Talk to me about living in Merry Go Round Farm

[Anonymous]

Would be great if you can WFH or have a schedule that does not bind you to the rush hour.

I'm in a downtown DC office 5 days/week. It would be miserable if you have a young kid (I have two). We would definitely need to hire an after-school nanny or au pair to make things work for our family.

Might be better when your kids are entering HS and can start driving themselves.

[Anonymous]

Major ick factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would be great if you can WFH or have a schedule that does not bind you to the rush hour.

I'm in a downtown DC office 5 days/week. It would be miserable if you have a young kid (I have two). We would definitely need to hire an after-school nanny or au pair to make things work for our family.

Might be better when your kids are entering HS and can start driving themselves.[/quote

I live in Potomac in a section with 1.9 million to 4 million dollar homes. I would say 95 percent off the women I know don't work. I do know one or two with vanity jobs. And some of new homeowners must have family money. I see couples around 34 with kids moving in to 3 million dollar homes.

And of men I say on my section 95 percent of them are retired, independently wealthy, work form home or do something local or own their own company. I and one other guy are literally the only two people on block who get up and drive to work in the morning.

Not like you work as a GS15 Fed or a Bank Teller and live in a 3 million dollar home. Merry Go Around is full of really rich folks, Moms who horseback ride, go to country club, pool club, yoga etc. My kid has friends over by there and they call it the Potomac Bubble. They don't leave Potomac. MY CEO neighbor wife she has an Art Teacher, Personal Trainer, Maid etc. She rarely leaves her 7,000 sf house. Her maid even gets mail and gets groceries. Some even have their hair stylest come over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would be great if you can WFH or have a schedule that does not bind you to the rush hour.

I'm in a downtown DC office 5 days/week. It would be miserable if you have a young kid (I have two). We would definitely need to hire an after-school nanny or au pair to make things work for our family.

Might be better when your kids are entering HS and can start driving themselves.[/quote

I live in Potomac in a section with 1.9 million to 4 million dollar homes. I would say 95 percent off the women I know don't work. I do know one or two with vanity jobs. And some of new homeowners must have family money. I see couples around 34 with kids moving in to 3 million dollar homes.

And of men I say on my section 95 percent of them are retired, independently wealthy, work form home or do something local or own their own company. I and one other guy are literally the only two people on block who get up and drive to work in the morning.

Not like you work as a GS15 Fed or a Bank Teller and live in a 3 million dollar home. Merry Go Around is full of really rich folks, Moms who horseback ride, go to country club, pool club, yoga etc. My kid has friends over by there and they call it the Potomac Bubble. They don't leave Potomac. MY CEO neighbor wife she has an Art Teacher, Personal Trainer, Maid etc. She rarely leaves her 7,000 sf house. Her maid even gets mail and gets groceries. Some even have their hair stylest come over.

WOW this is truly eye opening. Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I have my answer.

[Anonymous]

Essentially the free market will give you the answer. Look at what you get for your money in Potomac vs Bethesda. You'll get more land and a bigger house for the same money in Potomac vs Bethesda. The reason is that people prefer to live closer in, and will pay a premium (or live in a smaller property) to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t the 2000’s anymore — Potomac is no longer desirable, hence why it has become a bargain. It sucks — it has a lot of very ugly 80’s-2000’s mcmansions with no discernible architectural style, and it is far from everything and therefore isolating. The commute would be soul sucking to downtown, but Bethesda is doable.

That being said, Merry Go Round is one of the prettiest enclaves in Potomac and it is in fact nice to have the trail there. I just wouldn’t touch Potomac with a 10 foot pole.

Besides Bethesda, what are some other desirable neighborhoods in Montgomery County if Potomac is no longer desirable?

Rockville is perfectly fine

Rockville is a dump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Essentially the free market will give you the answer. Look at what you get for your money in Potomac vs Bethesda. You'll get more land and a bigger house for the same money in Potomac vs Bethesda. The reason is that people prefer to live closer in, and will pay a premium (or live in a smaller property) to do so.

