Falls Church City, McLean, or N. Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy this for $2m.

https://redf.in/KiZsX9

It's nice if you like highway noise.

It's not that close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why everyone is assuming OP needs to live near a metro? I have never taken the metro to work. From Falls Church (FFX just outside FCC), my commute is usually 30-45 minutes by car. My employer pays for parking. I'd rather drive than metro, maybe OP does too.

OP. We don’t have to use the metro. Both our offices (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square) have garages. But if the car commute is awful, then maybe metro proximity is something to consider.

I’d stick to the SFH neighborhoods flanking the orange line corridor in Arlington - you’ll be able to drive in 15 min without traffic and 25-35 during rush hour or take the metro if you prefer.

Not sure about budget - if you’re above $3 or close to it high 2s look at Waverly Hills, Cherrydale, Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park. Closer to $2-2.5 look at Bluemont. Closer to $1.5-2 look at a renovated / bumped out Arlington Forest home if it comes up.

PP here, apparently I can’t read and missed your $2M budget. Look at Bluemont.

Prices are not this high in real life unless you insist on 6000 sq ft or something. We recently bought in Lyon Park under $1.5. The $2-3 is just the giant boxy new builds.

Some people want better schools than what you get in Lyon Park.

The schools are fine! Not amazing but DMV public schools aren’t amazing anywhere. There is no New Trier in the DMV.

What?

Not sure what you are confused about. The DC areas public schools are not as good as the best schools in the NYC, Boston or Chicago suburbs. County based schools here just aren’t as good because people won’t tolerate the necessary level of property taxes ($30k- $40k a year) when money isn’t necessarily going to their kids schools and schools are too heterogeneous. County based schools may be better for society but for those who can afford the best suburban school districts, the town based schools are academically stronger.

Your privilege is showing. The DC suburbs have some of the best school systems in the country, whether they are "as good as the best schools in NYC" or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why everyone is assuming OP needs to live near a metro? I have never taken the metro to work. From Falls Church (FFX just outside FCC), my commute is usually 30-45 minutes by car. My employer pays for parking. I'd rather drive than metro, maybe OP does too.

OP. We don’t have to use the metro. Both our offices (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square) have garages. But if the car commute is awful, then maybe metro proximity is something to consider.

I’d stick to the SFH neighborhoods flanking the orange line corridor in Arlington - you’ll be able to drive in 15 min without traffic and 25-35 during rush hour or take the metro if you prefer.

Not sure about budget - if you’re above $3 or close to it high 2s look at Waverly Hills, Cherrydale, Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park. Closer to $2-2.5 look at Bluemont. Closer to $1.5-2 look at a renovated / bumped out Arlington Forest home if it comes up.

PP here, apparently I can’t read and missed your $2M budget. Look at Bluemont.

Prices are not this high in real life unless you insist on 6000 sq ft or something. We recently bought in Lyon Park under $1.5. The $2-3 is just the giant boxy new builds.

Some people want better schools than what you get in Lyon Park.

The schools are fine! Not amazing but DMV public schools aren’t amazing anywhere. There is no New Trier in the DMV.

What?

Not sure what you are confused about. The DC areas public schools are not as good as the best schools in the NYC, Boston or Chicago suburbs. County based schools here just aren’t as good because people won’t tolerate the necessary level of property taxes ($30k- $40k a year) when money isn’t necessarily going to their kids schools and schools are too heterogeneous. County based schools may be better for society but for those who can afford the best suburban school districts, the town based schools are academically stronger.

Your privilege is showing. The DC suburbs have some of the best school systems in the country, whether they are "as good as the best schools in NYC" or not.

Of course my privilege is showing. That is the entire point. If the dmv had a public school option as good as Newton or Brookline MA, I would send my kids there even if it meant sacrificing commute. But since it doesn’t and all the districts are fine, I’m going to prioritize other things (walkability, commute) and send my kids to W&L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why everyone is assuming OP needs to live near a metro? I have never taken the metro to work. From Falls Church (FFX just outside FCC), my commute is usually 30-45 minutes by car. My employer pays for parking. I'd rather drive than metro, maybe OP does too.

OP. We don’t have to use the metro. Both our offices (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square) have garages. But if the car commute is awful, then maybe metro proximity is something to consider.

