Edgemoore in Vienna??

[lovetoboat]

Melbourne Family: Thanks for this info. Nice to get someone's opinion who lives there. Do you know why 6 houses are on the market? We hope it's not because of something negative and just happens to work out timing wise. Thanks again..it is one of our favorite areas.

[Denton56]

Michgc,
I agree that it's good for schools if GT kids stay there. It helps the school's scores. Principals prefer it as it keeps their school off the failure lists. But it does nothing to help the GT kids. Gt kids should be educated at their level and, more importantly, they deserve to be where they can have peers, rather than in an environment where they are made fun of because they are ''different", or, more likely viewed as ''weird". That's the best thing about GT centers, these children are finally in a place where they can express their varied interests, talk in way that is natural for them, and still have friends. They aren't ostracized and made fun of as often happens in base schools where they are so few in number.

But, yes, putting them all back in base schools, with very few peers in their classes, is good for SCHOOLS. I've always cared more about meeting the needs of children, rather than meeting the wants of schools. FCPS staff and school board have always disagreed with me and have always put the wants of staff and schools over the needs of students. Abolishing GT centers is just the latest example.

[Denton56]

lovetoboat,
How big is this neighborhood? I agree that 6 houses in one neighborhood is a lot. In my old neighborhood in Vienna, Pickett Estates, up Marshall Road, beside the school, and around the corner on Ware street, has only had 4 houses on the market in the last year. I would guess there are around 50 houses.

Again, I think the concerns might be the close proximity of rather expensive houses with such small yards. Those who want a townhouse can find them for much less money. Those who want a single family house, and can afford to spend that much, are likely to want a yard that is larger than 5,000 sq feet. So it might just be that the market for such houses is rather small so they take longer to sell. Of course, price is always the determinate. At the right price, any house sells. That neighborhood is no different. If they lower the prices, the houses will sell. I can't imagine why there would be 6 over priced houses on the market, other than they are reinforcing each other in their belief that the houses are worth more than what the market is telling them that they are worth.

[Denton56]

>>>Have most assessments been reduced as a result of the depreciation?<<<

No. Assessments are based on what other, similar, houses in the area have sold for over the last year. Houses don't really depreciate. Assessments are all based on the market, although they are usually a bit under fair market value. If you look at the tax assessment for any house in FC, look on the right of the page, near the top and click on "Neighborhood sales" that will show you all the neighborhood sales that the county used to determine the assessment.

[Denton56]

One additional thing, I've heard good things about both St. Marks and OLGC in Vienna. Parents seem happy with both of them.

[Melbourne Family]

Originally Posted by lovetoboat

Melbourne Family: Thanks for this info. Nice to get someone's opinion who lives there. Do you know why 6 houses are on the market? We hope it's not because of something negative and just happens to work out timing wise. Thanks again..it is one of our favorite areas.

Hi lovetoboat,

As far as I have heard 2 of the houses are for sale because the owners are moving interstate for whatever reason, another of the houses has been for sale as long as we have lived here (while 2 others that were for sale when we moved here sold relatively quickly), but not sure why the others are for sale. There is also another property that is for rent as the owners are transfering to CA with work. I'm not at all aware of any problems in the neighbourhood, haven't encountered anything in the 8 months that we have lived here. We genuinely love living here, it's made the huge relocation from Australia a little easier living in a nice community.

Good luck with your house hunting