Not 100 percent true as a lot of my neighbors are from Bethesda and DC who moved to Potomac, it is true that you get a larger home in Potomac than Bethesda for same price. But very few small homes in Bethesda.

And also living closer in for a someone with a Trad Wife they dont want that. When I was house hunting in 2017 my Trad Wife and kids being in crowded noisy Bethesda near metro with traffic and noise and neighbors on top of you did not appeal to them at all. Why? They dont commute. So metro meaningless.

And close in it is great for Dual Income Couples both work in DC and both take train. I dont know a single person in Potomac who takes Metro to work The few who work do got Capital One or Freddie Mac or Navy Federal but Potomac is closer to American Legion Bridge so quicker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Essentially the free market will give you the answer. Look at what you get for your money in Potomac vs Bethesda. You'll get more land and a bigger house for the same money in Potomac vs Bethesda. The reason is that people prefer to live closer in, and will pay a premium (or live in a smaller property) to do so.

Not 100 percent true as a lot of my neighbors are from Bethesda and DC who moved to Potomac, it is true that you get a larger home in Potomac than Bethesda for same price. But very few small homes in Bethesda.

And also living closer in for a someone with a Trad Wife they dont want that. When I was house hunting in 2017 my Trad Wife and kids being in crowded noisy Bethesda near metro with traffic and noise and neighbors on top of you did not appeal to them at all. Why? They dont commute. So metro meaningless.

And close in it is great for Dual Income Couples both work in DC and both take train. I dont know a single person in Potomac who takes Metro to work The few who work do got Capital One or Freddie Mac or Navy Federal but Potomac is closer to American Legion Bridge so quicker.

The free market doesn't care about your anecdotal evidence. Yes, individuals have preferences and will chose one place over another, but people overall -- the free market -- has spoken. Most people prefer Bethesda to Potomac, as shown by their willingness to pay for one option versus the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t the 2000’s anymore — Potomac is no longer desirable, hence why it has become a bargain. It sucks — it has a lot of very ugly 80’s-2000’s mcmansions with no discernible architectural style, and it is far from everything and therefore isolating. The commute would be soul sucking to downtown, but Bethesda is doable.

That being said, Merry Go Round is one of the prettiest enclaves in Potomac and it is in fact nice to have the trail there. I just wouldn’t touch Potomac with a 10 foot pole.

-Bethesda resident who could never afford Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love our Bethesda neighborhood but want some more space and access to nature (ie ease of hiking, biking, running, etc.). We are not horse people but I wonder if my child might enjoy it. That said, I fear the location may be isolating and the commute (one to Bethesda the other to downtown DC) might get old quickly. We're also not country club people and are curious about the vibe. Appreciate your experiences/thoughts.

We used to live out in that area. We moved prepandemic but I’m guessing it’s the same.

Commute to DC. OK so people always shave off 15-20 minutes when they boost for this area. The traffic on River Road really backs up. I never got in a car accident but black ice on River Road always worried me. You will drive 20 minutes or more to get anywhere.

Horses. Do not buy a horse. They are an enormous amount of work and expense. There was several riding areas with lessons nearby. One was off Stoneybrook. There was an older lady off Travilah that DD rode with and really liked. There was the Potomac Horse Center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love our Bethesda neighborhood but want some more space and access to nature (ie ease of hiking, biking, running, etc.). We are not horse people but I wonder if my child might enjoy it. That said, I fear the location may be isolating and the commute (one to Bethesda the other to downtown DC) might get old quickly. We're also not country club people and are curious about the vibe. Appreciate your experiences/thoughts.

We used to live out in that area. We moved prepandemic but I’m guessing it’s the same.

Commute to DC. OK so people always shave off 15-20 minutes when they boost for this area. The traffic on River Road really backs up. I never got in a car accident but black ice on River Road always worried me. You will drive 20 minutes or more to get anywhere.

Horses. Do not buy a horse. They are an enormous amount of work and expense. There was several riding areas with lessons nearby. One was off Stoneybrook. There was an older lady off Travilah that DD rode with and really liked. There was the Potomac Horse Center.

Nobody buys a horse unless they’re compelled by whatever force controls the horse girls. It’s innate, and it defies reason.