Moving, Daycare, Oh my

[Anonymous]

How do you do it?

My and DH's commute has just increasingly become unworkable since having a second child. We have a 2.5 yo and 6 mo. We are both attorneys. I work from home one or two days/week when possible, but on the days I drive in to work (Metro Center area) it takes up to 2 hours each way if traffic is bad. Bare minimum, it's an hour+. DH cannot work from home.

As difficult and career-killing as our current commute is, the idea of simultaneously finding a new daycare no more expensive than where we are now (for both, roughly $3500/month) with two openings, selling our house, and finding a new house in Kensington/Silver Spring/Bethesda/CC for under 500K (laughable, I know, but that is our absolute max budget) is SO daunting.

[Anonymous]

You can do it!

The house under $500k is the easy part. If you have your expectations set appropriately, start looking in Silver Spring, around Forest Glen, Four Corners. We got our 4 BD 2.5BA house that feeds into Forest Knolls Elementary for just $400k. Look at Flora Singer, Oakland Terrace elementaries, the one that Woodmoor feeds into--you can find something.

Daycare will likely be lower than what you're paying now--if you can identify where specifically you want to look at houses, then identify daycare centers and get on waitlists pronto. If you can get your 2.5 year old in somewhere, then you have sibling preference for the baby--or look at in home options as well.

Selling your house is daunting--going into the holidays is hard for real estate, and you've got the two kids to manage. Why not meet with a realtor now to think of a plan for spring?

[Anonymous]

We are literally delaying a local {dc to va] move two years because we cant find an infant spot at a daycare and we currently have one in dc. its unreal.

[Anonymous]

I don't. We bought a much smaller, older house closer in so that we didn't have to do the insane commute. We also have DD in an in-home near our house, so either parent can do drop off and pickup. I feel like our weekdays are so rushed as is, I couldn't imagine adding another hour each way onto our commute. PP is right, meet with a realtor and plan on moving in the spring. Research daycares now, and be ready to put the house on the market in May/June. You won't regret it!

[Anonymous]

Do it. It will be worth your time and effort. 2 hour commute? What a waste of your time and your time with your kids! For that reason alone it is worth your time to figure this out!

[Anonymous]

I agree, find a general area that you can afford to buy in and get on several daycare wait lists now. Sell and buy in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Sell in the spring, if you are going to do this.

We are in the outer suburbs. Thankfully, DH commutes to an inner suburb. I'm in a job I'm pretty blah on but it's telecommute. I look at jobs with more potential and/or more exciting work, but the thought of returning to spending nearly 20hrs a week in DC traffic holds me back. Everything is a trade off.

[Anonymous]

Silver Spring isn't so bad for daycare spots. There are many in-home places, and plenty of preschool spots. It'll be cheaper, too - I have one in an inhome (infant) and a preschooler in a center, ad it costs me $2400/month. That alone will make it worth it! And if I wanted, having the preschooler at the center means that I would have sibling preference to get the younger one there, too, but I am reluctant to leave our awesome inhome place.

And the housing budget will be fine out here, too - I bought my lovely house for $340K about four years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you do it?

My and DH's commute has just increasingly become unworkable since having a second child. We have a 2.5 yo and 6 mo. We are both attorneys. I work from home one or two days/week when possible, but on the days I drive in to work (Metro Center area) it takes up to 2 hours each way if traffic is bad. Bare minimum, it's an hour+. DH cannot work from home.

As difficult and career-killing as our current commute is, the idea of simultaneously finding a new daycare no more expensive than where we are now (for both, roughly $3500/month) with two openings, selling our house, and finding a new house in Kensington/Silver Spring/Bethesda/CC for under 500K (laughable, I know, but that is our absolute max budget) is SO daunting.

You expect sympathy with your HHI?

NP here. HOnestly, it looks like OP and her husband are government attorneys (or nonprofit). With a max housing budget of $500k, they don't sound like they're rolling in it!

[Anonymous]

I also drive near Metro Center and I commute from the Forest Knolls area. It's about 30-35 minutes in the early morning (arriving to work before 7:00) and up to 50 minutes home leaving work at 5:00 or 40 minutes home leaving work at 4:00. It's a very doable commute.

As for houses, you can find a lot under $500K in the 20901 zip code in the neighborhood surrounding Forest Knolls. For example, this house renovated 4 BR/3 BA house near Forest Knolls is $429K:

http://www.longandfoster.com/homes-for-sale/211-Thistle-Drive-Silver-Spring-MD-20901-181882538

In-home licensed day cares start at $230/week for infants around the neighborhood. Karasik, which has immediate openings for 2.5 year-olds is about $1,300/month (and is about $1,500/month for infants but sibling preference is necessary for a chance at a spot). I think you'll find that your money will stretch much farther in Silver Spring than it would appear by many postings on this site.

[Anonymous]

Consider moving into the district instead. You will be able to start public school at age 3, you'll have a much better commute too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider moving into the district instead. You will be able to start public school at age 3, you'll have a much better commute too.

They won't be able to afford a good school district on that budget in DC. It doesn't sound like they need more stress in their lives.