What is the most overrated area (neighborhood, town, etc) in the DC metropolitan area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

You have no idea how wonderfully located we are in Pimmit Hills. We are in the middle of EVERYTHING. And I can walk to tons of shops and more parks than I can count. And soon the metro (or I can drive there in 5 minutes or less - and the bus is in front of my house).

But you got me with the "Bad Boys" song from cops LMAO!! I guess I can see how the tiny houses and chain link fences here, like in a photo without any pretext about where we are, could give that impression.

Look, I don't know Fairfax that well, but we drove around long enough to know Pimmit Hills is not in the middle of anything except some major highways. I think we would have come across anything similar to Mount Vernon Ave. but it just was not there.

Ever heard of Tysons Corner? It's sort of like a city with, you know, as much retail as Manhattan (including all the high end shops), as many office buildings as a major city like San Diego. Plus all the conveniences - we have nearby Walmart, Staples, Office Dept, Home Depot, Best Buy, Sports Authority, Giant, Traders, Whole Foods, various organic and specialty food markets (way too many to name), you know, like every store known to mankind from Chanel to Walmart. What does DC have? um, not much. I cannot think of anything I would want to go downtown for. Ever.

Omg - there is an Office Depot in Tyson's?!?? I'm moving out there STAT!!

I'm not the PP but....

Ever go into a city and find all these cool little places then realize you need something simple and can't find it anywhere, because the area is filled with cool little places? And then getting across the city to the practical area takes freakin' forever because of traffic? Or you have to hop on a bus or other form of transportation to get there?

That's why places like Office Depot are important.

[Anonymous]

To be fair, there was an office store (and probably still is - don't work there anymore) between Farragut North and Dupont Circle metro stops. I want to say it was on 18th?

I can't remember if it was Office Depot or Staples, but it was most definitely there because my co-worker and I would go there to buy supplies every month or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

Where do you expect sidewalks to lead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

You have no idea how wonderfully located we are in Pimmit Hills. We are in the middle of EVERYTHING. And I can walk to tons of shops and more parks than I can count. And soon the metro (or I can drive there in 5 minutes or less - and the bus is in front of my house).

But you got me with the "Bad Boys" song from cops LMAO!! I guess I can see how the tiny houses and chain link fences here, like in a photo without any pretext about where we are, could give that impression.

Look, I don't know Fairfax that well, but we drove around long enough to know Pimmit Hills is not in the middle of anything except some major highways. I think we would have come across anything similar to Mount Vernon Ave. but it just was not there.

I think you have a rigid perception of what you were expecting to find. There was many ways to define everything. Del Ray is very nice and cute, and Mount Vernon is a cool street for a stroll. But the thing is, when it comes to daily needs of typical families, it's not about organic butchers or Cheesetique or acupuncture places or vintage boutiques. It's about grocery stores (Safeway, Trader Joe, Whole Foods), supermarkets (Target, Walmart), regular stores (Tysons), schools, parks, playgrounds, buses, metro, hardware stores, unsexy, unglamorous things you use on a daily freaking basis. Through that lens, I'd say PH checks all the boxes, plus an easy commute to DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

Where do you expect sidewalks to lead?

Some place like this, perhaps?

http://www.visitdelray.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread has been a good "come-to-jeebus" eye-opener for me. There are many bitter and childish people on this site, and the entire thread itself is a giant conceit to trolling.

I don't live in Georgetown; I wasn't happy with what I could afford there for 1.5m. But like many of the places listed on this thread, it is probably a wonderful place to live.

This appears to be a collection of people bemoaning areas they cannot afford. Plain-and-simple. Georgetown. Spring Valley. Cleveland Park. Mclean. Etc.

I hope the commenters and OP feel better about their meaningless existences upon having posted. (I don't feel any better about mine, but I wish you a better fate.)

Interesting, you are acting sanctimonious while casually mentioning your 1.5m house budget. Get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

You have no idea how wonderfully located we are in Pimmit Hills. We are in the middle of EVERYTHING. And I can walk to tons of shops and more parks than I can count. And soon the metro (or I can drive there in 5 minutes or less - and the bus is in front of my house).

But you got me with the "Bad Boys" song from cops LMAO!! I guess I can see how the tiny houses and chain link fences here, like in a photo without any pretext about where we are, could give that impression.

Look, I don't know Fairfax that well, but we drove around long enough to know Pimmit Hills is not in the middle of anything except some major highways. I think we would have come across anything similar to Mount Vernon Ave. but it just was not there.

I think you have a rigid perception of what you were expecting to find. There was many ways to define everything. Del Ray is very nice and cute, and Mount Vernon is a cool street for a stroll. But the thing is, when it comes to daily needs of typical families, it's not about organic butchers or Cheesetique or acupuncture places or vintage boutiques. It's about grocery stores (Safeway, Trader Joe, Whole Foods), supermarkets (Target, Walmart), regular stores (Tysons), schools, parks, playgrounds, buses, metro, hardware stores, unsexy, unglamorous things you use on a daily freaking basis. Through that lens, I'd say PH checks all the boxes, plus an easy commute to DC.

