Another Brit here. I recommend living in dc and getting your three year old into a free pk3 program.

Condo in friendship heights:
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Chevy-Chase/4601-N-Park-Ave-20815/unit-308H/home/10684334

If you are ok with a condo (flat?) - Georgetown has a similar feel to Old Town and the schools are good.
https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3120-R-St-NW-20007/unit-101/home/9930875

If you are open to a TH, this has great schools and is very walkable.
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/1849-N-Uhle-St-22201/unit-1/home/11249670

In DC, second the vote for a condo in McLean Gardens or Glover Park.

In MD, the area around the Bethesda Metro has great schools and walkability, but you would still be looking at a condo on your budget. Ditto North Arlington.

Silver Spring MD might be another place to look.

McLean Gardens, DC.

We used to live in Old Town, Alexander and we absolutely love it due to the walkability and great commute to DC. Once we had kids we moved because the schools really don't compare to area districts. We moved to Bethesda which has excellent schools but our area is walkable to nowhere.

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church City?

Not likely at their budget.

OP you can look at Dunn Loring which just outside Vienna, good school , very close to the metro and walkable to the Mosaic district which has lots of shops , restaurants etc

Falls Church City?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lyndscorbin wrote:If you could pick any state funded elementary in DC for your kids, that has good walkability, where would you go?

Upper NW, DCPS.

This. Checkout foxhall village.

For $650k? Not going to happen.

True. Minimum 800k and those usually result in bidding wars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lyndscorbin wrote:If you could pick any state funded elementary in DC for your kids, that has good walkability, where would you go?

Upper NW, DCPS.

This. Checkout foxhall village.

For $650k? Not going to happen.

Anonymous wrote:

lyndscorbin wrote:If you could pick any state funded elementary in DC for your kids, that has good walkability, where would you go?

Upper NW, DCPS.

This. Checkout foxhall village.

Look at the town of Vienna. You will have to do some looking but houses come up in the top of your price range. They will be small and maybe a fixer upper. Better schools than Alexandria and lots to walk to and town events but farther from DC.

Churchill ES in Mclean is good
As are all the Bethesda & Chevy Chase Elementary schools.

I'm a Brit, we're everywhere and I would say that while I loved Alexandria most out of the cities / towns in this area, its not where I'd live if I'm looking for good schools.

We considered it and couldn't find any that weren't fee paying.