Edgemoore in Vienna?? (Oakton, Fairfax: lower-class, for sale, real estate) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

lovetoboat · 06-07-2009, 08:36 PM

Hi Everyone..again

Can you tell we're here and looking with sincerity??
We looked at a house in edgemoore today and were surprised to see 6 houses on the market in just one small development. the neighborhood seems nice; met a few neighbors and they seemed nice. We saw a few little kids but ?any middle school kids?
We'd love to have a few around us for my daughter.
Also, any input on the area??
We like the proximity to the metro and Oakton HS.
NoVa is awesome!!

live_strong28 · 06-07-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovetoboat

Hi Everyone..again

Can you tell we're here and looking with sincerity??
We looked at a house in edgemoore today and were surprised to see 6 houses on the market in just one small development. the neighborhood seems nice; met a few neighbors and they seemed nice. We saw a few little kids but ?any middle school kids?
We'd love to have a few around us for my daughter.
Also, any input on the area??
We like the proximity to the metro and Oakton HS.
NoVa is awesome!!

Are you talking about the Basheer and Edgemoore homes off Beulah? If so, that area sends their kids to Marshall HS, not Oakton HS.

lovetoboat · 06-07-2009, 08:53 PM

No, this is between 123 and Blake off Edgelea road. Not far from Oakton HS. The development is called Edgemoore-not large but nice.

michgc · 06-07-2009, 09:18 PM

I don't know that particular development. Although I know Blake and Edgelea. The area is fine. I'm not sure exactly which schools they feed into - Mosby Woods? Luther? Not considered the best schools in the area. What I am going to write is just reputation not personal experience because I have very little with those schools. Mosby Woods used to have a reputation for gangs - yes, in elementary school! I think they have a newish principal who is supposed to be great. At least I've heard great things about her from other people. And I've heard the gang problem is getting better. Mosby Woods also has the Gifted and Talented (GT) program in their school which may be helping to bring up the school's repuation. I have a friend whose son goes there for their GT program and likes it as does his mom. However, in general, people who live in the neighborhoods in Vienna that feed into Mosby Woods are not usually very excited by that fact and many send their kids to private school. Luther Jackson as the middle school also has a mixed reputation. The neighborhood is more lower class than Vienna - it's right next to a shopping center with a huge thrift store (not knocking it, I shop there myself!) and is a bit rundown. So in general, it's in a lower-class neighborhood than where your house is. A large portion of the school is what appears to be recent immigrants. Nothing wrong with that, but generally of a lower socioeconomic class. To be blunt, most people in this area would not say, "Great we feed into Mosby Woods and Luther Jackson" And I'm not saying their academics aren't good as I really don't know. I'm just telling you the reputation as I see and hear it. As an FYI, I live in Vienna and do not feed into either of those schools. People who go to those schools would know better than I do. If my daughter gets into the GT program, she would feed into Luther for that program and I probably would choose to keep her at Thoreau rather than send her there if it were today. Five years from now, who knows?

lovetoboat · 06-07-2009, 09:23 PM

great-thank you for this info. It really helps when you aren't from around here hearing the day to day info. I appreciate it!

Denton56 · 06-07-2009, 11:06 PM

Michgc,
Not to worry, in 5 years there will be no GT centers. It appears they are going to dismantle them by having what they call a GT class in each elementary school and Honors programs in middle schools. Of course we know that we have site based management in FCPS which means that each Principal can do whatever they want in their schools. So I imagine these local smart classes won't last long once the GT centers are dismantled and students have no alternatives.

I hear that most parents in Vienna have chosen Thoreau over Luther Jackson.

Denton56 · 06-07-2009, 11:30 PM

I found one house in that neighborhood that had a review on Frankly.com FX7006626 on FranklyMLS.com 2910 DARNLEY PL, VIENNA VA for $795,000 in EDGEMOORE Home For Sale
You can find the review at the end of the page. The reviewer said this:
>>>Big house but these homes are right on top of each other. The front door entrance is on the side of the house. Not much natural light in the house and the kitchen is very dark. I showed this home on March 21, 2009. For more information or to see this home call Justin Dibbs of e Venture Real Estate at 703-930-5800.<<<

When I looked at the listings in Edgemoore, I noticed a couple of things. First, these are big houses, over 4,000 square feet, on teeny lots, 5,000. So some might say that they are really more townhouses than single family houses. For those who don't want a townhouse, that would be a problem. Next, they appear to be a bit overpriced, FranklyMLS.com Virginia & DC MLS via Keyword Search & Wiki. Homes for Sale. Third, I agree with the others, Mosby Woods and Luther Jackson are negatives. (That would only matter for people with kids in school, less than 30%.) Oakton is a good high school, so that's a positive. While the houses are close to Oakton hs, they are quite far from Luther Jackson.

Other than those things, they look like beautiful houses and the location is very good. I assume that you are checking the current property tax records since most houses in Fairfax county lost value over the last year.

lovetoboat · 06-08-2009, 03:42 AM

Denton-thanks for this! I've been on frankly for a while now but never saw the reviews of houses...guess I need to look at those!
We saw that same house. The closeness isn't an issue..the Middle School is. We'll go look at St. Mark's today.
Have most assessments been reduced as a result of the depreciation? That same house is priced below assessed value..

michgc · 06-08-2009, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denton56

Michgc,
Not to worry, in 5 years there will be no GT centers. It appears they are going to dismantle them by having what they call a GT class in each elementary school and Honors programs in middle schools. Of course we know that we have site based management in FCPS which means that each Principal can do whatever they want in their schools. So I imagine these local smart classes won't last long once the GT centers are dismantled and students have no alternatives.

I hear that most parents in Vienna have chosen Thoreau over Luther Jackson.

Interesting, Denton. I know they just put a local GT center at Marshall Road. And I heard they are not going to bus people to a GT school if their school has a local center (not sure if that has passed?), but I didn't realize that there probably won't be centers. I personally like keeping kids at their base schools. All of this moving makes me crazy. I don't even know if my kid would be in the GT program, but even if not, it's good for the school if the GT kids stay. Thanks for that info.

Melbourne Family · 06-08-2009, 03:38 PM

Hi lovetoboat,

We've lived in the Edgemoore Estate for the past 8 months & love the area! Friendly neighbours, quiet estate etc etc. Yes there are some middle school kids in the neighbourhood but I'm not quite sure how many. Yes the homes are quite close to each other but we never hear any noise from our neighbours plus there is enough green space throughout the estate to break it all up. Of course it's all about personal preference, we've been very happy living here so far.

Best of luck with your move