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Old 01-02-2016, 10:28 AM
 
Location: DC
2,044 posts, read 2,946,388 times
Reputation: 1824

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Quote:
Originally Posted by choccity View Post
My dad's lower property taxes have jumped considerably, given he had a homestead credit for years. Most of the older residents I know have seen a big increase, I guess we could appeal it.
If you live in a house you should be getting a homestead credit no matter what. Likewise the property taxes are going up because of home values going up, not the core rate. Again...these home values are in general fairly conservative based on home values in this area. Likewise if you are over 65, there is an additional senior discount to the property taxes. Make sure he gets that if he is retired! The entire point of that discount is so seniors can age in place. This will reduce their property tax bill by 50%!

It seems high compared to what they are used to when their homes were worth far less, because the likely scenario is the home is worth more. Like I said before, compared to other cities, the property taxes are actually low. Because you have to look at the rates.

It should be noted, DC unlike many cities has no interest in increasing property tax rates either.
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Old 01-02-2016, 01:44 PM
 
1,114 posts, read 1,479,169 times
Reputation: 735
Quote:
Originally Posted by DistrictSonic View Post
If you live in a house you should be getting a homestead credit no matter what. Likewise the property taxes are going up because of home values going up, not the core rate. Again...these home values are in general fairly conservative based on home values in this area. Likewise if you are over 65, there is an additional senior discount to the property taxes. Make sure he gets that if he is retired! The entire point of that discount is so seniors can age in place. This will reduce their property tax bill by 50%!

It seems high compared to what they are used to when their homes were worth far less, because the likely scenario is the home is worth more. Like I said before, compared to other cities, the property taxes are actually low. Because you have to look at the rates.

It should be noted, DC unlike many cities has no interest in increasing property tax rates either.
i will look into the senior discount.
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Old 05-07-2016, 08:56 AM
 
Location: OC
12,734 posts, read 9,400,002 times
Reputation: 10524
Pros : Diverse, 4 seasons, people tend to be nice, solid food, GREAT public transport.
Cons: traffic, I think food wise, it lacks in amazing Chinese, Mexican and BBQ. expensive. House with a yard in a suburban hood, that's tough.
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Old 05-17-2016, 11:49 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC
4,178 posts, read 2,631,377 times
Reputation: 3659
Quote:
Originally Posted by LunaticVillage View Post
Pros:

- Decent upscale shopping. Tyson's Corner, Georgetown.

- Varied weather with all four seasons. Winter and summer vary from year to year. Some winters it's 60 degrees all winter, other winters are brutal where it never peeps above freezing for weeks and drops down into negative digit windchill territory at night like last winter. Some summers are relatively mild where it's a hair above 80 all summer and other summers it's hot and humid as somebody's mouth for weeks.

- Mature people. DC is not completely overrun by immature douches like NYC and SF which have huge neighborhoods completely overrun with hipsters who refuse to grow up and get a job and live in their own little world where their idealized 90's childhoods never ended. DC is not overrun by 40 year olds dressing like emo band rock stars like L.A., SoHo-esque fashion victims dressed as "street goths" or whatever is unpractically trendy in NYC at the moment or try-hard hypebeast community college students wearing Nikes made in China valued at $1000+ but still not having a car. DC doesn't have a huge douchey immature subculture like guidos in the NYC Tri-State area or trustafarians in the Bay Area. People in DC are adults and act like it.

- Museums. All of the museums on the national mall are free.

- Good pay, job security and plenty of jobs for people who are connected enough to get them.

- Interesting unique local culture in the black population. Black DC traditionally had it's own local musical genre Go-Go which was a live call-and-response subgenre of funk. I can't say I'm a Go-Go head by any stretch, but I have heard good Go-Go before. Black DC natives dress different than any other big city. DC-born national rap-star Wale has brought many facets of DC's vibrant local style to the masses.

Cons:

- You can see everything there is to see in DC in a single weekend.

