Convenient, Lovey, Expensive Washington Neighbor
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10/3/2021
We've lived in Arlington for the past 7 years, and have enjoyed it but would prefer a less expensive, more open area. We live in a townhouse in Rosslyn, close to the Potomac and Georgetown. There's a huge diversity of demographics, density and housing in Arlington, so beware of generalizations. This place offers almost anything you could want, but housing is VERY expensive, and the growing number of residential towers in Ballston, Courthouse and Rosslyn are turning Arlington into a much more urban, dense place than it used to be. This leaves the remaining Arlington single family homes costing often twice what you would pay in parts of Fairfax, for example. On the other hand, Arlington is one of the best managed cities in the country, and has an excellent school system.
Here are a few pros and cons that come to mind.
PROS
Next to Washington, but not in Washington
Walk to Georgetown on the Key Bridge
Good subway system
Great selection of ethnic restaurants
Good selection of local and regional parks
Great utilities, wifi
Cons
Expensive housing
High state and local taxes; annual property taxes on cars of about 3.5% FMV
Hot humid summers with lots of mosquitos
Green space is shrinking
Aging subway system
Reagan Aircraft noise can be awful
Traffic can be terrible, but was fine during the pandemic
Tim | Arlington, VA