Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm born/raised DC area, as were my parents and their parents. I don't know ANYBODY, not ONE person, from the DC area who has ever been like "I want to move into DC and raise my kids there . . . for the walkability" or metro or whatever. Well, okay, one. I know ONE. Honestly, to a native here, that just sounds F-ing dumb. I am from Takoma Park, later Silver Spring. Hell, I don't even want to have kids there honestly. Now you can bury your head in the sand and say it isn't so, but how your local elementary school, high school, etc. are doing is a reflection of what your neighborhood is up to. If it's bad, well, that's your neighborhood.

I think it depends on your lifestyle and set of friends. I personally don't know of anyone who would gladly move to the suburbs from the city of DC, not ONE family. You would have to pull them out kicking and screaming. I can understand your point of view if you lived near downtown DC in the 80s and 90s when the city was struggling (similar to other big metropolitan areas.) Times have changed and there are tons of family friendly neighborhoods in the city that you should come out and experience some weekend. We would love to have you!
Sure, DCPS has a long way to go (no argument there) but unwavering parental involvement is strengthening DCPS schools, and that's a great thing for all of us in the long run as a community.
It's all relative, really.

You're argument is that families that are in DC are "stuck there" because it was too late to leave. So we should be sure to move to Mclean / Bethesda etc.. before hand.

Agreed!

What? This response doesn't make any sense to me. Are you suggesting that families in DC are "stuck" there? How you came to that conclusion from the PP post is baffling, but whatever. People that can afford homes in DC can more than afford homes in the suburbs. City homes are also easier to sell because of supply demand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm born/raised DC area, as were my parents and their parents. I don't know ANYBODY, not ONE person, from the DC area who has ever been like "I want to move into DC and raise my kids there . . . for the walkability" or metro or whatever. Well, okay, one. I know ONE. Honestly, to a native here, that just sounds F-ing dumb. I am from Takoma Park, later Silver Spring. Hell, I don't even want to have kids there honestly. Now you can bury your head in the sand and say it isn't so, but how your local elementary school, high school, etc. are doing is a reflection of what your neighborhood is up to. If it's bad, well, that's your neighborhood.

I think it depends on your lifestyle and set of friends. I personally don't know of anyone who would gladly move to the suburbs from the city of DC, not ONE family. You would have to pull them out kicking and screaming. I can understand your point of view if you lived near downtown DC in the 80s and 90s when the city was struggling (similar to other big metropolitan areas.) Times have changed and there are tons of family friendly neighborhoods in the city that you should come out and experience some weekend. We would love to have you!
Sure, DCPS has a long way to go (no argument there) but unwavering parental involvement is strengthening DCPS schools, and that's a great thing for all of us in the long run as a community.
It's all relative, really.

You're argument is that families that are in DC are "stuck there" because it was too late to leave. So we should be sure to move to Mclean / Bethesda etc.. before hand.

Agreed!

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I make ~$500,000 a year, and to be honest, I would love to live in NWDC if I could afford it. But I don't believe we can. With two young children, I honestly believe it would be downright irresponsible for us to live anywhere in DC unless we had a dedicated trust fund or other certain source of money to pay for private school through high school -- which we do not. We do not intend to become golden handcuffed to our jobs, nor can we be certain what the future holds, income-wise. Having excellent public schools is simply a requirement for us. So we are grateful to be able to afford our lovely, close-in Arlington neighborhood (Maywood) with wonderful neighbors and great bus service. Not to mention our outstanding county services. So I am certainly not one to "trash" NWDC -- if price were truly no object, I would be there in a heartbeat, and I did live there for many years before kids. But I am perfectly comfortable in my belief that, despite a handful of good elementaries, the public school system there is unacceptable, period.

