Anyone else grew up in McLean but can’t afford to buy there?

[Anonymous]

you can't buy a house in herndon for 600K anymore. a townhouse, yes. not sure about burke.

i also grew up in mclean and can't afford it. we live in reston now. i love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you can't buy a house in herndon for 600K anymore. a townhouse, yes. not sure about burke.

i also grew up in mclean and can't afford it. we live in reston now. i love it.

Yeah. I was wondering where these magical neighborhoods are with $600k SFHs.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Yes, people seem to have an inaccurate perception of McLean, at least from when I used to live there through my childhood until going off to college. No one I knew was "snooty" or a gazillionare although yes they were well-to-do professionals. Everyone we knew was down to earth and focused on their children and families. I will say, we did not live in one of those multimillion dollar properties so may be that is why.

According to the math I do, it seems we could reasonably afford a mortgage of 1 million dollar home. DH, however is very adamant that we live some place cheap and especially not with snobby people, which personally, I think is ridiculous. There are rich people all over NOVA and are not tied to one zip code. He says he does not want to live in Great Falls, McLean or Vienna.

Both of you seem to have some childhood/high school hang ups and could do with some maturing before you make the biggest purchase of your life. I'd focus a lot less on your childhood memories and a lot more on an actual house and area that have the qualities that are most important to you. Good luck, your husband sounds like a major PITA.

[Anonymous]

Grew up in Mclean, can afford to live there, but you couldn't pay me enough to live in that misery again.

[Anonymous]

Our kids, who are young adults, have told us they liked growing up in McLean and came to appreciate the advantages there even more as they've gotten older.

[Anonymous]

I sold an older, updated house in central McLean in 2019 for $765,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sold an older, updated house in central McLean in 2019 for $765,000.

Right now there are only two houses at $900K or less on the market in McLean, and they are both teardowns/total rehabs.

For the same amount you could go to Burke and get a house that's been more or less completely remodeled: https://www.redfin.com/VA/Burke/9709-Church-Way-22015/home/9737873

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grew up in Mclean, can afford to live there, but you couldn't pay me enough to live in that misery again.

Amen to that.

[Anonymous]

Would you consider Oakton? Great schools but not the snob factor your husband seems to be trying to avoid.

Or you could rent in McLean for significantly less than buying and invest the difference.

[Anonymous]

Op, are you still reading this thread? I grew up in McLean also. One of my friends was always amused that the McDonald's had just one arch!

Did you ever feel like people judged you negatively for growing up in McLean? I've avoided telling people because of the sometimes negative ways they would treat me after I told them. I had a college friend who assumed I was spoiled and snobby (neither were true). Whereas if I didn't tell people I was from McLean they would get to know me and not make immediate incorrect assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you consider Oakton? Great schools but not the snob factor your husband seems to be trying to avoid.

Or you could rent in McLean for significantly less than buying and invest the difference.

The “snob factor” is all relative. Ask people in Chantilly if they think Oakton is snobby and many will say yes.

Just live your life and find a house, commute, and schools that work for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sold an older, updated house in central McLean in 2019 for $765,000.

Right now there are only two houses at $900K or less on the market in McLean, and they are both teardowns/total rehabs.

For the same amount you could go to Burke and get a house that's been more or less completely remodeled: https://www.redfin.com/VA/Burke/9709-Church-Way-22015/home/9737873

If OP wants McLean, she will have to look longer and harder than you just did and yes, she’ll get less for her money. If she wants McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is OP. Yes, people seem to have an inaccurate perception of McLean, at least from when I used to live there through my childhood until going off to college. No one I knew was "snooty" or a gazillionare although yes they were well-to-do professionals. Everyone we knew was down to earth and focused on their children and families. I will say, we did not live in one of those multimillion dollar properties so may be that is why.

According to the math I do, it seems we could reasonably afford a mortgage of 1 million dollar home. DH, however is very adamant that we live some place cheap and especially not with snobby people, which personally, I think is ridiculous. There are rich people all over NOVA and are not tied to one zip code. He says he does not want to live in Great Falls, McLean or Vienna.

Both of you seem to have some childhood/high school hang ups and could do with some maturing before you make the biggest purchase of your life. I'd focus a lot less on your childhood memories and a lot more on an actual house and area that have the qualities that are most important to you. Good luck, your husband sounds like a major PITA.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, are you still reading this thread? I grew up in McLean also. One of my friends was always amused that the McDonald's had just one arch!

Did you ever feel like people judged you negatively for growing up in McLean? I've avoided telling people because of the sometimes negative ways they would treat me after I told them. I had a college friend who assumed I was spoiled and snobby (neither were true). Whereas if I didn't tell people I was from McLean they would get to know me and not make immediate incorrect assumptions.

DP. Also grew up in McLean and have had the same experience. I usually say I lived there when it was a normal place (and way back when, it was).

[Anonymous]

Am I the only reader who thinks it is kind of pathetic that both OP and her husband are from metro-Fairfax and never left?