Are Arlington Schools worth the huge mortgage I'm going to need?

[Anonymous]

I would never pick Arlington for its schools.

Definitely No to OPs question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't see moving to North Arlington if the B-CC area was an option. It's just a more interesting, visually attractive area, and the schools are better, too.

Seriously? Montgomery Mall is visually interesting? Wildwood more interesting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never pick Arlington for its schools.

Definitely No to OPs question.

Nice well thought out post. Very convincing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:B-CC is great. Unless you have some need to be in Arlington, or just like it better, stay in Bethesda or Chevy Chase. Moving to Arlington would be a horizontal move. Arlington offers the exact same options in IB and AP courses and the housing stock is fairly similar (but not the grand old 19th century mansions near Chevy Chase Circle). I love Arlington, and the schools are great, but don't move unless you have more compelling reasons. Enjoy the larger house in MD!

I agree, but this works in reverse too. ie, there are some homes to be had in N. Arlington that are less expensive than some homes in lower MoCo (and not just the 30 homes near Chevy Chase Circle.).

Better question from OP is, where do you actually live now? I don't think you actually live in B-CC, do you?

Not sure those 30 houses in C.C. Are nicer or more expensive than the 200 houses in Arlingtons country club hills....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't see moving to North Arlington if the B-CC area was an option. It's just a more interesting, visually attractive area, and the schools are better, too.

It isn't accurate to describe the schools in B-CC as "better." The other qualities you describe are purely subjective. Parts of Arlington are quite beautiful, particularly along the parkway and up by the Washington Golf and Country Club.

Nonsense. B-CC is a superior school, and homes in Bethesda and Chevy Chase are more attractive and more expensive than housing in Arlington. There is very little in Arlington to compare. Sorry.

Not true. Plenty a cape cod in BCC costs less than an equiv in 22207...and BCC is quite low ranked

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't see moving to North Arlington if the B-CC area was an option. It's just a more interesting, visually attractive area, and the schools are better, too.

It isn't accurate to describe the schools in B-CC as "better." The other qualities you describe are purely subjective. Parts of Arlington are quite beautiful, particularly along the parkway and up by the Washington Golf and Country Club.

Nonsense. B-CC is a superior school, and homes in Bethesda and Chevy Chase are more attractive and more expensive than housing in Arlington. There is very little in Arlington to compare. Sorry.

wow, nice job to hide your insecurity and low self-esteem you jackass. you made the decision to live in b-c-c, so just enjoy it and don't let objective facts get in the way of your scientific and informed analysis.

People hope to live in Chevy Chase and Bethesda and settle for Arlington.

Really? People hope to live near wildwood or Montgomery mall with all the crappy traffic an hour from DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could not imagine moving from Bethesda or Chevy Chase to Arlington. It would seem like a step down in every possible way. It's certainly not something I would do if a huge mortgage was part of the equation. Who needs the financial pressure if all you get in return is a house in Arlington?

For one thing, Arlington is visually more interesting, more cosmopolitan and international, and much younger and smarter.

[Anonymous]

I LOVE arlington. But i think its much harder to find a lower priced house in the BCC district than N. Arlington. We tried and failed, but are luckily thrilled to be in Arlington. Taxes are also higher in Mont County, making the monthly housing payment even higher.m

[Anonymous]

I've posted this a bunch of times before and I'll post it again. We moved into our target neighborhood in Montgomery County when we became parents. After a year in our excellent neighborhood school, we discovered that the best thing we could do for our son was to homeschool him. Gaaa!

Well, it's only money.

[Anonymous]

OP, your question really depends on what you have to give up for that $1600 and we can't answer it.

If you ask me, the real difference with Arlington is that the county is small. There are only a few school. We don't have a thousand magnet programs from high school to choose from. HB excepted, you buy a house and go to that high school. Fairfax County and MoCo are enormous. It is a different feel. In some ways, you have access to more facilities within county, but both counties feel big. Which is best? It is a matter of personal taste.

You spend less time on very large roads when you live in Arlington than if you live in MoCo. Commute to down town is shorter. My Arlington Forest house in BCC is out of my budget. My same house in Silver Spring would leave me enough money left over for a great addition.

[Anonymous]

Here's a question, are your kids doing well in their current school? If so, then stop worrying about "which schools are better." if your kids are learning what they should be for their age and you are happy with their experience, then what is the problem?

[Anonymous]

If you like your home, are comfortable with the mortgage and you are zoned for good schools in Montgomery County, I do not recommend moving. Arlington is overrated and the schools are over-crowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not imagine moving from Bethesda or Chevy Chase to Arlington. It would seem like a step down in every possible way. It's certainly not something I would do if a huge mortgage was part of the equation. Who needs the financial pressure if all you get in return is a house in Arlington?

For one thing, Arlington is visually more interesting, more cosmopolitan and international, and much younger and smarter.

Yep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, your question really depends on what you have to give up for that $1600 and we can't answer it.

If you ask me, the real difference with Arlington is that the county is small. There are only a few school. We don't have a thousand magnet programs from high school to choose from. HB excepted, you buy a house and go to that high school. Fairfax County and MoCo are enormous. It is a different feel. In some ways, you have access to more facilities within county, but both counties feel big. Which is best? It is a matter of personal taste.

You spend less time on very large roads when you live in Arlington than if you live in MoCo. Commute to down town is shorter. My Arlington Forest house in BCC is out of my budget. My same house in Silver Spring would leave me enough money left over for a great addition.

Is Arlington forest even in north Arlington? I am pretty sure the comparo was B C C and north arl

BCC is mostly Kensington silver spring...lower income than most n arl precincts ...and the parts of b and cc that feed are not more expensive than n arl...quite the contrary.

[Anonymous]

Fairfax county schools and location to metro are superior