While I certainly think you could afford to live in NWDC with that HHI (I mean, seriously, I think you could live just about anywhere with that income), I do respect your thinking in not wanting to be handcuffed to/dependent on your current jobs in order to maintain that lifestyle. My DH and I are of the same thinking, although we are closer to the $220K income range. We live in an area with decent schools (although probably not acceptable by DCUM standards) and I love our neighborhood but if we wanted to, we could probably afford a "better" neighborhood. Honestly, what you said is just my issue--I don't want to be stuck with some huge mortgage and have to work all the time just to keep up and then STILL have to send my kids to private school. I don't SAH but if I wanted to for a bit or if I wanted to switch jobs/careers, I would rather have that option than to have to struggle and stay in a job I don't like and be miserable. And for what, to live in NWDC? Or Bethesda? Or McLean? None of those areas, while all are very nice, are worth it to me if I have to feel stuck in a situation because of money. Now if I won the lottery.....hell, who am I kidding? If I won the lottery, I'd be on the beach in Tahiti, not here.

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I make ~$500,000 a year, and to be honest, I would love to live in NWDC if I could afford it. But I don't believe we can. With two young children, I honestly believe it would be downright irresponsible for us to live anywhere in DC unless we had a dedicated trust fund or other certain source of money to pay for private school through high school -- which we do not. We do not intend to become golden handcuffed to our jobs, nor can we be certain what the future holds, income-wise. Having excellent public schools is simply a requirement for us. So we are grateful to be able to afford our lovely, close-in Arlington neighborhood (Maywood) with wonderful neighbors and great bus service. Not to mention our outstanding county services. So I am certainly not one to "trash" NWDC -- if price were truly no object, I would be there in a heartbeat, and I did live there for many years before kids. But I am perfectly comfortable in my belief that, despite a handful of good elementaries, the public school system there is unacceptable, period.

With a combined salary of 500k you can completely afford to live in NWDC with two kids. My goodness that is a fantastic income. Who is telling you that you can't?

Anonymous wrote:Every second or third thread in DCUM is about DC parents considering a move to VA or MD. If it's not to McLean, it's to Chevy Chase, Bethesda or Silver Spring. Since most of those moving have young kids, they are basing their decisions on current conditions, not because they were here in the 80s or 90s.

You can claim "your crowd" wouldn't consider a move, and even ostracize those who leave, but it's going to take more than PR and peer pressure to stop it.

Who said anything about ostracizing?

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I make ~$500,000 a year, and to be honest, I would love to live in NWDC if I could afford it. But I don't believe we can. With two young children, I honestly believe it would be downright irresponsible for us to live anywhere in DC unless we had a dedicated trust fund or other certain source of money to pay for private school through high school -- which we do not. We do not intend to become golden handcuffed to our jobs, nor can we be certain what the future holds, income-wise. Having excellent public schools is simply a requirement for us. So we are grateful to be able to afford our lovely, close-in Arlington neighborhood (Maywood) with wonderful neighbors and great bus service. Not to mention our outstanding county services. So I am certainly not one to "trash" NWDC -- if price were truly no object, I would be there in a heartbeat, and I did live there for many years before kids. But I am perfectly comfortable in my belief that, despite a handful of good elementaries, the public school system there is unacceptable, period.

Honey you are too reasonable and sane for this thread. The crazy zombie posters will tear you alive. I do wish you and I were friends.

My husband and I make ~$500,000 a year, and to be honest, I would love to live in NWDC if I could afford it. But I don't believe we can. With two young children, I honestly believe it would be downright irresponsible for us to live anywhere in DC unless we had a dedicated trust fund or other certain source of money to pay for private school through high school -- which we do not. We do not intend to become golden handcuffed to our jobs, nor can we be certain what the future holds, income-wise. Having excellent public schools is simply a requirement for us. So we are grateful to be able to afford our lovely, close-in Arlington neighborhood (Maywood) with wonderful neighbors and great bus service. Not to mention our outstanding county services. So I am certainly not one to "trash" NWDC -- if price were truly no object, I would be there in a heartbeat, and I did live there for many years before kids. But I am perfectly comfortable in my belief that, despite a handful of good elementaries, the public school system there is unacceptable, period.