- Uptight, elitist, stuck-up antisocial, unstylish, uninteresting robotic people who live to work. There is an obsession with being a "professional" in DC, as they like to call it. These people wear at least business casual at all times. When they are not wearing business causal, they are usually either extremely unstylish and frumpy wearing their old college hoodie, sweats and cheap worn-out running shoes or wear unpractical sometimes downright goofy Brooks Brothers/Ralph Lauren looks. Think black guys dressed like Fonzworth Bentley and white guys who look like Patrick Bateman wearing the goofiest things from Ralph Lauren like salmon pants and pastel colored blazers with loafers with no socks. Plenty of overgrown fratboys wearing dirty white baseball caps and Vineyard Vines and Sperry topsiders as well. Boring transplants from the Midwest making DC more boring and sterile. Generally unattractive to average looking people without the draw dropping beauty and sexiness of cities like NYC, LA and Miami.

- Extreme social stratification. Black vs. white, rich vs. poor, uneducated vs. educated, immigrant vs. non-immigrant, native vs. non-native, white collar vs. no-collar. People generally do not talk to people outside of their given social strata in DC. Blacks and whites do not intermingle at all. Even black people who make good money in DC do their best to avoid white people socially. Whites in DC are generally upper middle class to wealthy. They assume everyone else is poor, unrefined and unworthy of attention and only pretty much only accept token minorities if they are educated, upper middle class and completely whitewashed. Black people from DC refuse to associate with anyone isn't black and born and raised in DC or PG County their entire lives. Anyone who isn't black and from DC or PG County is labelled as a "bama".

- Ugly people who think they're celebrities. DC is called "Hollywood for ugly people" for a reason. DC is weird because people have the hugest egos simply because they have a steady job with an upper middle class salary and a college education. Women who are average looking to downright ugly develop huge egos while living in DC because of the extreme lack of beautiful people in the District compared to other big cities. DC's dating scene is dismal because of the sky high standards of frumpy average people.

- Alcoholic culture. DC ranked as the ninth drunkest big city in America in 2013 not far behind infamous drinking towns like Milwaukee (a beer town with an MLB called the Brewers) and Boston (an Irish college town).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...5c6_story.html

Many DC professionals work all day only to spend hundreds of dollars a week eating and drinking at bars, clubs and lounges around DC literally every night of the week. Popular DC districts like U Street, H Street, Adam's Morgan and even Georgetown all revolve around bars and drinking. The infamous ubiquitous Jumbo Slice of Adam's Morgan is really something you're supposed to eat after a long night of drinking so you won't be hungover the next day. DC people don't smoke weed like Californians because weed is something they grew out of after the graduated college and became bougiefied. Ironically, many DC people never outgrew their binge drinking from their college days. After all, people who went to college are statistically more likely to drink regularly, binge drink and be alcoholic. And DC has one of the highest concentrations of college grads anywhere in America. There are DUI enforcement signs plastered all over the beltway for a reason. Spoiled upper middle class kids who grow up in the DC area grow up in a strange super-alcoholic culture where they are full-blown alcoholics by the time they are 15 years old. It is no coincidence that DC is home to one of the highest concentrations of AA, and young people AA, of anywhere in America.

- People from Maryland/Virginia suburbs who say they're "from DC" even though they've never lived in the District, proper, a day in their lives. These same people talk about Baltimore and it's suburbs like it's some place 3,000 miles away and saying "that's far", despite the fact that it's a 30-40 minute drive in light traffic.

- Traffic. Any hour can be rush hour on the beltway. People who drive like they are the only car on the road.

- High COL with nothing to justify it. Other high COL areas have a reason to be so expensive. NYC is exciting, it's the fashion capital of the world, there are literally endless options for food and entertainment, the streets are paved with beautiful women, it's extremely diverse, relative safe etc. etc. San Francisco never gets too hot or too cold even in the summer and the winter, it has some of the world's most beautiful scenery, it's generally safer than DC as a whole and most similarly sized cities, great food and has some of the best weed on the planet. DC, well, just has more high paying jobs, but nothing else to actually warrant a higher COL.

