Anonymous wrote:Nope - it's not going to improve.

It's been "improving" for the past 20 years and it was just on the cusp of getting better for that same amount of time. It didn't gentrify in the last bubble, it just won't. The low income housing and affordable housing will always be there.

The only real chance is if Arlington becomes less liberal and I don't think that will happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider Falls Church part of Fairfax County, generally near or north of I66. Better schools for your $$ than S. Arlington. Elementary schools Shrevewood, Lemon Road, Westgate, Timber Lane. McLean/Marshall pyramids. Still pretty close in to DC.

The Falls Church part of Fairfax County may be "pretty close" to DC compared to, say, Oakton, but it sure isn't nearly as close as S. Arlington.

True, but it's not that much farther out. The OP is asking about a compromise between school quality, location, and home price. School quality is perceived as better in N. Arlington than S. Arlington. Location in N. Arlington may or not be as convenient as in S. Arlington, depending on where you work, although there are no metro stops in S. Arlington, just buses. If you want schools perceived as better than those in S. Arlington and possibly comparable to some N. Arlington schools, home prices that are lower than you'll find in N Arlington, and you are willing to be a few more miles out, then the above suggestions for Shrevewood, etc. are good. Those schools generally put you one or two metro stops further out than East Falls Church metro, which despite its name, is the metro stop for many Arlington residents whose kids go to McKinley/Yorktown and a number of other N. Arlington schools. South Arlington has buses, but no metro stop. For convenience and quality of life, I'd rather live in the areas near the West Falls Church or Dunn Loring metros than in South Arlington. Don't know how OP feels, but that's her trade-off to make. Of course, if OP works at the Pentagon or nearby, then S. Arlington/Alexandria has the location advantage, even over N. Arlington.

Anonymous wrote:We moved to S. Arlington/ Alcova Heights about 2 years ago. It's a great neighborhood with several walkable playgrounds etc. (Although the climb up the hill with a stroller can be brutal!) I think as our kids grow up - the entire school pyramid will change. No one in our neighborhood is considering privates. As a teacher, I am a firm believer that the schools ranking does not change the quality of education. If you are involved with the school and read, play, grow with your child at home, they will do fine.

We also are watching "the pike" improve. We love Twisted Vines and several family friendly restaurants. I am disappointed in the street car, but I still think the run down strip malls will be replaced in the next 5 years or so as rent continues to rise.

Twisted Vines is awesome! That new Irish Pub is really good too if you haven't checked it out yet. The staff is very friendly and attentive and the food is great (also early dinner is family friendly).

We moved to S. Arlington/ Alcova Heights about 2 years ago. It's a great neighborhood with several walkable playgrounds etc. (Although the climb up the hill with a stroller can be brutal!) I think as our kids grow up - the entire school pyramid will change. No one in our neighborhood is considering privates. As a teacher, I am a firm believer that the schools ranking does not change the quality of education. If you are involved with the school and read, play, grow with your child at home, they will do fine.

We also are watching "the pike" improve. We love Twisted Vines and several family friendly restaurants. I am disappointed in the street car, but I still think the run down strip malls will be replaced in the next 5 years or so as rent continues to rise.

Wait until the housing market crashes again.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and moved into Barcroft. The elementary in Barcroft is really stressed right now because of the low income housing and the city won't expand the school or shift anything around. Hate to hurt my own property values by saying that....

I have not heard one bad thing from Wakefield parents, their kids are thriving. And man, I got a lot more for my money in S. Arlington.

The pike is not so good, but honestly, go a couple blocks off the pike and the neighborhoods with sfh are lovely. Barcroft is really nice, fabulous neighborhood I have to say. Some old with renovations and expansions, and some new. Amazing to me that hte Barcroft school is like 70% latino because the local non-pike neighborhood is not.

We love it!

You live in Arlington yet you don't know that it's not a "city", but, rather, a County (which can matter in VA)? Back to study hall ...

You have hoisted yourself on your own petard, PP. don't bother with study hall, but simply Google Arlington VA and you will see it is a city and a county. I bet you think that Reagan Airport is also in Arlington. Or is it?

You're wrong, but Virginia is weird in this regard (where things are incorporated cities OR incorporated counties but not both). Most other places in the country, cities are still part of the county they are geographically located in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and moved into Barcroft. The elementary in Barcroft is really stressed right now because of the low income housing and the city won't expand the school or shift anything around. Hate to hurt my own property values by saying that....

I have not heard one bad thing from Wakefield parents, their kids are thriving. And man, I got a lot more for my money in S. Arlington.

The pike is not so good, but honestly, go a couple blocks off the pike and the neighborhoods with sfh are lovely. Barcroft is really nice, fabulous neighborhood I have to say. Some old with renovations and expansions, and some new. Amazing to me that hte Barcroft school is like 70% latino because the local non-pike neighborhood is not.

We love it!

You live in Arlington yet you don't know that it's not a "city", but, rather, a County (which can matter in VA)? Back to study hall ...

