Would you move to Arlington or Mclean for SFH living?

[Anonymous]

I’m the pp from NYC who was looking at houses in both McLean and N Arlington. We chose McLean for better schools. We also have family visit often, which is why we were looking at houses with at least 5000 sf. I have 3 kids and with in laws and my family visiting, we wanted more space.

I would recommend looking in areas around downtown McLean. The schools are extremely strong. I would say best in all of Virginia. McLean and Langley are ranked 2nd and 3rd behind TJ. My children in the AAP program and challenged.

DH works in DC and has a 20 min commute. Depending on where you live in McLean and where you work in DC, commute may or may not be better. DH used to drive on 395 and it was awful. Now he has chain bridge, gw parkway plus Clara Barton. He seems to have options va getting stuck by pentagon on 395 daily. I don’t work so I drive my family around when they visit.

I personally really wanted to be in a walkable area. We chose top schools for my kids, short commute for DH and space for my kids and parents. I did not get my walkable neighborhood but I’m a 5 min to drive to stores, 7min from tysons, 15 min from ballston and Clarendon, 15 min from mosaic. It isn’t bad.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I find McLean more attractive. Arlington seems to be a mix of old houses built for WWII-era government workers and new McMansions that are way too big for their postage-size lots. You see some of that in McLean as well, but at least the lots are generally big enough to leave some room for a yard.

The nicer neighborhoods of McLean are way nicer looking than Arlington. The N Arlington and McLean neighborhoods that border Arlington and falls church look very similar. Then parts of south Arlington are more urban and walkable. I would not say N Arlington is a walkable area either.

You obviously have never even been to Arlington. Why are you commenting?

Hint: look at a map and see where the Metro stations are.

I’m also from NYC. Your definition and my definition of walkable may be different.

OK - let's call it "Arlington walkable".

If you want less arbitrary terms, how about this for my N Arlington neighborhood:
Walk score: 85 / 100
Transit score: 72 / 100
Bike score: 83 / 100

Regardless, many of the "walkable" areas ARE in North Arlington.

Or maybe you don't understand N v. S Arlington? Rt 50 is the dividing line. Everything N of Rt 50 (incl. 7 of 9 metro stops) is considered "North Arlington".

DP. It depends on where you live in N Arlington. I’d be lying if I said most of it is walkable. Maybe 20% of it is. The rest is the straight up suburbs. many streets don’t even have sidewalks.

OK? No one said MOST of it is walkable. But, the overall walkscore is 69 so a good portion is walkable (https://www.walkscore.com/VA/Arlington).

Which streets in Arlington don't have sidewalks?

McLean doesn't have sidewalks...perhaps you are confusing the two...

Re-read your own post, dude.

Yes, and?

"Many of the "walkable" areas ARE in North Arlington." <> "Most of Arlington is walkable"

Except the website you provided for that 69 walk score is for both N and S Arlington... not just N Arlington.

Are you having trouble keeping up with your own information? First you claim that many of the walkable areas are in N Arlington, but that 69 number includes S Arlington stats...

If you’re gonna to provide stats, try to make sure you understand what you’re saying...

What exactly is incorrect about "many of the walkable areas are in N Arlington"?

16 of the top 20 walkable neighborhoods are in NA.
https://www.walkscore.com/VA/Arlington

I'd say that counts as "many".

If the WalkScore website listed NA separately I'd be happy to give a more precise number.

The metro line (Ballston-Rosslyn) is walkable. Your own stats show that. That area isn’t “most” of N Arlington.

The rest of N Arlington is the straight up burbs. Wavered, Cherrydale, Yorktown, Bellevue, etc is all not very walkable.

I used to live in N Arlington, and there’s no way that I’d ever lie and say that “many of N arl is walkable”. It’s not.

There’s nothing wrong with that. And it’s not a big deal but for whatever reason, you’re going out your way to give me and others the impression that it is when it’s not.

Here is exactly what I said: "many of the walkable areas are in N Arlington". It was in response to someone who mistakenly thought the Metro stations were all in South Arlington.

I'm not sure why you continue to misread that after I've explained and repeated it a few times.

If you'd like to share any facts to prove otherwise, feel free. But what I wrote is true AND I provided factual backup - 16 of top 20 walkable neighborhoods are in NA. Oops - that should be 15.5 (one splits across Rt 50).

