Concerned about buying in WJ cluster because of re-zoning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if MCPS high schools are the socioeconomic class warzones depicted in the bile that is this thread. If so, how awful! I'm glad my kid goes to a socioeconomically diverse private. I am also glad that I own in a reasonably priced DCC neighborhood super convenient to DC. The Donald's SALT deduction limit must be killing you guys in the Ws. That and rising rates are not a good combination for high end home values. Especially with new mortgage interest deductions capped at the first 750k on a first lien. Oh yeah, and all those Amazon HQ2 kids coming down the pike might make DCC demographics less dissimilar to your precious school zones before you know it!

So true, that’s got to suck.

[Anonymous]

Many - in fact most- houses in the top "Ws" are under 750K. The people who live in the $1M plus homes in the W clusters tend to have very high incomes and aren't that stretched where the new tax plan is going to make a difference. I do think that the tax plan will hurt a number of Montgomery County residents but Potomac, Bethesda, Rockville and North Potomac are pretty much OK.

Frankly, the vitriol that I see on this board isn't from anyone in the W clusters its the DCC posters who are obsessed with attacking Bethesda. Please stop being so insecure about Bethesda. I doubt residents from that area care and I don't think I've ever seen many posts by people living in Potomac, You're basically just attacking Rockville and North Potomac folks who are no different than you but just decided to live in the west rather than the east.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many - in fact most- houses in the top "Ws" are under 750K. The people who live in the $1M plus homes in the W clusters tend to have very high incomes and aren't that stretched where the new tax plan is going to make a difference. I do think that the tax plan will hurt a number of Montgomery County residents but Potomac, Bethesda, Rockville and North Potomac are pretty much OK.

Frankly, the vitriol that I see on this board isn't from anyone in the W clusters its the DCC posters who are obsessed with attacking Bethesda. Please stop being so insecure about Bethesda. I doubt residents from that area care and I don't think I've ever seen many posts by people living in Potomac, You're basically just attacking Rockville and North Potomac folks who are no different than you but just decided to live in the west rather than the east.

Well, you apparently haven't read very much of this board. The "DCC posters" are most often just reacting to their neighborhoods being maligned by people who've never set foot there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if MCPS high schools are the socioeconomic class warzones depicted in the bile that is this thread. If so, how awful! I'm glad my kid goes to a socioeconomically diverse private. I am also glad that I own in a reasonably priced DCC neighborhood super convenient to DC. The Donald's SALT deduction limit must be killing you guys in the Ws. That and rising rates are not a good combination for high end home values. Especially with new mortgage interest deductions capped at the first 750k on a first lien. Oh yeah, and all those Amazon HQ2 kids coming down the pike might make DCC demographics less dissimilar to your precious school zones before you know it!

So true, that’s got to suck.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SAT averages for a single cohort over 5% really illustrates how these schools stack up.

Blair 1326
Churchill 1257
Einstein 1148
Walter Johnson 1275
Wheaton 1173
Wooton 1262

So they're all within a few points.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, people in real life from Potomac, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring and Poolesville are pretty upfront about the pros and cons of their neighborhoods. Its all pretty consistent regarding schools, crime, neighbors, traffic, resale value, grocery stores etc.

On this board though there are one or two DCC posters who all of a sudden seem to want to paint a very different picture and become enraged when anyone, including people from the DCC, call them on it. Perhaps there is just one poster who is extremely bitter and jealous that she doesn't live in Bethesda but its very strange. It started when the realtor started pushing houses in Silver Spring so perhaps this is all just a realtor ploy in the end.

In terms of the OP, yes rezoning can significantly impact resale value. The uncertainty of rezoning can be just as bad. Its unfortunate for those selling that the announcement won't be made for two years which just prolongs the uncertainty. For those buying, one piece of advice is to take a chance but don't buy to your max. This way if your home value drops you will not be underwater. If you are very risk averse then go further west where there is little chance of rezoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if MCPS high schools are the socioeconomic class warzones depicted in the bile that is this thread. If so, how awful! I'm glad my kid goes to a socioeconomically diverse private. I am also glad that I own in a reasonably priced DCC neighborhood super convenient to DC. The Donald's SALT deduction limit must be killing you guys in the Ws. That and rising rates are not a good combination for high end home values. Especially with new mortgage interest deductions capped at the first 750k on a first lien. Oh yeah, and all those Amazon HQ2 kids coming down the pike might make DCC demographics less dissimilar to your precious school zones before you know it!

Sums up the last 30 pages...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The SAT averages for a single cohort over 5% really illustrates how these schools stack up.

Blair 1326
Churchill 1257
Einstein 1148
Walter Johnson 1275
Wheaton 1173
Wooton 1262

So they're all within a few points.

If you take the magnet out of Blair then it would be no better than Einstein or Wheaton. 100 points difference is a big difference. The other aspect that the poster is conveniently hiding is that SAT scores are a self selecting population. The kids who are failing, dropping out don't go the the SAT. Only 58% of Blair meets basic college readiness standards and it has a much higher drop out rate than Churchill, Wootton or WJ.
There are more police incidents at Blair and gang activity in this area. There are much bigger issues and problems at Blair, Wheaton and Einstein.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The SAT averages for a single cohort over 5% really illustrates how these schools stack up.

