donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP you are responding to and I was born in Chicago and lived there for 30 years. So yeah, I do realize how it is and I think you're a bit naive and unrealistic in choosing DC over Chicago. Where are you from originally? Why don't you move back there?

Why aren't you living there now?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start with picking an area, then a school. Seriously. Each town is vastly different here. Do you want to do the urban chic DC living walk everywhere and hope to get kids into a charter for kindergarten or do pricey private thing with lots of other transplants, or would you prefer to live close in in a town that has all your amenities, restaurants, shopping, etc within town or 2 miles with better schools, or would your prefer to move outside the beltway for more square feet? What's your budget for housing?

So we narrowed it down to Montgomery County. With our housing budget I don't believe we can afford DC proper. The third option you listed (living in a nearby town with good amenities and good schools) would best suit us.

Anonymous wrote:No need to get defensive. You cited specific examples of why you were done with Chicago and as someone who has lived in both places, I was simply pointing out that the grass may not be greener in those respects. Best of luck to you.

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP you are responding to and I was born in Chicago and lived there for 30 years. So yeah, I do realize how it is and I think you're a bit naive and unrealistic in choosing DC over Chicago. Where are you from originally? Why don't you move back there?

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you both work from home, why are you relocating to the DC area?

Because we're concerned at where Chicago is headed and how the city is being run. City broke, state broke, public school system in disarray and property taxes just went way up. I voted for Rahm, but he seems way in over his head. We want to see how this all plays out from a safe distance.

Of all places, why DC then?

Have you been to Chicago? I don't know that you realize how chaotic it is here. We've read up on how DC is run and it just doesn't compare.

Try living in a city where the murder rate is one of the worst in the country, the public school teachers are striking for the second time in 5 years, the city is dead broke (and with $20 billion of pension obligations to fulfill), the state is dead broke (and in a $6 billion hole), there are regular police brutality cover ups, entrenched nepotism and corruption (our public schools head is the latest politician headed to prison), where 2 of the past 4 governors have gone to prison, the current governor is trying to force the city and state in bankruptcy and is moving to gut worker's rights... I mean... Yeh. Any issues the DMV area is having just don't compare. Oh, and our unemployment rate is still higher than the national average. So, yeh.

Anonymous wrote:Start with picking an area, then a school. Seriously. Each town is vastly different here. Do you want to do the urban chic DC living walk everywhere and hope to get kids into a charter for kindergarten or do pricey private thing with lots of other transplants, or would you prefer to live close in in a town that has all your amenities, restaurants, shopping, etc within town or 2 miles with better schools, or would your prefer to move outside the beltway for more square feet? What's your budget for housing?

Anonymous wrote:And are you liberal? Super liberal?

Anonymous wrote:I would move to a college town somewhere where the public schools are good and living is more relaxed. If schools are your priority and you can live anywhere, it is frankly bizarre to chose the DC area. Public schools have so many compromises, and privates are extremely $$ and competitive. Plus the cost of living ...

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you looking for in a neighborhood? Price range? Bedrooms? Walkability? Excellent public schools?

We would be renting initially, and we've designated $3,000/month as our budget. I would love to have access to great public schools! But coming from Chicago it seems so bizarre. Here there is a small percentage of super top quality public schools scattered throughout the city, so the approach is very much 'get into the school first (which is an ordeal in and of itself) and then let everything else (neighborhood/job/etc) follow'. So it's kind of weird to me (which is sad...) to envision a neighborhood where all I have to do is move there and the schools are great.

As far as neighborhood. Ideal for us is something culturally diverse, child-friendly with lots of local business, green space and friendly neighbors. I'm not concerned about being in a particular socioeconomic strata, but obviously it needs to be a safe community with good quality schools. Any suggestions?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you both work from home, why are you relocating to the DC area?

Because we're concerned at where Chicago is headed and how the city is being run. City broke, state broke, public school system in disarray and property taxes just went way up. I voted for Rahm, but he seems way in over his head. We want to see how this all plays out from a safe distance.

Of all places, why DC then?

Have you been to Chicago? I don't know that you realize how chaotic it is here. We've read up on how DC is run and it just doesn't compare.

Try living in a city where the murder rate is one of the worst in the country, the public school teachers are striking for the second time in 5 years, the city is dead broke (and with $20 billion of pension obligations to fulfill), the state is dead broke (and in a $6 billion hole), there are regular police brutality cover ups, entrenched nepotism and corruption (our public schools head is the latest politician headed to prison), where 2 of the past 4 governors have gone to prison, the current governor is trying to force the city and state in bankruptcy and is moving to gut worker's rights... I mean... Yeh. Any issues the DMV area is having just don't compare. Oh, and our unemployment rate is still higher than the national average. So, yeh.

I'm not saying that Chicago doesn't have issues, but if you're choosing to move to this area under the assumption that "any issues the DMV is having just don't compare", it'll be a wake up call. Also, have you considered the other differences in this area? The people? The values? Not trying to dissuade you, but it's kind is a strange reason to move out here.

Signed,
Someone who lived for many years in Chicago and still has immediate family there.

Strange is subjective. We're thoroughly comfortable with our choice to move. I didn't post in this forum to justify a life choice to strangers. No offense *shrug*

Anonymous wrote:

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you both work from home, why are you relocating to the DC area?

Because we're concerned at where Chicago is headed and how the city is being run. City broke, state broke, public school system in disarray and property taxes just went way up. I voted for Rahm, but he seems way in over his head. We want to see how this all plays out from a safe distance.

Of all places, why DC then?

Have you been to Chicago? I don't know that you realize how chaotic it is here. We've read up on how DC is run and it just doesn't compare.

Try living in a city where the murder rate is one of the worst in the country, the public school teachers are striking for the second time in 5 years, the city is dead broke (and with $20 billion of pension obligations to fulfill), the state is dead broke (and in a $6 billion hole), there are regular police brutality cover ups, entrenched nepotism and corruption (our public schools head is the latest politician headed to prison), where 2 of the past 4 governors have gone to prison, the current governor is trying to force the city and state in bankruptcy and is moving to gut worker's rights... I mean... Yeh. Any issues the DMV area is having just don't compare. Oh, and our unemployment rate is still higher than the national average. So, yeh.

I'm not saying that Chicago doesn't have issues, but if you're choosing to move to this area under the assumption that "any issues the DMV is having just don't compare", it'll be a wake up call. Also, have you considered the other differences in this area? The people? The values? Not trying to dissuade you, but it's kind is a strange reason to move out here.

Signed,
Someone who lived for many years in Chicago and still has immediate family there.

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

donewithchicago wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you both work from home, why are you relocating to the DC area?

Because we're concerned at where Chicago is headed and how the city is being run. City broke, state broke, public school system in disarray and property taxes just went way up. I voted for Rahm, but he seems way in over his head. We want to see how this all plays out from a safe distance.

Of all places, why DC then?

Have you been to Chicago? I don't know that you realize how chaotic it is here. We've read up on how DC is run and it just doesn't compare.

Try living in a city where the murder rate is one of the worst in the country, the public school teachers are striking for the second time in 5 years, the city is dead broke (and with $20 billion of pension obligations to fulfill), the state is dead broke (and in a $6 billion hole), there are regular police brutality cover ups, entrenched nepotism and corruption (our public schools head is the latest politician headed to prison), where 2 of the past 4 governors have gone to prison, the current governor is trying to force the city and state in bankruptcy and is moving to gut worker's rights... I mean... Yeh. Any issues the DMV area is having just don't compare. Oh, and our unemployment rate is still higher than the national average. So, yeh.