Alexandria vs Arlington, McLean or Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll chime in for Bethesda:
No bridges, seriously, we may have a longer commute than Arlington but there’s a million ways to get home if a bridge is blocked.
Easier access to NW DC
Downtown Bethesda is no longer cute or really home to mom and pop shops but it’s a good place to grab a bite to eat and the kids seem to love it
Schools are good and there’s a better selection of privates if that’s your jam
I know this is outdated, but personally, I could never live in part of the former Confederacy
If you are Jewish, it seems to be preferable

You do know that Maryland was a huge slave state, don't you? You care more about declarations of succession than you do about holding human beings in bondage? You're either a hypocrite or a moron.

Which is it?

I love how she praises the whitest schools in Montgomery county (and of course, there are the private schools—wink, wink, event fewer POCs), and then pats herself on the back for not living in confederate VA.

DP. She may be living in the whitest part of the county, but at least she is not living in a confederate enclave.
White does not necessarily mean confederate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell me why people (at least in dcum land) seem to prefer Arlington, McLean or Bethesda to Alexandria, other than schools.

We’ve been looking and would like to be in a house with a suburban feel that’s a ten minute drive to restaurants and shops, and Old Town seems so much more charming and full of character than any of the other three, which feel so cookie cutter. Is there something I’m missing? I’m aware the public schools in Alexandria are not highly rated, is that the driving force?

Old Town is so cute and there is plentiful parking and there are many nice residential neighborhoods within a ten minute drive. Bethesda is nice but really cookie cutter, and Arlington doesn’t have anything charming whatsoever, I don’t get the hype.

I’ve lived in all those cities, and I totally agree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll chime in for Bethesda:
No bridges, seriously, we may have a longer commute than Arlington but there’s a million ways to get home if a bridge is blocked.
Easier access to NW DC
Downtown Bethesda is no longer cute or really home to mom and pop shops but it’s a good place to grab a bite to eat and the kids seem to love it
Schools are good and there’s a better selection of privates if that’s your jam
I know this is outdated, but personally, I could never live in part of the former Confederacy
If you are Jewish, it seems to be preferable

You do know that Maryland was a huge slave state, don't you? You care more about declarations of succession than you do about holding human beings in bondage? You're either a hypocrite or a moron.

Which is it?

I love how she praises the whitest schools in Montgomery county (and of course, there are the private schools—wink, wink, event fewer POCs), and then pats herself on the back for not living in confederate VA.

DP. She may be living in the whitest part of the county, but at least she is not living in a confederate enclave.
White does not necessarily mean confederate.

Confederate enclave??? Get a life.

I grew up around people like the PP. I know her type well. You won’t find a more segregated part of the country than where I’m from, Long Island. So many people there love to think they’re morally superior because they’re from the north, but oh boy, they dare not move in towns where the schwartzes live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flooding. I also like old town but the nearby neighborhoods seem to have major water issues during big storms. As sea levels rise it will only get worse. Initially I though flooding was isolated to old town but I have learned how wrong I was. Also, I like to live in an area with good public schools as a backup even though my kids don’t go to them.

OP here. This is good to know, I thought the problem was confined to old town. But it seems like places like Rosemont and Beverly Hills don’t have those issues, do they? And those neighborhoods seem really lovely and a short drive to old town (as I said I want a suburban feel but a quick drive to a downtown).

You can see the problem areas on this site. Rosemont has a lot of red.

https://floodfactor.com/

[Anonymous]

The desirable parts of Alexandria have pretty easy commutes into downtown DC and all of Arlington, so while your commute may not be as short, its not too big of a difference generally speaking. Arlington also provides much easier access to all the jobs coming to Tysonsa and has higher rated schools. The regions job centers have continued to shift west which will likely have a negative impact on Alexandria's appeal. Alexandria just can't attract large employers.

The City has had a lot of hope for large companies to set up shop near Carlyle and has high hopes for Potomac Yard but most of the lots in Carlyle are not being converted to residential. People prefer to set up shop in Arlington.

Bethesda has nice homes and easy access (in terms of roads) to DC but won't really be faster than Alexandria.

Mcclean's proximity to Tysons will likely keep it desirable. People who want large single-family homes work a lot and want to be left alone hence the larger lots, etc compared to the other locales.

