Anonymous wrote:Some Del Ray rentals on craigslist right now:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/apa/4256172755.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/apa/4270947808.html

that little house is adorable!

Some Del Ray rentals on craigslist right now:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/apa/4256172755.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/apa/4270947808.html

Also agree with del ray suggestion. Moved to del ray from cap hill 8 years ago and I love it. Not sure about rental market but its a great walkable neighborhood.

Anonymous wrote:Shrilington has poor schools as does Del Ray and Rosemont. Factor this in when considering a move.

The only thing that is poor is your reading comprehension. OP specifically said public schools are not a concern

Anonymous wrote:Del Ray, hands down. $3000 is more than enough to rent a nice townhouse with a yard (or maybe even SFH), walking distance to the metro and to the shops and restaurants on Mt. Vernon Avenue.

Another vote for Del Ray. We lived there when our 2 oldest kids were preschoolers and it's a great neighborhood for a young family.

Del Ray, hands down. $3000 is more than enough to rent a nice townhouse with a yard (or maybe even SFH), walking distance to the metro and to the shops and restaurants on Mt. Vernon Avenue.

Anonymous wrote:Go a short bit beyond Springfield, ie 10 minutes away and into Burke, and you've got the VRE which will take you into DC. Great neighborhood, definitely down-to-earth neighbors, very walkable, lots of great family-related activities, and good schools (including preschools).

I grew up in Burke. Nice place to raise a family if you like suburban life, but it is not at all walkable.

She said schools aren't an issue, people.

Anonymous wrote:Shirlington

This - like Parkfairfax Condos/Townhomes. You can walk to Shirlington Square, and the commute to DC isnt bad at all.

Del Ray? (Alexandria). I hear a lot of kudos for that neighborhood on here, but not sure about the schools there - check great schools.

Old Town Alexandria? (with private school)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shrilington has poor schools as does Del Ray and Rosemont. Factor this in when considering a move.

This is largely a matter of opinion, particularly on the Shirlington/APS schools. I hate when people make broad generalizations on school quality. Not everyone wants their kid to go to Yorktown or Langley.

On the contrary.

I live on Capitol Hill and I think your budget is OK, as long as you didn't need to be in-bounds for your school (which it sounds like you don't, since you are planning on relying on the lottery.) We lotteried into a great OOB school on the Hill and I swear, we are never moving. It's such a great neighborhood for families.

I'm not ignoring petty crime; we have had a couple of things stolen from outside our house. I just figure it is an OK price to pay to live somewhere we can walk to school, restaurants, transportation, friends' houses, parks...

Anonymous wrote:If you luck out in the petty crime lottery, the Hill would probably work ok until your kid hits ES at the least.

Not sure about rental $$$ on the Hill.

But $3k isn't bad and ought to get you something more than a 1BR/den place.

If the job is working out, why move to MD in a couple years unless closeness to your family is a factor?

OP here. Thank you for all of these quick responses!

To answer the poster above, we would increase our rental budget if we lived on the Hill since we'd only be paying aftercare costs. DH isn't in love with his job and would prefer to work closer to downtown if we stay in the area. He just strongly prefers MD/DC over VA if we buy a forever home here...I'm indifferent. But who knows, maybe he'll change his mind.

I agree with the posters about Shirlington/Fairlington probably being your best bet. It's got the cute little downtown Shirlington area that hosts lots of family-friendly events in the warmer months. The Fairlington townhouses tend to be small, though, so if you decide to sacrifice walkability, you could look at Cameron Station. It has lots of young families (lots of military renters) and a nice pool and community center, plus a couple of playgrounds nearby. (and a library, and a farmer's market, and lots of retail within a mile.)

It seems like a no-brainer that you want to be in S. Arlington or Alexandria City. Any farther out, and you're dealing with a much more suburban feel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shrilington has poor schools as does Del Ray and Rosemont. Factor this in when considering a move.

This is largely a matter of opinion, particularly on the Shirlington/APS schools. I hate when people make broad generalizations on school quality. Not everyone wants their kid to go to Yorktown or Langley.

It's also largely irrelevant when the OP said public schools aren't a factor. Don't you hate it when people respond without taking the time to even read what the OP is looking for?