Are we the only family in the DMV who is priced out?

[Anonymous]

You can't afford DC. It is not meant for everyone. Just get over it and look in the burbs. Retired Fed living in amazing home in Upper NWDC because I bought way back.

[Anonymous]

Even with money, most DMV residents must make peace with 2 of these 3: job, house, and school.

Anecdotally, my friends (two different couples) moved to the Denver/Boulder suburbs many years ago for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Some years ago we bought a lovely new SFH and a huge yard in a lovely close-knit neighborhood and the house is conveniently located near everything you could wish for. It was also quite affordable.

However, the surrounding area also have lots of apartments and affordable housing and is very diverse. So, the schools are full of lower SES kids, extremely diverse (most diverse cities in USA), and rated poorly. Still, it is a part of a good public school system.

We had to double down on priortizing education, enrichment, acceleration - without home-schooling, withdrawing from public schools or putting them in private schools.

As a result, our kids have done very well academically in school and college, and have good careers. The money saved in housing has changed the financial trajectory of our lives as we did not have to keep up with the Jones.

We have been able to provide everything that we value to our kids that only the wealthy can provide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even with money, most DMV residents must make peace with 2 of these 3: job, house, and school.

Anecdotally, my friends (two different couples) moved to the Denver/Boulder suburbs many years ago for this reason.

DH has a commute of 1 hour to work. Public schools are not ranked high for our home. House itself is very nice with a lovely yard. We chose the house.

[Anonymous]

Homes in desirable neighborhoods and locations will not dip. Real estate is all about location.

We brought the smallest house in the nicest neighborhood and made a killing when we sold it. Neighborhood over size - all day, every day. Buy in a nice neighborhood and it doesn't matter how shitty that property is. Put in the tons to little by little make it nice. Come time to sell, you will be in the money v buy some beautiful place that's large in an OK location and you will not know what your resell price will be.

So yes - you can be sure that the less convenient locations will dip but that's always the case in any market. Demand will always drive price.

[Anonymous]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5304-Neville-Ct-Alexandria-VA-22310/51920166_zpid/

Given it’s DCUM, everyone will tell you why you don’t want this.

It’s a house.
In Fairfax County. Near Alexandria City, lots of grocery stores and between two METRO lines. 25 minutes to DC on weekends. Though maybe weekdays too if no ones employed.