I think it's kind of disingenuous to complain because you bought a better house for less money in South Arlington but aren't happy with the schools. A lot of us made the opposite choice and bought an older, smaller, less-renovated home in order to be in boundary for the schools in North Arlington. Of course we want our kids to be in the school near our house. Science Focus basically had to become a mostly-neighborhood (vs. choice) school because of capacity issues. ATS and HBW are still options, and you can try to get into Claremont or Key for immersion. Also, if you're in bounds for Carlin Springs, you can apply for Campbell, and there are a couple other exceptions. But if you wanted North Arlington schools, you should have bought into North Arlington.

Buying a house is a long-term decision. If you were not comfortable with the schools in your boundary, you should have looked elsewhere. Don't blame others for your inability to research the schools in your area. When I bought my first house in 1999, I was ok with the schools in the boundary, and didn't know if I'd be having kids in that house anyway. Fast forward to 2008, when I had a baby and realized that the junior high and high school had gone downhill (reputation-wise) since I bought. So I researched all the school pyramids in Fairfax, Falls Church and Arlington (plus a few in DC) and moved to North Arlington. Yes, I paid a lot for an older, smaller, less-renovated house. But I did so to get really good schools. You made a different choice, now live with it and stop complaining that others are "protecting" their good schools. If you liked your neighborhood school, you'd want your kids to be able to attend there.

Face it, the schools in South Arlington are generally considered "lesser" because they have more non-Asian minorities, more FARMS kids and more ESL kids. This is partly because the housing in South Arlington was cheaper in the first place, but then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because the lesser reputation means the housing remains cheaper than similar housing in North Arlington. You see this dynamic in Alexandria (both the City of and the Fairfax parts) and the parts of Falls Church that feed into Stuart and FCHS (vs. the parts that feed into George Mason) and Annandale (feeding into Annandale HS vs. Woodson.) And you see it all across the country, not just here.

Not trying to start any wars, just saying that you need to take long-term factors like public schools into account when you buy.

Anonymous wrote:which are the 1-2 weaker N. Arl elementary schools?

Non yorktown pyramids

which are the 1-2 weaker N. Arl elementary schools?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you're opting for private, if you want high quality elementary schools avoid South Arlington altogether and avoid the 1-2 weaker elementary schools in N Arlington and you should be fine. The rest of the N Arlington elementary schools are pretty much inter-changeable so re-zoning doesn't really matter at all.

Or you can find a home you like anywhere in Arlington and send your kids to the neighborhood school or try for a choice school. Arlington is one unified school district.

I'm the PP- I did this, and was not satisfied with the neighborhood school (which happened to be 50% FARMs with all the attendant social challenges that affect classroom learning), and then sorely learned that transfer, "choice" options are basically limited to other low-income schools (except for Arlington Traditional which is next to impossible to lottery into), because this is how the privileged denizens with the foresight to buy mapped to good schools "protect" their high performing schools. So I now own a very expensive home in Arlington and am shelling out private school tuition unless I sell my home and move to a school I would be happy with.

If you're not so particular about school quality, then by all means, buy in a sub-par area, but don't mistakenly presume as I did that you will have any real choice beyond your neighborhood school and other low-performing schools.

You sound like a real peach.

Anonymous wrote:If you can get something in 22209 I would. The 5-10 year plans for this area is amazing. An investment there will be well worth it in the future, but currently mostly foreigners, baby boomers and college students are attracted to the area. CCH, LV, Maywood, Cherrydale and others are nice too, but right now the most expensive home sold in Arlington although unpublished is in this zipcode. If you can get high end(washington fine properties) realtors to disclose, they may clue you in and surprise you. Check out rents/sf, some of the rental units are going for 12K or more/month. The county has grand plans for the area and with very limited residential units planned, the residential units will be even more sort after and less affordable. The economic downturn slowed things down but the plans are back on big time.

What you talkin bout Willis?

Anyway I'm sure you're right (just checked current listings) but it seems as though to enter that zip code you need foreign currency. I doubt op was thinking about 22209 when they thought about moving to arlington.

We are in Tara/Leeway Heights and moved here just before our child was born. Lots of new young parents moving in. Great schools and location (walking distance to Harris Teeter, restaurants, bus lines). I was very surprised at how "neighborhoody" it is. We love it.

We live in Dominion Hills and our children go to Ashlawn. We love our neighborhood. The school (and the neighborhood) has a really great close-knit community feel with very involved parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you're opting for private, if you want high quality elementary schools avoid South Arlington altogether and avoid the 1-2 weaker elementary schools in N Arlington and you should be fine. The rest of the N Arlington elementary schools are pretty much inter-changeable so re-zoning doesn't really matter at all.

Or you can find a home you like anywhere in Arlington and send your kids to the neighborhood school or try for a choice school. Arlington is one unified school district.

I'm the PP- I did this, and was not satisfied with the neighborhood school (which happened to be 50% FARMs with all the attendant social challenges that affect classroom learning), and then sorely learned that transfer, "choice" options are basically limited to other low-income schools (except for Arlington Traditional which is next to impossible to lottery into), because this is how the privileged denizens with the foresight to buy mapped to good schools "protect" their high performing schools. So I now own a very expensive home in Arlington and am shelling out private school tuition unless I sell my home and move to a school I would be happy with.

