Moving to DC for a job with two kids, learn me quick

KyAllroad wrote: I have an aunt in Alexandria who is a GS-15 and her husband manages a law firm...and are broke all the time. Their biggest problem is kid expenses. ...

I don't think that is a DC thing, I think that is a kid thing.

DC and New Orleans are not at all the same size. Fairfax County alone is the size & population of the New Orleans metro area, and it is only a piece of the DC metro area. The DC metro area is about 5x the size.

Don't get caught up in keeping up with the Joneses (i.e. $75K private schools...) and you'll be just fine. DC area is absurdly expensive, but only housing and property tax, pretty much everything else is average.

ProDarwin wrote: DC and New Orleans are not at all the same size. *Fairfax County alone* is the size & population of the New Orleans metro area, and it is only a piece of the DC metro area. The DC metro area is about 5x the size. Don't get caught up in keeping up with the Joneses (i.e. $75K private schools...) and you'll be just fine. DC area is absurdly expensive, but only housing and property tax, pretty much everything else is average.

Yeah, Could give to E36 M3s about Jones. I am just trying to find a good public school for my kids and something I can jump onto a train on.

Keep in mind that there is more than 1 train: METRO is the main people mover, but there's also the VRE in Virginia and MARC in Maryland.

McClean falls church area seems to be the triple point

In reply to Flight Service:

I am a fellow Federal Service Engineer type. Have worked in private firms: Automotive and commercial goods and went in out then back into Federal service. My main goals of settling down in FedGov were similar to what you talk about. Better opportunities and we got lucky with the school district relative distance to my duty station.

Looks like you guys have your reality in focus with this move. Your wife may very well find her dream job around here.

Good luck with the move.

Flight Service wrote: McClean falls church area seems to be the triple point

I have a coworker that grew up and still lives around there she has a small child and may be a source of some school info. I can double confirm her living location next week.

Maybe not as, I think she is planning all Christian private schooling instead of public.

Be careful of the horrendous traffic there. It can be crazy bad even at very off hours. Anything close to Tysons will make you want to murder people during the xmas season.

...and in our price range, with a decent school and close to the metro we are looking at Tysons Glen...

Haha! My wife used to live there when we were first dating. Fond memories. I got snowed in there for over a week in the crazy double-blizzard ("snowmageddon") of 2010. Apartment was nice enough. That's not the perpetual-gridlock area of Mclean (by Tysons Corner Mall), so that's good. It varies block by block in that area.

Are you going to bike to West-Falls Metro? You aren't exactly walking distance, parking at the metro will be a whore, and that couple mile drive could take some time some mornings. Remember, you'll need to switch lines at Rosslyn as well.

It seems crazy to me, but I doubt its out of line from what you seem to be expecting. I'm sure it will be a good place to get your footing.

Also, you have a Whole Foods and Trader Joes in walking distance. No more long trips to get gluten/hormone/steroid free range fed virgin custom ground gourmet local designer foods!

Edit: Trader Joes

ProDarwin wrote: Also, you have a Whole Paycheck and Hell Teeter in walking distance. No more long trips to get gluten/hormone/steroid free range fed virgin custom ground gourmet local designer foods!

FTFY!!!

So snowed in a whole week? What is the birthdate of your kids from the date of the shut in? LOL.

Yeah I will probably bike it or get the wifey to drop me off, maybe take the bus. It is a 2.3 mile stretch from the buildings so a cheap bike would do me well.