Capitol Hill families - If you moved to NW or burbs for school, do you have any regrets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I moved to Fairfax and my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.

Ew, Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're been a couple blocks northeast of Stanton Park, in-boundary for Ludlow for almost 20 years now. There's a snazzy 4-BR house several down the row from us on the market for more than $2 million. A dump? Ridiculous.

One selling point of the Stanton Park neighborhood is that you can walk from there to both Union Station and Eastern Market to take Metro in under 15 mins. Stuart Hobson is improving.

“Improving”. Hilarious.

Check out the real estate in Trinidad. The whole area is priced very high. Doesn’t change my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to NW from Capital Hill for more space and better schools when our oldest was in K. There were a bunch of other CH transplants at the open house for his new school.

DS is now in middle school so we’ve been here a while. Like one of the PPs, I don’t like having a yard but other than that, it’s fine. Both our kids are happy, and it took some time but we’ve made some friends and it’s been fine. I don’t know where in NW toy are thinking but we live in AU Park and there are a lot of families with kids of all ages which might making your own friends easier since people are likely to be at the same stage of life. Like your partner, OP, some density was non-negotiable for me (I grew up in a big city and AU Park is the most suburban I’ve ever lived) and I found the area an acceptable compromise.

I’m glad that worked out for you. In my opinion if I’m going to move to the suburbs like AU park, I’m going to shoot for the best schools. Deal/JR Wilson is mediocre.

You are right, Deal and JR are mediocre but fortunately they worked for my kids. We like AU Park but I may advise families moving now to try MD or VA. Or maybe do private. DCPS is a nightmare and it is sad what we all put up with.

Could not agree with you more about the disaster that is DCPS.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kids went to our local DCPS school through 5th grade. They've won music/academic scholarships to a private school we can afford with the fi aid. We know that there are other great DC neighborhoods, but we're not moving 25 years into our life on the Hill just for schools. We can't stand the idea of taking care of a yard, having to walk more than 10 mins to a Metro station, or starting over socially. To each her own.

We don't walk more than ten minutes to the metro, or the supermarket, or one of 5 coffee shops, or our great middle school here in Arlington. We didn't really start over socially, we kept our old friends and made new ones. We have a yard and pay about $1000/year for someone else to take care of it (we save at least that much in taxes). Sounds like the Hill worked for you because of the scholarships, but honestly I do think some people assume that life outside of the Hill is some kind of suburban hellscape, when it can still be very walkable and pleasant. Our kids are in the car much less since we moved than they were before. And yes, real estate near a metro stop is expensive - but so is the Hill.

I live 2 blocks from Eastern Market, so it’s pleasant, but if I lived in Hill East like so many young families do these days, I’d have moved years ago. So much of the Hill is near nothing and is very inconvenient.

It is adorable how old timers on the Hill think Eastern Market is the epicenter of area amenities.

I actually think near NE in the LT zone is the sweet spot for amenities. Eastern Market, west side of Lincoln Park, or south of Capitol South within easy walking distance to WF/pretty close to Navy Yard are the other good spots. Near Potomac Ave metro/the Roost/new Safeway also not bad. But Hill East (14th/15th & East) slightly farther north/Maury zone is actually pretty inconvenient to any amenities. Maury is a great school, but that part of the Hill really isn’t very walkable.

We bid on a row house literally opposite the Maury playground but we were outbid. Is that not a good location?

It’s a fantastic location. You can walk to h street and Lincoln park. In my opinion the LT area is a dump. There is a lot of crime, lots of public housing, and the houses are too small, and you are not near that many parks except for the LT park and Sherwood rec. Ludlow isn’t great and there aren’t any middle schools on the hill worth attending.

Across from Maury is a perfectly good location. But Redfin says the average house in the LT zone is over $1 million and the most expensive on the Hill except for Brent. And there isn’t any public housing in the zone aside from one building of subsidized seniors apartments at 10th & G, so the rest of this is crazy. It’s also worth noting that the average LT house is almost exactly the same distance to Lincoln Park as the average Maury house… very slightly closer actually!

You’re talking about the Maury expansion area. Yes that area sucks too. But it is at least cheaper than living going to ludlow taylor and has a better elementary as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My kids went to our local DCPS school through 5th grade. They've won music/academic scholarships to a private school we can afford with the fi aid. We know that there are other great DC neighborhoods, but we're not moving 25 years into our life on the Hill just for schools. We can't stand the idea of taking care of a yard, having to walk more than 10 mins to a Metro station, or starting over socially. To each her own.

We don't walk more than ten minutes to the metro, or the supermarket, or one of 5 coffee shops, or our great middle school here in Arlington. We didn't really start over socially, we kept our old friends and made new ones. We have a yard and pay about $1000/year for someone else to take care of it (we save at least that much in taxes). Sounds like the Hill worked for you because of the scholarships, but honestly I do think some people assume that life outside of the Hill is some kind of suburban hellscape, when it can still be very walkable and pleasant. Our kids are in the car much less since we moved than they were before. And yes, real estate near a metro stop is expensive - but so is the Hill.

I live 2 blocks from Eastern Market, so it’s pleasant, but if I lived in Hill East like so many young families do these days, I’d have moved years ago. So much of the Hill is near nothing and is very inconvenient.

It is adorable how old timers on the Hill think Eastern Market is the epicenter of area amenities.

I actually think near NE in the LT zone is the sweet spot for amenities. Eastern Market, west side of Lincoln Park, or south of Capitol South within easy walking distance to WF/pretty close to Navy Yard are the other good spots. Near Potomac Ave metro/the Roost/new Safeway also not bad. But Hill East (14th/15th & East) slightly farther north/Maury zone is actually pretty inconvenient to any amenities. Maury is a great school, but that part of the Hill really isn’t very walkable.