If you like Alexandria and it works for your commute, the homes are a much better value. If they are ever able to use the traction to attract jobs into the city or find a way to split the minority heavy West End off to their own high school, you'll see massive appreciation in your home, but that is a big if. When the town is that small, it is easy to bus kids from all over town just because. They really need some help getting the schools sorted out though. Could become a large social engine if it can successfully help those kids from struggling families move up socioeconomically (last point is a tangent so apologies)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The desirable parts of Alexandria have pretty easy commutes into downtown DC and all of Arlington, so while your commute may not be as short, its not too big of a difference generally speaking. Arlington also provides much easier access to all the jobs coming to Tysonsa and has higher rated schools. The regions job centers have continued to shift west which will likely have a negative impact on Alexandria's appeal. Alexandria just can't attract large employers.

The City has had a lot of hope for large companies to set up shop near Carlyle and has high hopes for Potomac Yard but most of the lots in Carlyle are now being converted to residential. People prefer to set up shop (businesses) in Arlington.

Bethesda has nice homes and easy access (in terms of roads) to DC but won't really be faster than Alexandria.

Mcclean's proximity to Tysons will likely keep it desirable. People who want large single-family homes work a lot and want to be left alone hence the larger lots, etc compared to the other locales.

If you like Alexandria and it works for your commute, the homes are a much better value. If they are ever able to use the traction to attract jobs into the city or find a way to split the minority heavy West End off to their own high school, you'll see massive appreciation in your home, but that is a big if. When the town is that small, it is easy to bus kids from all over town just because. They really need some help getting the schools sorted out though. Could become a large social engine if it can successfully help those kids from struggling families move up socioeconomically (last point is a tangent so apologies)

Also, the VA side just generally feels more dynamic than MoCo. Between Old Town, R-B in Arlington, Tysons, you are just 20 minutes in any direction but in Maryland, you're just in Bethesda, and maybe Silver Spring if it appeals to you. Sure you can go to DC, but that is kind of similar across the board.

[Anonymous]

I wanted to live in Alexandria but schools didn’t seem great and home prices were too high. We ended up in Frederick, MD. Check it out.

[Anonymous]

Besides the flooding and sewage issues, which are well-documented, in Alexandria, it is appropriate to bring up the traffic problems. Before considering Alexandria, take a minute and do a quick scan of FaceBook and NextDoor. You'll find lots of citizen unrest and unhappiness with city leaders and transportation officials.

While abated currently during covid because of changes in driving patterns it is sure to be a problem again once things start back up and people need to get to work or to the dentist or just go get a soda. When I drive carpool from Rosemont into DC, the worst part of my drive is from the 14th Street Bridge all the way into Old Town. That part of my drive in the afternoon can take an hour. The problems are: purposefully unsynchronized lights, failure to clear HOV lanes, failure to enforce people who don't clear the box, and the changes in King Street and Quaker Lane that have forced commuters to take alternate routes.

#JustinsTrafficJam
#TakeBackSeminaryRoad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Besides the flooding and sewage issues, which are well-documented, in Alexandria, it is appropriate to bring up the traffic problems. Before considering Alexandria, take a minute and do a quick scan of FaceBook and NextDoor. You'll find lots of citizen unrest and unhappiness with city leaders and transportation officials.

While abated currently during covid because of changes in driving patterns it is sure to be a problem again once things start back up and people need to get to work or to the dentist or just go get a soda. When I drive carpool from Rosemont into DC, the worst part of my drive is from the 14th Street Bridge all the way into Old Town. That part of my drive in the afternoon can take an hour. The problems are: purposefully unsynchronized lights, failure to clear HOV lanes, failure to enforce people who don't clear the box, and the changes in King Street and Quaker Lane that have forced commuters to take alternate routes.

#JustinsTrafficJam
#TakeBackSeminaryRoad

What took you so long?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to live in Alexandria but schools didn’t seem great and home prices were too high. We ended up in Frederick, MD. Check it out.

Frederick is not the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll chime in for Bethesda:
No bridges, seriously, we may have a longer commute than Arlington but there’s a million ways to get home if a bridge is blocked.
Easier access to NW DC
Downtown Bethesda is no longer cute or really home to mom and pop shops but it’s a good place to grab a bite to eat and the kids seem to love it
Schools are good and there’s a better selection of privates if that’s your jam
I know this is outdated, but personally, I could never live in part of the former Confederacy
If you are Jewish, it seems to be preferable

You do know that Maryland was a huge slave state, don't you? You care more about declarations of succession than you do about holding human beings in bondage? You're either a hypocrite or a moron.

