Reply to Moving to DC, will there be anything on the Market to buy?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here again. It's amazing all the things being attributed to me. I'm sanctimonious, I care more about my dogs than my kid, I'm naïve, thin skinned, etc.

First off, I never said I didn't care about schools. What I did say was that I think it is premature to buy a house based on a non existent (I mean not born yet) kid going to school in a school system very much in a state of flux (for a number of reasons, changing demographics, changing administration, etc.). I also said there is a chance that the schools will change. No all schools and not all at once, but the chance is there. And that I was willing to chance it and if there was no change, then so be it. It's not like 5 years from now is an unreasonable time to move anyway.

People on here then went crazy at the idea that the schools MIGHT change. which I don't really understand. Maybe it's because they don't want them to so they can lord it over their friends and coworkers in lesser neighborhoods, I don't know. But there is definite movement. Scores are improving slowly, although still not at a great level (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/despite-dc-public-school-gains-system-trails-behind-large-city-average/2013/12/18/481bb332-67e2-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html).

All the improvements instituted by Michelle Rhee are in still in place. Incomes in the district are improving. To say there is no chance that schools will improve even in some neighborhoods is just wrong.

I also know people who live in Takoma, Shepherd Park, and Brookland. They all love their schools, some public, some charter. It's working for them and I respect them, so obviously it can work for me.

And if we are handing out the unvarnished truth. How many of the people who went nuts on me suggesting that I have no idea what I was talking about have actually ever set foot in a DC public school? I'm sure there are some, but I bet they are in the minority. Some schools are bad and dangerous. But some schools are thought to be bad because of low test scores on greatschools.com (which is purely correlated with HHI), or because they have too many black or brown kids attending. When you do some digging you find the parents love their schools, the teachers and principals are great and the school is safe. This is especially true of some elementary schools. I am certain I can find good elementary options.
There are some good schools east of the park, that I imagine are good, but suffer from reputation. And then we are looking at 10 years out. Lots can happen in that amount of time.

And if it doesn't, then guess what? I can move or go private. But to imply I'm some wild eyed idealist who doesn't know anything is just crazy.

And the suggestion that I care more about my kid than my dog, is utterly ridiculous. I do care about my dogs, since they are living things that are my responsibility. I really didn't even say that the dogs were a part of the consideration of what area I was looking to live in. I simply said renting would be difficult because of them which is one of the reasons (along with making my wife happy)  I prefer to buy now. I'm not sure how saying I don't want to get rid of the dogs right now, so buying would be much easier, turned into you care more about your dogs than your kid's education. WTF?

I really appreciate the people who took the time to try to help me with my question. But to the people who took a simple question about home inventory and turned it into questions about my motivations, intelligence, love of my family, I hope everyone in the area isn't like the people on this forum.

[/quote]

We are also new to the area--also relocated due to work opportunities, but from West Coast--and just bought in Shepherd Park.  Nice neighborhood, very diverse (observant Jews, blacks, same sex couples, all on our block), and skews pretty liberal.  Some parts border Rock Creek Park, which has lots of trails--great if you exercise your dogs alot (like we do our big dog).  School has decent test scores, and has increasing numbers of in-boundary families attending in recent years.  We plan on sending our child there for PS3 (preschool for 3yos) in the fall.  However, the areas near Georgia Ave. are a bit more sketch (although not terribly so).  Also, while super convenient to MD (where I work), may be less convenient to VA.  I hear some parts of Takoma Park are also nice, but also may not be terribly convenient to VA.  The farmer's market there is nice--very crunchy vibe.  I don't know much about Brookland.  Anyway, good luck![/quote]

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