Can anyone tell me about Calvert Hills and University Park?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very beautiful neighborhoods. You pay city taxes, but of course get city services in exchange.

University Park ES is highly regarded by everyone. For high school, I understand the magnet program at Roosevelt is good and the competition to get in isn't as stiff as it would be in MoCo.

Agree. I would take a hard look at the MoCo schools that are “better” to see what the real differences are. We’ve had kids in school in Takoma Park and UPES and prefer the latter.

Takoma Park schools are completely only over rated except in comparison to DC schools.

And yet people fall over each other for a lot of the DC schools. It's all relative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is also a pretty long thread on calvert hills from 2017/2018: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/635239.page

OP here. I missed this. Thanks for posting. We really like Calvert Hills because of the walk to Metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is also a pretty long thread on calvert hills from 2017/2018: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/635239.page

OP here. I missed this. Thanks for posting. We really like Calvert Hills because of the walk to Metro.

I'm OP of the original thread... I haven't bought yet, but all my research indicates it's the right decision. I have my down payment and I'm just waiting for the right house. Maybe we will be neighbors!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is also a pretty long thread on calvert hills from 2017/2018: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/635239.page

OP here. I missed this. Thanks for posting. We really like Calvert Hills because of the walk to Metro.

I'm OP of the original thread... I haven't bought yet, but all my research indicates it's the right decision. I have my down payment and I'm just waiting for the right house. Maybe we will be neighbors!

Calvert Hills resident of seven years, hope to have you both soon! It is a warm and welcoming community. The walkable Whole Foods has been an excellent improvement and my kids are in the elementary school and thriving. They love riding the bus with all the other kids. The trend since we’ve lived here has been fewer student homes and more families. They are building a Bright Horizons and a new pre-school modeled after the Center for Young Children but not as exclusive (CYC fills up with UMD affiliate kids). Good luck snapping up a house, they are in short supply as you know. I think there will be a steep increase soon as the purple line construction and Route 1 renaissance continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very beautiful neighborhoods. You pay city taxes, but of course get city services in exchange.

University Park ES is highly regarded by everyone. For high school, I understand the magnet program at Roosevelt is good and the competition to get in isn't as stiff as it would be in MoCo.

This is not quite true. I know a number of people who are unhappy with school leadership and have taken their kids out or are planning on it next year.

PP was most likely being hyperbolic. In a school with hundreds of children, I am certain not literally everyone will be pleased. Does the school meet the needs of the majority of children there? More than likely yes.

+1

These are people who likely would only be satisfied with private school, where you donate a lot of money and then throw your weight around when you want a staffing change. They wouldn’t be happy in any public school. That’s the tea, or what I’ve heard anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is also a pretty long thread on calvert hills from 2017/2018: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/635239.page

OP here. I missed this. Thanks for posting. We really like Calvert Hills because of the walk to Metro.

I'm OP of the original thread... I haven't bought yet, but all my research indicates it's the right decision. I have my down payment and I'm just waiting for the right house. Maybe we will be neighbors!

Yeah, we almost bought there! In the end another buyer paid more than we were willing to pay and we live near Forest Glen / Wheaton instead

[Anonymous]

I am shocked by this price: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4601-Amherst-Rd_College-Park_MD_20740_M62637-75549#photo18

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked by this price: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4601-Amherst-Rd_College-Park_MD_20740_M62637-75549#photo18

Does anyone think this will sell for the list price? If not, what would be a fair offer? I say around $635.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked by this price: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4601-Amherst-Rd_College-Park_MD_20740_M62637-75549#photo18

Does anyone think this will sell for the list price? If not, what would be a fair offer? I say around $635.

I say 650k. It's in a lot better shape than the majority of homes in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked by this price: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4601-Amherst-Rd_College-Park_MD_20740_M62637-75549#photo18

Does anyone think this will sell for the list price? If not, what would be a fair offer? I say around $635.

I say 650k. It's in a lot better shape than the majority of homes in this area.

Agree - I can even see list price. Big renovated kitchen, more bathrooms and central air.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked by this price: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4601-Amherst-Rd_College-Park_MD_20740_M62637-75549#photo18

Does anyone think this will sell for the list price? If not, what would be a fair offer? I say around $635.

