McLean vs. Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everything about Arlington has always seemed completely mediocre to me, and I lived there before moving to DC. At least McLean has nice houses and good schools. Arlington seems like the worst of both worlds: it's not a real city, and it has absolutely no edge or urban energy, yet it's not an attractive suburb, either. It's just purgatory for people who want to have it both ways and end up with a pale imitation (no pun intended) that lacks character or prestige. Sorry if that seems harsh, but some people in Arlington have no clue how people who've actually lived in real cities or more upscale suburbs perceive Arlington and its oddly boastful (and clueless) residents.

I dunno, I lived on the east end Capitol Hill and Woodley Park; also lived in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh for a while; also lived for a time in Vienna and in Gaithersburg; I was raised in a small town in a rural area; and my grandparents lived in a gorgeous, wealthy suburb of Boston. So I have experience living in real cities (assuming you think DC and Pittsburgh qualify as such), in areas both edgy and "urban energetic", and I've spent summers and spent a lot of time visiting a suburb that outclasses the "attractive" DC suburbs in just about every way. I've got the not so attractive/downright ugly suburbs covered, and I'm intimately acquainted with small town life.

So I've got a clue, and I still like Arlington just fine. (Actually I've found things to like about every place I've lived. Except maybe Gaithersburg, if I'm being honest.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pending million-plus sales contracts in Langley/McLean/Marshall districts: 88

Pending million-plus sales contracts in Yorktown/W-L/Wakefield districts: 48

Point: McLean

# of $1 M homes sold last three months Arl 22207: 53

# of $1 M homes sold last three months Mcl 22101: 76

Point: McLean

# of $1.5 M+ homes sold last three months Arl 22207: 23

# of $1.5 M+ homes sold last three months Mcl 22101: 33

# of $2 M+ homes sold last three months Arl 22207: 6
# of $2 M+ homes sold last three months Mcl 22101: 12

How does the total number of houses in 22101 compare to the total number in 22207? Without that, these statistics are useless.

N Arl 22207 - 148
McLean 22101 - 149

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Wouldn't it make more sense to compare Arlington 22207 to McLean 22101 since they both have the same typical household income and demographic?

Or Fairfax County vs Arlington County.

Or Arlington 22205 to McLean 22102 (although I think that part of Arlington is more affluent than McLean 22102)

Or South Arlington 22204 to Pimmit Hills 22043/22102?

Pimmit Hills doesn't have failing schools. People who buy in S. Arlington do so despite schools, and people who buy in PH do so despite uneven neighborhood esthetics. Seeing as S. Arlington has enough ugly houses, I'd give PH an edge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pending million-plus sales contracts in Langley/McLean/Marshall districts: 88

Pending million-plus sales contracts in Yorktown/W-L/Wakefield districts: 48

Point: McLean

Hate to say it but Million dollar home sales in McLean, N Arl, Bethesda, whatever is pretty meaningless as that is pretty much the average home price. And the average home is SMALL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pending million-plus sales contracts in Langley/McLean/Marshall districts: 88

Pending million-plus sales contracts in Yorktown/W-L/Wakefield districts: 48

Point: McLean

Hate to say it but Million dollar home sales in McLean, N Arl, Bethesda, whatever is pretty meaningless as that is pretty much the average home price. And the average home is SMALL.

Agreed. It's pretty depressing.

[Anonymous]

The bottom line is that McLean has always been wealthier than Arlington on average, and while NW Arlington is close to McLean is terms of wealth it is isn't quite there. But so what? Arlington is chock full of residents who easily could live in McLean but choose not to because it sucks. Wealthier doesn't mean better, it means douchier.

I'm rich, and the last people I want to associate with are other rich people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Wouldn't it make more sense to compare Arlington 22207 to McLean 22101 since they both have the same typical household income and demographic?

Or Fairfax County vs Arlington County.

Or Arlington 22205 to McLean 22102 (although I think that part of Arlington is more affluent than McLean 22102)

Or South Arlington 22204 to Pimmit Hills 22043/22102?

