Chesterbrook area of McLean - desirable? (Arlington, Vienna: fit in, houses, neighborhoods)

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by rarebucky

What kind of residents live in Chesterbrook? From looking at sales listings it seems like there are quite a few people with "ethnic" names.

Do you not want to live in an area that has people with ethnic names?

What type of ethnic names concern you? Middle Eastern, Asian, African, Indian, Hispanic, Jewish, etc.?

If so, then NoVa may not be for you. You might instead want to consider something much further out like in Clifton.

If that is not an issue though, Chesterbrook, especially the newer communities, would be a great option.

The only "drawbacks" I can see are the higher taxes you will be paying, and the long drive to big box stores that are more accepted in areas such as Fairfax, Centreville, and Sterling.

Also, ignore the statement about the road conditions. You're not driving through the Rubicon Trail to get to work unlike how some make it sound.

Westmoreland was just repaved with a bike lane, and Kirby Road is a great road to drive on, albiet a bit twisty at certain points. I haven't had any issues driving on Old Dominion.

Be aware though, that many people cut through this neighborhood (Chesterbrook Road) as a backroad to get to GW Parkway or Chain Bridge (MD) during rush hour.

[JD984]

Rarebucky - This older thread from 2007 has some information that may be of interest to you (although the focus did shift gears toward the end to a discussion of the redevelopment of the old Evans Farm Inn property and the property rights of those involved).



Mclean or North Arlington

[rarebucky]

Thanks. We also looked at the house today in West McLean on 1512 Pathfinder Lane. Seems incredibly well priced at $1.29 mm though they told us the builder has no flexibility at that level. Looking for opinions. Love the location, yard sucks though.

[claremarie]

Originally Posted by rarebucky

What kind of residents live in Chesterbrook? From looking at sales listings it seems like there are quite a few people with "ethnic" names.

I lived in this area for more than ten years before relocating (under duress ). It's an extremely convenient location, with very few of the congested traffic issues present in other parts of northern Virginia. If you travel frequently, you'll appreciate the quick access to both airports.
The Soviet Safeway has perhaps seen better days; on the other hand, if you need a gallon of milk or the odd recipe ingredient at the last minute, you can be in and out of the store in minutes. The schools are top-notch, and there are a number of private swim clubs in the area within easy driving distance if you don't want to deal with the bizarre Chesterbrook Swim Club wait list system.
The residents are an interesting mix of original owners, many of whom are retired military or State Department, and younger families headed by lots of lawyers, World Bank/IADB/IMF/embassy staffers, and "consultants." There are lots of foreign-born residents, most of whom end up staying in the area indefinitely. My kids had dozens of classmates at Chesterbrook and Longfellow from other lands. There is not much economic diversity, but that is a result of the high housing prices.
If we ever moved back to the DC area, I would not hesitate to return to the Chesterbrook area, especially if I could get another house backing to the acres of the Pimmit Run stream valley....

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by rarebucky

Thanks. We also looked at the house today in West McLean on 1512 Pathfinder Lane. Seems incredibly well priced at $1.29 mm though they told us the builder has no flexibility at that level. Looking for opinions. Love the location, yard sucks though.

Curious...why are you asking about Chesterbrook when this home is in the Franklin Sherman ES triangle?

Home looks like it's still a bit overpriced. No high end fixtures/features (eg. corian counters) though, but more than your normal # of bedrooms and a decent sized lot.

Compare to this house at the same price, although it lacks appliances.

http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-...clean,VA-22101

In any case, I hope you strolled down Tennyson Drive. There are a bunch of new and newer homes for sale on that street that look nicer, but probably more expensive.

[rarebucky]

Originally Posted by tankdude

Curious...why are you asking about Chesterbrook when this home is in the Franklin Sherman ES triangle?

Home looks like it's still a bit overpriced. No high end fixtures/features (eg. corian counters) though, but more than your normal # of bedrooms and a decent sized lot.

Compare to this house at the same price, although it lacks appliances.

View Property Details- 6811 TENNYSON DR, Mclean, VA 22101

In any case, I hope you strolled down Tennyson Drive. There are a bunch of new and newer homes for sale on that street that look nicer, but probably more expensive.

We are looking in various areas of McLean. And your description is a bit off - the counters are antiqued granite and look very, very cool. We didn't think it was overpriced since the builder sold an identical house behind this one last year for over $1.5 mm. The house you linked to is under contract but it does seem priced very cheaply.

[DunnLauren]

We recently looked at the house on Pathfinder Lane too. We thought the house was incredibly nice inside and the price was reasonable for the amount of space.

The deal-breaker was the lot. We knew the lot was small but hadn't anticipated that another similar house would be in the backyard! I know the developer must have just been trying to cram as many houses as possible in the neighborhood, but it was off-putting. Was that your reaction too, Rarebucky? We've also looked in Chesterbrook and haven't come across any lots that were so odd. But the prices there are generally higher.

Oh well, the right houses are out there somewhere. Guess I know what we'll be doing next Sunday.

P.S. - I laughed when I saw the reference in another post to the Rubicon Trail. One of the things my DH said when we driving around some of the hilly areas of Chesterbrook was "if we move here, we'll have to buy a four-wheel drive." Maybe he just wanted one anyway, but some of the roads did seem better than others.

[rarebucky]

Yes, the lot on Pathfinder is not good. To be honest I think the house behind it is a far worse lot and am wondering why those people purchased that house at the time. Sucks for them I guess. Well, I think any house can be great for the right amount of money. Unfortunately I think at $1.3 mm it is still overpriced and according to the realtor the builder has no flexibility on that number. Our target price is below $1.2 mm. Enclave at McLean is still an option.

[rarebucky]

Originally Posted by tankdude

Curious...why are you asking about Chesterbrook when this home is in the Franklin Sherman ES triangle?

Home looks like it's still a bit overpriced. No high end fixtures/features (eg. corian counters) though, but more than your normal # of bedrooms and a decent sized lot.

Compare to this house at the same price, although it lacks appliances.

View Property Details- 6811 TENNYSON DR, Mclean, VA 22101

In any case, I hope you strolled down Tennyson Drive. There are a bunch of new and newer homes for sale on that street that look nicer, but probably more expensive.

FYI - the house above did not sell. It was a short sale and the 4 lienholders could not agree to the sales price (there was an offer of $1.28 mm on the table). They apparently foreclosed, bought appliances and are relisting the house for $1.6 mm. Makes no sense. Also, the details were more than a little misleading - it's not new (built in 2007 and was lived in) and it's less than 5000 sf. Makes the Pathfinder house (which is very nearby) seem like quite a bargain. Now if only you could change the lot...

[claremarie]

One of the potential downsides of purchasing a brand new home in the built-up parts of McLean, such as Chesterbrook, is that the lots are generally small, and the homes are often really close to the neighbors. There is a house that has been on the market for well over a year, right on Old Dominion (but for some reason listed as being on the adjacent street) next to a shopping center, and with a large retaining wall in the back yard keeping the neighbor's home from landing on the patio.