Anonymous wrote:Every second or third thread in DCUM is about DC parents considering a move to VA or MD. If it's not to McLean, it's to Chevy Chase, Bethesda or Silver Spring. Since most of those moving have young kids, they are basing their decisions on current conditions, not because they were here in the 80s or 90s.

You can claim "your crowd" wouldn't consider a move, and even ostracize those who leave, but it's going to take more than PR and peer pressure to stop it.

there was even a WaPo article last weekend about the lacking services for families in downtown DC.

Every second or third thread in DCUM is about DC parents considering a move to VA or MD. If it's not to McLean, it's to Chevy Chase, Bethesda or Silver Spring. Since most of those moving have young kids, they are basing their decisions on current conditions, not because they were here in the 80s or 90s.

You can claim "your crowd" wouldn't consider a move, and even ostracize those who leave, but it's going to take more than PR and peer pressure to stop it.

Anonymous wrote:I'm born/raised DC area, as were my parents and their parents. I don't know ANYBODY, not ONE person, from the DC area who has ever been like "I want to move into DC and raise my kids there . . . for the walkability" or metro or whatever. Well, okay, one. I know ONE. Honestly, to a native here, that just sounds F-ing dumb. I am from Takoma Park, later Silver Spring. Hell, I don't even want to have kids there honestly. Now you can bury your head in the sand and say it isn't so, but how your local elementary school, high school, etc. are doing is a reflection of what your neighborhood is up to. If it's bad, well, that's your neighborhood.

I think it depends on your lifestyle and set of friends. I personally don't know of anyone who would gladly move to the suburbs from the city of DC, not ONE family. You would have to pull them out kicking and screaming. I can understand your point of view if you lived near downtown DC in the 80s and 90s when the city was struggling (similar to other big metropolitan areas.) Times have changed and there are tons of family friendly neighborhoods in the city that you should come out and experience some weekend. We would love to have you!
Sure, DCPS has a long way to go (no argument there) but unwavering parental involvement is strengthening DCPS schools, and that's a great thing for all of us in the long run as a community.
It's all relative, really.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Sorry. Wrong. McLean is... lame and a total yawn-fest.
Yes, comparing McLean to great neighborhoods in the district like AU Park, Chevy Chase, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown is, indeed, laughable. I have never heard of anyone wanting to go all the way over to McLean because there is nothing to see or enjoy..... but enjoy your traffic (you need to love traffic if you live out there!)

This all means so much from a TRANSPLANT who know nothing about DC - you are soooo predictable. All of you transplants from Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, or wherever are so obsessed with living in "the district." THE DISTRICT. LMAO!!!!!

IT'S "DC" - you sound so dumb - "the district. . . " Do you ride "the subway?" Do you work "in the city?"

my friends, she has officially lost it
oh, and no- i have lived in dc 'the district' for years. just liked to shake up the language a bit and be a little unpredictable
i have also lived here long enough to know how mclean is blah and far out when you factor in the obscene traffic scene.
sorry if my language upsets you. it seems many things do, hon!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC. Most of the posters are from the suburbs.

True. Most posters can't afford NWDC. The jealousy is so apparent.

LMAO! I live in McLean because it is OBVIOUSLY better. It's like comparing a beat up toyota truck from Afghanistan to a shiney, new BMW.

Mmmm, sorry no. The beat up toyota trucks are found in the driveways of McLean, VA. The new BMWs are found in Georgetown, Dupont, Capitol Hill, Chevy Chase DC, AU Park.... and I could go on. Wishful thinking has the poster confused and disoriented.

You clearly missed the issue of The Washingtonian (March? April?) that showed that the most expensive homes in the area were mostly in McLean. AU Park doesn't even begin to compare, and Capitol Hill is just laughable.

There are no proverbial beat up Toyotas in McLean--the average home price is $900k, and that won't buy you much.