Pimmit Hills doesn't have failing schools. People who buy in S. Arlington do so despite schools, and people who buy in PH do so despite uneven neighborhood esthetics. Seeing as S. Arlington has enough ugly houses, I'd give PH an edge.

Actually South Arlimgton has a much more attractive single family housing stock because many of the neighborhoods were built pre WW2. The ugly track neighborhoods are in N Arlimgton and were built after the war

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's chat. What do you like about each and why?

Wouldn't it make more sense to compare Arlington 22207 to McLean 22101 since they both have the same typical household income and demographic?

Or Fairfax County vs Arlington County.

Or Arlington 22205 to McLean 22102 (although I think that part of Arlington is more affluent than McLean 22102)

Or South Arlington 22204 to Pimmit Hills 22043/22102?

22102 contains areas that are far wealthier than any part of 22207 or 22101.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and soon to be Mom's
McLean: Bakducci's and Giant
Point: Arlington

Arlington: Bakeshop
McLean: Fluffy Thoughts
Point: McLean

Arlington: below ground metro
McLean: the Monorail
Point: Arlington

Arlington: parks are overcrowded
McLean: your kid might actually get a chance on the swing
Point: McLean

Arlington: young people
McLean: old people
Point: depends if you're old or young

You are missing the key piece: walkability/proximity to city/sheer number or restaurants and bars (including the 4 new Mike Isabella restaurants and the new beer garden at the end of the month: Arlington

Actually, PP was doing the only reasonable thing and trying to keep a topic that
light and even-handed

+1

People posting seriously - and passionately - on this topic suck. Go back to your $$$ homes in your extremely similar towns and find something better to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Arlington: Metro 29 and Silver Diner
McLean: McLean Family and Silver Diner
Point: Arlington

Been to Metro 29 recently? Seems like they have had a change of ownership. Extraordinary price hike, including an upcharge for lettuce and tomato on your burger. Also, the Silver Diner menu took a nose dive about two years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pending million-plus sales contracts in Langley/McLean/Marshall districts: 88

Pending million-plus sales contracts in Yorktown/W-L/Wakefield districts: 48

Point: McLean

More inventory in McLean, so not sure this is a useful comparison, unless you want to say that people are fleeing McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that McLean has always been wealthier than Arlington on average, and while NW Arlington is close to McLean is terms of wealth it is isn't quite there. But so what? Arlington is chock full of residents who easily could live in McLean but choose not to because it sucks. Wealthier doesn't mean better, it means douchier.

I'm rich, and the last people I want to associate with are other rich people.

Douchiest of all is the guy in "not quite there" Arlington who starts all these threads. And you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Arlington: Metro 29 and Silver Diner
McLean: McLean Family and Silver Diner
Point: Arlington

Been to Metro 29 recently? Seems like they have had a change of ownership. Extraordinary price hike, including an upcharge for lettuce and tomato on your burger. Also, the Silver Diner menu took a nose dive about two years ago.

Silver diner should never be categorized as a diner. Period.

[Anonymous]

OMG, people! Let's get back on track!

Arlington: dudes in brown flip flops
McLean: mommies in Lululemon
Point: McLean

Arlington: home of supreme court justices and former VP
McLean: home of future president and ambassadors
Point: Arlington

Arlington: named after a rich guy's plantation
McLean: named after a rich guy
Point: McLean

Arlington: Four Mile Run
McLean: Dead Run
Point: Arlington

Arlington: Fort Ethan Allen
McLean: Claude Moore Colonial Farm
Point: Alexandria

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that McLean has always been wealthier than Arlington on average, and while NW Arlington is close to McLean is terms of wealth it is isn't quite there. But so what? Arlington is chock full of residents who easily could live in McLean but choose not to because it sucks. Wealthier doesn't mean better, it means douchier.

I'm rich, and the last people I want to associate with are other rich people.

ITA. Except it is NOT the rich people who are most annoying. Its the people who are pissed off at the rich people.