Give Up Trying to Find House in Lyon Village?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Crime, parking and traffic" PP here-

Yes, we do live in LV "proper" near Franklin and Edgewood and we absolutely trade unparalleled convenience (1000' to Whole Foods) for parking issues, minor but frequent crime, loud drunk people and speeders. Also, a quick glance at the last BZA survey yields a 30% non-owner occupant rate in LV (proper). True, most of these properties are East of Highland but there are plenty of them. In fact, EVERY house (6) on the south side of Franklin near Java Shack is owned by Buck Realty and rented (usually to college kids or 20 somethings).

True, we are on the edge of the bars and there are plenty of areas deeper in the neighborhood that are very quiet (they get bigger lots, bigger homes, quieter streets but lose Science Focus and have a longer walk to WF) Still, ask anyone that lives on Franklin, Highland, Edgewood, Key or Danville about traffic and speeding. I practically wear out my stink eye glaring at people roaring through and playing toddler slalom at 40 mph.

One thing- I highly recommend that anyone consider a home anywhere in the orange line corridor take a peek at Arlington and Falls Church long term planning. It is very much in the county's best interest (in good ways for civic planning and bad NIMBY ways for those of use close to Wilson) to add density along the Wilson corridor. On any given day there are 1-2 re-zoning battles going on pushing the "buffer zones" of the neighborhoods. Buck owns that entire Franklin/Wilson block because he will one day tear it down and build mixed use high density housing backed by 12 townhouses.

So, bottom line- I still love where I live but there is some possibility that someone will build a 90' tall building pretty much right in front of my house. If you have the choice you may want to stay away from the buffer streets where they get close to Wilson (or Lee).

The area down by Key School and many of the streets north (towards Rosslyn) of Danville are actually "Aurora Heights" not Lyon Village. The one the OP mentioned viewing is actually "Aurora Heights" not Lyon Village. REaltors list it as LV to get traffic. It is listed as both neighborhoods on most realtor websites. Edgewood and Highland are the busiest streets as they are major cut-throughs. The houses in the area you are talking aobut tend to be closer together and smaller than the rest of Lyon Village. I think the majority of the rentals are down in that busy area. It is much quieter on the other side..not near Java Shack. Also- htere are many houses on the other side that are still zoned "Key/Science Focus'. But- you are correct...this is an Urban area and with that does come thing traditionally associated with city living.

[Anonymous]

The official eastern boundary for LV is Veitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The official eastern boundary for LV is Veitch.

That varies depending on who you ask and what site you are looking at. Traditionally, it has been known as "Aurora heights' down in that area by Key school. You will see homes there with dual listing as LyonVillage/Aurora Heights. It is the same stunt they pull listing Burleith houses on the border as "Georgetown". Savvy buyers (and I guess savvy realtors) do know the distinctions and the sales price often reflects the difference.

[Anonymous]

Well, the supposedly snotty Lyon Villagers consider it part of LV, so perhaps everyone has bought into the evil realtor scheme.

http://www.lyonvillage.org/about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, the supposedly snotty Lyon Villagers consider it part of LV, so perhaps everyone has bought into the evil realtor scheme.

http://www.lyonvillage.org/about

http://franklymls.com/AR7566750

You have to pan down to see the 'exterior details'...all houses down in that area are technically 'aurora heights' but bill as 'lv' to get the traffic and for ppl who don't know the difference..

Advertised / Legal Subdivison: LYON VILLAGE / AURORA HEIGHTS

[Anonymous]

There are subdivisions within subdivisions. When we bought our house in the Veeelaghze, our realtor referred to "The Heights," not as in Aurora Heights but as in the part of LV between Highland and Lee Highway. Evidently that's the very most bestest part of LV. (It's not where our house is.)

I am loving the snark about "ppl who don't know the difference." Maybe they're just weirdos who want to be somewhere in LV for its proximity to retail and transportation and for the schools, and after that they just take the house on a case-by-case basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are subdivisions within subdivisions. When we bought our house in the Veeelaghze, our realtor referred to "The Heights," not as in Aurora Heights but as in the part of LV between Highland and Lee Highway. Evidently that's the very most bestest part of LV. (It's not where our house is.)

I am loving the snark about "ppl who don't know the difference." Maybe they're just weirdos who want to be somewhere in LV for its proximity to retail and transportation and for the schools, and after that they just take the house on a case-by-case basis.

