Moving to Richmond from DC - Thanks and Q (Tuckahoe: top neighborhoods, real estate)

[Nychidc]

First, thanks to all the prior posters. This is our first time posting here. We've learned a great deal about the Richmond area and local schools from this forum. In the past, we've worked in NYC, Chicago and DC (always lived in the city v. suburbs, but the majority of that time was pre-babies).

Reading this forum, we've concluded that if we move to the city of Richmond (fan, museum district, westham), we will have a choice of nice elementary schools (Fox, Munford, etc.) but not a great choice of middle and high schools. If we moved to a walkable area of the city, we would have to go private or move to a different area after elementary school.

An alternative would be to move to Henrico County (near west?) for Tuckahoe and other good middle and high schools. It also appears that Henrico schools start at K v. PreK in Richmond (we have wee ones, so that would affect us in the short term).

Here's our Question: Is there a zip code or specific area we should be considering in Henrico that wouldn't feel too remote and that is semi-walkable, or otherwise has a nice neighborhood center (and is somewhat diverse)?

Schools are very important to us, but we don't know and haven't been to Henrico neighborhoods. We are plain ol city folk, though we very much like the idea of a back yard and space between neighbors at this point in our lives. Until we physically visit Henrico, we just don't know if the city or county will win out.

Thanks again everyone and Happy Easter/Passover/Other Cultural Celebration

[540_804]

23226 and 23229 would probably work for you.

Neither of those two are really walkable, for the most part, but they do have a really nice urban neighborhood feel to them. They feel like traditional inner-ring suburbs (because that's what they are).

23226 is partially within the city of Richmond, so you would want to make sure you have a Henrico address and are zoned for Henrico schools, but that would be my choice. Personally, I'd probably look in the area just north of the intersections of Libby and Patterson Avenues (bound by Libby, Patterson, Monument and Three Chopt).

The areas of 23229 that border the University of Richmond are also quite nice. Again, it's basically an older inner-ring suburb so it's not necessarily walkable but it does have the feel of a traditional urban neighborhood.

And in either one of those locations you'll be close enough to the city that you won't feel isolated or remote.

I'm not sure what your price range is, but those two areas do encompass some of the more expensive real estate (relatively speaking -- 23226 less so than 23229). They contain some fairly desirable areas. In both of those zip codes, the area gets nicer as you move south (towards the river). The area is fairly diverse as a whole, but is segregated mostly by income -- the northernmost tip of 23229 has a median household income of ~$35,000 while the southernmost area of that zip has a median household income north of $250,000. You can do a City Data lookup of the two zip codes to get more info.

[Nychidc]

Great, thank you, that is extremely helpful. We'll start looking in those areas. We hope to stay in the 400-550k home price range, sounds like that may not be as easy in the most desirable areas, but hopefully we'll find something that works for our family. Thanks!

[PickPatrick]

those are great and solid zips!

[Charlesaf3]

Originally Posted by Nychidc

First, thanks to all the prior posters. This is our first time posting here. We've learned a great deal about the Richmond area and local schools from this forum. In the past, we've worked in NYC, Chicago and DC (always lived in the city v. suburbs, but the majority of that time was pre-babies).

Reading this forum, we've concluded that if we move to the city of Richmond (fan, museum district, westham), we will have a choice of nice elementary schools (Fox, Munford, etc.) but not a great choice of middle and high schools. If we moved to a walkable area of the city, we would have to go private or move to a different area after elementary school.

An alternative would be to move to Henrico County (near west?) for Tuckahoe and other good middle and high schools. It also appears that Henrico schools start at K v. PreK in Richmond (we have wee ones, so that would affect us in the short term).

Here's our Question: Is there a zip code or specific area we should be considering in Henrico that wouldn't feel too remote and that is semi-walkable, or otherwise has a nice neighborhood center (and is somewhat diverse)?

