Moving, estimating commute times, low budget, baby on the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we live in Reston. we commute together and leave around 7:30 and the drive can be anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour, although (knock on wood) it's been 40 minutes lately. our commute home is 30-40 minutes. HOV helps a lot. reston has tons of townhomes, $350,000 is totally doable and lots of sidewalks.

I don't believe this estimate door to door. No matter where you are in NOVA, you have 15-20 minutes commute time on average just crossing one of the bridges.

we cross the roosevelt bridge in 10 minutes or less. right hand lanes and get off on constitution ave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:greatschools.org uses test scores to rate schools.

Test scores don't tell the whole story, though. What if the test scores are because the culture is a pressure cooker?

People might tell you that a school failed because it didn't "make AYP" - well, that also doesn't tell the whole story. A school could miss that particular benchmark because a couple kids didn't show up to school on test day and they didn't hit 95% attendance. You need to look behind and think about the numbers.

The two lottery schools we applied to for our daughter last year in FCPS didn't make AYP - one was an immmersion school and one was an arts magnet. I think the pass rates for certain minority students weren't high enough for whatever reason.

There are schools in this area with high levels of poverty and mostly minority populations in the same general areas as schools with 5% or less kids on free and reduced meals and 80%+ white populations. The schools here really are all over the map. I honestly wouldn't discount all the schools you hear are "bad" because lots of people can't look beyond the population numbers. My daughter's school is more than 50% non-white, and I like it that way. Some days, though, I think the Title I school around the corner might have been even better because their K class sizes aren't 30 like ours are. FCPS has got to find a way to address insane class sizes and fast - it makes no sense that a school right down the road from us that ISN'T a Title I school has K classes of 19 while our school is stuffing 30 kids per class into 3 K classrooms.

If you liked Fairlington, the great schools parents reviews of Abingdon are stellar. It sounds like they are doing great work there, and the 4 score given doesn't sound like it reflects anything other than the higher than average minority and FARM numbers that are present there (lots of apartments and small condos in that area). The partnership with the Kennedy Center would be a plus in my book, as well as the interesting curriculum choices. It also sounds like there are other options available to Arlington residents if you decide your neighborhood school isn't right for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:greatschools.org uses test scores to rate schools.

NO. greatschools uses the average number of stars given by people who comment--and these people could be anyone. greatschools does provide score data, if it is available, but do not think that the star rating is objectively based upon scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are houses in that range in Brightwood, near Takoma Park. I think it is an undervalued area - you can walk to the metro, and the Takoma rec center is awesome (beautiful park with huge oak trees, outside tennis courts, indoor Olympic pool and baby pool.

OP, we have lived in this neighborhood for 6 years, have 2 small kids and a 2300 SF house, which, coincidentally, we are going to put on the market, in your price range, in a few months. If you are interested, let me know. We LOVE our house and have remodeled it extensively--it is perfect for a family w/ small kids b/c we opened up the entire ground level (and we have a big, fenced in backyard w/ patio, tree house, sandbox, etc). The neighborhood and neighbors are amazing--though schools are DCPS or charter, so you'd have that as an issue in 5 years. (We are moving to a bigger house b/c have MIL moving to town and need an in-law suite).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:greatschools.org uses test scores to rate schools.

NO. greatschools uses the average number of stars given by people who comment--and these people could be anyone. greatschools does provide score data, if it is available, but do not think that the star rating is objectively based upon scores.

You are factually, flat out wrong. The greatschools rating is based on a composite of passing rates on the state test for all the grades in a school and all the different breakdowns (race, SES, disability, gender). A comparison is made with the passrates for all the other public schools in that state comparing their passrates to the school you are looking at.

For instance, if the school you are looking at is a "5" on Greatschools.org, that means the composite passing rate on the state test for that school is essentially equal to the average school in that state. So, let's just say that 85% passing on state SOLs is the average for a state, and your school's composite pass rate is close to 85%, your school on Greatschools.org is going to be marked as a "5". The next step in your analysis of any school should be to look at the subgroups and see if most of the groups (particularly the ones your child fits into == i.e. female, white, no disabilities, no economic hardship, etc) have passing rates that you are comfortable with. If, for example the school score is a 4, but for white kids the passing rate is a 9, that might give you info. that certain groups are not passing at as high a rate and maybe you don't need to be concerned that the overall score for the school is a 4.

The school scores are Greatschools.org are SOLELY based on state test pass rates. There are separate "stars" ratings that parents give -- which should be taken with a grain a salt b/c lots of people think their kids' school is great when it is really at the lower end of the spectrum.

[Anonymous]

I'm 13:30 -- one more point about greatschools.org.

If your school is an "8", that means its composite pass rate is in the 8th stanine, roughly better than 80% of the schools in that state. If it is a 3, it is roughly better than 30% of the schools in that state, etc. etc. So, a "5" rating just means that it is right in the middle of the pack. Anything above 5 means the overall passing rate is better than the average school in that state. Anything below 5 means that the passing rate is lower than the state average....

