s/o -- which parts of McClean have the "community feeling"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't forget to look into the Falls Church area that feeds into McLean HS. Lots of good down-to-earth neighborhood communities.

Yep, and before anyone jumps on this poster for recommending these areas they should know most, if not all, of these neighborhoods are part of the McLean tax district that funds the local community center, etc.

[Anonymous]

OP

While others make fun of you, please know that half the people in Northern Virginia spell McLean "McClean." If you give me your price range, I will provide neitghborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in the brown bag part. It really is the luck of the draw. Two street over has a great neighborhood connections, ours not so much.


(by 'brown bag part', I mean the area of McLean where we brown bag it to lunch.)


(PS, I think McClean is in McDonaldland.)

The house poor part?

Not always house poor. Just not in the new McMansions. The ones that live in the older ramblers and split levels/foyers.

Yeah, but these homes are fugly. I just drove around there to look at a home in the 900 range and could not believe how hideous the neighborhood was. All of the houses were 80s- either split-levels with distressed siding or those awful huge ones with the columns out front. Totally dated. Then down the street there were a bunch of 50s bungalow types with tiny footprints. About every 10th house was a McMansion, which was so over the top, they really effed up the neighborhood. What do neighbors think about this? I want up buy a house and update it, but not for it to look completely different than everyone else's.

These areas are similar to parts of North Arlington and upper NW neighborhoods like North Cleveland Park, but it doesn't sound like you'd be happy or, for that matter, fit in. Sounds like you should be looking at HOA neighborhoods in Oakton or Burke, perhaps.

Way way off! I currently live in North Cleveland Park and we don't have split foyers, fugly etc... I more than fit it. Don't get snarky because someone is expressing an opinion of the housing stock. It's butt ugly. PERIOD. The people might be great and have a high opinion of their homes. Wonderful and God bless them. IMO and I'm speaking for no one else or really trying to offend someone (but since you wear your emotions on your sleeve I could avoid it with you), the houses are dated. That's the trouble with timestamped architecture. Victorians, Wardman's etc... and even some 70s homes hold their charm and are timeless. The 80s is not a part of this group. My question (to less sensitive people and more people with a backbone and don't give a darn about a DCUM poster's opinion) is do the neighbors care? Are people planning on renovating and remodeling? Will people pay in the 900s and be okay or are more people looking for prices in the 700 with the ability to reface their 1980s home.

I used to live near Van Ness, and am familiar with North Cleveland Park, and there are plenty of older homes there on streets like Veazey, Warren, Alton, etc. similar to some of the less expensive houses in McLean. It's not a question of being snarky. It's a matter of fact, and some people like the mid-century houses.

If your beef is with 1980s architecture specifically, I'm sure McLean has more of it than NW DC, and less of it than much of suburban Maryland or Virginia. People who buy 1980s homes in McLean in the $900K range are far more likely to do some interior remodeling than change the exterior. That would be equally true in places like Vienna and Rockville, where there are even more 1980s homes, but available at lower price points.

Not 1980's, more like 1960's in Mclean. 1950's in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't forget to look into the Falls Church area that feeds into McLean HS. Lots of good down-to-earth neighborhood communities.

Yep, and before anyone jumps on this poster for recommending these areas they should know most, if not all, of these neighborhoods are part of the McLean tax district that funds the local community center, etc.

I consider that part of "Falls Church" to be McLean for its identity. The schools that have a Falls CHurch postal address, like Haycock and Longfellow are associated with McLean HS. The kids in those neighborhoods generally participate in McLean sports (baseball/soccer/football) more than Falls Church, they go to the pools that are in McLean (Mclean, Kent Gardens, Tuckahoe....) they participate in the Old Firehouse offerings....... The Post Office has its delineations don't reflect the identities. Just look at Tyson's - half in McLean and half in Vienna. Neither is really true. Tyson's for the most part has its own identity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not 1980's, more like 1960's in Mclean. 1950's in Arlington.

All one can really do is generalize as to the prevalent age of homes in various neighborhoods. Arlington and McLean both have homes from every decade from the 1950s on, including the 1980s. Arlington has older houses as well, but there are entire blocks where the majority of the homes were built in the 1980s or later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't forget to look into the Falls Church area that feeds into McLean HS. Lots of good down-to-earth neighborhood communities.

