Anonymous
10/17/2013 08:17
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:If OP can afford 5 million, she can definitely afford CHDS and a nice place on East Capitol. I would not count the ability to walk to a Trader Joes or the outside mall that is now Clarendon a "walkable neighborhood" -- pretty generic and lame and surrounded by a lot of really busy roads.
You might not like Clarendon, fine, but you clearly don't know what you're talking about. Clarendon is surrounded by Lyon Village, Lyon Park and Ashton Heights -- very quiet and extremely walkable neighborhoods.
The Orange Line Corridor is one of the most walkable places in the DC area.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 08:15
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
If OP can afford 5 million, she can definitely afford CHDS and a nice place on East Capitol. I would not count the ability to walk to a Trader Joes or the outside mall that is now Clarendon a "walkable neighborhood" -- pretty generic and lame and surrounded by a lot of really busy roads.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 08:09
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:OP, if you want public schools, I'd rule out NWDC. The school system remains corrupt - check out the recent massaging of test scores.
That leaves Bethesda & CC. Best for true 90s to 100 walk ability are FH/Somerset, FH/CC, Edgemoor, CC off Wisconsin close to Bethesda, downtown Bethesda if you will do a condo or townhouse (no single families except Edgemoor), or East Bethesda.
Someone erroneously posted about FH shopping. There is a Giant & a Whole Foods.
Most of these neighborhoods feed into BCC with exception of parts of Edgemoor, which go to Pyle. Pyle is much whiter than BCC. Look at stats on MCPS site. Edgemoor, while Democratic / liberal, also tends to be far snobbier than the other neighborhoods.
Suggest you walk these neighborhoods for a feel.
Also check out AC. Arlington County is tiny and they focus on their schools. Excellent schools while maintaining walkability in many neighborhoods. (Walk scores are some of the highest).
Many walkable neighborhoods in Clarendon--trader joes, whole foods, movie theater at courthouse, tons of coffee shops, toy store, yogurt shops, gyms, restaurants (which aren't chains which DCUM likes to state). Huge changes in the last year. Close to Georgetown and Downtown. There are a zillion kids in this area.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 03:29
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
OP, if you want public schools, I'd rule out NWDC. The school system remains corrupt - check out the recent massaging of test scores.
That leaves Bethesda & CC. Best for true 90s to 100 walk ability are FH/Somerset, FH/CC, Edgemoor, CC off Wisconsin close to Bethesda, downtown Bethesda if you will do a condo or townhouse (no single families except Edgemoor), or East Bethesda.
Someone erroneously posted about FH shopping. There is a Giant & a Whole Foods.
Most of these neighborhoods feed into BCC with exception of parts of Edgemoor, which go to Pyle. Pyle is much whiter than BCC. Look at stats on MCPS site. Edgemoor, while Democratic / liberal, also tends to be far snobbier than the other neighborhoods.
Suggest you walk these neighborhoods for a feel.
That leaves Bethesda & CC. Best for true 90s to 100 walk ability are FH/Somerset, FH/CC, Edgemoor, CC off Wisconsin close to Bethesda, downtown Bethesda if you will do a condo or townhouse (no single families except Edgemoor), or East Bethesda.
Someone erroneously posted about FH shopping. There is a Giant & a Whole Foods.
Most of these neighborhoods feed into BCC with exception of parts of Edgemoor, which go to Pyle. Pyle is much whiter than BCC. Look at stats on MCPS site. Edgemoor, while Democratic / liberal, also tends to be far snobbier than the other neighborhoods.
Suggest you walk these neighborhoods for a feel.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 23:46
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:If money is no object, I'm guessing OP does NOT want to be near Metro?! is that accurate, OP?
Op here. I cannot imagine anywhere sufficiently walkable would not have a metro.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 23:43
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:If you need WalkScore to tell you that, then you've got much, much bigger problems. The main use of WS is not to compare areas with a 10 score to areas with an 85. Rather, it is to compare areas in the 60s, 70s and 80s to each other. And for that, it's not accurate.
Op here. I was just using walk score to stress how important walk ability is to me. I previously lived in a place that was a 100. There is a difference between 100 and low 90s.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 23:40
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:This discussion is useless if OP won't share her budget.
