Why is Kensington so much cheaper than Bethesda and Takoma Park?

[Anonymous]

I get the appeal of all those places, so I don't need people to explain why Bethesda and Takoma Park are so expensive, but doesn't Kensington have the same appeal—similar housing stock, same schools, easy access to DC?

[Anonymous]

It's further away from DC. And east of Rock Creek which is significant at rush hour.
Kensington is currently zoned for Walter Johnson which is considered by some (not by me, I DGAF) a "lesser" W school.
There are some cool restaurants here and there but the commercial area is divided by a busy 6 lane road.

[Anonymous]

daily gridlock

[Anonymous]

What houses are you looking at? Kensington IS expensive

[Anonymous]

Mispriced! Such a quiet and lovely neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What houses are you looking at? Kensington IS expensive

Everything is expensive, but it seems like a 2000sqft, 3br in Kensington can be had for $700k-$800k (ugly and in need of reno) and one that is redone already for about $1m. Nothing in that range in Bethesda unless you want a townhouse. And in Takoma a slightly smaller (because everything seems to be slightly smaller in Takoma) seems to start at $900k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:daily gridlock

I have heard that from a friend who lives there—said it got exponentially worse after pandemic wiht changes to ConnAve, but he also said he's started driving to the metro in Bethesda and that is, according to him, incredibly easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's further away from DC. And east of Rock Creek which is significant at rush hour.
Kensington is currently zoned for Walter Johnson which is considered by some (not by me, I DGAF) a "lesser" W school.
There are some cool restaurants here and there but the commercial area is divided by a busy 6 lane road.

Well, the kid I have closest to HS age is in private school, soooo... sounds like I should be quiet about this and buy something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get the appeal of all those places, so I don't need people to explain why Bethesda and Takoma Park are so expensive, but doesn't Kensington have the same appeal—similar housing stock, same schools, easy access to DC?

Significantly more time to downtown DC because of further distance to the metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:daily gridlock

I have heard that from a friend who lives there—said it got exponentially worse after pandemic wiht changes to ConnAve, but he also said he's started driving to the metro in Bethesda and that is, according to him, incredibly easy.

Where do they park by the Bethesda metro?

[Anonymous]

Kensington is a weird location. Driving distance from Bethesda, driving distance from silver spring, and a busy stroad through the middle
I think it’s adequately priced

[Anonymous]

Parts of “Kensington” feed into significantly lower ranked elementary and middle schools so that depresses prices some. Also I don’t think Kensington has a similar town vibe, with its own services, like Takoma Park does. It also is substantially less walkable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:daily gridlock

I have heard that from a friend who lives there—said it got exponentially worse after pandemic wiht changes to ConnAve, but he also said he's started driving to the metro in Bethesda and that is, according to him, incredibly easy.

Where do they park by the Bethesda metro?

I didn't mean Bethesda metro, I meant the stops over by Bethesda. Sorry... I think maybe one of the ones that has garages, Grosvenor maybe? He said post-pandemic the garages are empty and it's an incredible breeze.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parts of “Kensington” feed into significantly lower ranked elementary and middle schools so that depresses prices some. Also I don’t think Kensington has a similar town vibe, with its own services, like Takoma Park does. It also is substantially less walkable.

I think the school zoning is key. That was our experience when we where looking.
We ended up outside of Kensington but at WJ and are very happy with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parts of “Kensington” feed into significantly lower ranked elementary and middle schools so that depresses prices some. Also I don’t think Kensington has a similar town vibe, with its own services, like Takoma Park does. It also is substantially less walkable.

I think the school zoning is key. That was our experience when we where looking.
We ended up outside of Kensington but at WJ and are very happy with it.

What are the elementary and middle schools to avoid. Older kid is already in private, and younger will *probably* wind up in private by middle school, almost definitely by high school so I don't worry about THAT too much.