Anonymous
Post 01/19/2014 08:59     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm with you OP. This real estate board seems even more out of touch than others on DCUM. I've seen people say that if your budget is less than 700k, there's no point in living anywhere closer in than Fredricksburg unless you're looking for a condo. And the definition of sh*tshack is just ridiculous.

We're looking to buy at 400 or less and our HHI is about 200k, and no, we're not going for a condo. Right now, we're looking at Huntington or Hyattsville. Some of the public schools in Huntington seem okay, but for Hyatt, we'd definitely be looking at church-based private school. The few times I've posted on here, responses have not been helpful.


Have you considered Bowie? There are a couple of really good elementary schools (rated 9 and 10 on greatschools). The middle and high school are fine (what I'm told by neighbors), especially if your kid is tracked for gifted and talented.

I'm not sure where you work or what your commute is, but metrobus is pretty good. There are park and rides and service throughout neighborhoods. And there's a MARC station with free parking.


Thanks! That's helpful Looking at the public transit commute - looks pretty ugly. Do you do this everyday? We work in downtown DC and currently live very close in to the district so we're not used to long commutes. I think we'd want to drive in, probably on the early side to miss the worst of the traffic. Is that how people do it if they live in Bowie?


I used to take the metro in. Some people take the MARC in (about 20 minutes to Union Station). I drive in now. It's about 35-45 minutes. It's always longer coming home. A lot depends on what time you are driving in.


That's not as bad as I expected. When I lived in LA I always commutes about that length. We should shift our hours to 7:30-4 - would that free us from a lot of the traffic or does everyone else do that too?

Thanks for pointing out Bowie - my husband and I are going to go check out the neighborhood tomorrow.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 23:34     Subject: Re:Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Love Hyattsville Historic District. It is full of friendly "normal" people. Look very closely at the school options though.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 23:18     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm with you OP. This real estate board seems even more out of touch than others on DCUM. I've seen people say that if your budget is less than 700k, there's no point in living anywhere closer in than Fredricksburg unless you're looking for a condo. And the definition of sh*tshack is just ridiculous.

We're looking to buy at 400 or less and our HHI is about 200k, and no, we're not going for a condo. Right now, we're looking at Huntington or Hyattsville. Some of the public schools in Huntington seem okay, but for Hyatt, we'd definitely be looking at church-based private school. The few times I've posted on here, responses have not been helpful.


Have you considered Bowie? There are a couple of really good elementary schools (rated 9 and 10 on greatschools). The middle and high school are fine (what I'm told by neighbors), especially if your kid is tracked for gifted and talented.

I'm not sure where you work or what your commute is, but metrobus is pretty good. There are park and rides and service throughout neighborhoods. And there's a MARC station with free parking.


Thanks! That's helpful Looking at the public transit commute - looks pretty ugly. Do you do this everyday? We work in downtown DC and currently live very close in to the district so we're not used to long commutes. I think we'd want to drive in, probably on the early side to miss the worst of the traffic. Is that how people do it if they live in Bowie?


I used to take the metro in. Some people take the MARC in (about 20 minutes to Union Station). I drive in now. It's about 35-45 minutes. It's always longer coming home. A lot depends on what time you are driving in.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 23:03     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Moms Of South Arlington?



Jennifer. If we've told you once, we've told you twice, you cannot join MOSA until you move to South Arlington. The 22207 zip code does not qualify. So sorry


No need to be such a bitch, Becky. You know I've been trying to unload this house in LV foreeeeever.


Jennifer -- It's me, Amanda, not Becky. She's at Wolf Lodge for the long weekend with her DCs and DH. Can't you get BCN to take that dump off your hands. You'll never get into Douglas Park if you keep waiting. MOSA's nearly at capacity -- you know the way schools are in your unfortunate zip.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 22:49     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a website, a DCUM alternative, for people who are not rich. For people who buy under $650,000. Is there anyone else reading this forum who wants/needs to buy under-600,000? I wonder if a separate forum would be in order.


Honey, many of these folks are pretentious posers. The other half had mommy and daddy pay for their homes. Or they're like me they inherited their house through grandma. My house has been in my family for years. Don't let these folks on this forum fool you. I knew a lady who lived in a big house, but couldn't afford furniture. The so call rich that you assume are people who are drowning in debt and probably eating ramen noodles every night, but they get a high on projecting their insecurities about wealth onto tho others. You"ll be surprise how DC is full of "rich people" who need government assistance and social services.


