Copyright 2010-2011 by HomebySchool.com (Third Conversion, LLC). All rights reserved. Published by Third Conversion, LLC No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, uploading to the Internet, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of Third Conversion, LLC. The information contained herein is distributed an as is basis without warranty. The Author and publisher have used their best efforts in preparing this publication and the information contained herein. However, while every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Third Conversion, LLC shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions or the information contained in this publication. Further, the author and publisher have used their best efforts to proof and confirm the content of the files, but you should proof and confirm information such as dates, ratings, scores, school boundaries, and any other content for yourself. The author and publisher make no warranties of any kind, express or implied, with regard to that content or its accuracy. Because we want you to be successful in ultimately finding the Right Home for your family, we have put together The No-Tears Guide to Moving to Fairfax. This Home Affordability Map is part of such guide. In this report, we have compiled information from public websites, as well as from the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) the MLS for area Realtors. However, please know that, by law, we cannot recommend a school or a boundary over another. For more information, please contact us at: Home by School RE/MAX Premier 13135 Lee Jackson Hwy, Suite 115 Fairfax, VA 22033 Phone: (703) 480-6575 Email: Marina@HomebySchool.com Website: www.homebyschool.com Published in Fairfax, Virginia, USA v.1.4
Table of Contents How to use the home affordability map?... 1 How is the affordability map useful for your search?... 2 Some people worry that the average doesn't give the whole picture... 2 So, how exactly should you use this map?... 3 The Fairfax County Home Affordability Map... 4 Summary... 5 What s next?... 6 Our search has homes WITHIN each school boundary... 6 Resources... 7 Contact Us... 8
Fairfax County Home Affordability Map How to use the home affordability map? Are you familiar with the temperature maps that the friendly weather man shows on TV during the news hour? Those maps are my favorite ones, because they use the colors of the rainbow to show a range of temperatures in an area. Temperature maps make use of rainbow colors to display data Similarly, we have used the colors of the rainbow in our affordability map to give you an idea of how much homes are selling for throughout Fairfax County. Our affordability map is a map of Fairfax County, Virginia, plus the following independent, incorporated cities (which are located within or adjacent to the County): City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, and City of Alexandria We have divided the map into the 24 high school boundaries in the Fairfax County Public Schools system, plus two more areas corresponding to the public schools in the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria. For each of these high school boundaries (also called "school pyramids"), using data directly from the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) we have calculated the average home price within the boundary, and have assigned it a color: w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 1
Fairfax County Home Affordability Map Red/Orange/Yellow The boundaries with above average home prices (compared to the County average) are in the red/orange/yellow spectrum. Green The boundaries with average home prices equivalent to the average of the County are green, and Blue The boundaries with average home prices below the County's average are colored blue. How is the affordability map useful for your search? We put together this map to give you an idea of the average home prices within a school boundary. This way you can decide if homes in a specific boundary fit your budget. With this map, you can also compare school boundaries based on average home prices and help you decide among a couple of different schools that you might be considering. Some people worry that the average doesn't give the whole picture Of course it doesn't give the whole picture, but for our purposes, it's good enough to give you an idea of which areas are more expensive, and which areas are more affordable. You might still be able to find housing within your budget even in the most expensive area, but you'll also know that the market will be more competitive there. w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 2
Fairfax County Home Affordability Map So, how exactly should you use this map? Use the report on: How to choose the Right School You can begin by using the "How to Choose the Right School" report to help you narrow down your school choices. Once you have chosen two or three good options, then you can refer to the affordability map to figure out which boundary might be more attractive based on average home prices. For example - Cathy read through our "How to Choose the Right School report, did further research, and finally shortlisted McLean, Herndon, & Centreville High School Pyramids because of their Foreign Language special programs. Then, she turned to the affordability map and noticed that the McLean high school boundary* is colored dark orange, Herndon is green, and Centreville is blue. Using this information, she concluded that: homes in the McLean HS boundary would be the most expensive of her three area choices, that in the Herndon HS boundary she would find homes with prices similar to the rest of the County, and that the Centreville HS boundary would be her best choice in terms of price But the story doesn t end there Of course, before you choose a home to buy, there are other considerations, such as commuting options, the available houses for sale, etc. But, at least you have solved two pieces of the puzzle and you know what to expect in each area. *Please note that the areas comprised by these school boundaries are different than the postal cities known as McLean, Herndon, or Centreville Without further due, ladies and gentlemen: The Fairfax County Home Affordability Map w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 3
Fairfax County Home Affordability Map The Fairfax County Home Affordability Map Home sale average values above $1,000,000 Red $700,000 - $800,000 Dark Orange $600,000 - $700,000 Orange $500,000 - $600,000 Yellow $400,000 - $500,000 Green $300,000 - $400,000 Blue w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 4
Summary Fairfax County Home Affordability Map In this bonus report you have information never published before in such simple format. This information tells you, at a glance, how much is the average home price within each high school boundary (a.k.a. school pyramid). Through using this part of The No-Tears Guide to Moving to Fairfax, VA, we feel confident that you can get an idea on which school boundary might fit your budget. Using this information, together with your previous knowledge on how to choose the right school, you are two steps closer to choosing the Right Home for your needs. Because we want you to be successful in ultimately finding the Right Home for your family, we have put together The No-Tears Guide to Moving to Fairfax. This Home Affordability Map is part of such guide. In this map, we have presented information which is public and freely available on official websites, as well as gathered information available through the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) the MLS for area Realtors. However, please know that, by law, we cannot recommend a school or a boundary over another. If you have any further questions about this map or The Guide, please contact us. We d be glad to be of help. w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 5
What s next? Fairfax County Home Affordability Map Your next step will be to access our exclusive search of homes by school boundary. Next day: How to find a home for sale by school Yes, homes BY school boundary. These are not homes simply ~near~ the school, or in the same postal city or zip code as the school. That wouldn t do you much good if you are trying to find a home inside of a specific school boundary. Our search has homes WITHIN each school boundary To access the search, don't miss tomorrow's email with the next download of The No-Tears Guide to Moving to Fairfax, which will contain a little tutorial on how to best use the search, and your link to access it within the Home by School.com website. Please feel free to call us at (703) 480-6575 if you have any questions or if you would like further information about Fairfax County's school boundaries. We look forward to helping you find the right home by school, Marina Brito Home by School Specialist w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 6
Resources Fairfax County Home Affordability Map Fairfax County Public Schools http://www.fcps.edu Falls Church City Public Schools http://www.fccps.org/ Alexandria City Public Schools http://www.acps.k12.va.us/ How to Choose the Right School report (in case you misplaced it) How to Choose the Right School.pdf Are you looking for certain information and are having trouble locating it? Give us a call at (703) 480-6575 and we ll be happy to help. w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 7
Fairfax County Home Affordability Map Contact Us For more information, please contact us at: Marina Brito Home by School RE/MAX Premier 13135 Lee Jackson Hwy, Suite 115 Fairfax, VA 22033 Phone: (703) 480-6575 Email: Marina@HomebySchool.com Website: www.homebyschool.com Happy house hunting! w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 8
Fairfax County Home Affordability Map P.S. If you find anything that bugs you, please click on the bug to send me an email. Nothing is too small or too big. And if I can, I ll be sure to fix it. Home by School (703)480-6575 Marina@HomebySchool.com w w w. H o m e b y S c h o o l. c o m 9