Anonymous wrote:8:37 - that's a really cute area down there. We took swimming lessons at the rec center over there and i was impressed by the neighborhood feel as you drove away from route 1. There are some townhouses there too, right by the rec center, that might work if the OP is priced out of the SFH.

It's a great area. The town homes in the area are duplexes. I think they are 2 or 3 bedrooms and many of them have been updated nicely. Also, many of the single family homes have additions, decks. There are tons of kids as well, a great sense of community. The Mount Vernon Rec Center is great, you could walk to the Belle View shopping center too and Route 1 has plenty as well.

http://www.redfin.com/homes-for-sale#!lat=38.766793570143506&long=-77.06914499886089&market=dc&max_price=400000&num_beds=2&status=131&uipt=6,5,4,3,1&v=8&zoomLevel=15

Anonymous wrote: There are a few places for rent in the Penderbrook community, which is right near 66 and Fair Oaks Mall. The elementary school is excellent and it's in the Oakton HS pyramid.

be careful of this suggestion. My friend bought a TH in Penderbrook - and found out that community zones to Fairfax HS, not Oakton. If OAKTON HS is your selling point, that is-I think Fairfax HS is a good school. My friend's stepson went there last year and had a good experience. But I'm not an FCPS school snob - we're right around the corner from Chantilly HS and perfectly happy with that.

Honestly, if Burke is too far out, this area is BFE. I live just on the other side of the Parkway from Penderbrook/Waples Mill ES district. I love it here, but I would not recommend it to someone who works long hours in downtown.

Condo or small townhome in Burke. There's a VRE station right by Target/Walmart so the train might make your commute easier. Otherwise I would recommend that you continue renting. You can even rent a bit farther out in Nova. There are a few places for rent in the Penderbrook community, which is right near 66 and Fair Oaks Mall. The elementary school is excellent and it's in the Oakton HS pyramid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again,

Thanks for all of the ideas. We have been looking at some of these areas, like Alexandria and Winter Hill (in Falls church). Anyone know any great neighborhoods in Alexandria?

There are some tiny homes for sale in Falls Church here and there, some go to Pine Spring elementary I think though, and I'm not sure that is okay for us.

I should consider Oakton/Vienna I suppose. I just hate Rt. 66 west or 123 SW in rush hour. It can be tough.

We're in the Pine Spring ES district with an infant, so no personal experience yet but the parents I've talked to in our neighborhood have great things to say about the school. With that said, some neighborhoods in this district are much better than others. City Park Homes is nice, as are Fenwick Park and Tremont Gardens but I would probably avoid Tyler Park.

I've driven around quite a few of the neighborhoods near Lee Highway and Arlington Boulevard assigned to Falls Church HS and most of them seem nice to me. The Greenway Downs and Westlawn areas also have many nice, modest affordable homes, and they are much closer to downtown than Oakton or Fairfax. I do know what you mean about Tyler Park - it seems a bit run-down, with more paved-over front yards with lots of cars and trucks in front of some of the houses. But that's just one neighborhood.

8:37 - that's a really cute area down there. We took swimming lessons at the rec center over there and i was impressed by the neighborhood feel as you drove away from route 1. There are some townhouses there too, right by the rec center, that might work if the OP is priced out of the SFH.

Anonymous wrote:Pimmit Hills isn't happening for $375k, not unless OP wants a home that's a teardown or on a four-lane road.

Agree. I live in PH and the days of $375 livable homes are over.

Anonymous wrote:It depends on when OP is going downtown, Burke is not terribly far out but Old Keene Mill can be a beast, 395 is no picnic,and the "back ways" are full too. We lived there for 10 years and coming home was better than mornings but if she consistently wants an under hour commute, Burke may not be the best choice.

Old Keene Mill is no more a beast than Rtes 50 or 29 or 123. Plus, in Burke / W. Springfield, you have the option of VRE, driving to Metro, slugging/picking up slugs (which means you can zip up 395 on HOV), and MetroBus.

I would look at townhomes in the Fairfax, Oakton or Annandale HS pyramids. I would personally try and avoid Fairfax County's Falls Church and JEB Stuart HSs, and the City of Alexandria.

Try Warwick Village near Del Ray. There are usually one or two in that price range.

There is an area in Alexandria south of Old Town, off of the GW Parkway or Fort Hunt called Bucknell Manor. The houses are cape cods and are 3 bedroom, 2 bath. They are small but on bigger lots - some have great backyards. The elementary school is Belle View ES which is a nice little school. All other areas off Fort Hunt, GW parkway have much much higher priced homes. You would be 3 miles from Old Town and 5 minutes to the Huntington metro.

http://ilovebucknell.com/

Bush Hill/ Brookland of of Franconia.

http://www.weichert.com/43821273/?zip=22310&minpr=50&maxpr=400&minbr=3&minba=1.5

Walk to Van Dorn metro, 12 minutes to Old Town. Convenient shopping for groceries. Public library close & one of FFX counties smallest elementary schools: Bush Hill.

Anonymous wrote:OP again,

Thanks for all of the ideas. We have been looking at some of these areas, like Alexandria and Winter Hill (in Falls church). Anyone know any great neighborhoods in Alexandria?

There are some tiny homes for sale in Falls Church here and there, some go to Pine Spring elementary I think though, and I'm not sure that is okay for us.

I should consider Oakton/Vienna I suppose. I just hate Rt. 66 west or 123 SW in rush hour. It can be tough.

We're in the Pine Spring ES district with an infant, so no personal experience yet but the parents I've talked to in our neighborhood have great things to say about the school. With that said, some neighborhoods in this district are much better than others. City Park Homes is nice, as are Fenwick Park and Tremont Gardens but I would probably avoid Tyler Park.