I’d stick to the SFH neighborhoods flanking the orange line corridor in Arlington - you’ll be able to drive in 15 min without traffic and 25-35 during rush hour or take the metro if you prefer.

Not sure about budget - if you’re above $3 or close to it high 2s look at Waverly Hills, Cherrydale, Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park. Closer to $2-2.5 look at Bluemont. Closer to $1.5-2 look at a renovated / bumped out Arlington Forest home if it comes up.

PP here, apparently I can’t read and missed your $2M budget. Look at Bluemont.

Prices are not this high in real life unless you insist on 6000 sq ft or something. We recently bought in Lyon Park under $1.5. The $2-3 is just the giant boxy new builds.

Some people want better schools than what you get in Lyon Park.

The schools are fine! Not amazing but DMV public schools aren’t amazing anywhere. There is no New Trier in the DMV.

What?

Not sure what you are confused about. The DC areas public schools are not as good as the best schools in the NYC, Boston or Chicago suburbs. County based schools here just aren’t as good because people won’t tolerate the necessary level of property taxes ($30k- $40k a year) when money isn’t necessarily going to their kids schools and schools are too heterogeneous. County based schools may be better for society but for those who can afford the best suburban school districts, the town based schools are academically stronger.

Your privilege is showing. The DC suburbs have some of the best school systems in the country, whether they are "as good as the best schools in NYC" or not.

Of course my privilege is showing. That is the entire point. If the dmv had a public school option as good as Newton or Brookline MA, I would send my kids there even if it meant sacrificing commute. But since it doesn’t and all the districts are fine, I’m going to prioritize other things (walkability, commute) and send my kids to W&L.

W&L is a private university in Lexington, Virginia. W-L is a big high school in Arlington with over 2600 kids. It’s not considered on par with Langley, McLean, Yorktown, Whitman, or Churchill. You can’t really get around this by claiming the top public schools in the DC area aren’t on par with some schools in suburban Boston.

[Anonymous]

We've been happy in north arlington, but I think I would have been fine in FCC too. I did look there but decided to get a bit closer, since I moved from merrifield. McLean was a bit too grownup/staid for me. Schools are good in all 3. Maybe find a realtor familiar with all 3 and see whatever fits your criteria? I think housing will be pretty similar but you might get more land outside of Arlington. Also consider county services - we liked having lots of pools and rec centers in fairfax. FCC has a very small school system, so consider that.

[Anonymous]

OP. Thanks, all! I think we’ll plan to check out the commute times but otherwise cast a wide net and see houses in all three areas. The hard thing about moving is you can’t really know how you’ll like a specific neighborhood until you live there!

I appreciate the responses—lots of food for thought!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why everyone is assuming OP needs to live near a metro? I have never taken the metro to work. From Falls Church (FFX just outside FCC), my commute is usually 30-45 minutes by car. My employer pays for parking. I'd rather drive than metro, maybe OP does too.

OP. We don’t have to use the metro. Both our offices (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square) have garages. But if the car commute is awful, then maybe metro proximity is something to consider.

I’d stick to the SFH neighborhoods flanking the orange line corridor in Arlington - you’ll be able to drive in 15 min without traffic and 25-35 during rush hour or take the metro if you prefer.

Not sure about budget - if you’re above $3 or close to it high 2s look at Waverly Hills, Cherrydale, Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park. Closer to $2-2.5 look at Bluemont. Closer to $1.5-2 look at a renovated / bumped out Arlington Forest home if it comes up.

PP here, apparently I can’t read and missed your $2M budget. Look at Bluemont.

Prices are not this high in real life unless you insist on 6000 sq ft or something. We recently bought in Lyon Park under $1.5. The $2-3 is just the giant boxy new builds.

Some people want better schools than what you get in Lyon Park.

The schools are fine! Not amazing but DMV public schools aren’t amazing anywhere. There is no New Trier in the DMV.

What?

Not sure what you are confused about. The DC areas public schools are not as good as the best schools in the NYC, Boston or Chicago suburbs. County based schools here just aren’t as good because people won’t tolerate the necessary level of property taxes ($30k- $40k a year) when money isn’t necessarily going to their kids schools and schools are too heterogeneous. County based schools may be better for society but for those who can afford the best suburban school districts, the town based schools are academically stronger.