Which is it?

LOL. Virginians penned most of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. A Marylander authored the Dred Scott opinion.

So don’t rule out the possibility PP is both a hypocrite and a moron.

Richmond literally has a monument to Robert E Lee up to this very day.

Yeah, the capital of the confederacy.
Nothing more to say.

More slaves came through the port of Baltimore than did Vicksburg, Mississippi. Let that sink in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Besides the flooding and sewage issues, which are well-documented, in Alexandria, it is appropriate to bring up the traffic problems. Before considering Alexandria, take a minute and do a quick scan of FaceBook and NextDoor. You'll find lots of citizen unrest and unhappiness with city leaders and transportation officials.

While abated currently during covid because of changes in driving patterns it is sure to be a problem again once things start back up and people need to get to work or to the dentist or just go get a soda. When I drive carpool from Rosemont into DC, the worst part of my drive is from the 14th Street Bridge all the way into Old Town. That part of my drive in the afternoon can take an hour. The problems are: purposefully unsynchronized lights, failure to clear HOV lanes, failure to enforce people who don't clear the box, and the changes in King Street and Quaker Lane that have forced commuters to take alternate routes.

#JustinsTrafficJam
#TakeBackSeminaryRoad

What took you so long?

Lolol I was the one who posted to wait for this exact poster to arrive. Using hashtags like DCUM is twitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Besides the flooding and sewage issues, which are well-documented, in Alexandria, it is appropriate to bring up the traffic problems. Before considering Alexandria, take a minute and do a quick scan of FaceBook and NextDoor. You'll find lots of citizen unrest and unhappiness with city leaders and transportation officials.

While abated currently during covid because of changes in driving patterns it is sure to be a problem again once things start back up and people need to get to work or to the dentist or just go get a soda. When I drive carpool from Rosemont into DC, the worst part of my drive is from the 14th Street Bridge all the way into Old Town. That part of my drive in the afternoon can take an hour. The problems are: purposefully unsynchronized lights, failure to clear HOV lanes, failure to enforce people who don't clear the box, and the changes in King Street and Quaker Lane that have forced commuters to take alternate routes.

#JustinsTrafficJam
#TakeBackSeminaryRoad

What took you so long?

I know who she is. She's pretty much shunned in Alexandria but she's too dumb to realize it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Besides the flooding and sewage issues, which are well-documented, in Alexandria, it is appropriate to bring up the traffic problems. Before considering Alexandria, take a minute and do a quick scan of FaceBook and NextDoor. You'll find lots of citizen unrest and unhappiness with city leaders and transportation officials.

While abated currently during covid because of changes in driving patterns it is sure to be a problem again once things start back up and people need to get to work or to the dentist or just go get a soda. When I drive carpool from Rosemont into DC, the worst part of my drive is from the 14th Street Bridge all the way into Old Town. That part of my drive in the afternoon can take an hour. The problems are: purposefully unsynchronized lights, failure to clear HOV lanes, failure to enforce people who don't clear the box, and the changes in King Street and Quaker Lane that have forced commuters to take alternate routes.

#JustinsTrafficJam
#TakeBackSeminaryRoad

What took you so long?

I know who she is. She's pretty much shunned in Alexandria but she's too dumb to realize it.

Shunned in Alexandria? What is the area some high school clique? That is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Besides the flooding and sewage issues, which are well-documented, in Alexandria, it is appropriate to bring up the traffic problems. Before considering Alexandria, take a minute and do a quick scan of FaceBook and NextDoor. You'll find lots of citizen unrest and unhappiness with city leaders and transportation officials.

While abated currently during covid because of changes in driving patterns it is sure to be a problem again once things start back up and people need to get to work or to the dentist or just go get a soda. When I drive carpool from Rosemont into DC, the worst part of my drive is from the 14th Street Bridge all the way into Old Town. That part of my drive in the afternoon can take an hour. The problems are: purposefully unsynchronized lights, failure to clear HOV lanes, failure to enforce people who don't clear the box, and the changes in King Street and Quaker Lane that have forced commuters to take alternate routes.

#JustinsTrafficJam
#TakeBackSeminaryRoad

What took you so long?

I know who she is. She's pretty much shunned in Alexandria but she's too dumb to realize it.

Shunned in Alexandria? What is the area some high school clique? That is ridiculous.

DP. The east end is basically one big collection of several fraternities and sororities. It matters which one you belong to. A lot.