What’s the allure of Fairfax County

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet another troll.

I’m really not. I just don’t “get” Fairfax.

Sure you are. You walked around "Merrifield," an industrial/commercial area next to 66, and complained about it looking like strip malls and crap. Yes, that's like walking from Shirlington up the trail to Columbia Pike and not getting the allure of Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How dense can you be? Not all of us are empty nesters who bought houses when they cost $250k for a nice SFH. We would love to live in Arlington but we can't afford it. How many people do you think live somewhere because they love it vs. because it's close to their job and it's what they can afford?

Well, you have a million people on DCUM who won’t even consider fantastic neighborhoods that aren’t nearly as depressing as Fairfax because they’re petrified to send their kids to majority minority schools. Their loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How dense can you be? Not all of us are empty nesters who bought houses when they cost $250k for a nice SFH. We would love to live in Arlington but we can't afford it. How many people do you think live somewhere because they love it vs. because it's close to their job and it's what they can afford?

Well, you have a million people on DCUM who won’t even consider fantastic neighborhoods that aren’t nearly as depressing as Fairfax because they’re petrified to send their kids to majority minority schools. Their loss.

Are you bitter for some reason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet another troll.

I’m really not. I just don’t “get” Fairfax.

Sure you are. You walked around "Merrifield," an industrial/commercial area next to 66, and complained about it looking like strip malls and crap. Yes, that's like walking from Shirlington up the trail to Columbia Pike and not getting the allure of Arlington.

I’ve been all over Fairfax. This time Merrifield, yes. Virtually all of it is horrifying.

[Anonymous]

This is such a dumb post. OP you were in like the ugliest part of the county where you were. If you go west and north of where you were it’s not nearly as ugly and industrial. Plenty of nice neighborhoods with lots of green space. For those of us who work outside the beltway there’s no reason to live right near DC. Our commutes would be longer. Plus who wants to live near North Arlington people? Based on what I read here and who I’ve met in real life, you all are insufferable with a completely unjustified superiority complex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How dense can you be? Not all of us are empty nesters who bought houses when they cost $250k for a nice SFH. We would love to live in Arlington but we can't afford it. How many people do you think live somewhere because they love it vs. because it's close to their job and it's what they can afford?

Well, you have a million people on DCUM who won’t even consider fantastic neighborhoods that aren’t nearly as depressing as Fairfax because they’re petrified to send their kids to majority minority schools. Their loss.

Are you bitter for some reason?

Why does that make me bitter? You have so many posters saying “but the schools!” It’s a major overreaction.

[Anonymous]

OP, much of Arlington is not really my cup of tea, yet I am still capable of engaging my intellect enough to understand why it appeals to many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How dense can you be? Not all of us are empty nesters who bought houses when they cost $250k for a nice SFH. We would love to live in Arlington but we can't afford it. How many people do you think live somewhere because they love it vs. because it's close to their job and it's what they can afford?

Well, you have a million people on DCUM who won’t even consider fantastic neighborhoods that aren’t nearly as depressing as Fairfax because they’re petrified to send their kids to majority minority schools. Their loss.

I'm the PP you're responding to, and I live in the Justice school district, which is literally as diverse as it gets in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is such a dumb post. OP you were in like the ugliest part of the county where you were. If you go west and north of where you were it’s not nearly as ugly and industrial. Plenty of nice neighborhoods with lots of green space. For those of us who work outside the beltway there’s no reason to live right near DC. Our commutes would be longer. Plus who wants to live near North Arlington people? Based on what I read here and who I’ve met in real life, you all are insufferable with a completely unjustified superiority complex.

I don’t live in North Arlington anymore. But you’re right - who wants to live there? Reminds me of the old WC Fields joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Umm, North Arlington also straddles 66, has tons of strip malls (have you driven on 29?), and plenty of neighborhoods have similar houses that are now being torn down and replaced with huge mansions.

If you drive out 29 from DC, you would be hard pressed to know whether you are in North Arlington, the City of Falls Church, or Fairfax County bc they are mostly all the same.

+1

Lyon Village has 2 strip malls separated by a highway and a prominent pawn shop, but people still go crazy for it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Raised the kids in North Arlington and moved to downtown DC as youngish empty nesters. Bought a second home in the country about 90 minutes from the city when Covid started. None of our places is particularly fancy, and we’re well off but I wouldn’t say wealthy.

Was in Fairfax County today having car work done. Spent a couple hours walking around the area (more or less the between Vienna and Merrifield) while I waited.

I found it horrifying. Strip malls followed by town houses and single family homes hugging congested highways, no real sidewalks (mostly asphalt), and all the same in every direction. Walked into what looked like a quiet leafy ‘hood to get away from it and quickly found myself walking into a sound wall for I-66.

I’m sorry, but why does anyone with any other options choose to live in an area like that? It raised my blood pressure!!

did you use a time machine to go back 30 years to merrifield and walk around?

[Anonymous]

I lived in Arlington for a while (North Arlington, no less) and it’s the one place in the DC area I’d never live again. Don’t like the housing, don’t like how paved over it is compared to Fairfax and Loudoun, don’t like the schools, and generally am not a fan of the types of people w/kids living there.

There are so many nicer areas in Fairfax and Loudoun. And while the schools in Alexandria are a deal-killer for us, it does have some nice neighborhoods. Arlington is just meh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet another troll.

I’m really not. I just don’t “get” Fairfax.

I think there are a lot of things you don’t “get.”

[Anonymous]

Fairfax/Arlington counties are much uglier than Montgomery County. It's not even a close call. Most people who live in NoVa choose to do so for lower taxes and/or commute reasons, not because it's pretty.

[Anonymous]

OP was here to get their car fixed. Can anyone tell me that you live in a nice neighborhood and also next to a car repaire shop? I am wondering why they dont try to go to a garage in DC. Using a small area near car repair shop to diminish a county is clueless or mean.