VA Zip Codes for Good Schools?

[Anonymous]

We are starting a search into buying a home in NoVa that has good public schools from elementary to high school. Close to metro or walkable to downtown would be ideal. If you are in NoVa and are planning on staying in your home until your DC goes to college, can you please recommend your zip code for a preliminary real estate search?

Of course, we have no idea what our DC is going to be like by high school (e.g., academic/athletic/artistic, etc.), but we are also not planning to move into a different school district just because. Good, all-around schools are what we are looking for--not necessarily the "best" academically, athletically, etc.

We like smaller homes and townhouses--we have no need or desire for a huge lot. Budget $650 K for 2-3 bedroom.

[Anonymous]

OP - I think that you should ask this question differently, as a single zip code can attend different high school pyramids in Fairfax County. I suggest you ask about which high schools people like; generally the feeder schools will also be highly regarded.

With that said, we are in the Flint Hill, Thoreau, Madison pyramid and we're happy with it. You can find something to fit your budget here.

[Anonymous]

You may be able to find something in Falls Church City which has a renowned small school system and is near two metro stops. Zip is 22046

[Anonymous]

You could get a smaller, older house in N. Arlington for $650,000. All of the schools are excellent (elementary - high school). Zip codes are 22201, 22203, 22205, 22207, 22213. Not all of these are walkable to metro, but a lot are near Lee Highway which has a lot of shopping and restaurants, as well as buses that go straight to Rosslyn. Of course the closer you get to metro, the more expensive houses are going to be. S. Arlington also has some nice neighborhoods, but I don't know that area as well.

[Anonymous]

OP here--thanks for the repsonses!

To first PP--I understand your advice and I've tried looking at real estate search engines by school, but the problem is that not all listings include such information, so many homes get left out of the search. (Note to realtors--please include school information!!!) I've been finding it much easier to search by zip code, finding homes I like, then figuring out whether or not the house is within particular boundaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--thanks for the repsonses!

To first PP--I understand your advice and I've tried looking at real estate search engines by school, but the problem is that not all listings include such information, so many homes get left out of the search. (Note to realtors--please include school information!!!) I've been finding it much easier to search by zip code, finding homes I like, then figuring out whether or not the house is within particular boundaries.

OP, I haven't seen a search by school either, but I love the site redfin.com. You can search there by zip code and the results are then broken down by neighborhood, price, days on market, etc. I keep track of all the listings in my own neighborhood that way - it is great to just be able to see them all in one place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--thanks for the repsonses!

To first PP--I understand your advice and I've tried looking at real estate search engines by school, but the problem is that not all listings include such information, so many homes get left out of the search. (Note to realtors--please include school information!!!) I've been finding it much easier to search by zip code, finding homes I like, then figuring out whether or not the house is within particular boundaries.

First PP here. That makes sense, OP. I hate it when realtors are too lazy to look up such a critical piece of info! With that said, I should have given you my zip because it's what you asked for! We are in 22180. You might also look at 22181, 22182 and 22124.

[Anonymous]

City of Falls Church
22046

[Anonymous]

22030

[Anonymous]

Some of the zips in Fairfax are split between districts, fyi. 22003 is split between Woodson, Falls Church and Annandale. 22031 (mine) is split between Fairfax, Falls Church, Woodson and Oakton. 22015 is split betwen Robinson and Lake Braddock. The zip codes in Vienna are split between Oakton, Marshall, Madison and Langley. You can often tell which school district a house is in by the price compared to other houses in the zip code.

If you see houses you like, put the addresses into this site:
http://boundary.fcps.edu/boundary/

In Arlington, the high schools in North Arlington (Yorktowne, Washington & Lee) tend to be higher ranked than the South Arlington high school whose name is escaping me.

[Anonymous]

22030 - Check out the City of Fairfax website. Country Club Hills/Old Lee Hills is walkable to the elementary and high school. The bus comes to pick up kids for two years of middle school. Houses are between $450-$550.

[Anonymous]

In Arlington, the high schools in North Arlington (Yorktown, Washington & Lee) tend to be higher ranked than the South Arlington high school whose name is escaping me.

Wakefield. It's a perfectly fine school, but the perception is that the other ones are better, and that will affect the value of real estate.

North Arlington zips are 222[odd number] -- try 01, 05, 09, and 13

[Anonymous]

What about Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

22308 is the Waynewood School District in Alexandria Fairfax County which is one of the best elementary schools in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The zip codes in Vienna are split between Oakton, Marshall, Madison and Langley. You can often tell which school district a house is in by the price compared to other houses in the zip code.

If you see houses you like, put the addresses into this site:
http://boundary.fcps.edu/boundary/

Definitely a good suggestion to use the boundary locator. Vienna (22180, 22181 and 22182) splits not only among Oakton, Marshall, Madison and Langley, but also South Lakes and McLean. All of these schools are pretty good. South Lakes, in particular, used to get a lot of criticism, but there was a redistricting in 2008 and its enrollment has increased considerably in the past two years. Marshall has the top IB program in Fairfax County.

22180 includes the Town of Vienna, and everyone there is assigned to Madison. There are a few county neighborhoods in 22180 outside the Town that go to Marshall HS.

22181 feeds primarily into Madison and Oakton - apart from a few apartment/townhouse complexes near the Vienna Metro, this is expensive SFH territory.

22182 is the wealthiest of the Vienna zip codes and splits among Marshall, Madison, Langley, McLean and South Lakes. There are just a few neighborhoods south of Route 7 zoned to Langley with Vienna/22182 mailing addresses and, as Langley neighborhoods go, they aren't particularly fancy. The Madison neighborhoods in 22182 are primarily 1970s subdivisions on smaller lots, with some new infill developments. The most expensive houses in 22182 are further north and/or west and zoned to McLean, Marshall and South Lakes. The houses in the South Lakes district do tend to be less expensive than their counterparts in the McLean or Marshall districts, but that may reflect the greater distance to Tysons and DC as well as any perceived difference in the quality of the schools. Homes in the McLean district may command a premium compared to homes in the other school districts, although this may be offset to some degree by the fact that the McLean neighborhoods in 22182 are very close to Route 7.