McLean

[irvine]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Also, they're building some subsidized housing atop a church in Lyon Village (though plenty of LV isn't near that church).

That project won't really affect Lyon Village, although residents did fight in the courts to have the project stopped, because it did not follow the height limits of the Clarendon Sector Plan.

The church project is a mixed-income development with both high end and subsidized units--not a bad idea in an area where rents are through the roof. The subsidized units are reserved for people that earn below the median income. It's not Section 8.

Most of Lyon Park, Ashton Heights, Waycroft-Woodlawn, East Falls Church (which is in Arlington), and parts of Cherrydale, Waverly Hills, and Madison Manor are within a brisk 15 minute walk of metro (i.e. within 3/4 mi); Lyon Village as Carlingtonian said is right above the Clarendon and Courthouse Stations. The large homes in Lyon Village would be out of your price range but there might be a few small bungalows with less than 4 bedrooms for around 800. Houses for sale there tend to go quickly because the neighborhood is zoned to the popular Science Focus Elementary.

As Claremarie said, the yards tend to be larger in McLean than in Arlington, and the houses are newer (70s-80s-era homes mostly?). Arlington is more well known for its red brick colonials and craftsman homes.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by irvine

That project won't really affect Lyon Village, although residents did fight in the courts to have the project stopped, because it did not follow the height limits of the Clarendon Sector Plan.

The church project is a mixed-income development with both high end and subsidized units--not a bad idea in an area where rents are through the roof. The subsidized units are reserved for people that earn below the median income. It's not Section 8.

Most of Lyon Park, Ashton Heights, Waycroft-Woodlawn, East Falls Church (which is in Arlington), and parts of Cherrydale, Waverly Hills, and Madison Manor are within a brisk 15 minute walk of metro (i.e. within 3/4 mi); Lyon Village as Carlingtonian said is right above the Clarendon and Courthouse Stations. The large homes in Lyon Village would be out of your price range but there might be a few small bungalows with less than 4 bedrooms for around 800. Houses for sale there tend to go quickly because the neighborhood is zoned to the popular Science Focus Elementary.

As Claremarie said, the yards tend to be larger in McLean than in Arlington, and the houses are newer (70s-80s-era homes mostly?). Arlington is more well known for its red brick colonials and craftsman homes.

McLean covers two zip codes and a fair amount of territory; in addition, parts of Falls Church in the 22043 zip code sometimes are referred to as the "McLean part of Falls Church" since they are part of a special tax assessment district that funds the McLean Community Center and also feed into McLean HS. The houses in the OP's price range in McLean likely would either be SFHs built in the 50s, 60s (as in Potomac Hills) or early 70s or townhouses built in the 70s or 80s. There are other parts of McLean - generally further out towards Great Falls - where the houses tend to be newer. You generally don't find a lot of red brick colonials or Cape Cods from the 1940s there, as in Arlington, although some of the older homes are brick ramblers built in the 1950s.

In the older neighborhoods in both Arlington and McLean, there are now a lot of tear-downs and new houses that go for well over a $1M. My impression is that the newer houses are somewhat more controversial in Arlington since the lots are smaller and the older, neighboring homes are (literally) more likely to be overshadowed.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by irvine

That project won't really affect Lyon Village, although residents did fight in the courts to have the project stopped, because it did not follow the height limits of the Clarendon Sector Plan.

Well, it's arguable whether it will or won't affect Lyon Village. I just downed a whole packet of Trader Joe's ravioli and a glass of Charles Shaw--2010 was a superb vintage, by the way--so I'm too lazy to re-argue it here. But here's where the church is; it appears to be either in Lyon Village or directly abutting Lyon Village. Suffice it to say that if they built a three-story tower of party-till-midnight-on-a-weekday singles looming over our house, I'd be quite miffed.

But back to the OP's question: If I had 825K to spend and wanted the fastest commute possible to Capitol Hill without being actually in DC, I'd find a house on a quiet street in Lyon Park. If I also didn't mind paying for private school, I'd find a home in Arlington Ridge or Aurora Highlands (both of which are ritzy 'hoods in S. Arlington, very near 395 but in the crappy Wakefield HS zone).

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Well, it's arguable whether it will or won't affect Lyon Village. I just downed a whole packet of Trader Joe's ravioli and a glass of Charles Shaw--2010 was a superb vintage, by the way--so I'm too lazy to re-argue it here. But here's where the church is; it appears to be either in Lyon Village or directly abutting Lyon Village. Suffice it to say that if they built a three-story tower of party-till-midnight-on-a-weekday singles looming over our house, I'd be quite miffed.

But back to the OP's question: If I had 825K to spend and wanted the fastest commute possible to Capitol Hill without being actually in DC, I'd find a house on a quiet street in Lyon Park. If I also didn't mind paying for private school, I'd find a home in Arlington Ridge or Aurora Highlands (both of which are ritzy 'hoods in S. Arlington, very near 395 but in the crappy Wakefield HS district).

I don't know that Wakefield is "crappy" (maybe that's the Charles Shaw speaking) - it just has different demographics than McLean, George Mason, Yorktown or W-L.

I don't think there are any private schools in South Arlington, so if you do private I think you have to find a way to get to Alexandria (St. Stephen's/St. Agnes) or, more likely, to DC or Maryland, where there are more private schools. So the OP gets a shorter commute to work on the Hill, but then has to navigate getting the kids to school and back. Gonzaga is close to Capitol Hill and popular with many NoVa families.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by JEB77

I don't know that Wakefield is "crappy" (maybe that's the Charles Shaw speaking) - it just has different demographics than McLean, George Mason, Yorktown or W-L.

You leave Chuck out of this!



OK, fair 'nuff. Maybe a smart kid can get a good education there. Then again, why roll the dice.

[gtownorbust]

This is some great information! Reading this thread is giving me a lot to think about, and it's clear I need to do more homework on the areas. As an aside, we're coming from a situation where our kids have been in private school, and while it's been great it's also very expensive and we'd like to find a great public school option when we move. My remaining two offspring will be in Middle and High School so that's what I've been researching (although I realize desirable elementary schools often make for the most desirable neighborhoods).

Thanks again. I will be back in touch after I do more research.

[hesitantnova]

Hey gtownorbust, I am in a similar position and wondering if you made a decision. Any updates/insights for us? Thanks!

[gtownorbust]

Hi all. We haven't made our decision yet. Right now it looks likely we'll sell our house in early Spring and by then I hope to have settled on whether we want to be in Virginia or Montgomery County, MD. I'm planning to use the time now to do more investigation into options. I will certainly keep you posted, and I really appreciate all of the information and advice given here. You guys are great!

[Shuk]

Can any one plzzztall me this . I had Kaiser but not any more , I have Aetna now. But I want to see my dr in Kaiser Can I use Aetna in Kaiser ???

Thank u 

[Vectorhead]

Originally Posted by Shuk

Can any one plzzztall me this . I had Kaiser but not any more , I have Aetna now. But I want to see my dr in Kaiser Can I use Aetna in Kaiser ???

Thank u 

I'm sure the answer to that is no, but it has nothing to do with this thread and nothing to do with Northern Virginia. You ought to post it in the Health forum. I think there's an insurance subforum.