SFH in Arlington with good schools for 600K - does it exist?

[Anonymous]

Thank you! Thank you!

I'm not as worried (I think) about the dress code, etc. as much as the experience in the classroom. Fostering creative thinking, respecting the child, appreciating differences (in thought, at least, if not dress), etc.

[Anonymous]

http://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/Arlington-Magazine/Newsstands/

I guess you could get the magazine that profiles ATS if it's worth 8.95 to you.

I've known some parents who loved ATS, but they didn't mention things the article covers, such as telling parents to redshirt their kids. (The magazine quotes the principal, so it's not a parent's impression.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This one just sold for $605, looks nice!

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/2408-N-Rockingham-St-22207/home/11226099

Hard to get enthusiastic about that one.

I think that one is the illustration of the need to set priorities. Great location, enough room. If you want charming old Arlington, you're out of luck. If you want all-updateod or new construction, you're out of luck. But I can see having a very nice life in that house.

Yikes. That house is ugly from the outside and unappealing from the inside. You could have a nice life in that house if you tore it down and built new, spent several hundred thousand in renovations, or learned to close your eyes when inside.

If that house was in Rockville or Springfield, you'd have nothing good to say about it. What is it with all the lipstick put on these Arlington pigs?

What sort of home *do* you like?

[Anonymous]

Why has this house been on the market so long:

http://franklymls.com/AR7576177

[Anonymous]

9:48 - hmmm, don't know. My guess is that it was initially overpriced and then they probably didn't drop the price enough before the hot selling season was over. It's very roomy and pretty nice on the inside, but the outside just isn't very attractive. And while the lot is big, it's kind of weird, and downward-sloping toward the house. (which can cause drainage/water issues.) Good neighborhood, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This one just sold for $605, looks nice!

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/2408-N-Rockingham-St-22207/home/11226099

Hard to get enthusiastic about that one.

I think that one is the illustration of the need to set priorities. Great location, enough room. If you want charming old Arlington, you're out of luck. If you want all-updateod or new construction, you're out of luck. But I can see having a very nice life in that house.

Yikes. That house is ugly from the outside and unappealing from the inside. You could have a nice life in that house if you tore it down and built new, spent several hundred thousand in renovations, or learned to close your eyes when inside.

If that house was in Rockville or Springfield, you'd have nothing good to say about it. What is it with all the lipstick put on these Arlington pigs?

I disagree completely. The house doesn't need to be HGTV-perfect to offer a good life. If you like the location and there's enough room for everyone, that's a good start, because these are the things you cannot change (easily or at all). So the bathrooms have to be redone. So the bay window isn't designer-good looking. So what. Redo the bathrooms, paint in warm colors, set up your furniture, books, beds, pictures, and it would seem like a home to me. I feel that for the family that wants to be close to metro in Arlington, this house is more than an acceptable compromise. [wmv]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I disagree completely. The house doesn't need to be HGTV-perfect to offer a good life. If you like the location and there's enough room for everyone, that's a good start, because these are the things you cannot change (easily or at all). So the bathrooms have to be redone. So the bay window isn't designer-good looking. So what. Redo the bathrooms, paint in warm colors, set up your furniture, books, beds, pictures, and it would seem like a home to me. I feel that for the family that wants to be close to metro in Arlington, this house is more than an acceptable compromise. [wmv]

I disagree with you. I could only be happy in that boring house if it were renovated. Call me shallow, but IMHO it is NOT an attractive property. I don't care if it's close to the metro, you still have to live there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/Arlington-Magazine/Newsstands/

I guess you could get the magazine that profiles ATS if it's worth 8.95 to you.

I've known some parents who loved ATS, but they didn't mention things the article covers, such as telling parents to redshirt their kids. (The magazine quotes the principal, so it's not a parent's impression.)

Thanks!! I did find the article. But it still doesn't quite give the feel for classroom. Again, maybe I'm missing something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I disagree completely. The house doesn't need to be HGTV-perfect to offer a good life. If you like the location and there's enough room for everyone, that's a good start, because these are the things you cannot change (easily or at all). So the bathrooms have to be redone. So the bay window isn't designer-good looking. So what. Redo the bathrooms, paint in warm colors, set up your furniture, books, beds, pictures, and it would seem like a home to me. I feel that for the family that wants to be close to metro in Arlington, this house is more than an acceptable compromise. [wmv]

I disagree with you. I could only be happy in that boring house if it were renovated. Call me shallow, but IMHO it is NOT an attractive property. I don't care if it's close to the metro, you still have to live there!

sooooo....don't buy that house? doesn't mean someone else can't. usually MOST people do have to make compromises and everyone has different priorities. some prefer location, others "attractive property". otherwise there would be a lot more attractive homes all over the area, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, 9:15. I did read a bunch of old ATS posts, but I'm still not exactly clear on what "structured" looks like in the classroom. Just a teacher lecturing the whole time? Sorry - I must be dense because I'm not quite getting it yet. But the school sure does have some strong supporters!

