Anonymous wrote:OP since you’re not familiar enough with Arlington and the various neighborhoods don’t just go drop $2.5 million on a house.

Seriously, rent a really nice apartment in Clarendon for 12 months, get to know the area before you commit to a house with massive transaction costs. If you don’t want to rent an apartment, rent a house. This is also helpful because it allows you to be patient for the right house.

I hear you and can fully appreciate this advice. I currently am living in an apartment and dislike it greatly and the thought of moving again and again is unappealing. That is why I am trying to do some due diligence. I get input from my realtor, but that is only one opinion. I have lived in the DMV, so have visited VA a lot and like it. I had a friend who lived in Lyon Village too and visited often.

OP since you’re not familiar enough with Arlington and the various neighborhoods don’t just go drop $2.5 million on a house.

Seriously, rent a really nice apartment in Clarendon for 12 months, get to know the area before you commit to a house with massive transaction costs. If you don’t want to rent an apartment, rent a house. This is also helpful because it allows you to be patient for the right house.

Anonymous wrote:Where are you living now OP? Why are you trying to move to Arlington? I don't get it.

OP here. Long story, but living in FL. Do not intend to stay. Considering VA since will be empty nesting and better tax situation than MOCO. Need to be back in DMV for work reasons.

Where are you living now OP? Why are you trying to move to Arlington? I don't get it.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the input, this is helpful. Where would you buy for resale? Not sure we will stay in VA a long time. Is Lyon Village the place to buy?

For an empty nester wanting a walkable neighborhood, yes Lyon Village is "the" place to buy.

22207 has the better schools.

Anonymous wrote:When we lived in MOCO, we did a full gut renovation and lived in the old house for years before it happened and now that we have more money, I just don’t want to go back to an old house. I’d rather have brand new at the stage of my life.

Be aware that brand new doesn’t always mean problem-free. Some of the new builds these days look shiny in pictures but are built with crappy materials.

There’s a nice middle ground between old house needing a full gut reno and new build. You can find some very very well-maintained homes in North Arlington that aren’t brand new.

At the $2.5 million budget looking for an empty nester house I’d get something near Clarendon.

Why would you need a big new house if you're empty nesters? Also both houses are hideous and souless.

Thanks for all of the responses, truly appreciated. As someone not that familiar with Arlington, this input is very helpful. I guess proximity to amenities is important as well as the ability to resell if necessary. I just want to break even. I’m not banking on massive appreciation. I’ve lived in many townhomes before. I just don’t know if I’d want to do it again. We own a rental property in DC and it was a nightmare. I don’t think I would live there or have any desire to do so. I really like FCC so may look in that area as well. When we lived in MOCO, we did a full gut renovation and lived in the old house for years before it happened and now that we have more money, I just don’t want to go back to an old house. I’d rather have brand new at the stage of my life.

As empty nesters with $2M I'd buy a nice row house in DC that's in a neighborhood I like. Especially if I thought it might be temporary.

Ugly and ugly and no landscaping or shade trees. Too close to other houses.

I don't care for either. Why so much house? I can't imagine spending so much on a house to live in Ballston.

Why do two people need 5000 sq feet of fugly?