Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 14:27     Subject: Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Forget DC - only about 500,000 people live in DC (it's teeny tiny). 4 Million people live around the beltway - you want to live inside the beltway to have a commute under an hour.

Are good public schools important? If so, consider bethesda/chevy chase Maryland, or almost anywhere in Northern virginia except for Arlington, Alexandria, or Annandale (the 3 A's!). McLean is wonderful - that would be my top pick, followed by maybe Bethesda. The commute would be shorter on the metro if living in VA too because the WH is on the orange and blue line - from MD (montgomery county) - that's the red line.



This pp is yanking your chain, OP. Arlington schools are some of the best in the state.


not in south arlington!!!! What is barcroft elementary? A 4/10? check out it's statistics versus lots of fairfax county schools. and Im just giving you an example.


given your capitalization and punctuation skills, are you speaking from experience?
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 14:07     Subject: Re:Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much! Please keep the ideas coming!

Here's some additional info for those who asked:

* prefer SFH instead of townhome
* prefer "suburban" to "urban" feel, though it would be nice to have some places to eat and amenities in walking distance
* really would like yard/outdoor space
* closest Metro stop will be Farragut West
* pools, parks, tennis opportunities all very important to us--private club OK if not too pricey
* will probably choose private schools initially, but would like to be in good public school area in case we stay long-term



I'm all about living in DC, personally, but this list screams Arlington, particularly around Clarendon. Orange line to Farragut West; super-easy commute. Great schools (public and Montessori), walkable, lots of parks, pools, etc. The only issue is private school proximity; not that there aren't any in Arlington, but most of the top privates are in DC.


Yep. That was my thought exactly. Clarendon or Ballston to Farragut West is a cinch, North Arlington is suburban but walkable. OP has the budget for it. We had a great experience renting an apartment from Sunnyside Property Managment, but their main focus is single family homes. You might see what they have available.


I'd also add McLean, with Chesterbrook Montessori to check out. (http://www.chesterbrookmontessori.com/about/locations.php). YOu can live in North Arlington or McLean, which borders North Arlington in this area. It's really a pretty area, easy drive into DC. Fairly close to metro, and great swim/tennis clubs close. (Chesterbrook Swim and Tennis Club).
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 14:01     Subject: Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Kensington MD is a great kid-friendly community with homes to rent near NIH and green space. Access to Metro and Beltway, too. Evergreen School is a great Montessori option nearby. GOOD LUCK!
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 12:56     Subject: Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Woodley Park and Cleveland Park in DC have two bedroom apartment rentals for well within your budget (Archstone Calvert Woodley, Calvert House, Cleveland House, Gables Woodley, etc). Also, there are some private rentals if you contact a realtor. Aidan Montessori is in the WP neighborhood. Both WP and CP are Metro Red Line accessible and sound perfect for your spouse's commute.
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 09:45     Subject: Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
This school is wonderful: http://www.msnv.org/

It's in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood in Falls Church, which is great (the public schools not so much, but since you'd be going to Montessori anyway)...
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 09:34     Subject: Re:Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much! Please keep the ideas coming!

Here's some additional info for those who asked:

* prefer SFH instead of townhome
* prefer "suburban" to "urban" feel, though it would be nice to have some places to eat and amenities in walking distance
* really would like yard/outdoor space
* closest Metro stop will be Farragut West
* pools, parks, tennis opportunities all very important to us--private club OK if not too pricey
* will probably choose private schools initially, but would like to be in good public school area in case we stay long-term



I'm all about living in DC, personally, but this list screams Arlington, particularly around Clarendon. Orange line to Farragut West; super-easy commute. Great schools (public and Montessori), walkable, lots of parks, pools, etc. The only issue is private school proximity; not that there aren't any in Arlington, but most of the top privates are in DC.


Yep. That was my thought exactly. Clarendon or Ballston to Farragut West is a cinch, North Arlington is suburban but walkable. OP has the budget for it. We had a great experience renting an apartment from Sunnyside Property Managment, but their main focus is single family homes. You might see what they have available.
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 09:24     Subject: Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Plenty of good ideas here. I would also recommend checking out Chevy Chase DC. Broadbranch Children's House has a Montessori program that I've heard good things about, great neighborhood feel, and manageable commute downtown. Lafayette and Murch are both good public options for elementary school.
Anonymous
Post 07/10/2013 08:53     Subject: Moving to DC area with 4 year old--help with places to live/schools
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Go for White flint area about 30 minutes to Farragut north by metro. Lots of Montessori schools around, but also amazing elementary schools private and public. Lots of shopping and grocery stores easy access to Dc


If OP said farragut north, this would be a good idea, but I think she said farragut west which is on the blue/orange VA line instead of the MD/red line


Actually, (me again), despite the requisite change in trains, bethesda is still a top pick for me I suppose and white flint is very close to bethesda or the beginning of bethesda I suppose. But I would drive to work from bethesda.