Pimmit Hills has great potential- it has all the pieces (most important of which is location) and the one thing missing is a planning commission that has a minimum level of architectual authority. It is a prime example of what happens when there is no planning or oversight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

Where do you expect sidewalks to lead?

Some place like this, perhaps?

http://www.visitdelray.com

Del Ray is very nice. Every place doesn't have to be like that. You can walk PH sidewalks to multiple parks, grocery stores, elementary school, coffee shops, etc. PH is not ornamental or cute. It is very practical, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Pimmit Hills has great potential- it has all the pieces (most important of which is location) and the one thing missing is a planning commission that has a minimum level of architectual authority. It is a prime example of what happens when there is no planning or oversight.

Short of completely rewriting permitting or zoning rules, what sort of oversight are you expecting to be feasible in a neighborhood that has exclusively SFHs and no HOA?

[Anonymous]

Del ray is great for the parents!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have to say Pimmit Hills. From what I had read on DCUM, I was expecting a slightly less charming version of Del Ray. When we visited to scout out the area, we were, quite frankly, disappointed. The older homes look like they could be in a trailer park and the new houses look like what you'd find in a middle-class subdivision in Anywhere USA. On the plus side, there are sidewalks, but they didn't seem to lead anywhere. It really does look like the type of neighborhood in Kansas City or Memphis you see on Cops (my husband and I burst out laughing realizing we were both humming the "Bad Boys" song as we drove around).

You have no idea how wonderfully located we are in Pimmit Hills. We are in the middle of EVERYTHING. And I can walk to tons of shops and more parks than I can count. And soon the metro (or I can drive there in 5 minutes or less - and the bus is in front of my house).

But you got me with the "Bad Boys" song from cops LMAO!! I guess I can see how the tiny houses and chain link fences here, like in a photo without any pretext about where we are, could give that impression.

Look, I don't know Fairfax that well, but we drove around long enough to know Pimmit Hills is not in the middle of anything except some major highways. I think we would have come across anything similar to Mount Vernon Ave. but it just was not there.

I think you have a rigid perception of what you were expecting to find. There was many ways to define everything. Del Ray is very nice and cute, and Mount Vernon is a cool street for a stroll. But the thing is, when it comes to daily needs of typical families, it's not about organic butchers or Cheesetique or acupuncture places or vintage boutiques. It's about grocery stores (Safeway, Trader Joe, Whole Foods), supermarkets (Target, Walmart), regular stores (Tysons), schools, parks, playgrounds, buses, metro, hardware stores, unsexy, unglamorous things you use on a daily freaking basis. Through that lens, I'd say PH checks all the boxes, plus an easy commute to DC.

Pimmit Hills has great potential- it has all the pieces (most important of which is location) and the one thing missing is a planning commission that has a minimum level of architectual authority. It is a prime example of what happens when there is no planning or oversight.

Sounds like freedom to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Del ray is great for the parents!

Really? The public schools don't appeal to many parents in Del Ray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ever go into a city and find all these cool little places then realize you need something simple and can't find it anywhere, because the area is filled with cool little places? And then getting across the city to the practical area takes freakin' forever because of traffic? Or you have to hop on a bus or other form of transportation to get there?

That's why places like Office Depot are important.

That's why I enjoy living in Leesburg and recommend it and Frederick to people who could work from Tysons/Rockville on out (but not for DC unless you work off hours). Yes, I know if you work in one of those big marble buildings downtown or work in a corner office for some firm with 3-5 names in it, you won't be able to.

And yes, I'd rather live where I live and have a 15-20 minute longer commute than live in some anonymous place in Sterling, Chantilly, etc.

Good schools, safe, walkable downtowns, convenient to the every day things (as opposed to DC where there's no middlebrow department stores or places like Office Depot and the grocery stores either suck or are super high-end), and available to mere mortals.

I've walked to get groceries before and I've walked to get coffee and/or a meal downtown. There's "cool little places" too but I really don't use them so much.

[Anonymous]

There are neighborhoods in Chantilly and Sterling that offer pretty much all you just said, 11:43.

I can walk to all 3 public schools, the library, several parks and a large shopping center with a Giant, a Starbucks, a few decent chain restaurants, some doctors offices (I go to a dentist there), a CVS, a Hair Cuttery, a total wine and an ABC store, as well as several other chain retailers. It isn't charming like Leesburg (I actually really like Leesburg and would live there if it made any sense for our commutes), but these things are easily walkable from our house. We are also no more than a 10 minute drive to just about any big box retailer you could possibly imagine, so I'm perfectly content with my Chantilly neighborhood and it's convenience to everything I really need. I very rarely have to drive more than a couple miles a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Pimmit Hills has great potential- it has all the pieces (most important of which is location) and the one thing missing is a planning commission that has a minimum level of architectual authority. It is a prime example of what happens when there is no planning or oversight.

Short of completely rewriting permitting or zoning rules, what sort of oversight are you expecting to be feasible in a neighborhood that has exclusively SFHs and no HOA?

When moving into a close in neighborhood, I would prefer much prefer an HOA to Crazy Larry who thinks he owns the neighborhood. HOA's may seem arbitrary, but neighbors threatened by change are far more arbitrary and well, crazy.