To the OP, this is exactly why we bought in 16th St Heights. Yes, we are doing charters, but we are zoned for Deal, too. We have a huge house (3000sf) for less than $800k. Friends who bought to go to Janney have half that size for the same price. I just couldn't get over the idea of spending this much to get a house the same size as our condo.

Anonymous wrote:The neighborhoods near Lowell are North Portal Estates or Colonial Village (Shephed Park is a bit south), and the houses there are quite a bit more expensive. Full of cave dwellers, black and white. Also, I think the in-bounds school for those neighborhoods is Lafayette.

No it's Shepherd. Lafayette serves neighborhoods just across Rock Creek Park.

Anonymous wrote:I live in CC DC and was driving through what I guess is Shepherd Park - up Alaska toward Silver Spring and Takoma Park. The area is beautiful - big houses, nice lawns, windy streets... I love where I live, but this area looked as nice or nicer (bigger houses and lots, for sure), yet I never hear anyone talk about it as a desirable place to live - those with the $$ who want to stay in the district seem focused on CC, Palisades, Forest Hills... generally areas west of Rock Creek Park. Why is that? Is it the schools, is it not as nice as it looks, or am I just not talking to the right people?

If you looked at how many houses were on the market you would understand how popular Shepherd Park and Colonial Village. There are only about 3 4 bd houses on the market. That's it. It's incredible. We live in CV and want a bigger house. We are waiting....for someone to die. Lots of really old people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But it seems like hardly anyone sends their kids to public (at least after elementary) in the more affluent areas of the city anyway. So it seems like bad schools is not really a valid argument.

Shepherd Park is not considered one of "the more affluent areas of the city". Prices range from $500K to $800K on average.

In a city where the median home price is $441K, $500 - $800K is "more affluent".

I agree that Shepherd Park is a beautiful area, but it's out of my middle class price range.

To the OP: if you look at census data you'll see that shepherd park is a fairly small community, in terms of population. So, one reason you might not run across a ton of people from the neighborhood is that there are only 2k or 3k residents in total living in all of the affluent neighborhoods in the northern tip of the city, including colonial village and north portal estates. This is relatively small area compared to a much larger neighborhood like chevy chase dc.

I think the other point from a previous poster about 'cave dwellers' might have something to do with it as well. I'm more familiar with colonial village than SP but these neighborhoods in general are largely populated by families who stay put once they move in. These are quietly affluent (and ethnically diverse) neighborhoods where people tend to live discreetly for decades - and you'll find very few of the transient dc types who are putting houses on the market every couple of years as they move on to the next thing.

I live in Colonial Village and the area is much more diverse than some have indicated. For those who are unfamiliar, Shepherd Park is north of Walter Reed b/w 16th and Georgia. CV and North Portal are west of 16th. Lowell School is in Colonial Village. Shepherd Park has lots of young families with children as evidenced by the big Halloween parade they do at the school every year. CV is more expensive on average which seems to lead to older buyers but I have seen several young families and strollers in the last 5years. As for OP's original question, lots of lawyers and advanced degrees just like the rest of upper NW.

What's wrong with Shepherd Park schools?

Shepherd Elementary:
Math pass rate: 66% (Brent was 62%)
Reading pass rate: 68% (Brent was 76%)
Science pass rate: 64% (Brent was 58%)

FARMS: 30% (Brent 27%)
Special Ed: 8% (Brent 12%)
English learners; 8% (Brent 2%)

Deal MS, then Wilson if you keep your kids through Deal MS.

What charter(s) do most DCUMers send their Brent ES alumni to?

Anonymous wrote:But it seems like hardly anyone sends their kids to public (at least after elementary) in the more affluent areas of the city anyway. So it seems like bad schools is not really a valid argument.

About 1/2 of the people I know who live in affluent areas of the city (Capitol Hill, Crestwood, Upper Northwest, etc . . . ) send their kids to public, particularly Deal.

16th to GA is Shep Park. Very nice neighborhood. Great new playground. Close to Silver Springs. more house for your $$. Diverse. If schools aren't an issue then great option.

I guess I'm showing my provinciality here, but aren't homes in the range of $500-800K for affluent people?!?

This is (sadly) even out of our price range, and we are two middle-class professionals. Maybe we're not overstretching our budget like others???

In any case, it's kind of shocking to hear that price range described as for less than affluent people.

But to the OP's point, yes, I love SP and would love to live there.

Anonymous wrote:They are not dwelling in a cave in Georgetown. You don't see them because they are at one of their other 3 homes in Martha's Vineyard, Palm Beach, Sun Valley. Really.

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/2912

As I wrote above, most of the cave dwellers I know live in Gtown. I actually do see them, all the time. My point was that I never met any of them who live in Colonial Village.

Most people end up sending their kids to private schools, even in the "nicer" areas of the city

Without getting into a contentious, silly debate on which parts of the city are "nicer", let's assume that the writer above was referring to some of the nieghborhoods that the OP mentioned (Palisades, Forest Hills, Chevy Chase). If there was a time after the turmoil of the 60s when the statement above was true, it probably hasn't been the case for years. Murch (Forest Hills and Chevy Chase), Lafayette (ditto) are overcrowded. Key is certainly full. Janney (AU Park) was again over capacity the day a great new addition opened. In Cleveland Park, where Eaton has traditionally had a higher OOB enrollment, neighborhood enrollment has increased year over year over year. Deal MS is over-subscribed and Wilson HS is full of kids from west of the Park neighborhoods -- assuming (without necessarily agreeing) that those are what the writer meant by the "nicer" areas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The insurmountable problem for me is the lack of walkability (to anything other than more residential blocks).

Look hippie, not everyone wants to live in Columbia heights.

Not pp but I am sick of those agressive threads against people who want other options than cars.