House budget of $450k. Looking for good schools. Where to buy?

[Anonymous]

When is this area going to DO something about all the ESL / FARMS? It's costing a fortune and enough is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was the 21:00 poster about Pimitt Hills. Yes there are areas that aren't as nice as others in this large neighborhood but we looked 5 years ago and it looks much different now. Lots of people tearing down and building new. Younger families moving in because its still relatively affordable. It won't be in 3 years. With the silver line starting and the new developments they are planning off of Magarity pricing will sky rocket. Very close to Tysons, 66, 495 and Rt 7. Whole Foods , Trader Joe's, Safeway, restaurants, coffee and fro yo. Plus whatever else the new developments bring.

It's an ugly area and will be so for decades to come. Dilapidated older homes and cheap new McMansions do not make for a desirable neighborhood. The housing stock is just dreadfully bad.

It's extremely, profoundly desirable to families with only 450K to spend. Sadly, it's moving out of their reach.

It's not very desirable to anyone no matter what their budget. Don't be ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

New poster. Well we like Pimmit Hills. It's ok that you don't. It's a great commuting spot and is a very walkable community. You can walk to the elementary, high, a large park, and the library easily and to two large shopping areas. Hard to even find an area that's a walkable community in Fairfax much less one that's within walking distance of two metros and within access of 3 highways. There are some ugly new homes. I agree. There are more very nice new houses though and the older homes aren't that bad if they are kept up well. I like being near to neighbors but still having a large flat yard and everyone I've met here is friendly. I'd probably pick Arlington or even McLean over Pimmit Hills, but not for the price the houses are going for there.

[Anonymous]

Pimmit Hills? Not recommended at any price range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pimmit Hills? Not recommended at any price range.

The market disagrees with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was the 21:00 poster about Pimitt Hills. Yes there are areas that aren't as nice as others in this large neighborhood but we looked 5 years ago and it looks much different now. Lots of people tearing down and building new. Younger families moving in because its still relatively affordable. It won't be in 3 years. With the silver line starting and the new developments they are planning off of Magarity pricing will sky rocket. Very close to Tysons, 66, 495 and Rt 7. Whole Foods , Trader Joe's, Safeway, restaurants, coffee and fro yo. Plus whatever else the new developments bring.

It's an ugly area and will be so for decades to come. Dilapidated older homes and cheap new McMansions do not make for a desirable neighborhood. The housing stock is just dreadfully bad.

It's extremely, profoundly desirable to families with only 450K to spend. Sadly, it's moving out of their reach.

It's not very desirable to anyone no matter what their budget. Don't be ridiculous.

...and with you.

[Anonymous]

As usual -- the stampede of DCUM posters who obsess on the need to live in Vienna or Fairfax (or even Burke)... when there are perfectly good and far more convenient options available to OP.

OP's commute destination is Old Town ALEXANDRIA. Are you so blinded by the superiority of your beloved western Fairfax locations that you can't fathom someone actually choosing to live in the Alexandria portion of Fairfax County? There are plenty of good options in the Kingstowne/Franconia area.

It gets so old reading posts on DCUM whenever anyone asks "where can I find a house?" and the deluge of "must like in Vienna" posts come out. Or when a person asks about a school other than Langley/McLean (i.e. Herndon, in another post) and the majority of the posts focus on Langley. Get over yourselves. Other areas and schools exist in NoVa.

[Anonymous]

that's "must liVe in Vienna".

[Anonymous]

19:48 Feel free to point them out then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As usual -- the stampede of DCUM posters who obsess on the need to live in Vienna or Fairfax (or even Burke)... when there are perfectly good and far more convenient options available to OP.

OP's commute destination is Old Town ALEXANDRIA. Are you so blinded by the superiority of your beloved western Fairfax locations that you can't fathom someone actually choosing to live in the Alexandria portion of Fairfax County? There are plenty of good options in the Kingstowne/Franconia area.

It gets so old reading posts on DCUM whenever anyone asks "where can I find a house?" and the deluge of "must like in Vienna" posts come out. Or when a person asks about a school other than Langley/McLean (i.e. Herndon, in another post) and the majority of the posts focus on Langley. Get over yourselves. Other areas and schools exist in NoVa.

True. In FCPS, just stay out of all neighborhoods that feed into an IB high school. (Except for Marshall or Robinson.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As usual -- the stampede of DCUM posters who obsess on the need to live in Vienna or Fairfax (or even Burke)... when there are perfectly good and far more convenient options available to OP.

OP's commute destination is Old Town ALEXANDRIA. Are you so blinded by the superiority of your beloved western Fairfax locations that you can't fathom someone actually choosing to live in the Alexandria portion of Fairfax County? There are plenty of good options in the Kingstowne/Franconia area.

It gets so old reading posts on DCUM whenever anyone asks "where can I find a house?" and the deluge of "must like in Vienna" posts come out. Or when a person asks about a school other than Langley/McLean (i.e. Herndon, in another post) and the majority of the posts focus on Langley. Get over yourselves. Other areas and schools exist in NoVa.