If you're too lazy to click on the link:

Nothing is misread. I already said what you’re showing me. The metro line from Ballston to Rosslyn is walkable. The rest isn’t.

This isn’t hard.

Also, you were trying to sneakily use all of Arlington stats (that 69 number) to go in your favor when you were clearly only talking about N Arlington.

So again, no one misread anything. I just called you out on your shit and now you’re still scrambling to defend yourself.

I clearly said "overall" and gave the link for all of Arlington...

Anyway, like I said, many of the walkable areas are in N Arlington. Not in S Arlington like the PP mistakenly thought.

Lol the classic “moving the goalposts”. Nice.

And from your own post, S Arlington is ...fairly..walkable.

Shirlington, Columbia Pike, Pentagon and Pentagon City, Arlandria suddenly aren’t walkable now? News to me.

OMG - are you being intentionally obtuse? Or can you really just not read?

I said MANY of the walkable parts are in N Arlington. Not ALL or even MANY.

PP thought that Ballston-Clarendon-Courthouse areas were in S Arlington. Here was PP's comment that I responded to:
"The nicer neighborhoods of McLean are way nicer looking than Arlington. The N Arlington and McLean neighborhoods that border Arlington and falls church look very similar. Then parts of south Arlington are more urban and walkable. I would not say N Arlington is a walkable area either."

How many more pages are you going to completely misread what I wrote?

My reading is fine.

You, on the other hand.(looks at the bold)

Anyway, I’m cool. I won’t bug you anymore. Sorry

[Anonymous]

3 BD TH near DT McLean:
https://www.redfin.com/VA/McLean/1550-Red-Twig-Ln-22101/home/17112931

[Anonymous]

Hm. I'm not sure that walkable, 5 bedrooms, and $1.2M is going to happen in Arlington or McLean. It's a pretty hot market for those types of properties and you should expect to engage in lots of bidding wars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3 BD TH near DT McLean:
https://www.redfin.com/VA/McLean/1550-Red-Twig-Ln-22101/home/17112931

OP is looking for a 5 bedroom so this won't work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My reading is fine.

You, on the other hand.(looks at the bold)

Anyway, I’m cool. I won’t bug you anymore. Sorry

Pretty funny how you misread my comment again and again and again...or were you really just F-ing with me the whole time?

Anyway, OP is going to have to make some tough choices with that budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hm. I'm not sure that walkable, 5 bedrooms, and $1.2M is going to happen in Arlington or McLean. It's a pretty hot market for those types of properties and you should expect to engage in lots of bidding wars.

I’m the pp from nyc. We had a $2-3m budget. $1.2 will not get you far in McLean. Sorry. We looked for 2 years trying to find what seems like similar to what OP wants.

I was going to suggest areas around chain bridge but these are some of the most expensive and most desired areas of McLean. Short commute to DC. Top schools. Beautiful homes. Tear downs will go for $1m. You can find a modest home but you will be competing with builders trying to buy that house to turn it into a $3m house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 BD TH near DT McLean:
https://www.redfin.com/VA/McLean/1550-Red-Twig-Ln-22101/home/17112931

OP is looking for a 5 bedroom so this won't work.

Yes, OP is going to have to compromise in some way. I already provided some 5 BD example. Here is another option close to DT McLean since OP seemed to prefer that location.

As I said earlier, it's going to be TOUGH to find a 5 BD in a walkable, close-in area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hm. I'm not sure that walkable, 5 bedrooms, and $1.2M is going to happen in Arlington or McLean. It's a pretty hot market for those types of properties and you should expect to engage in lots of bidding wars.

I checked past sales and this home is very walkable, sure the budget will have to be increased but it is 5 bedrooms, relatively newish and good schools. So, it's possible but yes, bidding wars will be intense.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/McLean/1510-Emerson-Ave-22101/home/9406474

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My reading is fine.

You, on the other hand.(looks at the bold)

Anyway, I’m cool. I won’t bug you anymore. Sorry

Pretty funny how you misread my comment again and again and again...or were you really just F-ing with me the whole time?

Anyway, OP is going to have to make some tough choices with that budget.

