Forum Index
»
Real Estate
Any neighborhoods under $400,000 homes that I'm not thinking of?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
I agree with this. Red Fox Forest is a great neighborhood and many of the neighborhoods off Braddock have tons of kids. |
Anonymous
| Reston. Townhouses can still be found in the Terraset Elementary/South Reston area for just under 400k. |
Anonymous
|
We live in the Franconia/Kingstowne area. I never thought I'd live in this area (I lived in Arlington when I was single) but I actually really like it. If you get to the Springfield metro by 8:00 or so, you can always find parking, we rarely get caught up in the mixing bowl mess because we have a lot of road options and I like all the development around the Kingstowne area.
I know some people bash the schools around here but, really, do you think it's going to matter if your kid goes to Edison or Braddock? Parents are the biggest influence on kids and the best indicator of academic success is socio-economic level and the mother's education level. Your kids will be fine whatever school they go to. FWIW, Edison does have an IB program and our kids are in the Spanish Immersion program at Rose Hill and walk to school. It's great! Oh - for $400,000, you can get a 3 BDR, 2 BA SFH on at least a 0.25 acre lot and no HOA. |
Anonymous
|
I just moved into a great neighborhood called Hollin Hall. It is south of Old Town Alexandria down the Geo Washington Pkwy. So far I LOVE it. Quaint, safe, quiet clean, convenient. Easy commute from Huntington metro (yellow line). Houses are small but there are plenty in the 400K range. Also, there is a community pool, a cute little shopping center with a Safeway, pastry shop, hardware store, etc. that I can WALK to from my house, and decent schools.
We checked out Kingstowne and found it to be way too far from the city and it was too crowded and way to "suburban" in how everything was designed. On a Saturday evening if you go to a movie in that shopping center/movie theater over there, it feels way too crowded and claustrophobic (imho). Also checked out and like Silver Spring but never wound up finding anything up there that felt right for us. If we did not find this place, we may have moved there. I also should mention I used to live in Fairlington, and we LOVED it there. Family friendly, dog friendly and cant beat the commute. We decided not to buy there because of the fees, and we needed more of a real yard for our dog. |
Anonymous
|
[quote=Anonymous]I just moved into a great neighborhood called Hollin Hall. It is south of Old Town Alexandria down the Geo Washington Pkwy. So far I LOVE it. Quaint, safe, quiet clean, convenient. Easy commute from Huntington metro (yellow line). Houses are small but there are plenty in the 400K range. Also, there is a community pool, a cute little shopping center with a Safeway, pastry shop, hardware store, etc. that I can WALK to from my house, and decent schools.
[b]We checked out Kingstowne and found it to be way too far from the city [/b]and it was too crowded and way to "suburban" in how everything was designed. On a Saturday evening if you go to a movie in that shopping center/movie theater over there, it feels way too crowded and claustrophobic (imho). Also checked out and like Silver Spring but never wound up finding anything up there that felt right for us. If we did not find this place, we may have moved there. I also should mention I used to live in Fairlington, and we LOVED it there. Family friendly, dog friendly and cant beat the commute. We decided not to buy there because of the fees, and we needed more of a real yard for our dog.[/quote] I used to live there (Kingstowne) and could get downtown in 45 minutes. I believe that's the same for Hollin Hill right? It's a pretty long drive down the pkwy and don't you have to go through Old Town traffic.? |
Anonymous
| Yeah, it may be the same in terms of driving but psychologically, it felt more connected to the city - in my mind it seems "just ten minutes from old town" whereas kingstowne felt mentally like I was way out in Suburbia. That said, Old Town traffic does suck big time. Driving to Dc during rush hour is about 45 mins. But I take he metro - it is just a quick drive to Huntington metro and short, direct jaunt on the yellow line and you are in L'enfant plaza in no time. I am sure it is a matter of personal preference, but Hollin Hall/ Fort Hunt area is definitely worth taking a look if you like older charm. |
Anonymous
