Job in McLean (almost confirmed) (Reston, Fairfax: apartment, rental, daycare)

[TechRider]

I am few inches away from getting an offer for job in McLean (International Drive)

We are not planning to move entire family right now. (Company is not paying for relocation)

My thinking is,
a) Move myself first, live somewhere closer to Fairfax/Route66 or in Vienna on a temporary basis
b) Look around for apt or townhomes (not more than $2000/month). I am hoping in Fairfax or Vienna. Little bit closer to Tysons corner.
c) Then find schools.My kids are 2nd grader and Pre-K. So I need to find a Public school + before/after and PrivateSchool (*here in Tampa they both go to Montessori for 1300$ a month. I know this is peanuts in DC)
d) Then move my wife and kids..Then wife starts looking for a job (java programmer).SO I want to end up in a town home or apt such that she doesn't have to circle around if she gets a job in Metro or Dulles corridor or McLean

Please..suggestions please

[NYmama2dallas]

You could look on Craigslist for a basement apartment type rental for yourself.

Then, you want a $2000/month or so rental in a good elementary district? I would look in the Reston area. There are tons of townhouses so you should be able to find something that will work.

[TechRider]

Originally Posted by NYmama2dallas

You could look on Craigslist for a basement apartment type rental for yourself.

Then, you want a $2000/month or so rental in a good elementary district? I would look in the Reston area. There are tons of townhouses so you should be able to find something that will work.

yep..I have been looking in Craiglist and Kijiji. Found some nice ones in Craigslist. But it is very hard for me to conclude which one is best. (w.r.t wife's future commute..which is unknown now )

regarding your comment about rental in a good elementary, by any chance, are you implying that 2000$ is very less to expect any decent townhome

[LOCOunty]

Why don't you want to move the entire family right now? Is it the relocation cost? School? If your wife is an experienced Java programmer, I think she'd be able to get a job very quickly or, at the very least, pick up contract/contract-to-hire work while looking for something more permanent. JMO, but if its at all possible, I'd want to get either her job or the housing situation (even a somewhat temp basis) nailed down before you start your job.

[CaliTerp07]

Sounds like there are 3 options...

1) Wait to move wife and kids up until she's secured a job as well, so that you know where to look for a home. (Downside: No time line)
2) Move them up shortly, and limit wife's search to areas that make sense based on where you live. (Downside: Possible loss of income for a while)
3) Be willing to move again if wife's job doesn't match where you live. (Downside: 2 moves, uprooting kids)

If your wife is applying to jobs in both downtown DC and the dulles tech corridor, most areas are going to be a nasty commute one way or the other. There aren't many places that will give a nice commute to both (and probably even fewer with a $2k/month limit for a townhouse).

You might check out Falls Church. It would give you an easy commute to McLean, the schools are good (check out specifics for whichever pyramid you'd end up in, of course), and if your wife ended up downtown she could metro. It'd be a reverse commute out 66 or 267 if she needed to go that way.

[claremarie]

Many people will pay $1500 for a 1 BR apartment in a nice area, so a townhouse for $2000 will involve some compromises -- with respect to age/condition of house, commute, perceived school quality, or neighborhood amenities.
If you have never lived in the DC area, you might not be prepared for the horrendous traffic and the extent to which a difficult commute can challenge your home life. Without knowing where your wife's job will be, it will be difficult to make suggestions on good neighborhoods to consider. I agree that Reston might be a reasonable option. If you want more house for your money, then you can look further out and accept a longer commute. Keep in mind that, in most cases, you will not be "finding" a public school. It will find you, based on your address. There are before and after school child care options at most Fairfax County elementary schools, but those tend to fill quickly and you might be on a waiting list at this point in the school year.

[JfromReston]

Check out these townhouses in Reston and focus your wife's job search in the Dulles Tech Area.
2094 GOLF COURSE DR, RESTON, VA 20191 - HomesDatabase
11669 NEWBRIDGE CT, RESTON, VA 20191 - HomesDatabase

[TechRider]

thanks to all of you for your suggestions.

The only reason I was not thinking to move entire family in one shot is due to schools mainly. I don't know where my kids will endup in school. So just wanted to do little research and narrow down the locality/school and then bring them over. My wife is experienced developer, so I am hoping she would find something.

OK..Reston townhome links seem good to me..I will add them to my list.

Now, is there is a resource or website or anything like good/bad elementary schools list in fairfax county, may be that will help me narrow down my search

[JfromReston]

School Ranks ( Schoolranks ): The Best Schools Of Fairfax County.

[Middlin]

CaliTerp makes very good points. I will say that living in Reston and working in Tysons's is not ideal and I would focus the search in the area around the Vienna metro. I was surprised to see that a small rambler was renting just over 2k a month on Kingsley. I would estimate your commute from there to be 30 minutes. Schools are very good and daycare here is abundant. If your wife got a job in the Dulles tech corridor she would be looking at the longer commute. Another option might be Cascades, Lowes Island (west of Tysons)