Help me decide where to live - Clarendon, Old Town, or Del Ray?

[Anonymous]

We need some help deciding where to rent. Ideally looking for a townhouse or small SFH with 3 bedrooms with a small yard. Want to be able to walk to most areas. Late 20’s couple, and I am 3 months pregnant now with our first so schools aren’t an issue (yet). Hoping to stay between $3000-$4500 monthly rent. Commutes are to Downtown DC and Tyson’s Corner.

We’ve walked around Clarendon and like it, but think it may be a bit too commercialized? Del Ray and Old Town have the charm and neighborhood vibe we like but are a bit farther out. We’re looking for a nice community where we can put down roots and get to know our neighbors.

Any advice on which would be better for us?

Also, any other neighborhoods that we should be considering?

[Anonymous]

All very transient areas. Clarendon has zero charm and Alexandria is a bad commute to Tysons.

[Anonymous]

OP you are delusional if you think Old Town isn't commercialized. I think you'd be better off in NE DC...

[Anonymous]

The north end of Old Town. You’ll have to move before kids go to school though.

[Anonymous]

McLean, VA or Arlington would be good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean, VA or Arlington would be good.

OP here - is there a walkable area in McLean? Haven’t had a chance to visit it before.

[Anonymous]

If you look in Old Town then make sure you have off-street parking. The commute in the morning will be pretty good but the evenings are killer so look at North Old Town to minimize your frustration. I'm coming from Georgetown after picking a kid up from school and once you hit National Airport it is horrible. There seem to be three main issues: HOV lanes are not being cleared, people 'blocking the box,' and purposefully unsynchronized lights. The first two are enforcement issues. The third one is the flat out refusal of T&E to understand that some of us who live in the City need to get from one side of it to another. Anyway, you will want off-street parking AND you will want to be on the North End to shorten your commute significantly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean, VA or Arlington would be good.

OP here - is there a walkable area in McLean? Haven’t had a chance to visit it before.

Look in the Westover area of Arlington. McLean isn’t really walkable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look in Old Town then make sure you have off-street parking. The commute in the morning will be pretty good but the evenings are killer so look at North Old Town to minimize your frustration. I'm coming from Georgetown after picking a kid up from school and once you hit National Airport it is horrible. There seem to be three main issues: HOV lanes are not being cleared, people 'blocking the box,' and purposefully unsynchronized lights. The first two are enforcement issues. The third one is the flat out refusal of T&E to understand that some of us who live in the City need to get from one side of it to another. Anyway, you will want off-street parking AND you will want to be on the North End to shorten your commute significantly.

Thank you this is super helpful to know! I didn’t realize there would be such a big difference going from the North side but makes sense. My husband would be driving to tysons and I would probably do metro or bus into downtown DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We need some help deciding where to rent. Ideally looking for a townhouse or small SFH with 3 bedrooms with a small yard. Want to be able to walk to most areas. Late 20’s couple, and I am 3 months pregnant now with our first so schools aren’t an issue (yet). Hoping to stay between $3000-$4500 monthly rent. Commutes are to Downtown DC and Tyson’s Corner.

We’ve walked around Clarendon and like it, but think it may be a bit too commercialized? Del Ray and Old Town have the charm and neighborhood vibe we like but are a bit farther out. We’re looking for a nice community where we can put down roots and get to know our neighbors.

Any advice on which would be better for us?

Also, any other neighborhoods that we should be considering?

If this is your goal you look at places with good schools where you will eventually settle and buy or at least have kids start school.

Westover is a good recommendation. Lyon Park too. Maybe maywood or cherrydale but budget might be tough.

[Anonymous]

What is your timeline? My neighbor is renting his 3-bedroom TH near Courthouse. Little yard, walk to metro.

That said, everyone moves out of TH by mid-elementary school so communities do not foster for families.

[Anonymous]

I’d look at Falls Church, too. Fwiw, I live in north Old Town and wouldn’t want to commute to Tysons every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your timeline? My neighbor is renting his 3-bedroom TH near Courthouse. Little yard, walk to metro.

That said, everyone moves out of TH by mid-elementary school so communities do not foster for families.

We are looking to move early January. Would like to rent for a few years to finish saving a down payment for a SFH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you look in Old Town then make sure you have off-street parking. The commute in the morning will be pretty good but the evenings are killer so look at North Old Town to minimize your frustration. I'm coming from Georgetown after picking a kid up from school and once you hit National Airport it is horrible. There seem to be three main issues: HOV lanes are not being cleared, people 'blocking the box,' and purposefully unsynchronized lights. The first two are enforcement issues. The third one is the flat out refusal of T&E to understand that some of us who live in the City need to get from one side of it to another. Anyway, you will want off-street parking AND you will want to be on the North End to shorten your commute significantly.

Thank you this is super helpful to know! I didn’t realize there would be such a big difference going from the North side but makes sense. My husband would be driving to tysons and I would probably do metro or bus into downtown DC.

You're welcome. There are a lot of younger families on the North End and they really seem to like it. Lots of walkability. You'll likely need to drive to get to the grocery store but there are plenty of options from Harris Teeter to Giant to Trader Joe's.

[Anonymous]

We used to live in Westover and loved it.