The snark is really directed at the realtors. I really hate the tricks they play. It doesn't really matter what the h*ll somebody calls it if you like the house and location---but just don't play games--tell it like it is. It's like calling an 'apple' an 'orange', People who don't know the area are essentially buying under false pretense when a realtor tells them it is a subdivision that it really isn't. That just makes my angry..and it came off as snotty.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe some of you are my neighbors! Who cares? It's not some exclusive club.
And I live in the supposedly "bestest" part of LV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe some of you are my neighbors! Who cares? It's not some exclusive club.
And I live in the supposedly "bestest" part of LV.

Amen. You line drawers are embarrassing. To the OP- this whole part of the thread illustrates the "other" problem with LV

[Anonymous]

folks LV is not Beverly Hills- get a grip. The value of the little 'burb of yours is driven in the end by it's proximity to Clarendon, so I think the distinctions between these mini-neighbourhoods are becoming less and less relevant.

[Anonymous]

15:10 here, and I am hoping really hard that I am not being considered a "line-drawer." My point is that there may be lines, but who cares? If you are within the official LV boundaries, you can join the LVCA. Or not, because it's not required. Everything else is either out of your hands (school boundaries) or a decision you assess on your own (what do you want to be close to?)

Well, and you may occasionally be awakened by the sound of 15:17 sobbing when she thinks of people betrayed by the evil realtor cabal and now living in a house they only think is part of the true LV sanctum . . . duh duh DAH . . . .

[Anonymous]

Wait, just because a house is across the street from something in the "official" LVCA -- that reduces walkability to Clarendon stuff by 50 feet and doesn't exactly put you in a ghetto school district. Folks in North Arlington don't exactly have the school drama that DCPS and ACPS folks have ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, just because a house is across the street from something in the "official" LVCA -- that reduces walkability to Clarendon stuff by 50 feet and doesn't exactly put you in a ghetto school district. Folks in North Arlington don't exactly have the school drama that DCPS and ACPS folks have ...

Nobody said it was. One pp mentioned noise, crime, renters and college kids. That effects a very tiny portion of the neighborhood..and predominantly one area. That was all that was intended. I was trying to say that LV is a perfectly great neighborhood and parts of it are very serene. Let's face it----anywhere in the general area is a fantastic place to live and nobody cares where in the general vicinity somebody lives. The point was you can live in a part of the neighborhood totally uneffected by what somebody else was complaining about if you avoid the busiest/cut-thru streets and the houses bordering Wilson or down around Key where there are the renters pp mentioned. That is not to say any of those areas are bad...in fact---the great draw to those areas is you are closer to the action and a much shorter walk to amenities. It is a trade-off whether you can put up with a little bit of city or you want to be farter away in a quieter area with a longer walk to the metro. I, for one, like being a block or two away because you can carry groceries back without breaking your fingers. Nobody is saying anyone lives on the 'wrong side of the tracks' for gods-sake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, just because a house is across the street from something in the "official" LVCA -- that reduces walkability to Clarendon stuff by 50 feet and doesn't exactly put you in a ghetto school district. Folks in North Arlington don't exactly have the school drama that DCPS and ACPS folks have ...

All schools in this area are fantastic. I know ppl that are zoned for Arl.ScienceFocus and prefer Taylor or vice versa...and a bunch love Key. That is a non-issue as you pointed out unless your heart was set on dual-immersion or a science-math based school. Then- because of the elimination of allowing 'team' transfers it would be an issue---but they are all fantastic, top-notch schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, just because a house is across the street from something in the "official" LVCA -- that reduces walkability to Clarendon stuff by 50 feet and doesn't exactly put you in a ghetto school district. Folks in North Arlington don't exactly have the school drama that DCPS and ACPS folks have ...

All schools in this area are fantastic. I know ppl that are zoned for Arl.ScienceFocus and prefer Taylor or vice versa...and a bunch love Key. That is a non-issue as you pointed out unless your heart was set on dual-immersion or a science-math based school. [b]Then- because of the elimination of allowing 'team' transfers it would be an issue---but they are all fantastic, top-notch schools.

Yes, I think team transferring s all but done unless you have a sibling who is currently there. I also wonder what will happen with Science Focus as I feel like more and more people want that school and it is starting to get more crowded.