a big reason for the housing crunch around DC

[Anonymous]

Found this on another thread and really agree! We do seem to take it for granted that only a few nabes are even on the list to look at.

...there is heavy pressure on a limited number of neighborhoods because of a failure of social services in many other neighborhoods--- schools, safety, tranportation. If efficient public transportion(metro, trolleys) was ubiquitous, quality schools common, and violent crime less, buyers would have an exponentially larger pool of houses to choose from. Prices would be more affordable. The population attempting to buy into the modest-sized neighborhoods of Arlington, Del Ray, Upper NW, CCDC, Bethesda, etc., far exceeds what these neighborhoods can absorb. Frustrated buyers would do well to work for better schools, transportation and safety across the region to see their prospects improve, and to share the wealth with all our neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Found this on another thread and really agree! We do seem to take it for granted that only a few nabes are even on the list to look at.

...there is heavy pressure on a limited number of neighborhoods because of a failure of social services in many other neighborhoods--- schools, safety, tranportation. If efficient public transportion(metro, trolleys) was ubiquitous, quality schools common, and violent crime less, buyers would have an exponentially larger pool of houses to choose from. Prices would be more affordable. The population attempting to buy into the modest-sized neighborhoods of Arlington, Del Ray, Upper NW, CCDC, Bethesda, etc., far exceeds what these neighborhoods can absorb. Frustrated buyers would do well to work for better schools, transportation and safety across the region to see their prospects improve, and to share the wealth with all our neighbors.

same with us out in falls church , demand exceeds supply. Eventually buyers may venture out to poorer quality neighborhoods in 22042 ,22041, 22044 and gentrify.

[Anonymous]

There really are slim pickings in this area. If there were more areas here that had better ("the desirable") schools, neighborhoods, etc., there wouldn't be such demand for so few neighborhoods.

Its such a joke when people go on and on about this area, yet there are so few schools (relatively) that people want to actually be caught dead in. Sad.

[Anonymous]

You do realize that sounds like a blatant "me too" plug for 22043 and 22046. Sorry you got left out of the original post.

[Anonymous]

but this was true also two or three years ago where there was no housing crunch and even before), I don't think schools in some areas worsened recently, they were not good even years ago (actually in some of those areas now there are good charters schools, allowing families to buy and stay). I do not knwo what the final reason of the crunch is, but the immediate cause is he desappearance of sellers (I don't think the number of buyers in some areas has suddenly increased tenfold)

[Anonymous]

Isn't this the case for all cities? Some neighborhoods are poor, some are rich. The schools just haven't caught up with gentrification. (And it would be nice to see this in terms of everyone having the right to good government services anyway ...)

The only interesting point is transportation. I do think that metro expansion means gentrification - petworth, col hts, and Noma would not have happened without metro stops. A new stop in the middle of say bright wood could really shake things up.

[Anonymous]

It's sort of ridiculous when you think about it. There really aren't any "bad" schools in Fairfax County (for example). There are just wealthier and poorer districts.

[Anonymous]

Fairfax County is not all that, if you have lived elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Fairfax County is not all that, if you have lived elsewhere.

More good places to live there than anywhere else in DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You do realize that sounds like a blatant "me too" plug for 22043 and 22046. Sorry you got left out of the original post.

and 22180, 22181, 22182

[Anonymous]

This is true everywhere, all the time. Everyone wants to live in walkable neighborhoods with good schools and amenities. Doesn't explain why there are so few houses for sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is true everywhere, all the time. Everyone wants to live in walkable neighborhoods with good schools and amenities. Doesn't explain why there are so few houses for sale.

I don't care about walkability. Amenities to me means land

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Fairfax County is not all that, if you have lived elsewhere.

More good places to live there than anywhere else in DC area.

For many not so much when you add commute to the equation. The OP's original list was a list of places that are a good commute into DC. Not just okay, but reasonable on a daily basis for people working normal hours in their offices. There are places I like in Fairfax County, my mom lives there (I did not grow up around here, she moved to this area when I was in college), but she also has always worked in NOVA. I have always worked in downtown DC. I live in NW DC in a desirable neighborhood because it has h list above.

Gentrification takes time and a lot has happened over the past 10-15 years. But most people with choices will not take a chance with their children's education and a higher mortgage is often more affordable than private school. IMHO, that is why it is so hard to "turn" a school from bad to acceptable to good. It is hard to build a consistent cohort when parents are making decisions in the immediate best interests of their children, and I cannot blame them as I would do he same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is true everywhere, all the time. Everyone wants to live in walkable neighborhoods with good schools and amenities. Doesn't explain why there are so few houses for sale.

No, you're projecting what you want onto "everyone."

"Everyone" may not care about good schools if "everyone" doesn't have school-age children. Walkability is a personal choice, and hardly uniform -- many people prefer isolation. And amenities means different things to different people. I mean, I don't know if this is in a good school district or not, but it's described as walkable with amenities:



Different strokes and all that, right?

[Anonymous]

Inventory is low all over-- not just the "few desirable nabes"-- whatever that means. I live in a less desirable cluster in downcounty montgomery county, and houses are selling within a week of being listed. People are just not selling right now.