Falls Church City (22046) and High Taxes

[Anonymous]

An agent told me that this was depressing prices and sales of higher priced million dollar homes.

What's the real scoop?

[Anonymous]

What scoop do you want to know? Taxes are higher, but people still want to live there... have you seen any depressing prices?

[Anonymous]

Taxes are higher than Fairfax, real estate prices are higher, but we've found the schools to be phenomenal and well worth the higher housing prices and higher taxes. We have no regrets about moving from Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

We looked there but chose Fairfax County because we felt the high taxes and the general rundown-looking vibe of the neighborhood didn't warrant the prices. The schools aren't really any better than the highly ranked Fairfax County ones like McLean/Langley/Marshall.

[Anonymous]

Anyone with a good head for numbers can do the math and see that you don't get much for the higher taxes.

[Anonymous]

If this is typical of what's for sale in Falls Church City these days, I don't think taxes have much to do with why people aren't buying:

http://franklymls.com/FA8012484

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is typical of what's for sale in Falls Church City these days, I don't think taxes have much to do with why people aren't buying:

http://franklymls.com/FA8012484

So overpriced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taxes are higher than Fairfax, real estate prices are higher, but we've found the schools to be phenomenal and well worth the higher housing prices and higher taxes. We have no regrets about moving from Fairfax County.

the schools are not really that much better

[Anonymous]

Houses are still selling like hot cakes. A fairly priced house will go under contract in days. We definitely preferred the small school district to the huge FFX one. It's a great fit for us and I don't mind paying extra for it. It's more than test scores, it's the community and having a school district where everyone knows my kid- priceless (well, maybe not priceless!). Plus the walkability in FCC is way higher than in FFX, much higher quality of life (for me and what I was looking for).

[Anonymous]

Terrible

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Houses are still selling like hot cakes. A fairly priced house will go under contract in days. We definitely preferred the small school district to the huge FFX one. It's a great fit for us and I don't mind paying extra for it. It's more than test scores, it's the community and having a school district where everyone knows my kid- priceless (well, maybe not priceless!). Plus the walkability in FCC is way higher than in FFX, much higher quality of life (for me and what I was looking for).

Too high of a price to pay. FCC is a depressing little city full of old houses, dark streets, no sidewalks... it's all a hype!

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fan of the taxes either -- right now, the vast bulk of the budget is shouldered by homeowners because the city councils in the past were short-sighted and practically anti-business in their approach to development within the city. The current slate seems to take a much more realistic view and is also expending energy trying to get us there. Fingers are crossed...

But here's the thing: I just got a call about an error on our tax return. To fix the problem, I grabbed the necessary paperwork and walked up to City Hall, where the woman I spoke to was waiting for me and called me by name. Five minutes beside her desk and she was hitting the buttons to process our refund. No take-a-number, no disinterested bureaucrat, no forms to fill out in triplicate, no hassle. And every single interaction I've had with the city government has been the same -- helpful, accountable human beings who genuinely seem to enjoy working with residents. Try that at the Fairfax Government Center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is typical of what's for sale in Falls Church City these days, I don't think taxes have much to do with why people aren't buying:

http://franklymls.com/FA8012484

That's not typical at all of the housing stock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this is typical of what's for sale in Falls Church City these days, I don't think taxes have much to do with why people aren't buying:

http://franklymls.com/FA8012484

That's not typical at all of the housing stock.

That's actually the better ones

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Houses are still selling like hot cakes. A fairly priced house will go under contract in days. We definitely preferred the small school district to the huge FFX one. It's a great fit for us and I don't mind paying extra for it. It's more than test scores, it's the community and having a school district where everyone knows my kid- priceless (well, maybe not priceless!). Plus the walkability in FCC is way higher than in FFX, much higher quality of life (for me and what I was looking for).

Too high of a price to pay. FCC is a depressing little city full of old houses, dark streets, no sidewalks... it's all a hype!

Oh gosh, it's so NOT a depressing place. Everywhere we go, we run into kids and families we know. So friendly, so neighborly - at the park, farmer's market, events, just around town during the weekend. We walk everywhere, most streets have sidewalks. There are all sorts of houses - old ones, new ones: it's definitely not cookie cutter. And dark streets? Do you mean at night? Because yes, they can be dark at night lol. Anyhow, to each their own, but I so love this community, I don't think it's hype at all. But it definitely depends on what you are looking for - you have walkability to so many things but it's not a cute downtown for sure. Almost everyone I've met really loves the place - that's probably true of any neighborhood though!