If you're not so particular about school quality, then by all means, buy in a sub-par area, but don't mistakenly presume as I did that you will have any real choice beyond your neighborhood school and other low-performing schools.

Anonymous wrote:Unless you're opting for private, if you want high quality elementary schools avoid South Arlington altogether and avoid the 1-2 weaker elementary schools in N Arlington and you should be fine. The rest of the N Arlington elementary schools are pretty much inter-changeable so re-zoning doesn't really matter at all.

Or you can find a home you like anywhere in Arlington and send your kids to the neighborhood school or try for a choice school. Arlington is one unified school district.

Unless you're opting for private, if you want high quality elementary schools avoid South Arlington altogether and avoid the 1-2 weaker elementary schools in N Arlington and you should be fine. The rest of the N Arlington elementary schools are pretty much inter-changeable so re-zoning doesn't really matter at all.

People on this board like to knock South Arlington but I highly recommend it. I've been living in the Aurora Hills neighborhood for 20 years and love it. Walk to Pentagon City, Pentagon Row, 23rd Street, Crystal City. Oakridge Elementary pretty good, middle and high school not as highly rated as North Arlington but still more highly rated than most of the rest of the U.S. Lots of families.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can get something in 22209 I would. The 5-10 year plans for this area is amazing. An investment there will be well worth it in the future, but currently mostly foreigners, baby boomers and college students are attracted to the area. CCH, LV, Maywood, Cherrydale and others are nice too, but right now the most expensive home sold in Arlington although unpublished is in this zipcode. If you can get high end(washington fine properties) realtors to disclose, they may clue you in and surprise you. Check out rents/sf, some of the rental units are going for 12K or more/month. The county has grand plans for the area and with very limited residential units planned, the residential units will be even more sort after and less affordable. The economic downturn slowed things down but the plans are back on big time.

The plan is grand but the Moore tower has no tenants, and the retail on Wilson has been vacant for months. And the only grocer is a sad derelict basement Safeway. I would be more skeptical but would love to see it flourish.

It is true with the moore building. The Only thing I can tell you is a lot of people with money(even by DC standard) has moved into the area in recent time. We're talking about people investing 4 or more millions for a resident. They are generally not losers when it comes to investing, meaning they are rarely late to the party when it comes to investing. I do know some of the developers who had ideas about commercial buildings are now changing their plans for residential units instead, and with starting prices/sf at $800. A lot of these power people are now putting pressure on the county to make things happen. The county was surprise by how many new residents showed up during a planning meeting for Rosslyn a couple months ago. For sure they think the county out to speed up their effort with Rosslyn. The county is listening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd be better off up in Country Club or Country Club Hills than in Clarendon. It's a more desirable area and a better school pyramid.

Not you AGAIN .

They are equally desirable. They are apples and oranges.

If being near Metro and all of the 65+ restaurants and shops, gyms, Trader Joes/Whole Foods, and a nice community park---choose Lyon Village, L.Park, etc.

If you want a bigger house and more land--choose Country Club Hills, Dominion Hills, Lee Heights, etc.

I think Westover is also a nice place and has cute strip to walk to.

+1

Lots of great neighborhoods with a variety of amenities & price points.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can get something in 22209 I would. The 5-10 year plans for this area is amazing. An investment there will be well worth it in the future, but currently mostly foreigners, baby boomers and college students are attracted to the area. CCH, LV, Maywood, Cherrydale and others are nice too, but right now the most expensive home sold in Arlington although unpublished is in this zipcode. If you can get high end(washington fine properties) realtors to disclose, they may clue you in and surprise you. Check out rents/sf, some of the rental units are going for 12K or more/month. The county has grand plans for the area and with very limited residential units planned, the residential units will be even more sort after and less affordable. The economic downturn slowed things down but the plans are back on big time.

The plan is grand but the Moore tower has no tenants, and the retail on Wilson has been vacant for months. And the only grocer is a sad derelict basement Safeway. I would be more skeptical but would love to see it flourish.

Tysons has sucked away all the development money.

Anonymous wrote:If you can get something in 22209 I would. The 5-10 year plans for this area is amazing. An investment there will be well worth it in the future, but currently mostly foreigners, baby boomers and college students are attracted to the area. CCH, LV, Maywood, Cherrydale and others are nice too, but right now the most expensive home sold in Arlington although unpublished is in this zipcode. If you can get high end(washington fine properties) realtors to disclose, they may clue you in and surprise you. Check out rents/sf, some of the rental units are going for 12K or more/month. The county has grand plans for the area and with very limited residential units planned, the residential units will be even more sort after and less affordable. The economic downturn slowed things down but the plans are back on big time.

The plan is grand but the Moore tower has no tenants, and the retail on Wilson has been vacant for months. And the only grocer is a sad derelict basement Safeway. I would be more skeptical but would love to see it flourish.