We bid on a row house literally opposite the Maury playground but we were outbid. Is that not a good location?

It’s a fantastic location. You can walk to h street and Lincoln park. In my opinion the LT area is a dump. There is a lot of crime, lots of public housing, and the houses are too small, and you are not near that many parks except for the LT park and Sherwood rec. Ludlow isn’t great and there aren’t any middle schools on the hill worth attending.

LOL what? The housing stock IB for Maury and IB for LT is the same, and the LT neighborhood is closer to transit, shops and a bunch of parks. Are you even from DC?

It is so funny to me that you seem to actually believe that the falling down Victorian worker housing in the ludlow Taylor area is similar to the gorgeous Victorians around Lincoln park and eastern market. Sure. Okay!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

Huh? Georgia Ave doesn’t even go through TKPK… if you don’t like it, don’t move there, though it sounds like maybe you haven’t been there before? I’m just sharing my experience of moving to another neighborhood without big regrets in case it’s helpful to the OP, who may be wrestling with some of the same issues we were (crime, schools, space, etc).

[Anonymous]

I agree at Takoma Park could be a good option if you can get a place walkable to metro

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

Huh? Georgia Ave doesn’t even go through TKPK… if you don’t like it, don’t move there, though it sounds like maybe you haven’t been there before? I’m just sharing my experience of moving to another neighborhood without big regrets in case it’s helpful to the OP, who may be wrestling with some of the same issues we were (crime, schools, space, etc).

From what I can tell, the CH boosters don’t like any neighbourhood in DC, MD or VA except CH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

Huh? Georgia Ave doesn’t even go through TKPK… if you don’t like it, don’t move there, though it sounds like maybe you haven’t been there before? I’m just sharing my experience of moving to another neighborhood without big regrets in case it’s helpful to the OP, who may be wrestling with some of the same issues we were (crime, schools, space, etc).

From what I can tell, the CH boosters don’t like any neighbourhood in DC, MD or VA except CH

Or there's just some weirdo posting random insults to keep the conflict going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

Huh? Georgia Ave doesn’t even go through TKPK… if you don’t like it, don’t move there, though it sounds like maybe you haven’t been there before? I’m just sharing my experience of moving to another neighborhood without big regrets in case it’s helpful to the OP, who may be wrestling with some of the same issues we were (crime, schools, space, etc).

From what I can tell, the CH boosters don’t like any neighbourhood in DC, MD or VA except CH

Yeah, not everyone in CH is like this but some people definitely are. Like there is nowhere else in the area that is worthwhile or something. It's weird. I live here and it has good qualities and bad qualities. It is not all things to all people and there are of course tradeoffs.

I wonder if, as CH has gotten more expensive, people feel like they need to justify the expense by believing it's better than everywhere else. When a row house in CH costs $2m, and you still don't have a yard or a good IB high school, maybe you feel like you have to justify yourself? Though the people we know who have bough recently for $$$ just send kids to private and can travel a lot or spend time at a family home or second home in the country in warmer months. So I don't know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

Huh? Georgia Ave doesn’t even go through TKPK… if you don’t like it, don’t move there, though it sounds like maybe you haven’t been there before? I’m just sharing my experience of moving to another neighborhood without big regrets in case it’s helpful to the OP, who may be wrestling with some of the same issues we were (crime, schools, space, etc).

Georgia Ave borders the Takoma area and is one of the closest shopping areas to Takoma DC.

I don’t see any improvement in crime and schools in the Takoma area. What you can definitely get should you move to Takoma DC is proximity to Takoma, Maryland (pretty cute!). However you also get horrible traffic flying through your neighborhood and the housing stock is very poor. The brick houses of Capitol Hill, even the crumbling ones, are at least brick. Takoma is full of rotting wooden houses covered with plastic siding. You can get a stand alone house but most of the windows look directly into your neighbors window a foot away.

In every way Takoma is a big step down from Capitol Hill. Just like you shared your opinion about Takoma, I am sharing mine as a former resident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree at Takoma Park could be a good option if you can get a place walkable to metro

And don’t mind high crime, bad schools, and poor housing stock at high prices.

Don’t forget about the traffic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised no one has mentioned Takoma park on this thread yet (probably bc this is the dcps board). But we moved there a few years ago and have been very happy. It’s more of a small town vibe, rather than sprawling suburbs. Very walkable, easy to commute to my job on the hill, we got an yard, and we’ve been happy with the schools. It sounds like OP is considering Silver Spring, which (depending on the neighborhood they land on) would likely be pretty similar in terms of walkability. It’s not perfect here (traffic, and we have plenty of posturing lawn signs), but it’s much more livable and relaxing, for us.

Takoma park is great if you like insane commuters blasting through the neighborhood, constant traffic, high housing prices for poorly maintained cheap siding covered homes, and truly bad to mediocre schools. Also if you think proximity to Georgia Ave is a plus (pawn shops and McDonald’s) then sure, maybe? I guess some people like crime.

Huh? Georgia Ave doesn’t even go through TKPK… if you don’t like it, don’t move there, though it sounds like maybe you haven’t been there before? I’m just sharing my experience of moving to another neighborhood without big regrets in case it’s helpful to the OP, who may be wrestling with some of the same issues we were (crime, schools, space, etc).

From what I can tell, the CH boosters don’t like any neighbourhood in DC, MD or VA except CH

I am not a CH booster, but as a former takoma resident, I am also not going to pretend takoma is remotely better than Capitol Hill or even Trinidad. Honestly Brightwood is better than Takoma and it’s a huge dump.