Going from owning back to renting?

[Anonymous]

I totally agree with poster 08:56 about the schools in S. Arlington. I just bought my first town home this Spring in S. Arlington (not Fairlington) for a blessedly affordable price/taxes/condo fee--so close to work in DC, gorgeous tree cover, right near bike path, Shirlington, fantastic neighbors--but now I see why it is so "affordable"--because the S. Arlington schools are so highly concentrated with poverty, profanity, and soul-crushing, stultifying adherence to "teaching to the test." Schools in S. Arlington with parents who wear their pants below their underwear?? WHY? Are they teen parents? No parent ever did that where we came from!

I told myself when I was looking to buy, and looking at stats in N. & S. Arlington, I wasn't worried about the test scores, it's more important that every child is learning....but they don't seem to be learning, only disrespecting the teacher and each other.....And N. Arlington is financially out of my reach forever, even were I to inherit ALL my relatives' wealth...
It seems that the few Fairlington families who attend the neighborhood school leave by about 2nd or 3rd grade. The rest of the students are very impoverished...my 4th grader was unable to participate in class without being accused of cheating, without fear of retribution from classmates (because participating is not cool, only note-passing vulgarities is). I was apoplectic at the experiences... was unable to come to resolution with teachers/school officials/school board, and unable to transfer, had to opt for home-schooling. Now looking into private school... For everyone who says the "bad areas" all over greater DC are gentrifying--well, it seems the neighborhoods are, but the schools are years behind--dark, dismal, moldy carpet, windowless rooms--and then go look at light and bright schools in N. Arlington--whole walls of windows.

Age 5 will come in only 3 years. Do you want to move every 3 years? If we could have found ONE friend the age and gender of my child who lived here, who read books, who liked to participate in class and learn things, we might have survived the schools. But we did not. Not one. Every child was free and reduced lunch, and they all begged food constantly, and shared food they licked and ate and passed back and forth until my child was nauseous. It was heartbreaking to experience.
We can't fix poverty, and we had no one to start a revolution in the S. Arlington schools with, so we fled. Basically the vast majority of Shirlington/Fairlington corridor residents seem to be retirees, childless singles, or have very young children. I would not move, unless your current schools are as equally unacceptable as the S. Arlington elementary schools are....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally agree with poster 08:56 about the schools in S. Arlington. I just bought my first town home this Spring in S. Arlington (not Fairlington) for a blessedly affordable price/taxes/condo fee--so close to work in DC, gorgeous tree cover, right near bike path, Shirlington, fantastic neighbors--but now I see why it is so "affordable"--because the S. Arlington schools are so highly concentrated with poverty, profanity, and soul-crushing, stultifying adherence to "teaching to the test." Schools in S. Arlington with parents who wear their pants below their underwear?? WHY? Are they teen parents? No parent ever did that where we came from!

I told myself when I was looking to buy, and looking at stats in N. & S. Arlington, I wasn't worried about the test scores, it's more important that every child is learning....but they don't seem to be learning, only disrespecting the teacher and each other.....And N. Arlington is financially out of my reach forever, even were I to inherit ALL my relatives' wealth...
It seems that the few Fairlington families who attend the neighborhood school leave by about 2nd or 3rd grade. The rest of the students are very impoverished...my 4th grader was unable to participate in class without being accused of cheating, without fear of retribution from classmates (because participating is not cool, only note-passing vulgarities is). I was apoplectic at the experiences... was unable to come to resolution with teachers/school officials/school board, and unable to transfer, had to opt for home-schooling. Now looking into private school... For everyone who says the "bad areas" all over greater DC are gentrifying--well, it seems the neighborhoods are, but the schools are years behind--dark, dismal, moldy carpet, windowless rooms--and then go look at light and bright schools in N. Arlington--whole walls of windows.

Age 5 will come in only 3 years. Do you want to move every 3 years? If we could have found ONE friend the age and gender of my child who lived here, who read books, who liked to participate in class and learn things, we might have survived the schools. But we did not. Not one. Every child was free and reduced lunch, and they all begged food constantly, and shared food they licked and ate and passed back and forth until my child was nauseous. It was heartbreaking to experience.
We can't fix poverty, and we had no one to start a revolution in the S. Arlington schools with, so we fled. Basically the vast majority of Shirlington/Fairlington corridor residents seem to be retirees, childless singles, or have very young children. I would not move, unless your current schools are as equally unacceptable as the S. Arlington elementary schools are....

Wut

[Anonymous]

We are you in a few years. We moved here 2 years ago (job) and couldn't sell our out of state home. We were losing money every month on it which sucked. We found an area we liked, with good schools and found a rental. Not our dream house but perfect location and kids can walk to school which is my dream. I have felt a bit unsettled and figured we would rent until we sold the out of state house and had funds for down payment. Well we did that and.....signed another two year lease on our rental. I honestly don't know if we will ever go back to owning. Renting is really easy for us. Our landlords are great and don't anticipate moving back for 6 more years. So for now we have our down payment earning interest. We are contemplating plowing it all into college funds (which would then be maxed) and using the next few years to save for another down payment. Don't know quite yet but I love the freedom of renting.

[Anonymous]

Wow - I live in Fairlington, have two school aged children in S. Arlington schools, know tons of kids in our neighborhood and in our schools, and couldn't be happier with all of it. I volunteer in my son's classroom, and see poverty and hunger in a couple of his classmates (and according to this board he's at an undesirable school for sure) which is sad - but they behaved just like all the other kids in general. Fairlington is full of kids, even middle & high school kids - I see them walking home from their bus stop all the time. Not sure what the PP is talking about.