Buying home in good public school district? (condos, townhouses)

[newyorkgal]

Hello,

My husband, my two-year-old, and I are moving to DC soon from NYC. I'll be working on Twelfth Street, NW, and my husband will be at Kennedy Center.

Where do you recommend that we look to buy a home? Needs to be in an excellent public school district, and the commute needs to be as short as possible (and we need to live near public transportation).

Many thanks in advance!

[PenguinSix]

Originally Posted by newyorkgal

Hello,

My husband, my two-year-old, and I are moving to DC soon from NYC. I'll be working on Twelfth Street, NW, and my husband will be at Kennedy Center.

Where do you recommend that we look to buy a home? Needs to be in an excellent public school district, and the commute needs to be as short as possible (and we need to live near public transportation).

Many thanks in advance!

What is your budget for a house / monthly payment?

[newyorkgal]

We have a healthy budget, as we own a decent-sized 3BR in NYC. Once we sell that, even after paying off the mortgage, we should have enough to consider all options in or near DC.

Thanks!

[goodbird]

I would look into Bethesda, MD or Arlington, VA if you want your child(ren) to go to public schools. Both have a number of excellent schools and are close to DC. Check out www.greatschools.net

[PenguinSix]

Bethesda has some good schools, as well as the area around Potomac, MD. In Virginia, Arlington (I think North Arlington schools are slightly better but will defer to someone who is there) and McClean also has some good schools.

In DC, the upper NW areas have a couple elementary schools that score high (the upper NW area, neighbhorhoods like Palisades, Kent, Spring Valley, etc. are very expensive enclaves inside DC proper and their kids go to schools with very active and engaged parents). There are also charter schools that people recommend. Of course come high school you have to make a bit of a decision.

Bethesda, although a 'suburb' technically is a somewhat 'urban' suburb. There are dozens of restaurants, bars, foreign film theaters, bookstores, etc. Might help ease your transition from NYC (though -nothing- will compare to NYC if you are looking to compare, so you might have some homesickness)

[newyorkgal]

Thanks to all. What is the commute like from those locations? Is public transportation pretty decent from there? I'm so used to getting everywhere by public transportation here in NYC. . . . In a perfect world, we'd love commutes of 30 minutes, but I realize that may not be practical, with all our other requirements (namely good public schools).

[claremarie]

Do you want to be able to walk to a Metro stop from your home? That would rule out Potomac, many parts of Bethesda, and even some of the more desirable neighborhoods in upper northwest DC, such as Palisades and Spring Valley. I lived for years in North Arlington, about 3/4 mile from the East Falls Church Metro, and it took about 45 minutes, door to door, to travel to my downtown office near the McPherson Square station. If you really want a short commute, focus on neighborhoods within a five minute walk of the downtown Bethesda or Friendship Heights stations.
Or consider the neighborhoods along Metro's Orange Line in north Arlington -- Courthouse, Clarendon, Virginia Square, or Ballston. You'll find a lot more condos and townhouses here than single family houses, but there are a few SFH neighborhoods tucked away behind the high-rises.
Of course, if you are willing to drive or bus to the Metro, that gives you more options, but also will lengthen the commute time, and parking can be a real problem at most Metro stations inside the Beltway.

[njmom8]

If you can afford it, live in Dupont circle and send the kids to private school. That would be my ideal...