Lol I just wanna let bygones be bygones and move on

Yeah, I agree with you on the budget. OP, that’s gonna be tough on 1.2. MAAAYBE 1.5 ish is more realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My reading is fine.

You, on the other hand.(looks at the bold)

Anyway, I’m cool. I won’t bug you anymore. Sorry

Pretty funny how you misread my comment again and again and again...or were you really just F-ing with me the whole time?

Anyway, OP is going to have to make some tough choices with that budget.

Lol I just wanna let bygones be bygones and move on

Yeah, I agree with you on the budget. OP, that’s gonna be tough on 1.2. MAAAYBE 1.5 ish is more realistic.

Op is not going to find what she wants on that budget. She will have to give on budget, bedrooms, distance to DC, schools or walkability. No way she is getting a 5 bedroom house, super close to DC that is walkable with strong schools with a 1.2 budget.

I have friends with similar budget and they have a hard enough time trying to find a house with good schools close to DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My reading is fine.

You, on the other hand.(looks at the bold)

Anyway, I’m cool. I won’t bug you anymore. Sorry

Pretty funny how you misread my comment again and again and again...or were you really just F-ing with me the whole time?

Anyway, OP is going to have to make some tough choices with that budget.

Lol I just wanna let bygones be bygones and move on

Yeah, I agree with you on the budget. OP, that’s gonna be tough on 1.2. MAAAYBE 1.5 ish is more realistic.

Op is not going to find what she wants on that budget. She will have to give on budget, bedrooms, distance to DC, schools or walkability. No way she is getting a 5 bedroom house, super close to DC that is walkable with strong schools with a 1.2 budget.

I have friends with similar budget and they have a hard enough time trying to find a house with good schools close to DC.

Yup. OP will need to make some tough choices and narrow prioritizes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 BD TH near DT McLean:
https://www.redfin.com/VA/McLean/1550-Red-Twig-Ln-22101/home/17112931

OP is looking for a 5 bedroom so this won't work.

Yes, OP is going to have to compromise in some way. I already provided some 5 BD example. Here is another option close to DT McLean since OP seemed to prefer that location.

As I said earlier, it's going to be TOUGH to find a 5 BD in a walkable, close-in area.

OP could have 2 kids share a bedroom and make the lower level a guest area.

It's still probably more space than OP has now...

[Anonymous]

Given PP’s budget, Pimmit Hills might be the best choice, although for now the walkability is really just to some strip malls on Route 7. In another 5-10 years there may be more around Tysons East/Scotts Run, but that is still a long way off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hm. I'm not sure that walkable, 5 bedrooms, and $1.2M is going to happen in Arlington or McLean. It's a pretty hot market for those types of properties and you should expect to engage in lots of bidding wars.

I’m the pp from nyc. We had a $2-3m budget. $1.2 will not get you far in McLean. Sorry. We looked for 2 years trying to find what seems like similar to what OP wants.

I was going to suggest areas around chain bridge but these are some of the most expensive and most desired areas of McLean. Short commute to DC. Top schools. Beautiful homes. Tear downs will go for $1m. You can find a modest home but you will be competing with builders trying to buy that house to turn it into a $3m house.

I understand our budget is rather modest for the area, but we don't need a large or nice home and honestly it doesn't have to have real 5 bedrooms, it can be a 4 bedroom with a den or have 2 bedrooms in a basement with only 3 real upstairs bedrooms. We are currently in 1500 sq.ft rowhouse and make do, if we get a 2500 sq.ft home it would be a huge upgrade. One of the bedrooms is going to be home office, so it doesn't need to be a real bedroom in terms of size/closets, etc, just a space where I can close the door and preferably have a window for some daylight. We have only 2 kids, so need only 3 real bedrooms and an in-law bedroom and a den, so technically not a full fledged large 5 bedr house. We also don't care about a yard much, just want a small outdoor space. But we do not want a TH, as we really don't want to share walls or be so close to neighbors and don't want to pay fees. It's going to be tough, and we might have to settle for a 3-4 bedr and do some modification, we don't want to increase the budget as we will have to sell in 10 years, we are looking to put the kids through school and then downsize. We are going to look around some other areas suggested here as well. Thank you for the links and suggestions, I do see things that will work. Need to do some more research on schools, AAP might be a good option.