Giving up on North Arligton... Is South Arlington going to improve?

[Anonymous]

We've moved our home search south of 50. We have 1 DC under 2. Trying to stay under 650k for a sfh. Are we going to have to look outside of Arlington? Do I really need to be concerned about Wakefield? That is a long time from now. Is the south going to turn around? Looked at a place near Columbia Pike and it's just ugly over there.

[Anonymous]

Nope - it's not going to improve.

[Anonymous]

I personally think Wakefield's demographics are bound to shift as more middle class white families continue to move in. I know a LOT of them - mostly folks who were slightly priced out of North Arlington or who just wanted something bigger/newer/nicer than what they could afford there. And a lot of folks don't want to move further out - they're happy with the commutes from South Arlington. (if you're metro commuting, it is actually a quicker drive to Ballston from some South Arlington neighborhoods than it is from my North Arlington one.) It's probably never going to become a Yorktown, but I think the odds of it looking more like Washington-Lee in the next 10-15 years are pretty good.

Some of the neighborhoods are very cute - I like Penrose, Alcova Heights, Arlington village. Douglas Park has a lot of families with young kids. You get the best deals right now in Columbia Forest and Nauck, I think, though I didn't want to be that far South. I hear that Patrick Henry ES and Oakridge are the most diverse of the schools down there, i.e. the schools that aren't 70% of one race, but more like 30/30/40. (though Oakridge's SFHs may be above your range, since they are also nearer to blue line metro.)

Good luck!!

[Anonymous]

We did and moved into Barcroft. The elementary in Barcroft is really stressed right now because of the low income housing and the city won't expand the school or shift anything around. Hate to hurt my own property values by saying that....

I have not heard one bad thing from Wakefield parents, their kids are thriving. And man, I got a lot more for my money in S. Arlington.

The pike is not so good, but honestly, go a couple blocks off the pike and the neighborhoods with sfh are lovely. Barcroft is really nice, fabulous neighborhood I have to say. Some old with renovations and expansions, and some new. Amazing to me that hte Barcroft school is like 70% latino because the local non-pike neighborhood is not.

We love it!

[Anonymous]

OP, I just checked Franklymls to see what's out there. There are a few houses in Douglas Park that have a ton of potential - 3-4 bedrooms, 2 baths, decent lots, not on busy streets.

[Anonymous]

OP here- Douglas Park... Will check it out. Definitely looking for 2 baths. I know people do 1 and make it work, but I don't think we can handle it! That's zoned Randolph... I've been looking at the elementary schools. I had read that Oakridge was very crowded ( but good). I will look into Barcroft.

[Anonymous]

I'd be very wary OP. Yes the SFH neighborhoods are nice, but the County is actively working to maintain the status quo on the Pike. The Trolley might have brought some gentrification, but that's cancelled. All of the candidates for the open Board seats are on record for mainting and if possible expanding affordable housing. There is only one place that it is going - south Arlington. Maybe the demographics will change, but not if the county can help it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've moved our home search south of 50. We have 1 DC under 2. Trying to stay under 650k for a sfh. Are we going to have to look outside of Arlington? Do I really need to be concerned about Wakefield? That is a long time from now. Is the south going to turn around? Looked at a place near Columbia Pike and it's just ugly over there.

The obvious place to look if priced out of North Arlington is Falls Church, not South Arlington, if you care about schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've moved our home search south of 50. We have 1 DC under 2. Trying to stay under 650k for a sfh. Are we going to have to look outside of Arlington? Do I really need to be concerned about Wakefield? That is a long time from now. Is the south going to turn around? Looked at a place near Columbia Pike and it's just ugly over there.

The obvious place to look if priced out of North Arlington is Falls Church, not South Arlington, if you care about schools.

I thought the falls church schools weren't great?

[Anonymous]

I live in Douglas Park and LOVE it. Lots of young families moving in. Great neighborhood community. July 4th Picnic, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be very wary OP. Yes the SFH neighborhoods are nice, but the County is actively working to maintain the status quo on the Pike. The Trolley might have brought some gentrification, but that's cancelled. All of the candidates for the open Board seats are on record for mainting and if possible expanding affordable housing. There is only one place that it is going - south Arlington. Maybe the demographics will change, but not if the county can help it.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've moved our home search south of 50. We have 1 DC under 2. Trying to stay under 650k for a sfh. Are we going to have to look outside of Arlington? Do I really need to be concerned about Wakefield? That is a long time from now. Is the south going to turn around? Looked at a place near Columbia Pike and it's just ugly over there.

The obvious place to look if priced out of North Arlington is Falls Church, not South Arlington, if you care about schools.

I thought the falls church schools weren't great?

No, they're good. The only real problem with them is the system is so small that if you run into a problem with a teacher or something, there's really no place else to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've moved our home search south of 50. We have 1 DC under 2. Trying to stay under 650k for a sfh. Are we going to have to look outside of Arlington? Do I really need to be concerned about Wakefield? That is a long time from now. Is the south going to turn around? Looked at a place near Columbia Pike and it's just ugly over there.

The obvious place to look if priced out of North Arlington is Falls Church, not South Arlington, if you care about schools.

I thought the falls church schools weren't great?

By just about any metric, George Mason, Marshall, McLean, and Falls Church fare better than Wakefield. Stuart and Wakefield are similar, though Wakefield has a new building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've moved our home search south of 50. We have 1 DC under 2. Trying to stay under 650k for a sfh. Are we going to have to look outside of Arlington? Do I really need to be concerned about Wakefield? That is a long time from now. Is the south going to turn around? Looked at a place near Columbia Pike and it's just ugly over there.

The obvious place to look if priced out of North Arlington is Falls Church, not South Arlington, if you care about schools.

I thought the falls church schools weren't great?

No, they're good. The only real problem with them is the system is so small that if you run into a problem with a teacher or something, there's really no place else to go.

Falls Church and Falls Church City are two different school systems. FCC is very good, and often one of the best in the country. FC depends on your location.

[Anonymous]

We live in Nauck and just bought last year. We are very happy. Since we moved in our neighborhood has changed a lot in just a yard (6 new builds have gone in). The house across the street just sold for 100K more than it sold for a 2 years ago. The demographics of the neighborhood appear to be changing rapidly.

That being said, my neighborhood is ugly. That probably isn't going to change but there are lots of prettier neighborhoods in S. Arlington (I like Alcova Heights).

Everyone I Know that sends kids to wakefield are extremely happy with it. As far as elementary schools, it seems like there is a pretty big divide over elementary schools. All of the upper class kids go to claremont if they didn't get into montessori at drew. More of the original neighborhood goes to Drew (the regular program).

Anyway, I love it.