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Are School Ratings part of your Home Search?

August 31, 2011 By Doug Francis

Greatschools screenshot Wolftrap ES Vienna VA

Yes, graded 1 to 10

Edited from original post in 2014

Are home buyers obsessed with school ratings on real estate web sites?

In 2014 they are!

Most real estate sites now have data on local schools and show ratings from 1-10 on the overall performance (test results) and then give summaries and some parent comments on actual experiences. Take a look at Zillow, FranklyMLS or Redfin pages for information from GreatSchools.org (which does seem to have plenty of advertising).

These rankings are based on test results which Fairfax County Public Schools is obsessed with these days. Unfortunately, you are left making decisions using this data if you don’t spend some time researching current data like student population or current class size.

Snapshot incorrect school rankingAnd sometimes these ranking can give the casual reader the impression there is something wrong with a particular school. Centreville High, in this example, appears to be the bad-apple but if you take a closer look you will find a dynamic school with the 2013 State Champion Football team, Performing Arts program, AP classes, high graduation rate and college acceptance.

Zillow School Ranking

Class size is a problem in Fairfax County Public Schools

Living in Vienna Virginia, my personal experience has been with Fairfax County Public Schools. Some of my clients have children that go to Arlington Schools, Falls Church City Schools and Alexandria City Schools with really positive results.

If you really want to do your “due diligence” on a particular school so that you can be truly confident that you are buying a home in the best possible neighborhood, then please use these ratings as guides and then check out the school yourself. Fairfax Schools all have web sites now (as every school must have these days) so go and check them out. Investigate the PTA link which probably has after school info or planned events for the year.

Here are my home buyer tips regarding schools:

  • Check out the individual school web sites
  • Drive by the schools and look at the buildings and location,
  • Give a call to the office, and then set up an appointment with the Principal (only 15 minutes)
  • Look at PTA activities and events planned on their web site (if they have one)
  • Pick out two or three schools and then focus your home search on those communities

So, plan to do a little more work than simply requiring that the school must have an 8 or above rating because your experience will only be as good as your involvement in your child’s experience.

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Filed Under: Blog, Home Buyer Tips, Video Blogs Tagged With: Fairfax, Home Buyer Tips, Northern Virginia

About Doug Francis

A Realtor specializing in unique and new homes around Vienna, Virginia, Doug started writing a first-hand blog about his everyday real estate experiences a decade ago. In depth, helpful and fun has always been the objective. Outside real estate, he was profiled in a commercial for Verisign's "Where the World Clicks" campaign, and was quoted in Money Magazine's Best Places to Live article on Vienna. He's a Boston University graduate who feels morning coffee is non-negotiable.

Being able to guide my clients through many real estate sales, either moving out, moving in, or just across town, has been a rewarding experience that helps when discussing a plan with a future client.

Being able to help them focus and understand our proven sales plan always eases their anxiety of this looming personal task. And, putting it into bite-sized steps always helps them get where they really want to be.

My background… I’ve been an active licensed agent in Virginia for 25 years, work at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in McLean, and sell homes in all price ranges. I donate to the town tree replacement fund, participate in a neighborhood citizens association, and try my best to stay in shape.

Questions? Email doug@dougfrancis.com or call me at (703) 304-6827 to discuss your plans. Cheers!

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About Doug Francis

I am a Realtor with TTR Sotheby's International Realty® just outside Washington D.C. in Northern Virginia. I have been a full-time Realtor licensed in Virginia since 1991, and cover a big territory specializing in the Vienna real estate market and custom homes for sale.

I have unique knowledge of digital real estate marketing, and my marketing starts here. My elite clientele has been attracted to my results-oriented strategy for years, and I am accepting new clients now.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to contact me at 703-304-6827 or email me at doug@dougfrancis.com anytime!

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