Mclean,moving for schools/neighborhood playmates for children

[mommieto2]

Ugh! I have been reading many threads and it seems like more and more I don't want to move only because of the cost of housing in NOVA...I figure if housing is high then everything else must be high. If we were to move to any area of NOVA it must not be a car dependent town...
Also, I get the feeling that depending on what area of NOVA you may end up in a not in a 'community' setting...More everyone to her/himself...

[Southern_Transplant]

Well, I have been looking around a lot and I'm very excited...and a little scared. I have looked at Evermay a lot. I gather the McLean HS side includes mostly 1960s and 1970s homes. They're very nice, but I wonder if the owners generally have updated HVAC and paint or appliances. I just saw one with the original furnace and it seemed like a major hazzard. I ask because I have a very nice late 1980s home in Herndon. My agent asked us to remove wallpaper and paint every room. We've updated it recently with new hardwood floors and appliances and HVAC. The wallpaper is a holdover from the previous/original owner. We removed about 1/3 of it and painted it before deciding to sell. He advised us to paint over the earthtone wall colors with white. This amounts to $14,000. Our lot is 1/3 acre and has an unbelievable scenic view of a stream and wildlife. (Ideally, we would move between June and August.) In short, I understand the need to "court" buyers in this market, but I fear I won't encounter the same "courting" in McLean and will have to shell out a lot of money to update the house be buy in Mclean. I don't mind spending money when necessary but I don't want to be unwise about it. Plus, I prefer to know what to expect in terms of reasonable buyer concessions in McLean.

My other question is about McLean Hamlet...is there a faster way to reach the GW parkway than 123 at rush hour? I realize that Hamlet is supposed to be a great place for families, but I can't have a long commute to work and 123 has the rush hour pace of a speedy snail.

Thanks.

[claremarie]

All other things being equal, there is more demand for high-end housing in McLean than in Herndon, because of McLean's close-in location and sought-after school pyramids. But you'll find all kinds of sellers in McLean. Some are downsizing seniors, who bought their homes for a pittance 25-40 years ago, haven't updated in years, and aren't going to bother with the full-court press on new painting, carpeting, etc. Other sellers, especially those who bought in the last few years and don't want to lose money on the sale, will definitely be courting potential buyers with all of the steps your own realtor has recommended for your Herndon home. In short, it's hard to generalize, but you already know that you will be spending more $$ for less house in McLean than in Herndon.

With regard to getting from McLean Hamlet to the GW Parkway, you could take Lewinsville across 123 (where it changes names to Great Falls Street), then turn left on Kirby, which dead-ends at 123 right near the Parkway exits. But one of the drawbacks of the Hamlet is that it's just not as convenient to downtown DC as other parts of McLean.

[Southern_Transplant]

Do you know anything about Lynwood Hall or Langley Oaks subdivisions? Family-friendly? Why does Lynwood homes tend to sell for more that Evermay homes. Is it that many Evermay homes don't have basements?

[claremarie]

We looked at several homes in Langley Oaks, but there were significant deferred maintenance costs with both, so we passed. There seemed to be plenty of kids about, and it's a great location right next to Langley High School and right off the Beltway.
I'm not familiar with Lynwood Hall, and not sure about the price differential with Evermay. Perhaps some folks aren't wild about living on or near Potomac School Road, which twice a day is filled with cars and school buses heading to the Potomac School.

[Southern_Transplant]

How do I find more about Langley Oaks? The HOA is active but has no phone number, an outdate email address and the website is password protected.

Also, what do you know about Ingleside near the Mclean community center?

I've been looking at a lot of homes and it seems that so many require a lot of work to update; yet they are priced at 1.5 for 1970s and 1980s homes. Most of the updates are necessary to fix an modestly-skilled homeowner's handiwork and to update a terribly inefficient HVAC. At this point, I wonder if it's worth the $200,000 extra to go with a 2000+ home. Not to mention, I wonder whether a new one is a better investment.

Help!

[claremarie]

Not sure how you can find out more about Langley Oaks, but your realtor should be able to help you there. You might consider just driving around the neighborhood and chatting with people who are outside walking their dogs or playing with their kids.
Ingleside is an interesting, eclectic neighborhood. Many of the original homes have been or are in the process of being razed or completely renovated. The streets are kind of narrow, and some of the traffic moves pretty fast, so it's not always as pedestrian-friendly as more conventional developments such as Langley Oaks. But it's very convenient to the library, community center, Churchill Road ES, and the shops in "downtown" McLean.
It is true that many homes in the area need to be updated, but the prices would be even higher if the sellers had recently gutted the kitchen, finished the basement, and remodeled all the bathrooms. Most people don't put in those kind of updates shortly before selling their house. Remember that you are paying, in part, for the close-in location and the well-regarded school system.

[vanyali]

Have any of you thought of Bethesda/Chevy Chase? What do you like about Arlington (for a comparably walkable, urban location) or McLean over B/CC? My husband is starting a new job (tomorrow) in Tysons, right on the border of McLean, but we've had it in our minds that we would move to MD instead of VA, on the theory that VA tends to be more suburban. I'm still stuck down here in NC with the kids, so I can't even drive around and look at these places. Do you guys have any opinions?

[claremarie]

Bethesda is very nice, but commuting every day from Bethesda to Tyson's is not. I've been making the opposite commute for years, taking our kids to school in Bethesda from our home in McLean, and I've seen the heavy traffic headed to Tyson's every morning, especially after 7:30 am or so. Most of Bethesda looks just like most of McLean -- the walkable, urban parts of Bethesda are dominated by pricey high-rise condos filled with singles and empty nesters, and most families in both areas tend to live in typical suburban neighborhoods. If you really want urban and walkable, you can find it in the City of Falls Church or North Arlington, and your husband will have a considerably less stressful commute.

[vanyali]

Originally Posted by claremarie

Bethesda is very nice, but commuting every day from Bethesda to Tyson's is not. I've been making the opposite commute for years, taking our kids to school in Bethesda from our home in McLean, and I've seen the heavy traffic headed to Tyson's every morning, especially after 7:30 am or so. Most of Bethesda looks just like most of McLean -- the walkable, urban parts of Bethesda are dominated by pricey high-rise condos filled with singles and empty nesters, and most families in both areas tend to live in typical suburban neighborhoods. If you really want urban and walkable, you can find it in the City of Falls Church or North Arlington, and your husband will have a considerably less stressful commute.

What school do you send your kids to in Bethesda?