Where are the Shouse-like Neighborhoods (Reston, Annandale: cul-de-sac, to rent, houses)

[sleigh13]

The fam and I are moving to Northern Virginia this fall with my husband’s job. I have been lurking this forum for the past few months, and I have gotten a lot of my questions answered already. (Thank you!!)

What I need now are specifics. These are our wants (in order of importance).

*SFH Listed up to mid $800s
*Colonial, with basement. Preferably updated kitchen and baths (but for the perfect-everything-else house, we are okay to make updates later)
*Great Elementary – We have 2 young kids
*Great School Pyramid -- plan to stay thru kids' high school (and honestly for resale value)
*Easy-enough commute by car to Tyson's Corner (for DH’s “9 to 5”)
*Close-enough to Grocery and Gas (prefer 5 min, but understand I may have to travel a lot more)
*Sidewalks and Cul-de-sacs
*Community Pool and/or Tennis Courts -- or a close by that a 10-year-old would be able to walk or bike there alone or with friends.

So far I'm drawn to Vienna. We LOVE Shouse Village and the neighborhood across from Wolftrap Elem. What I need is suggestions on other neighborhoods we could focus on, to increase our options.

We are planning to rent for up to 6 months or so, as we scout the market for our perfect abode.

Thanks again!

[JD984]

Here are some possibilities (not exhaustive):

The subdivision closest to Cardinal Hill Swim Club in Vienna (22182) is called Wexford. It's within your price range; schools are Westbriar ES/Kilmer MS/Madison HS. Super-easy commute to Tysons.

Another area you might consider is Stonewall Manor (22180). Also within your price range and not far from Dunn Loring and other swim clubs. Schools are Stenwood ES; Thoreau MS; Marshall HS.

In McLean, you could look at some of the neighborhoods off Great Falls Street near Kent Gardens ES and/or Kent Gardens Recreation Club. This is one of the more affordable areas of McLean, with many homes within your price range (though likely to be older than similar homes in Vienna). Schools are Kent Gardens ES; Longfellow MS; McLean HS).

Keep in mind that many swim clubs currently have waiting lists. Saganista or Claremarie recently posted a link to information about all the swim clubs in the area, so maybe you should look for that post as well. Given how congested the roads are around here, it will probably be easier to find a house relatively close to a swim club than one that you'd actually let a 10-year-old walk or bike to, though Wexford and Shouse Village both fit that bill.

[mikebnllnb]

Take some time and look at houses in Ashburn. The commute is not to bad to Tyson's if you don't mind the tolls on the Greenway. You'll get much more house for the money than in Vienna. There is lots of new construction here in your price range. Plus the schools are great. I've lived in Fairfax, Annandale,Vienna, Centreville and Springfield and I like it here in Ashburn the most.

[JD984]

It's a question of trade-offs. If I were working in the Tysons area, and could afford a house in your price range, I'd focus on Oakton, Vienna and McLean, unless I really wanted something that was more or less brand new. Reston is also an option. Some people think the commute from Reston to Tysons is quite manageable, while others have complained bitterly about it in the past. Ashburn is a good bit further west of Tysons than Reston.

Commuting can be a bear here, particularly commuting to Tysons from the west, so you should ask whether your husband wants to take on that burden right after moving to a new place. In addition, there's continued uncertainty as to exactly how high the tolls on the Dulles Toll Road and the Greenway will end up going to help fund the Silver Line construction. You might conclude that you want to start out living quite close to Tysons and then decide after you're more familiar with the area whether you'd prefer a house further out and would be OK with a longer commute.

Personally, I'd be more inclined to look at Ashburn if I were working near Dulles or along the Route 28 corredor, rather than in Tysons. Certainly the schools in Oakton, Vienna and McLean are just as good as the schools in Ashburn (apart from the powerhouse Stone Bridge football team!).

[momtotwoboys]

i would look in the Lakevale Estates neighborhood in Vienna. Reminds me of Shouse Village a little.

[NoVA_Lurker]

Reston could be an option due to the availability of pools and tennis courts in the area that are part of Reston Association. I do not find the commute to Tysons from Reston to be too bad. No traffic = 15-20 minutes, normal traffic = 25-35 minutes, bad traffic...well, depends on the cause, but it was unusual for me to ever have a commute over 45 minutes, and often the worst part of that was in Tysons area. Easy access to grocery stores and other conveniences, and sidewalks and walking paths all over the place. I am not overly familiar with the schools so can't comment on that, but certainly there are many families in the area.

[SallyField]

Also consider McLean Hamlet. Mclean Hamlet, McLean Virginia

[HereinVA]

Just a thought...

although you may be comfortable with the location/route for a 10 year old to bike to the pool/rec center alone, the pool/rec center may have rules prohibiting it. I know my neighborhood pool (prince william county) will not allow kids under 12 in without an adult.

[claremarie]

Potomac Hills in McLean would work. Several homes currently listed under $850K, kids can walk or bike to Highlands Swim and Tennis on neighborhood streets (there is a waiting list for club membership, though), top school pyramid with all schools (Chesterbrook/Haycock/McLean) very close by, Safeway at Chesterbrook shopping center less than a mile away, pretty easy commute to Tyson's. Some streets have sidewalks on one side, but there are cul de sacs and no cut-through streets. There are more split-levels and bi-levels than colonials, however, and you will be paying a premium to live so close to DC. We loved living there and would consider the neighborhood again if we ever relocated back to DC.

[sleigh13]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Here are some possibilities (not exhaustive):

The subdivision closest to Cardinal Hill Swim Club in Vienna (22182) is called Wexford. It's within your price range; schools are Westbriar ES/Kilmer MS/Madison HS. Super-easy commute to Tysons.

Another area you might consider is Stonewall Manor (22180). Also within your price range and not far from Dunn Loring and other swim clubs. Schools are Stenwood ES; Thoreau MS; Marshall HS.

In McLean, you could look at some of the neighborhoods off Great Falls Street near Kent Gardens ES and/or Kent Gardens Recreation Club. This is one of the more affordable areas of McLean, with many homes within your price range (though likely to be older than similar homes in Vienna). Schools are Kent Gardens ES; Longfellow MS; McLean HS).

...

Originally Posted by momtotwoboys

i would look in the Lakevale Estates neighborhood in Vienna. Reminds me of Shouse Village a little.

Originally Posted by SallyField

Also consider McLean Hamlet. Mclean Hamlet, McLean Virginia

Thanks so much for the responses.

Originally Posted by HereinVA

Just a thought...

although you may be comfortable with the location/route for a 10 year old to bike to the pool/rec center alone, the pool/rec center may have rules prohibiting it. I know my neighborhood pool (prince william county) will not allow kids under 12 in without an adult.

Great point

Originally Posted by claremarie

Potomac Hills in McLean would work. Several homes currently listed under $850K, kids can walk or bike to Highlands Swim and Tennis on neighborhood streets (there is a waiting list for club membership, though), top school pyramid with all schools (Chesterbrook/Haycock/McLean) very close by, Safeway at Chesterbrook shopping center less than a mile away, pretty easy commute to Tyson's. Some streets have sidewalks on one side, but there are cul de sacs and no cut-through streets. There are more split-levels and bi-levels than colonials, however, and you will be paying a premium to live so close to DC. We loved living there and would consider the neighborhood again if we ever relocated back to DC.

This seems exactly like what I am looking for -- will have to actually go and see it all in person tho.

Also I should have pointed out that proximity to swim was not high on the list, so we wouldn't make a decision solely on this, altho it would definitely be a plus .