HELP - Moving to DC and KNOW N O T H I N G
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Anonymous
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Hello Moms and Dads,
We are moving to DC next year and all I know is the traffic is insane. I will most likely be working in Washington proper and my husband and I have no idea where the best places to live are. We have two young boys 3 and 8 and will have a combined income of around 120 - 135 K. We are not looking at buying as we may be relocated in a few years but in the meantime just want a laid back place to live with solid schools and if need be, private schools. Truth be told, would love someplace close to water, but like I said we know N O T H I N G and if that's even feasible. I hear Fairfax, VA is nice and that there is a "Bay area" somewhere. Need your good advice and input on the culture and quality of life in the DC , surrounding areas. Also your views on the better school systems and private schools and their costs. Here in Detroit, my son's private school runs about $18,000 for 3rd grade if it helps as a point of reference. Looking forward to your replies. Kind Regards, Cherine 
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Anonymous
| I think it would be rough paying for private school in this area on that income. We make that much and are paying $22,000+ for daycare and it's difficult. We rent a SFH in North Arlington (Virginia) because we wanted short commutes and good schools. We will never be able to afford a house in this area. At best, we might be able to buy a house 60+ miles west of the city, but I don't want to live out there, so I'd rather rent! I also prefer the conveniences of the urban area, even if it means I have to park in a parking garage when I go to the grocery store. It's all relative, but most schools in Northern Virginia are pretty good. However, very few places in this area can be described as "laid back". Just the nature of the beast. |
Anonymous
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The Chesapeake Bay is the Bay, not suitable to live unless you want to commute from some place like Annapolis, which you don't!
Farifax to DC is quite a commute. Private schools in DC can cost $25,000 and up. Maybe find a rental house in the Palisades section of DC and send your older boy to the neighborhood public school. It's near the Potomac. I'd check what rents are running there. As for the three-year old, get researching that. Preschools can be full. |
Anonymous
| You'll get all different opinions. There are a lot of options. Our salary is about the same as yours with two kids but I'm a SAHM so no daycare costs and we plan to use public schools. Also we own our home, and I'm not sure what rental prices are. All that being said, some areas that come to mind with okay commutes and good public schools are Arlington, VA (North Arlington's schools are thought to be better), Falls Church, VA (City of Falls Church as well as some surrounding areas in Fairfax County), McLean, VA, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and Silver Spring, MD. There are very mixed views about public schools in DC, but many people use private. I don't konw much about MD or DC schools though to be honest (we're in VA). If you use private, Capitol Hill in DC would be a nice area. I used to live there pre-kids. Great lifestyle and I understand there's an active mom's group. I'm in Falls Church and love it. Great lifestyle -- a central downtown area, walkable, a bike trail. Commute isn't great but it's fine. Agree with PP that there's not much in DC that's considered "laid back." Although I do find people in Falls Church relatively down to earth (say, compared to Bethesda or McLean which are thought to be more upscale). If you're worried about commute, I wouldn't go far outside the beltway; it can be really awful. Also agree with PP that the only bay area I know of is the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis -- lovely for a visit, but you really don't want that commute (I'd guess 1.5 hours each way, but could be more). To be near the water, places that come to mind are Old Town Alexandria which is on the Potomac (not sure about the schools, though), Burke (there's a lake, but would be a horrendous commute), and Lake Barcroft (Falls Church area, but I don't think the schools are well regarded). GL. |
Anonymous
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Private schools with aftercare are outrageously expensive, so your best bet is to rent a townhouse in an area with good public schools, like N. Arlington, Falls Church City, Fairfax or Montgomery County. You'll still want to research the schools, as some are better than others. Preschool can set you back a 10+ thousand for full day and that doesn't cover the summer. As for laid back, unlikely around here. If you are up for the commute, I hear that Howard county, MD is nice, but not much cheaper when it comes to rent.
Unless you are right on top of your job, the commute isn't going to be fun, no matter what. An easy commute costs you - either in price, quality of the neighborhood, or school. |
Anonymous
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Another bay is Pohick Bay in Lorton. Kind of far to commute to DC from.
On your income, you won't be looking at private schools. I lived in Fairfax County for years and loved it. Great schools - some of the top in the nation. Live near a metro station so you can metro to work. As far a what areas in Fairfax County, its huge, and depends on what you value most. Is it a big yard? Or walking to a store? Or having a playground down the street? For townhomes, you can get a lot, but it all depends on your budget. I personally like Old Town greens/Potomac Greens, Old Town Alexandria, and Cameron Station. You can rent a modest home near the Potomac near Mt Vernon. We almost rented one on the water, but it was older and smaller so we opted for a bigger place away from the water. A popular site to find rentals is www.militarybyowner.com Good luck! |
Anonymous
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Well ...
