House budget of $450k. Looking for good schools. Where to buy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$450 will be a problem if you are tying to find one of the "better" school districts. $450 will not buy a tear-down in Vienna, for example.

Mclean/FCC will be higher than Vienna.

tear downs have gone to $650-700. $400 is a townhouse in these areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! We're aware we're not going to get a McMansion in that price range -- in fact, more looking for a small (1500 square foot) place that maybe needs some updating.

How are the schools in Annandale and Falls Church (Fairfax)? And are the schools in southern Alexandria as bad as they seem?

No offense, but a 600K house in Vienna is only 1200 sqft, unrenovated for 30 years.

This area is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Hollin Hall is a great neighborhood, a couple of miles south of Old Town off the GW Pkwy. There are lots of homes in that price range (needing renovation) but it is a great quiet community

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! We're aware we're not going to get a McMansion in that price range -- in fact, more looking for a small (1500 square foot) place that maybe needs some updating.

How are the schools in Annandale and Falls Church (Fairfax)? And are the schools in southern Alexandria as bad as they seem?

No offense, but a 600K house in Vienna is only 1200 sqft, unrenovated for 30 years.

This area is ridiculous.

... and also not for sale. A builder buys it.

[Anonymous]

Not glamorous, but affordable, commutable and in the Edison pyramid ( see other thread). Pleasant.

http://www.weichert.com/51793341/?ldview=ldphotos


http://www.weichert.com/51883806/?ldview=ldphotos
Walk to Bush Hill School. family friendly neighborhood. Convenient to shopping, Old Town and commutable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$450 will be a problem if you are tying to find one of the "better" school districts. $450 will not buy a tear-down in Vienna, for example.

Mclean/FCC will be higher than Vienna.

tear downs have gone to $650-700. $400 is a townhouse in these areas.

Not sure about that. $400K gets you a 2-3 BR condo in McLean off Magarity Road, not a townhouse. Cheapest townhouse on the market in McLean now is $650K. Teardowns can be $800K or more, depending on the neighborhood.

This could be a cute house in the $450K range in Falls Church - http://franklymls.com/FX8292299. It's not big, but has potential.

[Anonymous]

I would look in Burke or West Springfield. You'll get a TH but it's not bad and 450k budget for a TH in those areas gives you a lot of options. Might also try Alexandria 22310/22315 in the Edison and Hayfield pyramids. Again you'll be looking at a TH but you'll have plenty of options. Nice neighborhoods, diversity, lots of military families, people seem to look out for each other and be pleasant. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not glamorous, but affordable, commutable and in the Edison pyramid ( see other thread). Pleasant.

http://www.weichert.com/51793341/?ldview=ldphotos


http://www.weichert.com/51883806/?ldview=ldphotos
Walk to Bush Hill School. family friendly neighborhood. Convenient to shopping, Old Town and commutable.

Wow, if I were looking in Alexandria I'd snatch that second house up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not glamorous, but affordable, commutable and in the Edison pyramid ( see other thread). Pleasant.

http://www.weichert.com/51793341/?ldview=ldphotos


http://www.weichert.com/51883806/?ldview=ldphotos
Walk to Bush Hill School. family friendly neighborhood. Convenient to shopping, Old Town and commutable.

Wow, if I were looking in Alexandria I'd snatch that second house up.

Agree - that's a nice house in a convenient location.

[Anonymous]

There are smaller 4 bedroom 2 bath houses in Pimmit Hills that go for this price and feed into Lemon Road or Westgate, Kilmer, and Marshall. Looking at about 1600 s.f. houses on 1/4 acre for that price.

[Anonymous]

Look at town houses in Springfield south of the fairfax county parkway. Saratoga, Springfield oaks, lorton station. Decent schools, convenient location, affordable.

[Anonymous]

Friends of mine really love the Westlawn and Sleepy Hollow Elementary area. Great walking communities. FARMS rates are high, but the class sizes are lower.

[Anonymous]

There might be some very modest homes in south Arlington in your range. I bought mine for less than $450k. My kids are too young for school but my neighbors are happy with their schools (Drew Montessori, Claremont, and abingdon).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$450 will be a problem if you are tying to find one of the "better" school districts. $450 will not buy a tear-down in Vienna, for example.

Mclean/FCC will be higher than Vienna.

tear downs have gone to $650-700. $400 is a townhouse in these areas.

Nah...tear downs are 550k in vienna. If someone will pay 700k for my lot in NW vienna (Louise archer), they can have it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$450 will be a problem if you are tying to find one of the "better" school districts. $450 will not buy a tear-down in Vienna, for example.

Mclean/FCC will be higher than Vienna.

tear downs have gone to $650-700. $400 is a townhouse in these areas.

We're in Dunn Loring and the townhouses (2000sq) have been going for about 700k. Crazy.