Is suburban living considered a failure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not. I don’t think suburban or city living is inherently considered a failure by most but the standard of living would be.

I would not consider someone who lives in a chic penthouse apartment in a city near cool restaurants, museums, etc a failure or someone living in a stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good schools a failure.

I might prefer one over the other, personally, but clearly there are very good reasons to choice both options and it’s a matter of preference.

You described two different city scenarios...

Serious question. Where does one find a "stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good scools" in DC?

Literally all of northwest? Heard of Rock Creek Park? The National Mall? St. Albans?

But, yeah, living in a ticky tack hellhole and making payments on like eight suburbans and sending your kids to some school for yokels and brats in Fairfax, boy, that's the dream.

Your idea of good schools is a private boys school that costs 60K a year? What about public schools? Or maybe it's not a problem because people that can afford to live in houses that cost 8 or 10 million don't want their children mingling with the plebes.

I guess our dreams are different. Imagine that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not. I don’t think suburban or city living is inherently considered a failure by most but the standard of living would be.

I would not consider someone who lives in a chic penthouse apartment in a city near cool restaurants, museums, etc a failure or someone living in a stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good schools a failure.

I might prefer one over the other, personally, but clearly there are very good reasons to choice both options and it’s a matter of preference.

You described two different city scenarios...

Serious question. Where does one find a "stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good scools" in DC?

Literally all of northwest? Heard of Rock Creek Park? The National Mall? St. Albans?

But, yeah, living in a ticky tack hellhole and making payments on like eight suburbans and sending your kids to some school for yokels and brats in Fairfax, boy, that's the dream.

Your idea of good schools is a private boys school that costs 60K a year? What about public schools? Or maybe it's not a problem because people that can afford to live in houses that cost 8 or 10 million don't want their children mingling with the plebes.

I guess our dreams are different. Imagine that.

They said they didn’t know if any good schools. But yes, the public schools all around SA are very good too.

Sorry you can’t afford. This is why people think living in the burbs is a failure. Don’t guess about my own dreams, do better with your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not. I don’t think suburban or city living is inherently considered a failure by most but the standard of living would be.

I would not consider someone who lives in a chic penthouse apartment in a city near cool restaurants, museums, etc a failure or someone living in a stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good schools a failure.

I might prefer one over the other, personally, but clearly there are very good reasons to choice both options and it’s a matter of preference.

You described two different city scenarios...

Serious question. Where does one find a "stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good scools" in DC?

Literally all of northwest? Heard of Rock Creek Park? The National Mall? St. Albans?

But, yeah, living in a ticky tack hellhole and making payments on like eight suburbans and sending your kids to some school for yokels and brats in Fairfax, boy, that's the dream.

Your idea of good schools is a private boys school that costs 60K a year? What about public schools? Or maybe it's not a problem because people that can afford to live in houses that cost 8 or 10 million don't want their children mingling with the plebes.

I guess our dreams are different. Imagine that.

They said they didn’t know if any good schools. But yes, the public schools all around SA are very good too.

Sorry you can’t afford. This is why people think living in the burbs is a failure. Don’t guess about my own dreams, do better with your own.

LOL! It's not about affordability, it's about what kind of people you want to surround yourself and your children with. We moved out of private because I didn't want my kid to grow up surrounded by a self selected group of people of similar socioeconomic status. That is not the world she should be living in.

And getting more for less is for me anyway, a wiser investment decision for a home. Took a quick look at available homes in NW DC, and the one that comes close costs 5x as much (as what our home is currently assessed at, not what we bought it for), has 1/5th the area of land, and is on a considerably busier street than ours. I'll take my peace and tranquility. You can keep your overpriced megamansion on a busy street.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think suburban living is considered a failure at all. It’s just so damn boring compared to the city in terms of culture, entertainment, fine dining, social interactions, hobbies, interests, etc….

Now if you are an introvert or homebody, then suburbia is for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suburban-like while still in city is the pinnacle of living. Greenery, trees, 2000 sq ft+ of living space....but only a 10-15 minute commute to your downtown office.

So yes, suburban with a 30+ minute commute is a failure.

This is just weaponizing zoning for your benefit. One step below being a crooked oligarch

Cope.

*tosses a wooden nickel in your general direction while avoiding eye contact*

You’ll get the guillotine first in the upcoming Communist Revolution

Don’t miss your chance. The kids just younger than you are pro market and anti-you. The generation gap is real and it wants no part of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not. I don’t think suburban or city living is inherently considered a failure by most but the standard of living would be.

I would not consider someone who lives in a chic penthouse apartment in a city near cool restaurants, museums, etc a failure or someone living in a stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good schools a failure.

I might prefer one over the other, personally, but clearly there are very good reasons to choice both options and it’s a matter of preference.

You described two different city scenarios...

Serious question. Where does one find a "stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good scools" in DC?

Wesley Heights, Woodland, some parts of Kalorama.

[Anonymous]

This has got to be the stupidest thread ever on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not. I don’t think suburban or city living is inherently considered a failure by most but the standard of living would be.

I would not consider someone who lives in a chic penthouse apartment in a city near cool restaurants, museums, etc a failure or someone living in a stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good schools a failure.

I might prefer one over the other, personally, but clearly there are very good reasons to choice both options and it’s a matter of preference.

You described two different city scenarios...

Serious question. Where does one find a "stately home on a quiet road surrounded by well maintained parks and good scools" in DC?

Literally all of northwest? Heard of Rock Creek Park? The National Mall? St. Albans?

But, yeah, living in a ticky tack hellhole and making payments on like eight suburbans and sending your kids to some school for yokels and brats in Fairfax, boy, that's the dream.

So you’re just an elitist snob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think suburban living is considered a failure at all. It’s just so damn boring compared to the city in terms of culture, entertainment, fine dining, social interactions, hobbies, interests, etc….

