but wonderful quiet neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Aiden & Evergreen are pretty good.

The Palisades is a beautiful neighborhood, but there are many great neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much! Please keep the ideas coming!

Here's some additional info for those who asked:

* prefer SFH instead of townhome
* prefer "suburban" to "urban" feel, though it would be nice to have some places to eat and amenities in walking distance
* really would like yard/outdoor space
* closest Metro stop will be Farragut West
* pools, parks, tennis opportunities all very important to us--private club OK if not too pricey
* will probably choose private schools initially, but would like to be in good public school area in case we stay long-term

I'm all about living in DC, personally, but this list screams Arlington, particularly around Clarendon. Orange line to Farragut West; super-easy commute. Great schools (public and Montessori), walkable, lots of parks, pools, etc. The only issue is private school proximity; not that there aren't any in Arlington, but most of the top privates are in DC.

[Anonymous]

why would you spend that much in rent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much! Please keep the ideas coming!

Here's some additional info for those who asked:

* prefer SFH instead of townhome
* prefer "suburban" to "urban" feel, though it would be nice to have some places to eat and amenities in walking distance
* really would like yard/outdoor space
* closest Metro stop will be Farragut West
* pools, parks, tennis opportunities all very important to us--private club OK if not too pricey
* will probably choose private schools initially, but would like to be in good public school area in case we stay long-term

I'm all about living in DC, personally, but this list screams Arlington, particularly around Clarendon. Orange line to Farragut West; super-easy commute. Great schools (public and Montessori), walkable, lots of parks, pools, etc. The only issue is private school proximity; not that there aren't any in Arlington, but most of the top privates are in DC.

Some Arlington suggestions if you go that route...

Look for rentals in 22201 if you want to be walkable

Full Circle Montessori
Chesterbrook Montessori
Montessori School of McLean
(skip Hippo House and Children's House)

I don't think there are any private schools actually right in Arlington though (maybe a Catholic school?) - I think McLean and DC are the closest. But depending where you live in Arlington, some of the private school might be more accessible than many places in DC.

A bunch of parks and tennis courts. There is a public pool (Upton Hills) that is pretty decent, but it does get REALLY crowded. Unfortunately, the wait lists for most of the private pools are pretty long (several years). Some pools allow you to purchase a membership from someone else - so you could try that approach. You could also try Washington Golf & Country Club, but I think it's tough to get in there too. And $$$.


I don't know specific recs, but AU Park might work too - parks, walkable, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why would you spend that much in rent

Bc she is moving from across the country and doesn't want to deal with buying right away

[Anonymous]

Go for White flint area about 30 minutes to Farragut north by metro. Lots of Montessori schools around, but also amazing elementary schools private and public. Lots of shopping and grocery stores easy access to Dc

[Anonymous]

AU park - why has no one mentioned this? Homes there rent for 4,000 a month on the dot, near metro, feeds to Janney school, etc. Its in the city but a more suburban feel.

[Anonymous]

OP, first off, renting is the way to go, IMO, when re-locating here. I did it, and, the traffic has to be lived in, seen, and driven in to be believed. So I applaud your choice. Living in Nova, having a suburban feel and also walking distance to stuff may be kinda tough. Others will chime in on the MD vs VA pros and cons. My kids are older, so I can't help ya there. But if you think public may be the route for your kids, I kinda think that will really narrow things. For Nova, McLean, Langley, Marshall and Madison all get votes for some of the best; I don't know of MD. So good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forget DC - only about 500,000 people live in DC (it's teeny tiny). 4 Million people live around the beltway - you want to live inside the beltway to have a commute under an hour.

Are good public schools important? If so, consider bethesda/chevy chase Maryland, or almost anywhere in Northern virginia except for Arlington, Alexandria, or Annandale (the 3 A's!). McLean is wonderful - that would be my top pick, followed by maybe Bethesda. The commute would be shorter on the metro if living in VA too because the WH is on the orange and blue line - from MD (montgomery county) - that's the red line.

This pp is yanking your chain, OP. Arlington schools are some of the best in the state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much! Please keep the ideas coming!

Here's some additional info for those who asked:

* prefer SFH instead of townhome
* prefer "suburban" to "urban" feel, though it would be nice to have some places to eat and amenities in walking distance
* really would like yard/outdoor space
* closest Metro stop will be Farragut West
* pools, parks, tennis opportunities all very important to us--private club OK if not too pricey
* will probably choose private schools initially, but would like to be in good public school area in case we stay long-term

Mclean or Bethesda/CC. Close in, lots of shops, lots of restaurants, convenient to everything, great schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forget DC - only about 500,000 people live in DC (it's teeny tiny). 4 Million people live around the beltway - you want to live inside the beltway to have a commute under an hour.

Are good public schools important? If so, consider bethesda/chevy chase Maryland, or almost anywhere in Northern virginia except for Arlington, Alexandria, or Annandale (the 3 A's!). McLean is wonderful - that would be my top pick, followed by maybe Bethesda. The commute would be shorter on the metro if living in VA too because the WH is on the orange and blue line - from MD (montgomery county) - that's the red line.

This pp is yanking your chain, OP. Arlington schools are some of the best in the state.

not in south arlington!!!! What is barcroft elementary? A 4/10? check out it's statistics versus lots of fairfax county schools. and Im just giving you an example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go for White flint area about 30 minutes to Farragut north by metro. Lots of Montessori schools around, but also amazing elementary schools private and public. Lots of shopping and grocery stores easy access to Dc

If OP said farragut north, this would be a good idea, but I think she said farragut west which is on the blue/orange VA line instead of the MD/red line