Giving up on North Arligton... Is South Arlington going to improve?
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Anonymous
Seems like younger middle class families are only coming in bigger numbers! I know the houses in my neighborhood are being snapped right up. Don't dither Op. You'll miss the boat. |
Anonymous
The sinking boat that will be underwater |
Anonymous
I can't think of any south Arlington sfh neighborhoods that have trended backwards in the past 7 years. In fact south Arlington sees greater percentages of appreciation. More room for investment and growth. |
Anonymous
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The thing about south arlington, is that in the majority (but not all) of the SFH areas, you would not be able to tell the difference from the average north arlington areas. Not the big country club hills etc, but the nice expanded colonials, capes and arts/crafts. It seems like the only difference is the clustering of low income apartment areas mostly around the pike. Yet, the difference is clearly in the schools where there are kids from poor backgrounds.
I am a single mom, I needed to live close in without much of a commute. I was priced out of Falls Church City and North Arlington when I bought in summer 2013 (crazy prices and little inventory). For 750k I have a hell of a house that was turnkey. I love it, and never want to leave the house. you do what you need to do. If you don't get caught up in scores and demographics, south arlington is a perfectly safe place and your kid will do fine. And, if enough people like me get over the north arlington hype and invest a life down here in the south, the demographics will change and so will the scores that everyone worries about. |
Anonymous
The Falls Church part of Fairfax County may be "pretty close" to DC compared to, say, Oakton, but it sure isn't nearly as close as S. Arlington. |
Anonymous
We purchased a SFH in '08 in SA for $370. Planning to put it on the market for $570. We probably have $50k in upgrades. |
Anonymous
Actually, Henry is a 9 on great schools. When DD first started there, it was a 6. That was 5 years ago. The demographics are definitely changing as more and more young, middle to upper class families move into Penrose and Arlington Heights. We live in Penrose, but I love Arlington Heights. Both are really great, walkable neighborhoods full of good people. We can walk to school, multiple parks, the library, a grocery store, a spray ground and multiple bars and restaurants. Also, I'm not worried about the value of my house. We have seen a slow but steady increase. And that works for us because we planned on this being our forever home. |
Anonymous
You have hoisted yourself on your own petard, PP. don't bother with study hall, but simply Google Arlington VA and you will see it is a city and a county. I bet you think that Reagan Airport is also in Arlington. Or is it? |
Anonymous
np. Nope. It's a county, not an independent city. |
Anonymous
You're wrong, but Virginia is weird in this regard (where things are incorporated cities OR incorporated counties but not both). Most other places in the country, cities are still part of the county they are geographically located in. |
Anonymous
| Wait until the housing market crashes again. |
Anonymous
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We moved to S. Arlington/ Alcova Heights about 2 years ago. It's a great neighborhood with several walkable playgrounds etc. (Although the climb up the hill with a stroller can be brutal!) I think as our kids grow up - the entire school pyramid will change. No one in our neighborhood is considering privates. As a teacher, I am a firm believer that the schools ranking does not change the quality of education. If you are involved with the school and read, play, grow with your child at home, they will do fine.
We also are watching "the pike" improve. We love Twisted Vines and several family friendly restaurants. I am disappointed in the street car, but I still think the run down strip malls will be replaced in the next 5 years or so as rent continues to rise. |
Anonymous
Twisted Vines is awesome! That new Irish Pub is really good too if you haven't checked it out yet. The staff is very friendly and attentive and the food is great (also early dinner is family friendly). |
Anonymous
True, but it's not that much farther out. The OP is asking about a compromise between school quality, location, and home price. School quality is perceived as better in N. Arlington than S. Arlington. Location in N. Arlington may or not be as convenient as in S. Arlington, depending on where you work, although there are no metro stops in S. Arlington, just buses. If you want schools perceived as better than those in S. Arlington and possibly comparable to some N. Arlington schools, home prices that are lower than you'll find in N Arlington, and you are willing to be a few more miles out, then the above suggestions for Shrevewood, etc. are good. Those schools generally put you one or two metro stops further out than East Falls Church metro, which despite its name, is the metro stop for many Arlington residents whose kids go to McKinley/Yorktown and a number of other N. Arlington schools. South Arlington has buses, but no metro stop. For convenience and quality of life, I'd rather live in the areas near the West Falls Church or Dunn Loring metros than in South Arlington. Don't know how OP feels, but that's her trade-off to make. Of course, if OP works at the Pentagon or nearby, then S. Arlington/Alexandria has the location advantage, even over N. Arlington. |
Anonymous
It's been "improving" for the past 20 years and it was just on the cusp of getting better for that same amount of time. It didn't gentrify in the last bubble, it just won't. The low income housing and affordable housing will always be there. The only real chance is if Arlington becomes less liberal and I don't think that will happen. |