It is at the high-end for this area. But there aren't many homes in this area that are 4 beds/4 baths. There was a listing in UP that has an offer for $635k. This home is larger. Calvert Hills has lower taxes and is more walkable than UP, because you don't have to cross Rte 1 to get to the development by WF or the CP Metro. And finally, there has been nothing in Calvert Hills all year. I'm not sure that adds up to $150K more than the more modest homes in the area, but I wouldn't be shocked if it happened.

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/University-Park-MD/37545374_zpid/7539_rid/90_days/1_pnd/globalrelevanceex_sort/38.985483,-76.915434,38.95819,-76.976975_rect/14_zm/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very beautiful neighborhoods. You pay city taxes, but of course get city services in exchange.

University Park ES is highly regarded by everyone. For high school, I understand the magnet program at Roosevelt is good and the competition to get in isn't as stiff as it would be in MoCo.

This is not quite true. I know a number of people who are unhappy with school leadership and have taken their kids out or are planning on it next year.

PP was most likely being hyperbolic. In a school with hundreds of children, I am certain not literally everyone will be pleased. Does the school meet the needs of the majority of children there? More than likely yes.

+1

These are people who likely would only be satisfied with private school, where you donate a lot of money and then throw your weight around when you want a staffing change. They wouldn’t be happy in any public school. That’s the tea, or what I’ve heard anyway.

That’s not quite true. The dissatisfied parents I’ve talked to are unhappy because of discipline problems, and a few truly terrible teachers. If you’re child lucks out and gets a good teacher, then you’re fine. I’m not going to go into any specifics because I don’t want to out anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked by this price: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4601-Amherst-Rd_College-Park_MD_20740_M62637-75549#photo18

Does anyone think this will sell for the list price? If not, what would be a fair offer? I say around $635.

It is at the high-end for this area. But there aren't many homes in this area that are 4 beds/4 baths. There was a listing in UP that has an offer for $635k. This home is larger. Calvert Hills has lower taxes and is more walkable than UP, because you don't have to cross Rte 1 to get to the development by WF or the CP Metro. And finally, there has been nothing in Calvert Hills all year. I'm not sure that adds up to $150K more than the more modest homes in the area, but I wouldn't be shocked if it happened.

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/University-Park-MD/37545374_zpid/7539_rid/90_days/1_pnd/globalrelevanceex_sort/38.985483,-76.915434,38.95819,-76.976975_rect/14_zm/

It’s a beautiful house, I wouldn’t be surprised if it went for close to asking since there isn’t a lot of inventory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are decent neighborhoods in otherwise meh parts of town. Schools are a problem, biggest down side is you could buy in MoCo for the price so you almost have to want to live in PG.

That part of PG is much prettier and more historic than a lot of MoCO and the elementary and middle schools are ranked similar to some in Silver Spring and Rockville....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very beautiful neighborhoods. You pay city taxes, but of course get city services in exchange.

University Park ES is highly regarded by everyone. For high school, I understand the magnet program at Roosevelt is good and the competition to get in isn't as stiff as it would be in MoCo.

This is not quite true. I know a number of people who are unhappy with school leadership and have taken their kids out or are planning on it next year.

PP was most likely being hyperbolic. In a school with hundreds of children, I am certain not literally everyone will be pleased. Does the school meet the needs of the majority of children there? More than likely yes.

+1

These are people who likely would only be satisfied with private school, where you donate a lot of money and then throw your weight around when you want a staffing change. They wouldn’t be happy in any public school. That’s the tea, or what I’ve heard anyway.

That’s not quite true. The dissatisfied parents I’ve talked to are unhappy because of discipline problems, and a few truly terrible teachers. If you’re child lucks out and gets a good teacher, then you’re fine. I’m not going to go into any specifics because I don’t want to out anyone.

Well, it wouldn't be DCUM without someone making a generalized grumble about the schools. I don't think there is a single public school in the entire area that someone doesn't complain about. And I'm sure that's true of the privates schools too.