This post nailed it.
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Old 05-17-2016, 12:46 PM
 
Location: East Coast of the United States
27,329 posts, read 28,397,686 times
Reputation: 24854
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonnymarkjiz View Post
This post nailed it.
Really? It reads to me like much ado about nothing. :-)
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Old 05-17-2016, 12:55 PM
 
2,081 posts, read 3,558,298 times
Reputation: 2375
Anyone who is so ignorant as to not understand that stable, high-paying jobs equates to higher COL isn't someone worth listening to.
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Old 05-17-2016, 02:15 PM
 
Location: east coast
2,846 posts, read 2,957,893 times
Reputation: 1971
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer View Post
Really? It reads to me like much ado about nothing. :-)
I think we have to take into account personal perspective. There are people that side with your views and experiences just as there are those that side with others.

If someone else comes along and says they agree with Lunatic, you can't charge them with anything but personal experience.

We have to get it out of our heads that everything said about DC is written in blood or fact. It's all personal opinion based off personal experiences outside of DC.
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Old 05-17-2016, 04:18 PM
 
Location: east coast
2,846 posts, read 2,957,893 times
Reputation: 1971
I have never really done a pro vs con but I think I will in order to reflect on my experiences thus far. But, this is only one man’s opinion and doesn’t represent those that do not share my views. I have to write that because people get so hurt at times when others don’t agree with them. I will also break it down into sections as some areas are more important than others. Not everyone needs and or wants the same thing so some may be comfortable in DC for certain aspects while others may need more in their life beyond their immediate career and space.

Lifestyle

Transportation: Pro/Con- Great metro/bus system for ME logistics wise. I can get basically anywhere I need to if my car is in the shop. Before I was able to drive to work, I never had any issues with bus lines or metro. It’s just a bit expensive to go out just 15 miles outside of city center.

Traffic: All Pro- Traffic to me is not as bad at all for me as long as it’s before and after rush hour. Any time in between rush hour is pretty much fluid from Constitution ave to the French Embassy, VA medical center or S Capitol St. SW. I am home anywhere between 20-35 min by car and 45 min if traffic. But I enjoy traffic because it allows me to decompress and I am rarely in a rush.

Dining: Pro/Con – Fine dining is pretty much a given for any major city so it’s not really a pro. DC for me is ok for a hit and run. I can find whatever I want in main dining restaurants. However, I don’t get the same type of social stimulation that I get when I am in other major cities. I tend not to want to stick around much the area. It’s not like sitting on ocean drive/Alton Rd Miami, or South Street Philly, or the Promenade in LA with interesting people. Sure, the people are here but for me, there isn’t the authentic energy that resonates when you attach the texture with the people that have lived in the city for years. It’s an energy that not everyone picks up unless you are directed to it. Also, although DC is “diverse”, it’s kind of hard to get authentic social energy when it comes to Italian, European, South American and or Caribbean dining without the "fine". I love me casual late night joints that DON'T CLOSE ON SUNDAYS!!!. Chicken Saltimbocca alone doesn’t make up for the background chatter you get in an authentic Italian neighborhood in an Italian family ran restaurant- not a Greek family fronting as if they are Italian.

Nightlife- Pro/Con -. Nightlife is great to hop around and just get lost in dive bar, comedy, plays, concert bands, day festivals, and lounge heaven. It’s really cool for those that enjoy the young college atmosphere and dive bar galore. It’s quick in and out and parking is pretty good for the most part. But it’s a hit a run for me again simply because I need a bit more stimulation. I find a tiny bit more stimulation in NOVA or MD simply because of the authentic environment/people combination. DC has a transient local culture- a bunch of people that are not from here but still would rather stick to each other. Not a lot of outside networking when it comes to the industries. It’s almost like a secret society as you won’t find major sustained nightlife brands investing in DC. This is why most major artists come to perform in DC while DC locals play red carpet hosts rather than cultivating stars of our own to send out to the world. Overall, I find that people don’t come to DC as an entertainment destination beyond tourism or historic and cultural festivals. Most people that come down for the weekend will often stay in NOVA/MD and rarely come back to the city unless they are hitting up a dive bar. Rare will they pack an outfit to paint the streets red come night fall as they would in NYC, Atlanta, Miami, or LA. Nobody buys special outfits or fresh white Nike air force ones to come hang out in DC.

