Is DC right for us?

[Anonymous]

We moved to DC from MA about 3-4 months ago and closed on semi-detached townhomeast August. We are a young professional couple (both 31) expecting our first child next February; which is the reason we purchased where we did because we needed a 3 bedroom.

Long story short we had a budget of 600k and needed 3 bedrooms. So we purchased a Federal tow home in North Michigan Park I believe for 550k, about 1 mile from Fort Totten. The concern : schools. The school ratings basically scares us and might be the main driver behind us living the city in the next 4 year or so (before she starts 1st grade).

The other option would be private school but the costs seems like 10k/year and I wonder if my daughter would not be better served by having this money invested in her college fund vs paying for elementary school. My wife is adamant the only way she will stay here past 4-5 years is if she goes to private school.

Do you think 4 years is good enough for the school system to change for the better? now we are zoneed for Brookland Education Campus at Bunker Hill?

We like our place while we would have wanted to be closer to downtown understood that for our price range (600k) and what we needed (3 bedrooms) was a non starter. We even declutter and sold/gifted most of our stuff (from 3,200 sqft in MA to 1,600 sqft here including basement).

The school system seems to be the other big huddle for us (when I thought downsizing would be)?

[Anonymous]

Huh? Yes, the path is littered with escapees forced out by wives' concerns about "schools." You don't even seem to know how much you paid for your house, though.

[Anonymous]

OP, your child hasn't even been born yet. Breathe!

Worry about this in a couple years.

[Anonymous]

Your wife is a ball of hormones right now. I mean that kindly. She may freak out about schools, also about the potential of pesticide residue on your lawn, or the outgassing in your car. Been there. I would not take this exact second as the time to stress about schools.

Furthermore, you are pretty close to a bunch of charter schools, and the lottery may spin in your favor. In addition, your neighborhood is undergoing a massive demographic shift, and you and she are not alone. Schools will work themselves out. Enjoy your new house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your wife is a ball of hormones right now. I mean that kindly. She may freak out about schools, also about the potential of pesticide residue on your lawn, or the outgassing in your car. Been there. I would not take this exact second as the time to stress about schools.

Furthermore, you are pretty close to a bunch of charter schools, and the lottery may spin in your favor. In addition, your neighborhood is undergoing a massive demographic shift, and you and she are not alone. Schools will work themselves out. Enjoy your new house.

This. OP, you have plenty of time to deal with the school question. Not an issue for right now.

[Anonymous]

Right now I would be worrying about finding good childcare

[Anonymous]

If you think private schools cost $10K a year, start looking into daycare ASAP.

Everyone in your area who has moved in in the last 5-10 years goes to charters via lottery. You will likely, too. If it doesn't work out, you sell and move to the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right now I would be worrying about finding good childcare

This. Our daycare has a 1K waitlist in Alexandria. Good childcare in this area have long waitlists and are expensive.

[Anonymous]

Brookland Education Campus is no longer a school now that Brookland Middle School has opened. Are you getting your information from Learn DC? You really should use that website, it's the most accurate. The elementary school is just Bunker Hill ES. I don't know much about it but there are a lot of young people with families moving into that area and there will be even more as the development continues to come to Fort Totten. As PPs said, there are also a lot of good charters close by as well.

[Anonymous]

Your wife is right. You have to plan for the contingency of private school. Hopefully you budgeted for that when you bought your home. No, your inbound school will not improve. It may be an option for PK3-4. Or you may get into a charter. But financially you should be planning to pay for childcare until 5 and then possibly moving or private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to DC from MA about 3-4 months ago and closed on semi-detached townhomeast August. We are a young professional couple (both 31) expecting our first child next February; which is the reason we purchased where we did because we needed a 3 bedroom.

Long story short we had a budget of 600k and needed 3 bedrooms. So we purchased a Federal tow home in North Michigan Park I believe for 550k, about 1 mile from Fort Totten. The concern : schools. The school ratings basically scares us and might be the main driver behind us living the city in the next 4 year or so (before she starts 1st grade).

The other option would be private school but the costs seems like 10k/year and I wonder if my daughter would not be better served by having this money invested in her college fund vs paying for elementary school. My wife is adamant the only way she will stay here past 4-5 years is if she goes to private school.

Do you think 4 years is good enough for the school system to change for the better? now we are zoneed for Brookland Education Campus at Bunker Hill?

We like our place while we would have wanted to be closer to downtown understood that for our price range (600k) and what we needed (3 bedrooms) was a non starter. We even declutter and sold/gifted most of our stuff (from 3,200 sqft in MA to 1,600 sqft here including basement).

The school system seems to be the other big huddle for us (when I thought downsizing would be)?

Private school is more like 30k/year unless you go to a catholic school.

[Anonymous]

No, those schools aren't going to change for the better. It's an up and coming area, so just sell and move before K. You have 6 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your wife is a ball of hormones right now. I mean that kindly. She may freak out about schools, also about the potential of pesticide residue on your lawn, or the outgassing in your car. Been there. I would not take this exact second as the time to stress about schools.

Furthermore, you are pretty close to a bunch of charter schools, and the lottery may spin in your favor. In addition, your neighborhood is undergoing a massive demographic shift, and you and she are not alone. Schools will work themselves out. Enjoy your new house.

+1. Your school will be fine through K and you may get into a charter. Lots of good charters near(ish) your area. If you move, you will have to pay for preschool. So why not stay and give it a chance?

[Anonymous]

How did you buy a house without knowing about the school's? I genuinely don't understand how someone would do that. Was it a family property?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to DC from MA about 3-4 months ago and closed on semi-detached townhomeast August. We are a young professional couple (both 31) expecting our first child next February; which is the reason we purchased where we did because we needed a 3 bedroom.

Long story short we had a budget of 600k and needed 3 bedrooms. So we purchased a Federal tow home in North Michigan Park I believe for 550k, about 1 mile from Fort Totten. The concern : schools. The school ratings basically scares us and might be the main driver behind us living the city in the next 4 year or so (before she starts 1st grade).

The other option would be private school but the costs seems like 10k/year and I wonder if my daughter would not be better served by having this money invested in her college fund vs paying for elementary school. My wife is adamant the only way she will stay here past 4-5 years is if she goes to private school.

Do you think 4 years is good enough for the school system to change for the better? now we are zoneed for Brookland Education Campus at Bunker Hill?

We like our place while we would have wanted to be closer to downtown understood that for our price range (600k) and what we needed (3 bedrooms) was a non starter. We even declutter and sold/gifted most of our stuff (from 3,200 sqft in MA to 1,600 sqft here including basement).

The school system seems to be the other big huddle for us (when I thought downsizing would be)?

You sound like me and my spouse. Opposites attract. One of you is prematurely freaking out about schools and the other cannot recall exactly what he paid for a house 2 months ago nor make a reasonable estimate of non-Catholic private school costs

Your neighborhood is nice and it's up and coming. Prioritize finding a good daycare if that is the route you are going. Get on some waitlists right now near home and work (yes, right now, they let you put down your expected due date and your anticipated start time, to coincide with when your mat/pat leave runs out) and then make your decision later after touring some places and figuring out what your kid/work commute logistics will be.

There are a lot of great charter options near you right now, and your local school is likely good until K/1st at least, so you have 6 years and 3-4 attempts at the lottery. If that doesn't work out for you then, for the price you paid, you can find the same house in Silver Spring or maybe Takoma with more established schools. Plus maybe you will get more price appreciation than those neighborhoods over the next 6 years, improving your options further.

So don't worry too much.