But, comparing your apples to apples (i.e. your child's demographics to the school's test scores on those demogrphic groups) is more accurate.

[Anonymous]

Hi - we were in a similar position a few years ago. We moved to a 2 bed/2ba condo in NW dc with a modest condo fee. We can comfortably afford the place and my DH has an under 40 min commute by metro.

consider this in bethesda - walkable to FH, 760 HOA fee with utlities included:
http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3896-Porter-St-NW-20016/unit-339/home/9967122

or

in Mclean Gardens which is family friendly and has a modest HOA (only one bathroom)

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3896-Porter-St-NW-20016/unit-339/home/9967122

or

in downtown bethesda - tons of stuff to do and good schools very close to metro (one bath here too)
http://www.redfin.com/MD/Bethesda/4801-Fairmont-Ave-20814/unit-204/home/11209527

best of luck. For us it was worth giving up space to be in a good school system and near metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP, we have lived in this neighborhood for 6 years, have 2 small kids and a 2300 SF house, which, coincidentally, we are going to put on the market, in your price range, in a few months. If you are interested, let me know. We LOVE our house and have remodeled it extensively--it is perfect for a family w/ small kids b/c we opened up the entire ground level (and we have a big, fenced in backyard w/ patio, tree house, sandbox, etc). The neighborhood and neighbors are amazing--though schools are DCPS or charter, so you'd have that as an issue in 5 years. (We are moving to a bigger house b/c have MIL moving to town and need an in-law suite).

How many bedrooms?

[Anonymous]

When I worked on the west end of downtown, my commute from Hyattsville's Historic District was 30 minutes door-to-door using Metro.

For school, Hyattsville Elementary is improving. St. Jerome's has really made a name for itself with its Classical curriculum (Post Magazine had a big write-up last spring), and it's adding a Montessori toddler program and preschool. For High School, DeMatha is walking distance and Seton is the next town over. Many also test into Eleanor Roosevelt.

For $350k you can buy a very charming and spacious Victorian or Craftsman home in a safe neighborhood here.

[Anonymous]

With the one-bedroom condos that you currently own (and presumably have mortages on?), it will make it more difficult for you to get a mortgage to buy a new place. There was some discussion of this on the real estate forum a while ago. You might want to look into what additional standards you would have to meet to qualify for a mortgage on a third place. That might change your calculations as to whether it makes sense to sell one or both of your current condos.

I agree with PPs that SFHs and townhomes require a lot more time to clean and maintain than a small apartment/condo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP, we have lived in this neighborhood for 6 years, have 2 small kids and a 2300 SF house, which, coincidentally, we are going to put on the market, in your price range, in a few months. If you are interested, let me know. We LOVE our house and have remodeled it extensively--it is perfect for a family w/ small kids b/c we opened up the entire ground level (and we have a big, fenced in backyard w/ patio, tree house, sandbox, etc). The neighborhood and neighbors are amazing--though schools are DCPS or charter, so you'd have that as an issue in 5 years. (We are moving to a bigger house b/c have MIL moving to town and need an in-law suite).

How many bedrooms?

4 BR (3 upstairs, 1 in basement/guest room), 2 BA. It's a Wardman house, semi-detached. Ours is, for whatever reason, about 2-3 feet wider than the other Wardmans on the block, which you really feel when inside--feels more spacious (also b/c we opened up the downstairs so it no longer has a galley kitchen, the addition is now incorporated into the main level, etc.). Please feel free to email me at [e-mail] if you'd like more details or to discuss!

[Anonymous]

People have mentioned Shirlington and Fairlington but what about other parts of South Arlington. You could definitely find a townhome, or duplex within that range. Arlington does have a county-wide montessori school that goes up to 5th grade. There is a lottery for admission.

We live in a SFH in Penrose and love it! Commute is 30 minutes or less to downtown by car. It would probably take me 20 minutes to get to Foggy Bottom.

And I used to live in a condo in the Palisades. Check out the building near Listrani's and the one across from Safeway. You could probably buy into one of those for about $350,000.

[Anonymous]

OP, new poster here... I second Hyattsville Arts District. We live there- four story 2200 sf brand new w/ roof deck, can walk to restaurants, private school in walking distance (very very affordable), wonderful neighborhood and friends- very friendly people and down to earth, lots of activities for kids- and husband commutes to DC on metro- 30 min. door to door. I commute to Bethesda- same, 30 min door to door (no 495, East-West highway is a cinch).
We used to live in Alexandria- pain in the ass. And just try the commute from further out in FFX- 30 min? Yeah, maybe 3x a year.
Have questions, let me know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pimmit hills but the houses are small and older

One big drawback: Pimmit hills have many registered sex offenders.

[Anonymous]

Matisse model in ADH (one of the largest models) for sale at $435k- brand new:
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5604-Lustine-St-Hyattsville-MD-20781/71807453_zpid/