Which neighborhoods to avoid in NoVa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could probably rent a decent (not luxury, but safe and functional) place on the budget in North Arlington... But on your rental budget, you should be able to find a SFH north of Lee Highway, I would think.

I agree with these statements. If you want to be near Arlington, and are planning to send kids to public schools, I would only consider the areas that feed into Jamestown/Williamsburg/Yorktown or Taylor/Williamsburg/Yorktown. I would avoid the other areas, since you can afford to with that budget. We rent out our updated 3BR North Arlington house in these school districts to a family of 4 plus a dog well under your budget, so I imagine you can find others.

All elementary schools aside from Taylor and Jamestown are to be avoided? You're profoundly misguided.

[Anonymous]

I would go for upper level schools, but not what is perceived as "the best" schools. As with everything, the latter looks good on paper but is most often not what it was cracked up to be. Regardless of budget (or lack thereof)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could probably rent a decent (not luxury, but safe and functional) place on the budget in North Arlington... But on your rental budget, you should be able to find a SFH north of Lee Highway, I would think.

I agree with these statements. If you want to be near Arlington, and are planning to send kids to public schools, I would only consider the areas that feed into Jamestown/Williamsburg/Yorktown or Taylor/Williamsburg/Yorktown. I would avoid the other areas, since you can afford to with that budget. We rent out our updated 3BR North Arlington house in these school districts to a family of 4 plus a dog well under your budget, so I imagine you can find others.

This is good to know. Thank you

Which coincidences with http//www.greatschools.net ratings for yorktown. It is the only pyramid in arlington that is considered good across the board.

[Anonymous]

Most of North Arlington is great, and there are also a few really cute neighborhoods in South Arlington. with your budget, you can probably find something decent in North. Do you want metro walkability or not? If not, that helps a lot, as the close-to-metro parts of North Arlington can be pricier. (Actually, the neighborhoods walkable to Pentagon city and Crystal city metros are more expensive than most of South Arlington, too. And have some really charming houses.)

In North Arlington, I find certain streets in Highview park to be pretty sketchy - lots of run-down houses. there is infill development and some really nice houses going in, but friends have complained about some petty crime - car break-ins and such. Otherwise, I love all of the neighborhoods around us. (we're in Country Club, which is awesome and has buslines, but is 2 miles from metrorail.) Favorite neighborhoods for me include Cherrydale, Ashton Heights/Lyon Park, Waverly Hills. Also, some parts of Bluemont/bon Air are walkable to Ballston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I would go for upper level schools, but not what is perceived as "the best" schools. As with everything, the latter looks good on paper but is most often not what it was cracked up to be. Regardless of budget (or lack thereof)!

PP is talking you, Langley HS

[Anonymous]

12:49 - likely. There might be one or two (thousand) in that area without their feet on the ground, so to speak.

[Anonymous]

Annandale

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Annandale

except the woodson part west of 495

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could probably rent a decent (not luxury, but safe and functional) place on the budget in North Arlington... But on your rental budget, you should be able to find a SFH north of Lee Highway, I would think.

I agree with these statements. If you want to be near Arlington, and are planning to send kids to public schools, I would only consider the areas that feed into Jamestown/Williamsburg/Yorktown or Taylor/Williamsburg/Yorktown. I would avoid the other areas, since you can afford to with that budget. We rent out our updated 3BR North Arlington house in these school districts to a family of 4 plus a dog well under your budget, so I imagine you can find others.

This is good to know. Thank you[/quote}

That person is an idiot. There are a million other great neighborhoods.

Arlington Science Focus or Taylor elementaries/Swanson/W-L is also a great pyramid that will fibe you walkability you are missing in the cited neighborhoods. You can also walk to multiple Metro stations from these neighborhoods. It is true that you may get a little less house for your $--but I wouldn't rule them out sight unseen.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can really go wrong with any of the schools in Arlington. But given your budget, you could afford to either a) be in the Yorktown pyramid, which is the most desirable, or b) be within walking distance to VA Square, Ballston or East Falls Church metro (if you don't mind a 15 minute walk). You might find a house that fits both of those criteria but they are not that common for the price you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would use http//www.greatschools.net to view test scores and demographics that feed that neighborhood

I wouldn't. That is just about the most unreliable Web site possible when it comes to evaluating school quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could probably rent a decent (not luxury, but safe and functional) place on the budget in North Arlington... But on your rental budget, you should be able to find a SFH north of Lee Highway, I would think.

I agree with these statements. If you want to be near Arlington, and are planning to send kids to public schools, I would only consider the areas that feed into Jamestown/Williamsburg/Yorktown or Taylor/Williamsburg/Yorktown. I would avoid the other areas, since you can afford to with that budget. We rent out our updated 3BR North Arlington house in these school districts to a family of 4 plus a dog well under your budget, so I imagine you can find others.

All elementary schools aside from Taylor and Jamestown are to be avoided? You're profoundly misguided.

I don't know about profoundly. You can add Nottingham and McKinley to the list of desirable ESs.

[Anonymous]

Route 1. Alexandria city

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would use http//www.greatschools.net to view test scores and demographics that feed that neighborhood

I wouldn't. That is just about the most unreliable Web site possible when it comes to evaluating school quality.

Not really it uses SOL scores and shows FARMS and demographics of neighborhoods. How is it unreliable?

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the people saying Annandale have ever spent much time in Annandale?

I live in a good, friendly, inside the beltway part of Annandale but lots of people incorrectly assume we're Falls Church since we're so close to the line.