If you had $1,000,000 budget for a home, work in DC and desire a short cummute, and cannot afford

[Anonymous]

OP---the advice re determining first whether you want a more urban or suburban feel is right on the money. Also, just saying that the job is in DC is not enough info
----if you don't mind disclosing the metro location/general area of the job destination, then people can provide more targeted neighborhood suggestions vis a vis commuting time. Even if you're relatively close-in, commuting times from various neighborhoods can vary widely depending upon where you're trying to get to.

[Anonymous]

I'm one of the earlier posters who contradicted the Mann booster/Oyster detractor's statements about Oyster. I'm not chancellor Rhee, don't dislike Mann (have friends with kids there; they are absolutely satisfied to a person), and don't have a hidden agenda. I'm also an Oyster parent and a former teacher. DH is an civil rights lawyer who focuses on access to education for all kids. We're both very happy with our choice but wouldn't dream of telling someone else what to choose-- only our opinion. Mann and Oyster are both good schools, along with a dozen others in this city, and there's no reason to bash Oyster if it's not your cup of tea.

OP, I hope that the posts here don't scare you out of NW DC. Most people are really nice, in my experience. The schools have open houses and the principals are often very responsive to parent questions. Right now they'll be thrilled to hear from someone who isn't in the out of boundaries lottery!

As for the DC versus VA question, that really depends upon what you consider a "short" commute, and where in DC you work. Does "short" mean public transport only, or car? The commutes in this town vary widely, from people who get in the car or Metro way out in Rockville or out 66 to people who walk a few blocks across Capitol Hill, and everything in between. The Woodley/Cleveland boosters' (myself included) "short commute" equals roll out of the bed onto the red line, ride 5-10 minutes, walk two blocks to work. I know plenty of people who feel that their 15-20 minute drive from somewhere else is "short" compared to what they had in another city. What you define as "walkable" or urban matters too. Friends I know in Dupont think that Woodley might as well be Ohio; personally I find Arlington too full of limited-access highways for my own taste, but friends there love how easy it is to drive various places. Put on your sneakers and walk around the neighborhoods that appeal to you, and then call the principals of those schools and ask for a look around. In your price range, you have fabulous choices; can't really go wrong.

One sad thing to report is that prices in Woodley/Cleveland haven't really gone down in this market, but then again interest rates have, so you'll get your value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woodley Park and Cleveland Park are much more enjoyable (restaurants, zoo, etc.) and convenient (Metro) neighborhoods than Spring Valley (which is built on a munitions dump) or Wesley Heights (which isn't), but Mann seems like an appreciably stronger school than either Oyster (which is bilingual immersion, but with overcrowded classrooms, overwhelmed staff, and sharply limited outdoor space) or Eaton (which seems marginally stronger than Oyster, but does not offer the Spanish immersion that Oyster does). You'd likely be happy in any of the three on balance, and just how that balance works out is a personal decision.

I don't know much about either Murch or the Friendship Heights area, but that sounds from second-hand information like another possibility to explore. Based on your criteria, I'd definitely go with Wesley Heights, Woodley Park, or Cleveland Park over AU Park/Janney or Chevy Chase/Lafayette. Don't know that anything else would even be on the table.

Where do your kids go then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's true...it is the suburbs after all. OP, it really depends on what you are looking for. Do you want to be in the city or do you want the suburbs? People love both for different reasons and you can get a really nice house for that price in both D.C. and the inner 'burbs. I am the poster who recommended CHerrydale, Maywood, Lee Heights, etc. in Arlington. While those neighborhoods are definitely nothing like D.C. as far as what you can walk to, they are not quite as far out as some of the other parts of Arlington where you really need a car to get to anything. From my house in 22207, we can walk to the Lee Heights shops (Tree Top Kids, 3 restaurants, Starbucks, etc). We can also walk to a playground and Safeway, dry cleaners, etc. are just a 2-3 minute drive or a 20 minute walk away. So, even in Arlington there are going to be variations in what part you live in and what amenities are available there.

Lucky you, PP. If I were not committed to DC, I would definitely choose to buy in 22207.

[Anonymous]

Just curious why no mentions of Key Elementary. Any thoughts on how that compares? Or is it b/c the area seems too far removed from the city?

[Anonymous]

Just chiming in to agree that you need to think about what sort of commute you want, and also that in my experience small differences can make a big difference in commute time. For example, living under 5 minutes walking away from a metro stop is worth it, even if the metro stop is a few stops further away (you'd be surprised how little the time difference is between Bethesda and Cleveland Park is, once you are on a train). Likewise, for driving, if you are right near a convenient route (say Rock Creek Park south of the zoo), that can save you 10+ minutes over another house that seems roughly nearby but isn't as convenient for commuting.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wow, so many responses. We are leaning towards Arlington because we both work in Foggy Bottom. There's not that much inventory right now in Cleveland park and Woodly.

Short commute and school options are the most important thing to us. Then of course we would prefer nice walkable neighborhoods. Right now a town home seems the most affordable for the space. As far as living in a smaller home, there really aren't a whole lot of three bedroom homes cheap enough for us to do private all the way through that are close enough to foggy bottom, unless we moved to SE or NE DC, which is not an option for us.

Although I noticed that someone mentioned that they would never share "walls" again. That makes me worry.

For now, the children are young and I am less concerend about having a big yard. We want to have financial flexibility. So it would be nice if we had the option to do public school all the way through if we had too, which makes Arlington a good pick for us I think. We currently live in the Dupont Circle area, and we will miss the neighborhood a lot. But you can't everything.

[Anonymous]

If you want the most school flexibility in Arlington, you want to be in the Jamestown/Taylor/Key/Science Focus area, which is partly 22207 and partly 22201. These days, you might be able to get a 3BR there, although probably not a bright shiny one and definitely not one with a big yard. But if you're thinking TH, you're already not counting on a big yard, and Arlington has a lot of playgrounds.

Happy house-hunting!

[Anonymous]

Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Glover Park, Arlington, Del Ray (Alexandria). Find a good real estate agent, and they will help you!

[Anonymous]

OP - look here.....I pulled all 3br, 2ba minimum properties in the neighborhoods suggested for you to look at (under 1,025,000). There's more out there than you think. And don't forget that location is key for future value!

http://matrix.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Email.aspx?ID=28991996853

[Anonymous]

Sorry, PP here, I was not the OP! That was a total mistype. Should have been PP.

[Anonymous]

About the sharing a wall....if you're in DC, where houses were solidly built 100 years ago, you won't have a problem. If you're in Arlington where stuff is newer built with drywall etc., I'd stick more to a detached house....

[Anonymous]

Take a look at 5308 41ST ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015
ML#: DC6961037 LP: $839,500


It's a short walk to the metro at Friendship Heights. I commuted to Foggy Bottom for a few years - it's pretty easy with a short walk from either Dupont or North Farragut depending on your office.

I love the area- the park, library, and rec center are all walking distance as well as daycares and preschools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About the sharing a wall....if you're in DC, where houses were solidly built 100 years ago, you won't have a problem. If you're in Arlington where stuff is newer built with drywall etc., I'd stick more to a detached house....

We found this was only partially true in our rowhouse built around 1903. Turned out both the neighbors and the previous owner of our place had decided exposed brick was a nice look, so instead of having two layers of drywall and a brickwall between us, we had just a 100-year old brick wall, and we could get smells as well as sounds through that wall.

We moved from Woodley Park to East Bethesda, and are really happy there.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you prefer Arlington, go for it, but what I think a lot of us are telling you is that public school all the way through is an option -- an attractive option -- in DC. If you want to stay in the city, you can.