Op here. We would not rule out anything based on budget, although I don't know that we really need to spend what we can afford or even close. If you must have an upper limit $5,000,000 or a bit more if there was some truly compelling property.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 23:28
Subject: Re:Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Old Town Alexandria has it all. Jefferson-Houston or Lyles-Crouch are both good elementary schools - Jefferson-Houston is much smaller and Lyles-Crouch is much whiter.
What?!?!?!?!?!?
The OP stated the she would prefer public schools but did not rule out private. So if she doesn't want to mix with poor kids, I would still recommend Old Town and go private. It really is one of the best neighborhoods in the area and hits all the marks on OP's list.
I agree with you. I live in Old Town. But let's be real - J-H is not a good ES. I am house shopping for this very reason!
Ok, let's be real. J-H kids are overwhelmingly poor and black. That's why you (and your neighbors) won't send your kids there. That's what you mean by "bad" school. Or do you really think the teachers and staff are sub-par? Maybe they're not dedicated enough (even though they work longer days, Saturdays, and summer days to help the kids)?
But to get back to the OP, Old Town is a wonderful neighborhood.
Do you ever tire of posting this inflammatory accusation? I value diversity and my kids spend plenty of time with the children who attend J-H, because they play in the same public parks, and at the rec center, and other places around town. I think it's a travesty that some kids in this part of Old Town have to go to a school that cannot even meet state accreditation standards. It is by all accounts a failing school.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 20:16
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our criteria (in no particular order)
1. Great schools in walking distance (preferably public)
2. Urban environment
3. Other children nearby
4. Very high walk score
5. Liberal
6. No geographic limitations
7. No financial limitations
8. Great housing stock (can be small or large, house, apt or other)
Lyon Village/Clarendon.
[/b]Tons[b] of kids, great public schools. Our house has a walk score of 97.8. We joke that we'd have to actually be living in the Metro station to get it higher.
No longer in DC area, but had same search criteria and Lyon Village was the one place that nailed #s 1-7 on OP's list. However, that is why it never meets #8. Inventory has been next to zero for a decade now and most get sold before they even hit the market.
PPs mentioned some great neighborhoods, but none have all 7.
The housing stock in Lyon Village is a mixed bag, regardless of what's on the market at any particular time. Some nice houses, but many ugly McMansions on small lots and some older homes that aren't very nice, either.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 20:09
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Lyon Village/Clarendon.
Tons of kids, great public schools. Our house has a walk score of 97.8. We joke that we'd have to actually be living in the Metro station to get it higher.
No longer in DC area, but had same search criteria and Lyon Village was the one place that nailed #s 1-7 on OP's list. However, that is why it never meets #8. Inventory has been next to zero for a decade now and most get sold before they even hit the market.
PPs mentioned some great neighborhoods, but none have all 7.
While it is very difficult, it is not impossible to buy a house there. We lucked out earlier this year, very happy.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 19:39
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Our criteria (in no particular order)
1. Great schools in walking distance (preferably public)
2. Urban environment
3. Other children nearby
4. Very high walk score
5. Liberal
6. No geographic limitations
7. No financial limitations
8. Great housing stock (can be small or large, house, apt or other)
Lyon Village/Clarendon.
[/b]Tons[b] of kids, great public schools. Our house has a walk score of 97.8. We joke that we'd have to actually be living in the Metro station to get it higher.
No longer in DC area, but had same search criteria and Lyon Village was the one place that nailed #s 1-7 on OP's list. However, that is why it never meets #8. Inventory has been next to zero for a decade now and most get sold before they even hit the market.
PPs mentioned some great neighborhoods, but none have all 7.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 17:35
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Capitol Hill--either in-bounds for Brent or Maury.
<<drops mike>>
Those aren't great schools. Many would say not even good schools.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 16:39
Subject: Re:Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Noe Valley.
Paris.
oh, sorry, just answering for myself if I had that criteria.
Paris is a good one, but I'd probably pick Barcelona. Noe Valley, like SF in general, doesn't have a good public school system.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 16:34
Subject: Re:Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Noe Valley.
Paris.
oh, sorry, just answering for myself if I had that criteria.
Paris.
oh, sorry, just answering for myself if I had that criteria.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 16:32
Subject: Which neighborhood do I want to live in?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Cleveland Park/Glover Park.
Public schools?
Woodley Park is a better option, given Oyster, especially if OP cares about bilingual ed.