Sorry. Wrong. McLean is... lame and a total yawn-fest.
Yes, comparing McLean to great neighborhoods in the district like AU Park, Chevy Chase, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown is, indeed, laughable. I have never heard of anyone wanting to go all the way over to McLean because there is nothing to see or enjoy..... but enjoy your traffic (you need to love traffic if you live out there!)

You must not have kids. Yes DC is great if you dont have kids or better yet are single. Once you have kids DC even the most affluent areas are not good for kids compared to bethesda, chevy chase, mclean and great falls. The main thing you want to protect your children from is violent crime and also the offspring of criminalas classmates. Try looking at the the crime heat maps for the most expensive neighborhoods in DC vs the subrban ones and you will see a great difference.

You truly are the village idiot. A poor one at that.

Oooh, good comeback! You sure nailed him or her with all of the facts in your rebuttal. Oh wait...

"nailed him or her"... please. it's so obvious that YOU'RE the only one defended mclean on this thread. you're just trying to make it seem like you're not alone in this debate. nice try. oh- and i actually liked the comeback.

Anonymous wrote:
Sorry. Wrong. McLean is... lame and a total yawn-fest.
Yes, comparing McLean to great neighborhoods in the district like AU Park, Chevy Chase, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown is, indeed, laughable. I have never heard of anyone wanting to go all the way over to McLean because there is nothing to see or enjoy..... but enjoy your traffic (you need to love traffic if you live out there!)

This all means so much from a TRANSPLANT who know nothing about DC - you are soooo predictable. All of you transplants from Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, or wherever are so obsessed with living in "the district." THE DISTRICT. LMAO!!!!!

IT'S "DC" - you sound so dumb - "the district. . . " Do you ride "the subway?" Do you work "in the city?"

I'm born/raised DC area, as were my parents and their parents. I don't know ANYBODY, not ONE person, from the DC area who has ever been like "I want to move into DC and raise my kids there . . . for the walkability" or metro or whatever. Well, okay, one. I know ONE. Honestly, to a native here, that just sounds F-ing dumb. I am from Takoma Park, later Silver Spring. Hell, I don't even want to have kids there honestly. Now you can bury your head in the sand and say it isn't so, but how your local elementary school, high school, etc. are doing is a reflection of what your neighborhood is up to. If it's bad, well, that's your neighborhood.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC. Most of the posters are from the suburbs.

True. Most posters can't afford NWDC. The jealousy is so apparent.

LMAO! I live in McLean because it is OBVIOUSLY better. It's like comparing a beat up toyota truck from Afghanistan to a shiney, new BMW.

Mmmm, sorry no. The beat up toyota trucks are found in the driveways of McLean, VA. The new BMWs are found in Georgetown, Dupont, Capitol Hill, Chevy Chase DC, AU Park.... and I could go on. Wishful thinking has the poster confused and disoriented.

You clearly missed the issue of The Washingtonian (March? April?) that showed that the most expensive homes in the area were mostly in McLean. AU Park doesn't even begin to compare, and Capitol Hill is just laughable.

There are no proverbial beat up Toyotas in McLean--the average home price is $900k, and that won't buy you much.

Sorry. Wrong. McLean is... lame and a total yawn-fest.
Yes, comparing McLean to great neighborhoods in the district like AU Park, Chevy Chase, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown is, indeed, laughable. I have never heard of anyone wanting to go all the way over to McLean because there is nothing to see or enjoy..... but enjoy your traffic (you need to love traffic if you live out there!)

You must not have kids. Yes DC is great if you dont have kids or better yet are single. Once you have kids DC even the most affluent areas are not good for kids compared to bethesda, chevy chase, mclean and great falls. The main thing you want to protect your children from is violent crime and also the offspring of criminalas classmates. Try looking at the the crime heat maps for the most expensive neighborhoods in DC vs the subrban ones and you will see a great difference.

You truly are the village idiot. A poor one at that.

Oooh, good comeback! You sure nailed him or her with all of the facts in your rebuttal. Oh wait...