Your privilege is showing. The DC suburbs have some of the best school systems in the country, whether they are "as good as the best schools in NYC" or not.

Of course my privilege is showing. That is the entire point. If the dmv had a public school option as good as Newton or Brookline MA, I would send my kids there even if it meant sacrificing commute. But since it doesn’t and all the districts are fine, I’m going to prioritize other things (walkability, commute) and send my kids to W&L.

W&L is a private university in Lexington, Virginia. W-L is a big high school in Arlington with over 2600 kids. It’s not considered on par with Langley, McLean, Yorktown, Whitman, or Churchill. You can’t really get around this by claiming the top public schools in the DC area aren’t on par with some schools in suburban Boston.

OP, for this poster to suggest that W-L is not "on par" with the other schools listed is splitting hairs. It absolutely IS on par with them in most ways. The big difference is that it's much more diverse racially and economically. It has a huge cohort of very high achieving students who test just as well as anywhere and get into colleges as good as any of the other schools listed. I would not shy away from W-L at all and in fact the neighborhood is far and away the easiest commute of them all into DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why everyone is assuming OP needs to live near a metro? I have never taken the metro to work. From Falls Church (FFX just outside FCC), my commute is usually 30-45 minutes by car. My employer pays for parking. I'd rather drive than metro, maybe OP does too.

OP. We don’t have to use the metro. Both our offices (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square) have garages. But if the car commute is awful, then maybe metro proximity is something to consider.

I’d stick to the SFH neighborhoods flanking the orange line corridor in Arlington - you’ll be able to drive in 15 min without traffic and 25-35 during rush hour or take the metro if you prefer.

Not sure about budget - if you’re above $3 or close to it high 2s look at Waverly Hills, Cherrydale, Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park. Closer to $2-2.5 look at Bluemont. Closer to $1.5-2 look at a renovated / bumped out Arlington Forest home if it comes up.

PP here, apparently I can’t read and missed your $2M budget. Look at Bluemont.

Prices are not this high in real life unless you insist on 6000 sq ft or something. We recently bought in Lyon Park under $1.5. The $2-3 is just the giant boxy new builds.

Some people want better schools than what you get in Lyon Park.

The schools are fine! Not amazing but DMV public schools aren’t amazing anywhere. There is no New Trier in the DMV.

What?

Not sure what you are confused about. The DC areas public schools are not as good as the best schools in the NYC, Boston or Chicago suburbs. County based schools here just aren’t as good because people won’t tolerate the necessary level of property taxes ($30k- $40k a year) when money isn’t necessarily going to their kids schools and schools are too heterogeneous. County based schools may be better for society but for those who can afford the best suburban school districts, the town based schools are academically stronger.

Your privilege is showing. The DC suburbs have some of the best school systems in the country, whether they are "as good as the best schools in NYC" or not.

Of course my privilege is showing. That is the entire point. If the dmv had a public school option as good as Newton or Brookline MA, I would send my kids there even if it meant sacrificing commute. But since it doesn’t and all the districts are fine, I’m going to prioritize other things (walkability, commute) and send my kids to W&L.

W&L is a private university in Lexington, Virginia. W-L is a big high school in Arlington with over 2600 kids. It’s not considered on par with Langley, McLean, Yorktown, Whitman, or Churchill. You can’t really get around this by claiming the top public schools in the DC area aren’t on par with some schools in suburban Boston.

OP, for this poster to suggest that W-L is not "on par" with the other schools listed is splitting hairs. It absolutely IS on par with them in most ways. The big difference is that it's much more diverse racially and economically. It has a huge cohort of very high achieving students who test just as well as anywhere and get into colleges as good as any of the other schools listed. I would not shy away from W-L at all and in fact the neighborhood is far and away the easiest commute of them all into DC.

PP was the one who was claiming other DMV schools weren't on par with a high school in MA that has very wealthy demographics.

Sounds like she got hoisted by her own petard since W-L is a huge school with a bigger cohort of poor kids than some other area schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much density do you enjoy?

+1 bigger, suburban type lots, car-dependent neighborhood, look in McLean. More density, walkable areas, possibility to walking to metro, Arlington along the orange line.

OP. This is helpful! I heard FCC is walkable—is that not the case?

Is the commute by car from FCC/McLean terrible? Would be commuting 3x a week, can pick which days.

