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My husband has a job in DC and we (my two kids and I) are joining him from Chicago. We need a safe and family friendly town to move into with a great school system. Our priority is great schools, near a metro and family friendly with activities for kids. I do not know much about this area so any help is appreciated. We were looking at Arlington, VA, Rockville, MD and Bethesta, MD. Any thoughts?
Thank you very much for your help.
My husband has a job in DC and we (my two kids and I) are joining him from Chicago. We need a safe and family friendly town to move into with a great school system. Our priority is great schools, near a metro and family friendly with activities for kids. I do not know much about this area so any help is appreciated. We were looking at Arlington, VA, Rockville, MD and Bethesta, MD. Any thoughts?
Thank you very much for your help.
I don't live there but have been there on business too many times to count. IT sounds like Bethesda may be what you are looking for. You also may try private schools.
Where in DC is his job? The schools in Montgomery County, Arlington, and Fairfax are all (for the most part) excellent schools. The deciding factor for me would be trying to minimize his commute.
What is your budget? What are you looking for house wise? (Townhouse? SFH? Size/# brs/etc?)
I am looking to rent and my budget would be $2500 a month. I am looking to rent a condo for now. And he will be working close to the Chinatown stop on the red line.
Thank you for your help.
renting a condo for 2500 is good budget, I think, but be aware there are not a huge number of 3br condos around here, if thats what youre looking for. You could certainly afford a 3br th for that rent, but maybe not quite as easily in Bethesda or North Arlington (the "better" side of Arlington, not that South Arlington doesnt have its advantages) but certainly in Rockville, or close in parts of Fairfax.
Being in Montomery (rahter than NOVA) is an advantage if he is commuting on the red line.
Arlington and MoCO are both known for somewhat more progressive approaches to education than otherwise highly ranked Fairfax (well at least Arlington is, I think MoCo) - is that an issue for you?
all the areas you are looking at are safe, and all have relatively high walkability/community by the standards of this area, I would say.
If you DO look at Fairfax, you might consider the town of Vienna.
Would you say Rockville or Bethesda is better in terms of schools? Also, I have noticed that if I decide to buy a house after a year that the houses are pretty old. It that normal for most of the towns? I have noticed North Arlington is very expensive but would you recommend any towns in North Arlington that has great schools? I have noticed in my research that North Arlington schools not match up to Bethesda or Rockville.
Thank you again.
I would go to the Md suburbs forum for more info on Rockville vs bethesda schools. they are in the same district - school districts around here usually match to counties, not to towns. But some people still favor particular schools.
Most houses that close in are older. Newer houses tend to be farther out. New houses close in are townhouses, are expensive, or both.
North arlington is part of arlington county. There are NO incorporated towns within Arlington county. Its one single jurisdiction, with one school district. Some folks like the schools in (more affluent) north arlington better. For more info, check the Northern virginia forum.
I do not know what the basis is for arlington schools being worse. The heavily immigrant population of SOUTH arlington probably brings the districts test scores down. Around here I would say the rep of Arlington schools is pretty high.
If you like newer houses, you might look at Loudon County virginia, though thats much further out.
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