True. In FCPS, just stay out of all neighborhoods that feed into an IB high school. (Except for Marshall or Robinson.)

Right, unless you have intelligent, open-minded kids who know how to interact with a variety of people, or WANT to know how. Parents who are not terrified of anything that diverges from their own narrow path have the confidence to know their children will do well anywhere. The IB group in a diverse high school tends to narrow to a smaller group going for the full diploma, but that group can be just fine as a springboard to anything/anywhere. Great housing prices in 22310. Great commute to Old Town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As usual -- the stampede of DCUM posters who obsess on the need to live in Vienna or Fairfax (or even Burke)... when there are perfectly good and far more convenient options available to OP.

OP's commute destination is Old Town ALEXANDRIA. Are you so blinded by the superiority of your beloved western Fairfax locations that you can't fathom someone actually choosing to live in the Alexandria portion of Fairfax County? There are plenty of good options in the Kingstowne/Franconia area.

It gets so old reading posts on DCUM whenever anyone asks "where can I find a house?" and the deluge of "must like in Vienna" posts come out. Or when a person asks about a school other than Langley/McLean (i.e. Herndon, in another post) and the majority of the posts focus on Langley. Get over yourselves. Other areas and schools exist in NoVa.

True. In FCPS, just stay out of all neighborhoods that feed into an IB high school. (Except for Marshall or Robinson.)

Right, unless you have intelligent, open-minded kids who know how to interact with a variety of people, or WANT to know how. Parents who are not terrified of anything that diverges from their own narrow path have the confidence to know their children will do well anywhere. The IB group in a diverse high school tends to narrow to a smaller group going for the full diploma, but that group can be just fine as a springboard to anything/anywhere. Great housing prices in 22310. Great commute to Old Town.

Better choose Edison over Mount Vernon so your kid will have over a dozen in their peer group. Still nothing like Marshall and Robinson.

http://www.fcps.edu/cco/pr/apib/2013/table11.pdf

FCPS International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Candidates (Class of 2013)

School: Edison HS
IB Diploma Candidates: 41
IB Diplomas Awarded: 29

School: Marshall HS
IB Diploma Candidates: 76
IB Diplomas Awarded: 71

School: Mount Vernon HS
IB Diploma Candidates: 20
IB Diplomas Awarded: 12

School: Robinson SS
IB Diploma Candidates: 136
IB Diplomas Awarded: 110

[Anonymous]

I live in PH but I do agree that commute from there to Alexandria is universally miserable. I wouldn't live here if I needed to go to Alexandria every day. Surely there must be areas in Alexandria where schools aren't bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pimmit Hills? Not recommended at any price range.

What's better than a house guaranteed to skyrocket in value, a 1/4 to 1/2 acre yard, and the choice between Marshall (IB) or McLean(AP) for HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As usual -- the stampede of DCUM posters who obsess on the need to live in Vienna or Fairfax (or even Burke)... when there are perfectly good and far more convenient options available to OP.

OP's commute destination is Old Town ALEXANDRIA. Are you so blinded by the superiority of your beloved western Fairfax locations that you can't fathom someone actually choosing to live in the Alexandria portion of Fairfax County? There are plenty of good options in the Kingstowne/Franconia area.

It gets so old reading posts on DCUM whenever anyone asks "where can I find a house?" and the deluge of "must like in Vienna" posts come out. Or when a person asks about a school other than Langley/McLean (i.e. Herndon, in another post) and the majority of the posts focus on Langley. Get over yourselves. Other areas and schools exist in NoVa.

True. In FCPS, just stay out of all neighborhoods that feed into an IB high school. (Except for Marshall or Robinson.)

Right, unless you have intelligent, open-minded kids who know how to interact with a variety of people, or WANT to know how. Parents who are not terrified of anything that diverges from their own narrow path have the confidence to know their children will do well anywhere. The IB group in a diverse high school tends to narrow to a smaller group going for the full diploma, but that group can be just fine as a springboard to anything/anywhere. Great housing prices in 22310. Great commute to Old Town.

Better choose Edison over Mount Vernon so your kid will have over a dozen in their peer group. Still nothing like Marshall and Robinson.

http://www.fcps.edu/cco/pr/apib/2013/table11.pdf

FCPS International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Candidates (Class of 2013)

School: Edison HS
IB Diploma Candidates: 41
IB Diplomas Awarded: 29

School: Marshall HS
IB Diploma Candidates: 76
IB Diplomas Awarded: 71

School: Mount Vernon HS
IB Diploma Candidates: 20
IB Diplomas Awarded: 12

School: Robinson SS
IB Diploma Candidates: 136
IB Diplomas Awarded: 110

I think Edison offers as many opportunities as Marshall. Maybe not Robinson. But compare a neighborhood like Wilton Woods or Kingstowne with Pimmit Hills. Really nice homes compared to, well, there's been enough written already about how awful Pimmit Hills is and it's true.