| If you are commuting to Capitol Hill, I would definitely check out Hollin Hall and the other neighborhoods out toward Mt. Vernon. You have the option of taking 295, and avoiding the whole Old Town/14th St. Bridge mess. I have a friend who lives out there, and he says the Parkway to 495 is almost never backed up, and it is a beautiful drive by the river. He listens to the traffic report, and goes through Old Town if there is a problem on 295. The Old Town route will get better once they complete the 14th St. and Humpback Bridge renovations, and you'll be coming on to 395 inside the Mark Center (which is going to make that stretch of 395 even more of a mess). |
Anonymous
|
Admittedly a repeat poster on this thread, but here's another:
http://www.weichert.com/37576061/?zip=22310&minpr=179&maxpr=600&minbr=3&minba=1.5&pg=3 Bush Hill Elementary is small & right around the corner w/ a nice playground. Lots of folks out walking dogs in the evening. Rose Hill shopping center no great shakes, but it'll do, and you can walk if you want. Public Library close. Lee District Rec center 5 minute drive. Has a soft play room for when you're going nuts in the winter (entrance fee) , a fabulous new splash park just opened (free!) great for the 8 and under crowd and parents who need a break/ destination. On Telegraph Road, not far from Lee District Rec Center is Little Gym & Grounded Coffee (great, family friendly coffee shop w/ fab French pastries, etc.). Recently open on Telegraph Road is Telegraph Station a funny combo beer and sandwich shop--also family friendly in the early evenings. None of this is like Old Town or funky Del Ray. These are great spots in suburban neighborhoods...but good options if you're looking for a place of your own, and can't afford the rest....yet. Great ops for first time buyers in Rose HIll too. Close to metros & close to commuting routes. 12 minutes to Old Town, Wilson Bridge for commute to Cap Hill, etc. I'm not a real estate agent, just seeing opportunities as some of the older owners sell, and know they won't get what their neighbors got a few years ago. |
Anonymous
| 16:59 makes a great point - I've commuted into the city on 295 before from Alexandria (my daughter's dad lives in Cameron Station) and it was a very pleasant commute. Totally worth checking out homes that would be convenient to 295. |
Anonymous
| Not exactly under $400k, but in the $500k range- some of the smaller townhouses in Glebewood, in N Arlington, near Ballston Metro. Also look at fixer uppers in Highview Park, nearby there. |
Anonymous
| http://www.postlets.com/res/5847395 Just looked at this....... |
Anonymous
I've lived in West Springfield for 7 years now. Near Old Keane Mill and Rolling roads. When I leave at 6:30 and drive up 395 to 23rd and C st, I'm walking into my building by 7:10. When commuting over to Tyson's Corner, I'd leave at about 6:40 and be walking into my office at about 7:25. I do agree with PP though, I never go down OKM to 395. I head up Braddock road and cut up to Little River Turnpike and get on 395 there. Cuts off about 10 minutes. |
Anonymous
Oh yeah, DCPS are known for being the best out there ... |
Anonymous
|
We recently moved to Burke, and my DH works on Capitol Hill. He has found that the VRE works really well for him. We're close to the Burke Centre station, where parking is plentiful. He's able to leave our garage and be on the platform in about 5 minutes. (He takes one of the later trains, so that's taking into account that he is not getting "prime" parking.) It's a 45 minute train ride to Union Station, and then another 5 minutes walk to work. All in all, it's usually an hour door to door - and compared to Metro and even MARC, he's found VRE to be very reliable and pleasant. Even the folks I know who live in Arlington don't have a super-quick commute into the city/Capitol Hill, as comparison.
Certainly, moving out here would be a bit of a shock after living on the Hill, but it's very green, people are friendly, and it's a great place for kids with lots of parks and activities. We have lots of paths that connect to shopping - not necessarily an easy walk, but an easy bike ride. And if you pine for your old neighborhood, it's 25 minutes to Capitol Hill on the weekends with no traffic. Or if can't make it to Eastern Market, you can just hit the surprisingly large Burke Farmers Market on Saturday mornings through the fall. |
Anonymous
The drive to get down to Braddock takes close to 15 minutes (10 if you make all the lights or even if you cut down the one side street). Once on Braddock, its another 15 minute drive to Little River Turnpike. It just really does take longer than you want it to. No traffic, and you hit every light, and yes it would take less time but I tried that route and it didn't help in rush hour traffic. I lived in the West Springfield area long enough to have tried every iteration of getting downtown faster and there is just no good way. 395 at 6:30am is the best bet. By 6:50am it's back upped. It amazes me how literally 5 minutes in the West Springfield area makes such a major difference. |