Travel: Pro/Con- there are tons of historic sites and national parks near the area. But beyond that, I have to do the 2+ hour drive, which really bugs me. I am simply not into historic parks every weekend. Just driving along authentic neighborhoods with a multitude of attractions is enough for me personally. There is nothing really happening in B-more that makes me want to do the drive.

Shopping/Accessibility: Pro/Con
- It does the job. It's nothing to write home about. You have access to all the major brands and clothing lines, malls, stores, and plazas. It's just there. With that said, "just there" means most people are not going out of their way to look beyond reproach. It is what it is- you won't find a china town that can customize your joints for you or get you discounted shlings.

Hobbies/Creative & Special Interests: Pro/Con- The area is ok depending on what you have going on. But again, because DC is not an entertainment hub, it’s hard to network with other creative enthusiasts. Most people have a narrow subconscious lens so they only are concerned with their immediate space. They don’t understand that some people are stimulated by their outer boundaries. If I know I am limited, I will not put effort because I will not get the stimulation I need.

Career:

For the price and what you get living here, if you are into IT, networks, have a clearance, accounting, medical research, politics, law, contracting, military affiliates, it is A+. But simply to move in with 5 dirt bags, while eating canned tuna all week, and to sell your car, is not worth it to me. It’s not worth it to simply come get a $50k or even a $60k job unless you REALLY enjoy the area. BUT, the kicker is surrounding yourself with the people you work with. The people are diverse but have a monocultural mentality that suits DC texture. So you will be dealing with the type of people that thrive in DC. If you don't like DC, chances are you won't be so thrilled about the people. It's not a bad thing.

Last edited by halfamazing; 05-17-2016 at 04:29 PM..
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Old 05-18-2016, 08:48 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC
4,178 posts, read 2,631,377 times
Reputation: 3659
Quote:
Originally Posted by halfamazing View Post
I think we have to take into account personal perspective. There are people that side with your views and experiences just as there are those that side with others.

If someone else comes along and says they agree with Lunatic, you can't charge them with anything but personal experience.

We have to get it out of our heads that everything said about DC is written in blood or fact. It's all personal opinion based off personal experiences outside of DC.
Yep. What he said just made sense. I am a black male who is on the younger side and a lot of what he said is true.

"- Uptight, elitist, stuck-up antisocial, unstylish, uninteresting robotic people who live to work. There is an obsession with being a "professional" in DC, as they like to call it. These people wear at least business casual at all times. When they are not wearing business causal, they are usually either extremely unstylish and frumpy wearing their old college hoodie, sweats and cheap worn-out running shoes or wear unpractical sometimes downright goofy Brooks Brothers/Ralph Lauren looks. Think black guys dressed like Fonzworth Bentley and white guys who look like Patrick Bateman wearing the goofiest things from Ralph Lauren like salmon pants and pastel colored blazers with loafers with no socks. Plenty of overgrown fratboys wearing dirty white baseball caps and Vineyard Vines and Sperry topsiders as well. Boring transplants from the Midwest making DC more boring and sterile. Generally unattractive to average looking people without the draw dropping beauty and sexiness of cities like NYC, LA and Miami.

- Extreme social stratification. Black vs. white, rich vs. poor, uneducated vs. educated, immigrant vs. non-immigrant, native vs. non-native, white collar vs. no-collar. People generally do not talk to people outside of their given social strata in DC. Blacks and whites do not intermingle at all. Even black people who make good money in DC do their best to avoid white people socially. Whites in DC are generally upper middle class to wealthy. They assume everyone else is poor, unrefined and unworthy of attention and only pretty much only accept token minorities if they are educated, upper middle class and completely whitewashed. Black people from DC refuse to associate with anyone isn't black and born and raised in DC or PG County their entire lives. Anyone who isn't black and from DC or PG County is labelled as a "bama".