You have hoisted yourself on your own petard, PP. don't bother with study hall, but simply Google Arlington VA and you will see it is a city and a county. I bet you think that Reagan Airport is also in Arlington. Or is it?

np. Nope. It's a county, not an independent city.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and moved into Barcroft. The elementary in Barcroft is really stressed right now because of the low income housing and the city won't expand the school or shift anything around. Hate to hurt my own property values by saying that....

I have not heard one bad thing from Wakefield parents, their kids are thriving. And man, I got a lot more for my money in S. Arlington.

The pike is not so good, but honestly, go a couple blocks off the pike and the neighborhoods with sfh are lovely. Barcroft is really nice, fabulous neighborhood I have to say. Some old with renovations and expansions, and some new. Amazing to me that hte Barcroft school is like 70% latino because the local non-pike neighborhood is not.

We love it!

You live in Arlington yet you don't know that it's not a "city", but, rather, a County (which can matter in VA)? Back to study hall ...

You have hoisted yourself on your own petard, PP. don't bother with study hall, but simply Google Arlington VA and you will see it is a city and a county. I bet you think that Reagan Airport is also in Arlington. Or is it?

Anonymous wrote:Patrick Henry is an 8 on great schools for those that live and die by Great Schools.

We make over 200k, chose S Arlington and LOVE it. We used to live in N Arlington. Most people denigrating it have never lived here.

Actually, Henry is a 9 on great schools. When DD first started there, it was a 6. That was 5 years ago. The demographics are definitely changing as more and more young, middle to upper class families move into Penrose and Arlington Heights. We live in Penrose, but I love Arlington Heights. Both are really great, walkable neighborhoods full of good people. We can walk to school, multiple parks, the library, a grocery store, a spray ground and multiple bars and restaurants.

Also, I'm not worried about the value of my house. We have seen a slow but steady increase. And that works for us because we planned on this being our forever home.

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Anonymous wrote:Ok! So to answer Op's question, it would appear that many young professionals and their young families are choosing south Arlington. That would indicate that is will " turn around". Go for it!!!

Poor and risky choice when region's population is tapering off.

Seems like younger middle class families are only coming in bigger numbers! I know the houses in my neighborhood are being snapped right up. Don't dither Op. You'll miss the boat.

The sinking boat that will be underwater

I can't think of any south Arlington sfh neighborhoods that have trended backwards in the past 7 years. In fact south Arlington sees greater percentages of appreciation. More room for investment and growth.

We purchased a SFH in '08 in SA for $370. Planning to put it on the market for $570. We probably have $50k in upgrades.

Anonymous wrote:Consider Falls Church part of Fairfax County, generally near or north of I66. Better schools for your $$ than S. Arlington. Elementary schools Shrevewood, Lemon Road, Westgate, Timber Lane. McLean/Marshall pyramids. Still pretty close in to DC.

The Falls Church part of Fairfax County may be "pretty close" to DC compared to, say, Oakton, but it sure isn't nearly as close as S. Arlington.

The thing about south arlington, is that in the majority (but not all) of the SFH areas, you would not be able to tell the difference from the average north arlington areas. Not the big country club hills etc, but the nice expanded colonials, capes and arts/crafts. It seems like the only difference is the clustering of low income apartment areas mostly around the pike. Yet, the difference is clearly in the schools where there are kids from poor backgrounds.

I am a single mom, I needed to live close in without much of a commute. I was priced out of Falls Church City and North Arlington when I bought in summer 2013 (crazy prices and little inventory). For 750k I have a hell of a house that was turnkey. I love it, and never want to leave the house.

you do what you need to do. If you don't get caught up in scores and demographics, south arlington is a perfectly safe place and your kid will do fine. And, if enough people like me get over the north arlington hype and invest a life down here in the south, the demographics will change and so will the scores that everyone worries about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok! So to answer Op's question, it would appear that many young professionals and their young families are choosing south Arlington. That would indicate that is will " turn around". Go for it!!!

Poor and risky choice when region's population is tapering off.

Seems like younger middle class families are only coming in bigger numbers! I know the houses in my neighborhood are being snapped right up. Don't dither Op. You'll miss the boat.

The sinking boat that will be underwater

I can't think of any south Arlington sfh neighborhoods that have trended backwards in the past 7 years. In fact south Arlington sees greater percentages of appreciation. More room for investment and growth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok! So to answer Op's question, it would appear that many young professionals and their young families are choosing south Arlington. That would indicate that is will " turn around". Go for it!!!

Poor and risky choice when region's population is tapering off.

Seems like younger middle class families are only coming in bigger numbers! I know the houses in my neighborhood are being snapped right up. Don't dither Op. You'll miss the boat.

The sinking boat that will be underwater

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok! So to answer Op's question, it would appear that many young professionals and their young families are choosing south Arlington. That would indicate that is will " turn around". Go for it!!!

Poor and risky choice when region's population is tapering off.

Seems like younger middle class families are only coming in bigger numbers! I know the houses in my neighborhood are being snapped right up. Don't dither Op. You'll miss the boat.