Yep, and before anyone jumps on this poster for recommending these areas they should know most, if not all, of these neighborhoods are part of the McLean tax district that funds the local community center, etc.

I consider that part of "Falls Church" to be McLean for its identity. The schools that have a Falls CHurch postal address, like Haycock and Longfellow are associated with McLean HS. The kids in those neighborhoods generally participate in McLean sports (baseball/soccer/football) more than Falls Church, they go to the pools that are in McLean (Mclean, Kent Gardens, Tuckahoe....) they participate in the Old Firehouse offerings....... The Post Office has its delineations don't reflect the identities. Just look at Tyson's - half in McLean and half in Vienna. Neither is really true. Tyson's for the most part has its own identity.

Whatever. If that makes up for your feelings of inadequacy, go for it.

[Anonymous]

I like McLean. I like the funky downtown. I like my neighbors. I like the easy access to the Beltway or George Washington Parkway. I like the easy parking all over McLean. I would like more shopping options but then I am six minutes from Tysons (I just avoid Tysons - that's my choice). Vienna has more shopping options but I just don't want to fight getting up and down congested Maple Street to get to it - not after fighting a commute already from downtown. You just need to explore. There's a nice group of older, smallish townhomes just due north of the Safeway. If you can snap up one of the townhomes, it is a great community and in walking distance of shopping, the library, etc. I'm not saying they are attractive; I'm just saying they are affordable and provide a good center for a starting family. I wish I had found that group before buying. Hamlet is great too - has actual sidewalks and streetlights. It's where we go to trick-or-treat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't forget to look into the Falls Church area that feeds into McLean HS. Lots of good down-to-earth neighborhood communities.

Yep, and before anyone jumps on this poster for recommending these areas they should know most, if not all, of these neighborhoods are part of the McLean tax district that funds the local community center, etc.

I consider that part of "Falls Church" to be McLean for its identity. The schools that have a Falls CHurch postal address, like Haycock and Longfellow are associated with McLean HS. The kids in those neighborhoods generally participate in McLean sports (baseball/soccer/football) more than Falls Church, they go to the pools that are in McLean (Mclean, Kent Gardens, Tuckahoe....) they participate in the Old Firehouse offerings....... The Post Office has its delineations don't reflect the identities. Just look at Tyson's - half in McLean and half in Vienna. Neither is really true. Tyson's for the most part has its own identity.

Whatever. If that makes up for your feelings of inadequacy, go for it.

It actually seemed like a pretty accurate post, so you are just coming across as snarky and resentful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP

While others make fun of you, please know that half the people in Northern Virginia spell McLean "McClean." If you give me your price range, I will provide neitghborhoods.

Not the OP, but if the budget is up to $1.3m where would you suggest for a nice neighborhood and community feel?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Langley Oaks and McLean Hamlet would be good places to start in that price range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Langley Oaks and McLean Hamlet would be good places to start in that price range.

Potomac Hills or Chesterbrook Woods too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP

While others make fun of you, please know that half the people in Northern Virginia spell McLean "McClean." If you give me your price range, I will provide neitghborhoods.

Not the OP, but if the budget is up to $1.3m where would you suggest for a nice neighborhood and community feel?

Thanks

McLean Hamlet. You may be able to find some homes in that budget within West McLean, but they might be the older, smaller houses. The Hamlet has a good inventory in that range.

[Anonymous]

OP, you do not want what others perceive as "the best". While it may look good on paper, it is often NOT what it is cracked up to be. You could then pass on a great neighborhood for naught. Try to look at the big picture.

FWIW, the people I know (only about 5-6 families) tend to absolutely adore McLean Hamlet, even years after they have been in the neighborhood. The people/neighbors end up being what they seem to be, which is important. People who are down to earth and not delusional are important to find in McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you do not want what others perceive as "the best". While it may look good on paper, it is often NOT what it is cracked up to be. You could then pass on a great neighborhood for naught. Try to look at the big picture.

FWIW, the people I know (only about 5-6 families) tend to absolutely adore McLean Hamlet, even years after they have been in the neighborhood. The people/neighbors end up being what they seem to be, which is important. People who are down to earth and not delusional are important to find in McLean.

You seem to post variations of this cryptic comment repeatedly on different threads. It would be most helpful to the OP and others if you just identified by name "the best" neighborhood that isn't "what it is cracked up to be," and explain you feel that way about it.