- Ugly people who think they're celebrities. DC is called "Hollywood for ugly people" for a reason. DC is weird because people have the hugest egos simply because they have a steady job with an upper middle class salary and a college education. Women who are average looking to downright ugly develop huge egos while living in DC because of the extreme lack of beautiful people in the District compared to other big cities. DC's dating scene is dismal because of the sky high standards of frumpy average people.

- Alcoholic culture. DC ranked as the ninth drunkest big city in America in 2013 not far behind infamous drinking towns like Milwaukee (a beer town with an MLB called the Brewers) and Boston (an Irish college town).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...5c6_story.html

Many DC professionals work all day only to spend hundreds of dollars a week eating and drinking at bars, clubs and lounges around DC literally every night of the week. Popular DC districts like U Street, H Street, Adam's Morgan and even Georgetown all revolve around bars and drinking. The infamous ubiquitous Jumbo Slice of Adam's Morgan is really something you're supposed to eat after a long night of drinking so you won't be hungover the next day. DC people don't smoke weed like Californians because weed is something they grew out of after the graduated college and became bougiefied. Ironically, many DC people never outgrew their binge drinking from their college days. After all, people who went to college are statistically more likely to drink regularly, binge drink and be alcoholic. And DC has one of the highest concentrations of college grads anywhere in America. There are DUI enforcement signs plastered all over the beltway for a reason. Spoiled upper middle class kids who grow up in the DC area grow up in a strange super-alcoholic culture where they are full-blown alcoholics by the time they are 15 years old. It is no coincidence that DC is home to one of the highest concentrations of AA, and young people AA, of anywhere in America. "



I've literally experienced ALL of this. And yes, there are many uptight, elite, snobbish people here who don't talk to you, or give you an attitude if you look at them funny. One time, a girl dropped her wallet on the Metro platform, so I saw that, picked it up, and tapped her on the shoulder...she got angry at me and assumed I was hitting on her or trying to attack her! When all I did was say "here, you dropped your wallet back there". Then she gave me the most cringe-worthy grin. The thing was, she was what Lunatic described as being not even that particularly cute. But I've ran into that scenario many times. There are a lot of women here who think they're the ish but they're just average, in general. It's strange. They think that because what they drive (yay a 5 year old 3 series BMW) or their job (typically either a govt contractor or an engineer), that they're the hottest thing in the world when most likely, their daddy bought them their car and got them their job. I'm a millennial, but I totally dislike this entitled generation we live in. I simply worked for everything I have with no help from parents, so it's hard from me to see their point of view on some things like being spoiled and entitled.

Same with whites vs. blacks. I make good money here (100Kish), have a nice place in Arlington, educated, but I didn't go to Harvard or anything. I consider myself normal. Yet, the whites in this area will go out their way to either avoid you here, or act like you're a peasant. I've seen that first hand several times. When i'm dressed well, they'll speak. But if I come from the gym or in sweats and I'm walking on the sidewalk, people will walk out the way or cross the street to walk on the other side if they see me. It might be an Arlington thing, but yes, it happens, and I always find myself laughing, because I'm the nicest guy ever. It's just a perception thing.

And yes, I also know people who will make you feel like crap for smoking a bit of weed, but then they'll go to the bar and take shot after shot, then get in their car and drive home. It's like But will act like you're an evil person for mentioning that you took a bong hit a month ago. Yet, get drunk on a nightly basis, spending hundreds of dollars per week at bars.

Those really are my main cons, from someone who grew up in the area. Besides that, and of course, traffic, this area is fine.
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Old 05-18-2016, 10:17 AM
 
2,685 posts, read 2,510,769 times
Reputation: 1856
Many of the pros and cons listed in this thread are very exaggerated to say the least.

As always.. once people engage their emotions and/or bias.. the truth gets watered down. Anyone who has never been to DC and is reading this thread.. I suggest taking most of this with a grain of salt. Definitely take it in, but don't take it too seriously. Come visit DC and form your own opinion.
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