I mean this sincerely, and not in a jerk way either: there are PLENTY of couples buying homes in the District and close in Arlington, mclean and Bethesda who do it with their own income and not their parents' gifts. Or grsndma's handed down rowhouse. They are all around me, moving into my zip code in droves. And although no, I do not poll each one on wherher or not they received cash from mom, it's pretty obvious to see how you could make a $1.5 million home purchase when both adults are partners at Arnold and Porter. Or often, they just sold their $900k house in shaw and plowed the profit into the $1.8M house in Arlington.

I am not in this situation personally, which is why I'm on this thread. But I live among them. Sort of -- they're all away from home from 7:30 am to 9 pm.


Hi, neighbor! See you at WF on Wed AM.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 22:47     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
I live in the Fort Washington area...in a SFH I paid under $300k for a decade ago and is worth about the same now. I know plenty of families through work and friendships who live in Springfield, Hyattsville, Accokeek, Upper Marlboro, Bowie, Woodbridge etc that have paid under $450k. For those who have public school issues....the ones I know are home schooling, tested into the gifted track public classes and happy with the education, are at a lottery school, doing parochial, doing private, or are ok with it as a location while kids are infants/toddlers through Kindergarten but have a plan to move before they get deeper into elementary school and in the interim live very affordably and bank the savings.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 22:37     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Search for DCUM posters in PG and PWC
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 22:36     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:City data forum
. I follow the threads for northern va and Maryland suburbs of DC
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 22:35     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
City data forum
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 22:26     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
People are preoccupied with others, that is the only problem I see here.

Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 21:56     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a website, a DCUM alternative, for people who are not rich. For people who buy under $650,000. Is there anyone else reading this forum who wants/needs to buy under-600,000? I wonder if a separate forum would be in order.


Honey, many of these folks are pretentious posers. The other half had mommy and daddy pay for their homes. Or they're like me they inherited their house through grandma. My house has been in my family for years. Don't let these folks on this forum fool you. I knew a lady who lived in a big house, but couldn't afford furniture. The so call rich that you assume are people who are drowning in debt and probably eating ramen noodles every night, but they get a high on projecting their insecurities about wealth onto tho others. You"ll be surprise how DC is full of "rich people" who need government assistance and social services.


I mean this sincerely, and not in a jerk way either: there are PLENTY of couples buying homes in the District and close in Arlington, mclean and Bethesda who do it with their own income and not their parents' gifts. Or grsndma's handed down rowhouse. They are all around me, moving into my zip code in droves. And although no, I do not poll each one on wherher or not they received cash from mom, it's pretty obvious to see how you could make a $1.5 million home purchase when both adults are partners at Arnold and Porter. Or often, they just sold their $900k house in shaw and plowed the profit into the $1.8M house in Arlington.

I am not in this situation personally, which is why I'm on this thread. But I live among them. Sort of -- they're all away from home from 7:30 am to 9 pm.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 21:27     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Moms Of South Arlington?



Jennifer. If we've told you once, we've told you twice, you cannot join MOSA until you move to South Arlington. The 22207 zip code does not qualify. So sorry


No need to be such a bitch, Becky. You know I've been trying to unload this house in LV foreeeeever.


Maybe you are having such a problem because you don't live in Lyon Village. That's 22201.


So that explains it!! And why the principal at ASFS has been asking for a utility bill with our address on it...
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 21:25     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Don't believe the hype OP. Lots of house poor people on this website. You'll find them on the Money board complaining about how stretched they are on $250 HHI.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 21:13     Subject: Re:Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
DC is a very wealthy area, as are the close-in suburbs. It makes sense that many of the posters on this board would have HHIs and net worths. I really think the only way to avoid it is to move to another area... We consider this often as we are tired of feeling "poor" on what most would consider a lot of money.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2014 20:33     Subject: Is there an alternative DCUM-like forum for non-rich?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Moms Of South Arlington?



Jennifer. If we've told you once, we've told you twice, you cannot join MOSA until you move to South Arlington. The 22207 zip code does not qualify. So sorry


No need to be such a bitch, Becky. You know I've been trying to unload this house in LV foreeeeever.


Maybe you are having such a problem because you don't live in Lyon Village. That's 22201.