# Move to Washington DC



## kreilly (Dec 2, 2018)

Hello, we are relocating to DC from Switzerland. We are an Australian family and I am looking for an IB school for our child in Maryland, Virginia or DC. I have no idea where to live but we would like to buy something and have a big house but be close enough to commute to DC for work and school if necessary (within 20 mins) We are looking at private schooling. Where do most expats live in relation to school location? Do we need to live close to the school? Is it important to be close to other families going to same school? Thanks in advance for your feedback.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

I've moved you here to the US section where you may get a bit more attention for your query.

If you do an online search, there seem to be a number of sites that list IB schools directly in DC, as well as in the surrounding suburban areas. There do seem to be quite a few to choose among. 

You may want to consider renting in an area, though, for the first year or two. It can take a year or two to develop a credit history adequate to buy a home, and living in an area will allow you to get a better feel for the neighborhoods that will best meet your needs.

In any event, I'm sure someone will come along with more information specific to the DC area.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

kreilly said:


> Hello, we are relocating to DC from Switzerland. We are an Australian family and I am looking for an IB school for our child in Maryland, Virginia or DC. I have no idea where to live but we would like to buy something and have a big house but be close enough to commute to DC for work and school if necessary (within 20 mins) We are looking at private schooling. Where do most expats live in relation to school location? Do we need to live close to the school? Is it important to be close to other families going to same school? Thanks in advance for your feedback.


We lived a couple of years in Alexandria, actually right off the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. During rush hour a five mile commute can turn into a lot more then 20 minutes.

Please pull up a map of DC/VA/MD and look at the infrastructure. Unless you live on the subway 20 minutes mean you live in DC which is prime real estate. Then look at real estate prices. 
As long as your child is in private school your home address has no impact. You may have to provide transportation to and from school and extracurricular activities or pay for it. It helps to have a support system within parents of the same school.


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