1) How long of a commute can you tolerate? You've got some folks who get the vapors if their commute is longer than 15 minutes and so will live in a two-bedroom, 700 square foot condo. 2) What sort of house do you want? Single family, townhouse, condo? Do you want new construction? Do you want to rent or buy? 3) How important is walkability to you, and how often will you actually avail yourself of the walkability? 4) Schools -- if you go private, remember that is money you can't spend on little treats for you/the kids, rent/mortgage, etc. on an income of $120k I'd be reluctant to spend more than $400k on a place to live. |
Anonymous
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I just want to basically echo what the two PPs have said. I'm also in NoVA - McLean. To be painfully honest, I think you'd be hard pressed to live in most of McLean on that HHI. If I'm wrong, there will no doubt be plenty of people to jump all over me for that. Our HHI is $500k/yr, and we earn less than many of our neighbors/friends. Those that earn significantly less are from embassies, so no housing costs. Or they bought years ago. Housing is expensive here. Schools are great. It's a 15 minute drive from my house to DC, and the same to Tyson's Corner (the largest/arguably nicest shopping mall in the area). McLean border North Arlington, which is also very nice. Great urban feel in the Ballston/Clarendon/Rosslyn corridor. You'll find something similar in Bethesda. High prices to match. Potomac, MD is also nice but is a bit of a commute to DC.
Many people choose to live in a smaller home in order to have the best locations (schools and commute), so be prepared for that. DC isn't the most laid back place you'll find, but it is a great area as there is so much to do, great culture, very international communities. If you tell people exactly where in DC you'll be working, then they can offer you specific advice. There are areas in DC that are not easily accessed from even close-in suburbs --just depends on where your office is. Some commutes are great from McLean (like into Georgetown), others are bad (Washington Navy Yard). So it really depends. You'll find plenty of people on this board trashing DC as being a variety of unpleasant things (rude, loud, social climbing, etc). I haven't found that to be true, personally. Let us know more details when you have them, there will be plenty of people who will help. I also recommend spending some time here to check out the feel/vibe of different areas to see what suits you. Take the recommendations you get here as a starting point of what to check out, and filter that through your commute and other priorities. |
Anonymous
PP here, should have clarified. The townhome communities I mentioned are all in Alexandria City. Schools are not highly rated there, but the people I know that send their kids there are happy. |
Anonymous
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About living on or near the water:
not really. No ocean. Potomac River, but unless you're looking to spend upwards of $3m, unlikely. Maybe some areas south of DC, but it will take you over an hour to get to work. |
Anonymous
| You could easily afford Springfield VA. Not a lot is walkable, but the Springfield metro goes into DC (again, we don't know where in DC you'll be). Springfield is Fairfax County and has great schools, great rec centers, lots of open space and playgrounds. Probably a little more laid back - we make $250k/yr and probably made more than most of our neighbors. Renting a SFH with a yard will run you between $2200 (smaller and older) to $3500 (larger and newer). Lots of neighborhoods have neighborhood gatherings. |
Anonymous
PP here. When i mentioned south of DC, I was thinking of Mt Vernon, as mentioned by another poster. It's in VA, and it's a lllooonngg commute into many parts of DC. But again, it depends on where you work, exactly. |
Anonymous
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She is not looking to buy. I would rent somethign in N.Arlington/clarendon/rosslyn area. Public schools will be fantastic for your oldest. There are lots of preschool options--but you need to get on that now.
This area is soooooo close to DC and Metro accessible. You can walk everywhere. Lots of families. It is great launching place for sightseeing and weekend activities all over the Metro area. We regularly bike to the zoo and NAtional Mall, etc. Totally doable area for that salary..particulary with your oldest in a free, great public school. |
Anonymous
FWIW, there is no "swimable' water anywhere close to DC. The Potomac and Anacostia rivers are sess pools. If you are looking to boat or just look at it fine..but nobody really lives 'on the water' in DC. |
Anonymous
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I would look into the neighborhoods south of Old Town, near the Belle Haven area (Hollin Hall, Fort Hunt). I'm not super familiar with the specific 'hoods, but it's beautiful there (you're right near the water and running and bike trails) and the commute into the city isn't too bad.
Here are some threads on some of the neighborhoods: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/77166.page#581759 http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/156460.page#1423854 Also, since the cost of living is high here, you probably should try to find a place where you're comfortable with the public schools. |