Where in DC and will you have parking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why everyone is assuming OP needs to live near a metro? I have never taken the metro to work. From Falls Church (FFX just outside FCC), my commute is usually 30-45 minutes by car. My employer pays for parking. I'd rather drive than metro, maybe OP does too.

OP. We don’t have to use the metro. Both our offices (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square) have garages. But if the car commute is awful, then maybe metro proximity is something to consider.

I’d stick to the SFH neighborhoods flanking the orange line corridor in Arlington - you’ll be able to drive in 15 min without traffic and 25-35 during rush hour or take the metro if you prefer.

Not sure about budget - if you’re above $3 or close to it high 2s look at Waverly Hills, Cherrydale, Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park. Closer to $2-2.5 look at Bluemont. Closer to $1.5-2 look at a renovated / bumped out Arlington Forest home if it comes up.

PP here, apparently I can’t read and missed your $2M budget. Look at Bluemont.

Prices are not this high in real life unless you insist on 6000 sq ft or something. We recently bought in Lyon Park under $1.5. The $2-3 is just the giant boxy new builds.

Some people want better schools than what you get in Lyon Park.

The schools are fine! Not amazing but DMV public schools aren’t amazing anywhere. There is no New Trier in the DMV.

What?

Not sure what you are confused about. The DC areas public schools are not as good as the best schools in the NYC, Boston or Chicago suburbs. County based schools here just aren’t as good because people won’t tolerate the necessary level of property taxes ($30k- $40k a year) when money isn’t necessarily going to their kids schools and schools are too heterogeneous. County based schools may be better for society but for those who can afford the best suburban school districts, the town based schools are academically stronger.

Your privilege is showing. The DC suburbs have some of the best school systems in the country, whether they are "as good as the best schools in NYC" or not.

Of course my privilege is showing. That is the entire point. If the dmv had a public school option as good as Newton or Brookline MA, I would send my kids there even if it meant sacrificing commute. But since it doesn’t and all the districts are fine, I’m going to prioritize other things (walkability, commute) and send my kids to W&L.

I don’t know about that. I went to Lexington High School and my kids went to McLean High School. Their experience was very similar to mine, although more lawyers in McLean and more scientists in Lexington when I attended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've been happy in north arlington, but I think I would have been fine in FCC too. I did look there but decided to get a bit closer, since I moved from merrifield. McLean was a bit too grownup/staid for me. Schools are good in all 3. Maybe find a realtor familiar with all 3 and see whatever fits your criteria? I think housing will be pretty similar but you might get more land outside of Arlington. Also consider county services - we liked having lots of pools and rec centers in fairfax. FCC has a very small school system, so consider that.

Same. We landed in Falls Church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. Thanks, all! I think we’ll plan to check out the commute times but otherwise cast a wide net and see houses in all three areas. The hard thing about moving is you can’t really know how you’ll like a specific neighborhood until you live there!

I appreciate the responses—lots of food for thought!

Sounds like a smart approach.

[Anonymous]

We’ve lived in Arlington, Falls Church (county, not FCC), and McLean and prefer McLean. Bigger lots, nicer homes, better schools, and more privacy. Commute to DC is fine, whether by car or Metro.

FCC never really appealed to us. It seems rather insular, and the high school is IB rather than AP, which we prefer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much density do you enjoy?

+1 bigger, suburban type lots, car-dependent neighborhood, look in McLean. More density, walkable areas, possibility to walking to metro, Arlington along the orange line.

OP. This is helpful! I heard FCC is walkable—is that not the case?

Is the commute by car from FCC/McLean terrible? Would be commuting 3x a week, can pick which days.

Where in DC and will you have parking?

OP. Our offices are in Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square. Both jobs offer garage parking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much density do you enjoy?

+1 bigger, suburban type lots, car-dependent neighborhood, look in McLean. More density, walkable areas, possibility to walking to metro, Arlington along the orange line.

OP. This is helpful! I heard FCC is walkable—is that not the case?

Is the commute by car from FCC/McLean terrible? Would be commuting 3x a week, can pick which days.

Where in DC and will you have parking?

OP. Our offices are in Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square. Both jobs offer garage parking.

I get free parking in Foggy Bottom for my job. I still greatly prefer to metro in from the WFC metro.