Blair 1326
Churchill 1257
Einstein 1148
Walter Johnson 1275
Wheaton 1173
Wooton 1262

So they're all within a few points.

If you take the magnet out of Blair then it would be no better than Einstein or Wheaton. 100 points difference is a big difference. The other aspect that the poster is conveniently hiding is that SAT scores are a self selecting population. The kids who are failing, dropping out don't go the the SAT. Only 58% of Blair meets basic college readiness standards and it has a much higher drop out rate than Churchill, Wootton or WJ.
There are more police incidents at Blair and gang activity in this area. There are much bigger issues and problems at Blair, Wheaton and Einstein.

Talk about sour grapes!

[Anonymous]

All things being equal, sure, pick a school where the kids' SAT scores are 100 points higher. But all things are not equal. Some communities cost 2x as much, aren't walkable to anywhere, and aren't very diverse. This data is just to show that, if you already live in the DCC area and it fits your life, it's probably not worth 100 points of SAT score, on average, for what it would cost you.

And for those who have complained that this exercise is only about white kids: black and Hispanic kids score lower everywhere. I have taken them out of the equation in this exercise in order to make the comparison even, because they are already nearly out of the equation in the W schools. They can't afford to live there.

[Anonymous]

Good grief - there are plenty of walkable areas in Bethesda. There are areas now in Churchill and Wootton where you can walk to restaurants, activities and grocery stores. There is a lot more actual integration and diversity in terms of race, nationality, ethnicity and religion at many of the W schools than schools. Its a very international community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if MCPS high schools are the socioeconomic class warzones depicted in the bile that is this thread. If so, how awful! I'm glad my kid goes to a socioeconomically diverse private. I am also glad that I own in a reasonably priced DCC neighborhood super convenient to DC. The Donald's SALT deduction limit must be killing you guys in the Ws. That and rising rates are not a good combination for high end home values. Especially with new mortgage interest deductions capped at the first 750k on a first lien. Oh yeah, and all those Amazon HQ2 kids coming down the pike might make DCC demographics less dissimilar to your precious school zones before you know it!

So true, that’s got to suck.

Sorry this makes no sense. Most of the tax changes are small potatoes unless you are loaded. I have an $800k house and a $600k mortgage and I'm getting a (very small) tax cut due to getting access to the child credit again. And my home value has risen this year (yes I'm sure it has in the DCC too). Amazon HQ is unlikely but if it happens it's going to be the rising tide that lifts all boats. Home prices in silicon valley are insane everywhere but moreso in Palo Alto than Freemont. Aspen Hill is still going to be less wealthy than Bradley Hills regardless (and I don't live in either).

As long as I'm pointing out illogical statements on this thread (1) 1196 is very high for average AA SAT scores -- doubt you'll find better elsewhere and (2) lol at the poster bragging about all the socioeconomic diversity in the BCC cluster (and this I know I'm zoned for it). I bet median HHI at B-CC is higher than the richest public high school at virtually every US state. It's a bubble, just one with slightly more brown (generally still $$$) than some other rich areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if MCPS high schools are the socioeconomic class warzones depicted in the bile that is this thread. If so, how awful! I'm glad my kid goes to a socioeconomically diverse private. I am also glad that I own in a reasonably priced DCC neighborhood super convenient to DC. The Donald's SALT deduction limit must be killing you guys in the Ws. That and rising rates are not a good combination for high end home values. Especially with new mortgage interest deductions capped at the first 750k on a first lien. Oh yeah, and all those Amazon HQ2 kids coming down the pike might make DCC demographics less dissimilar to your precious school zones before you know it!

So true, that’s got to suck.

Most people in the WJ cluster don’t own homes that cost enough to leave you with a 750k mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if MCPS high schools are the socioeconomic class warzones depicted in the bile that is this thread. If so, how awful! I'm glad my kid goes to a socioeconomically diverse private. I am also glad that I own in a reasonably priced DCC neighborhood super convenient to DC. The Donald's SALT deduction limit must be killing you guys in the Ws. That and rising rates are not a good combination for high end home values. Especially with new mortgage interest deductions capped at the first 750k on a first lien. Oh yeah, and all those Amazon HQ2 kids coming down the pike might make DCC demographics less dissimilar to your precious school zones before you know it!

Sums up the last 30 pages...

Right. A private school where if a kid acts out or isn’t doing well he gets kicked out? Must be a really tough environment for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All things being equal, sure, pick a school where the kids' SAT scores are 100 points higher. But all things are not equal. Some communities cost 2x as much, aren't walkable to anywhere, and aren't very diverse. This data is just to show that, if you already live in the DCC area and it fits your life, it's probably not worth 100 points of SAT score, on average, for what it would cost you.

And for those who have complained that this exercise is only about white kids: black and Hispanic kids score lower everywhere. I have taken them out of the equation in this exercise in order to make the comparison even, because they are already nearly out of the equation in the W schools. They can't afford to live there.

I have to agree.