Now if you are an introvert or homebody, then suburbia is for you.

Some of you act like the DC suburbs are literally the middle of South Dakota. We don’t work downtown, feel strongly about sending our kids to public school, and can access all of our hobbies and socialize plenty from our suburban area. Working full time and in the throes of parenting, we aren’t attending the theatre multiple times per week nor are we going out for fine dining constantly. When we choose to go downtown for museums or dining or theatre, it’s a quick drive. But daily, we love being away from the density and general city noise and activity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think suburban living is considered a failure at all. It’s just so damn boring compared to the city in terms of culture, entertainment, fine dining, social interactions, hobbies, interests, etc….

Now if you are an introvert or homebody, then suburbia is for you.

Some of you act like the DC suburbs are literally the middle of South Dakota. We don’t work downtown, feel strongly about sending our kids to public school, and can access all of our hobbies and socialize plenty from our suburban area. Working full time and in the throes of parenting, we aren’t attending the theatre multiple times per week nor are we going out for fine dining constantly. When we choose to go downtown for museums or dining or theatre, it’s a quick drive. But daily, we love being away from the density and general city noise and activity.

They’re just trying to make themselves feel better about paying a lot to live in those tiny rat-infested row houses.

[Anonymous]

Live in DC and it's still a 20 min walk from my rowhouse to the closest metro and a 30+ min walk from the closest metro to my work in DC.

I drive everywhere every day. DC has a horrible public metro system without any grand solution to make it easier for people. Remove lanes but don't add metro stops in the city. Great, that just makes everyone p*ssed off.

And don't tell me about busses, you cannot get anywhere faster on a bus in DC than you could if you drove.

Moving to the burbs and I will deal with less traffic in the burbs for my routine errands. You heard me. LESS TRAFFIC. Yes, more traffic getting into the city, but I can drive in during non-peak times so it's honestly not any different than driving to work in the city during peak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Live in DC and it's still a 20 min walk from my rowhouse to the closest metro and a 30+ min walk from the closest metro to my work in DC.

I drive everywhere every day. DC has a horrible public metro system without any grand solution to make it easier for people. Remove lanes but don't add metro stops in the city. Great, that just makes everyone p*ssed off.

And don't tell me about busses, you cannot get anywhere faster on a bus in DC than you could if you drove.

Moving to the burbs and I will deal with less traffic in the burbs for my routine errands. You heard me. LESS TRAFFIC. Yes, more traffic getting into the city, but I can drive in during non-peak times so it's honestly not any different than driving to work in the city during peak.

Hey, sometimes you gotta recognize it's time to wave the white flag. If it's what is right for you, quitting and retreating to the suburbs and trying to carve out the best life you can is what you should do. We can't all win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Live in DC and it's still a 20 min walk from my rowhouse to the closest metro and a 30+ min walk from the closest metro to my work in DC.

I drive everywhere every day. DC has a horrible public metro system without any grand solution to make it easier for people. Remove lanes but don't add metro stops in the city. Great, that just makes everyone p*ssed off.

And don't tell me about busses, you cannot get anywhere faster on a bus in DC than you could if you drove.

Moving to the burbs and I will deal with less traffic in the burbs for my routine errands. You heard me. LESS TRAFFIC. Yes, more traffic getting into the city, but I can drive in during non-peak times so it's honestly not any different than driving to work in the city during peak.

Hey, sometimes you gotta recognize it's time to wave the white flag. If it's what is right for you, quitting and retreating to the suburbs and trying to carve out the best life you can is what you should do. We can't all win.

Of course not. I mean, even the folks who do live in the nicer parts of DC are still losing because living in a different city closer to a nice beach would be truly winning.

In the end, we're all failing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Live in DC and it's still a 20 min walk from my rowhouse to the closest metro and a 30+ min walk from the closest metro to my work in DC.

I drive everywhere every day. DC has a horrible public metro system without any grand solution to make it easier for people. Remove lanes but don't add metro stops in the city. Great, that just makes everyone p*ssed off.

And don't tell me about busses, you cannot get anywhere faster on a bus in DC than you could if you drove.

Moving to the burbs and I will deal with less traffic in the burbs for my routine errands. You heard me. LESS TRAFFIC. Yes, more traffic getting into the city, but I can drive in during non-peak times so it's honestly not any different than driving to work in the city during peak.

Hey, sometimes you gotta recognize it's time to wave the white flag. If it's what is right for you, quitting and retreating to the suburbs and trying to carve out the best life you can is what you should do. We can't all win.

Of course not. I mean, even the folks who do live in the nicer parts of DC are still losing because living in a different city closer to a nice beach would be truly winning.

In the end, we're all failing.

Very diplomatic. +1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Live in DC and it's still a 20 min walk from my rowhouse to the closest metro and a 30+ min walk from the closest metro to my work in DC.

I drive everywhere every day. DC has a horrible public metro system without any grand solution to make it easier for people. Remove lanes but don't add metro stops in the city. Great, that just makes everyone p*ssed off.

And don't tell me about busses, you cannot get anywhere faster on a bus in DC than you could if you drove.

Moving to the burbs and I will deal with less traffic in the burbs for my routine errands. You heard me. LESS TRAFFIC. Yes, more traffic getting into the city, but I can drive in during non-peak times so it's honestly not any different than driving to work in the city during peak.

Hey, sometimes you gotta recognize it's time to wave the white flag. If it's what is right for you, quitting and retreating to the suburbs and trying to carve out the best life you can is what you should do. We can't all win.

Of course not. I mean, even the folks who do live in the nicer parts of DC are still losing because living in a different city closer to a nice beach would be truly winning.

In the end, we're all failing.

Very diplomatic. +1

Glad you're also ok with losing!