Arlington magazine profiled the school; I don't know if you could find a copy of the magazine still.

Dress code: shirts must be tucked in!
All children in 4th and 5th grade must study an instrument.
All children must be reading by the end of kindergarten. Most Arlington schools welcome 5 year olds to kindergarten. If your 5YO shows up and the teachers decide s/he isn't going to be hitting academic milestones by the end of the year, you will be encouraged to pull your child out and wait a year. Children who aren't reading at the end of kindy repeat the year. Students in later grades get a lot of drilling so they will pass the SOLs.

This is so not ture of ATS, my child didn't read and we were NEVER told to hold back or pull them. There is a very strong emphasis on reading and writing. The children stay in the class with the teacher for all subjects, they don't rotate to a math teacher and reading teacher like other arlington schools. It works well for us, allows more integrated learing across subjects. I prefer having one teacher, they can rotate starting in middle school.

[Anonymous]

This is so not ture of ATS, my child didn't read and we were NEVER told to hold back or pull them.

Well, that's what Holly Hawthorne says in the article, and ATS definitely stresses having all kids reading by the time they leave K.

I'm glad it didn't happen for your kid and that ATS has worked out well for your family, but you can agree that it isn't for everyone, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is so not ture of ATS, my child didn't read and we were NEVER told to hold back or pull them.

Well, that's what Holly Hawthorne says in the article, and ATS definitely stresses having all kids reading by the time they leave K.

I'm glad it didn't happen for your kid and that ATS has worked out well for your family, but you can agree that it isn't for everyone, right?

I did say there was a strong emphasis on reading. No school is right for everyone, you can agree with that, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I did say there was a strong emphasis on reading. No school is right for everyone, you can agree with that, right?

Right, but "strong emphasis on reading" is so general as to be useless when picking a school. ATS's approach towards reading, as espoused by the principal at Kindergarten Information Nights and in ArlMag is that kids need to be reading before they turn 6, and she pushes this hard from the start. That sets ATS apart, for good or ill, depending on your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I disagree completely. The house doesn't need to be HGTV-perfect to offer a good life. If you like the location and there's enough room for everyone, that's a good start, because these are the things you cannot change (easily or at all). So the bathrooms have to be redone. So the bay window isn't designer-good looking. So what. Redo the bathrooms, paint in warm colors, set up your furniture, books, beds, pictures, and it would seem like a home to me. I feel that for the family that wants to be close to metro in Arlington, this house is more than an acceptable compromise. [wmv]

I disagree with you. I could only be happy in that boring house if it were renovated. Call me shallow, but IMHO it is NOT an attractive property. I don't care if it's close to the metro, you still have to live there!

Here's the thing, PP. OP wants a SFH with good schools in Arlington for 600K. She doesn't want to live in Centreville or Ashburn, she wants to live in Arlington. She will have to make some compromises. Maybe you can afford more or would choose different but this is not your thread. I'm with OP, anyway--I would much rather live in a boring house in a convenient, family-friendly, metro-accessible, walkable area with good schools than in a picture-perfect house in a boring place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I disagree completely. The house doesn't need to be HGTV-perfect to offer a good life. If you like the location and there's enough room for everyone, that's a good start, because these are the things you cannot change (easily or at all). So the bathrooms have to be redone. So the bay window isn't designer-good looking. So what. Redo the bathrooms, paint in warm colors, set up your furniture, books, beds, pictures, and it would seem like a home to me. I feel that for the family that wants to be close to metro in Arlington, this house is more than an acceptable compromise. [wmv]

I disagree with you. I could only be happy in that boring house if it were renovated. Call me shallow, but IMHO it is NOT an attractive property. I don't care if it's close to the metro, you still have to live there!

Here's the thing, PP. OP wants a SFH with good schools in Arlington for 600K. She doesn't want to live in Centreville or Ashburn, she wants to live in Arlington. She will have to make some compromises. Maybe you can afford more or would choose different but this is not your thread. I'm with OP, anyway--I would much rather live in a boring house in a convenient, family-friendly, metro-accessible, walkable area with good schools than in a picture-perfect house in a boring place.

My sentiments exactly - thanks - OP!