Schools are very important to us, but we don't know and haven't been to Henrico neighborhoods. We are plain ol city folk, though we very much like the idea of a back yard and space between neighbors at this point in our lives. Until we physically visit Henrico, we just don't know if the city or county will win out.

Thanks again everyone and Happy Easter/Passover/Other Cultural Celebration

You summed up the issues well... Basically, you have to decide which is more important - semi walkable and interesting, or good junior/high school. Tough choice, I've been there.

To my mind there is only one area of Henrico that is at all semi walkable or interesting, and that's the area just over the Richmond line from Libbie & Grove. The business district is in the city, but there are nearby houses in the county. Every other part of Henrico, bar none, is ultra-suburban to my mind. Even that area is suburban, just old style inner garden suburb.

That said, its a great area. Great schools. And freaking expensive. 550k won't be impossible, but given the bigger houses are on the henrico side there generally, its going to be tough.

That area, east into the city, and west along the River, is the most expensive area of Richmond. Most of the people who live in Henrico around there still send their kids to private school, despite the excellent public schools. Its a prep school area

[Charlesaf3]

btw - areas would be westham, or the little houses south of Monument by St. Mary's. The city wraps farther west around U of R than I thought.

[SeanLCraft]

540-804 gives solid information. City schools do not rank high for middle and high school. They never have. HOWEVER, Maggie Walker Governor's School just ranked Top 5 in the country and Open High is also very well reviewed. The sticking point is the lack of quality middle school education and it is very frustrating for my friends with kids who enjoy an urban lifestyle. Basically, if you choose to live in the amazing neighborhoods such as The Fan, Museum District, Northside, Near West End or the close in South Side, you pretty much have to send your kids to private school. Yes, you could steal a few more years of city bliss if you were able to get your kids into areas that are in the Fox, Mary Mumford, or Holton elementary school districts but then you would have to move or send the kids to private. This is an ongoing issues with the city and one that seems like it won't ever get fixed since people move rather than fight to get better middle and high schools for this amazing city. So, the top neighborhoods not in Henrico or Chesterfield Counties, which are also the most expensive to live in, have no middle or high school choices besides the ones mentioned above....pretty ridiculous considering Richmond City also has some of the highest real estate taxes.

Soooo, close in Henrico in the zip codes mentioned is probably as close to the city feel you will get but walkability won't be there, sadly. These are areas primarily developed post war that are car centric with some pockets of pre war. Henrico County has a very strange and unpredictable border with Richmond City so be especially careful when looking. If it were me, I would suck it up and send my kids to private school after elementary at one of the elementary schools mentioned above.....but that is not always an option financially for many families. Housing is cheaper the farther out you go as is true in pretty much every old US city.

[Nychidc]

Excellent follow up info - we haven't even seen the River yet. We will be making a trip down this month, can't wait to begin our search in earnest, armed with much more info. Perhaps we'll fall in love with the city, which sounds like it may be cheaper than Henrico, with the knowledge that any money we save in housing will have to be earmarked for education. Thanks!

[Charlesaf3]

I should point out that a nice thing about Richmond is that you can live in the city and still have a bit of a yard. Not much, but ironically the yards in glen Allen/short pump are pretty small too. Especially if you look at the back yard, which is the usable part for most

[Ac216]

Hi there, we are looking at the same area and I was curious what you discovered. My husband will be moving in February for a new job. This will be our third move in five years (Cleveland to Dallas and back) and I am leary of buying a house before we get a sense of the area. We purchased an awesome house in Dallas in what seemed to be a great neighborhood but it turned out it wasn't very well "insulated" there were lots of break-ins and crime nearby. It never felt super safe. We are considering renting until we could get a better sense of what neighborhood we belong in. We are open to sending our highschooler to a private school but ideally would love an awesome public school. She is fifteen so our main objective is just to avoid the school with "mean girls". It is so hard to get a sense of the area online and we have yet to visit. Ideally, we would love to be able to walk to coffee shops, playground, farmers market, possibly schools. We would love to stay in the 350 range. Is there a neighborhood like this? Any help would be appreciated!