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Move to Baltimore or Bethesda??
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Anonymous
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Move to NOVA! Great schools, lower housing prices. Move to Vienna and his commute will be an hour on the train, which I do and use the time to decompress/look at websites on my BBerry. Excellent schools. If you can afford Bethesda I am assuming you can afford about 600k for a house.
http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?MlsCompanyID=2&MlsNumber=FX7201362&Add=9932-MURNANE-ST,Vienna,VA-22181 http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?MlsCompanyID=2&MlsNumber=FX7214404&Add=2754-CEDAR-LN,Vienna,VA-22180 or move to close in Alexandria and still do the drive http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?MlsCompanyID=2&MlsNumber=FX7235623&Add=7204-RACEPOINT-WAY,Alexandria,VA-22315 Personally I think these are much better options for the vlaue of your money AND the value of your TIME. |
Anonymous
| Why don't you rent a hotel in B-more for a week and have him test out the commute? I think quality of life will plummet and you will have regrets. Family dinners are important, and if your DH is missing not only dinner but also the making of the dinner, that's a big change to the family vibe. |
Anonymous
This is good advice, but keep in mind that something that is sustainable for a week might not work for the long-term. I don't know why you've ruled out anywhere but Bethesda and Baltimore, and it sounds like the only reason Bethesda is in is for the commute, but this PP is right, quality of life will plummet, quickly, if you move that far away from DH's job. What does he think about it? Is he ok with spending 2+ hours less per day with you and the kids? Also keep in mind that if anything goes wrong on that commute, you're looking at a huge time increase. So where you say 90 minutes, if there's an accident or bad weather, that could increase HUGELY. |
Anonymous
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Thanks for your replies. We'll have about $600 or so, which buys what, a mouse house in Bethesda? It buys a 3-story Victorian on a quarter acre in Baltimore. That would be something to come home to. Plus cheaper (but still very good) private schools). Hmmmm. Still thinking. Chime in if you do this commute, please.
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Anonymous
| You might want to check out the Parkwood neighborhood of Bethesda and Kensington. It's near the Grosvenor/Strathmore and NIH stops on the red line and has a lovely neighborhood feel. |
Anonymous
Depends on what part of Bethesda. My house was about $600K and it's 4 BR 2.5 ba with large bedrooms and spacious closets. I live in the Ashburton area, and I love it. A good number of houses have recently sold in the $600 K price range in Bethesda. The inventory is depleted right now because it's winter, but if the past years' pattern repeats itself, the inventory will ramp up soon and peak in springtime. See links below for Bethesda houses that sold at about $600K http://pe.sawbuck.com/sold/DC_Metro/Bethesda,MD/1694#br_4,100/pr_550000,650000/ba_2,50/ty_1 North Bethesda http://pe.sawbuck.com/sold/DC_Metro/North_Bethesda,MD/1880#br_4,100/pr_550000,650000/ba_2,50/ty_1 |
Anonymous
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We faced a similar situation and decided to live in Bethesda.
The commute from Baltimore to DC and back is awful. Don't do this without testing the commute for at least a week. Make sure to try it on a typical work-week (not in summer or holidays), so you test the "real" commute, during your typical commuting hours. |
Anonymous
| Your family sounds like ours!!!! CRAMPED in our DC condo(not even a house) with 2 DC. We can afford between 600-650k and looked into Bethesda and found we really were at the bottom of the market(even in far out Bethesda) and would end up in a smallish cape style home. We were dead set on Bethesda because of the excellent schools but did some more research and the northern VA school are also very very good and we exapanded out search to Farifax County and can get a lot more house (4 bed colonial on ma bigger lot) there so we will probably end up in VA for the space reason. |
Anonymous
Baltimoran  here. There is NO WAY I would even do a daily commute to DC from here even if you can a mansion here in your price range. The schools in Baltimore County are pretty good but it is really the Central area and Northern part of the county with good schools. Basically think north of 695 up 83 to PA. I would die if I had to commute to DC everyday. If there is an accident or construction, you could be on the road for hrs! And private schools aren't that much cheaper. The bigger, more elite ones are around $20K. I know some people take the train to DC from Union Station in Baltimore but I don't know how long it takes, etc. I love Bmore but I wouldn't live here and have to drive to and from DC everyday. You or your hubby may never see your kids awake.
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Anonymous
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Do NOT make a move that requires your DH to commute 90 minutes each way. You say he is ok with it, but I don't think you/he really realize how much a daily commute like that wears on you. I commute an hour each way, only 3 days/wk, and I can barely stand it. No way could I do it every day at 90min each way.
You know those people who say "Oh, you take the train/Metro? That's so nice because you can relax and read and you don't have to worry about the traffic"? Yeah, those are the people who DON'T commute by train/Metro. I live in NoVA and LOVE it. I really think you should look there. At least explore all the options before doing something as drastic as moving all the way to Baltimore. |
Anonymous
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We have lived in both Baltimore and Bethesda. And have debated this same issue for years. We are lucky in that both DH and I telecommute (most of the time)....so the commute isn't as much of a factor.
It is hard to compare the 2 areas. Each has different qualities/negatives. They obviously are 2 very different towns. You are right Balto is much more affordable for housing and Private Schools. Vibe is definitely more laid back and people are more genuine. IMO. However, Baltimore doesn't have as many choices (shopping, restaurants, etc.) We've looked into HOCO. But truthfully, it is too rural for us. And "feels" too far from a city to use it. We were afraid that being 40 minutes away from either Balto or Wash was going to be too far to enjoy it on a regular basis. We have stayed in Bethesda b/c there are just so many more opportunities in the area. However, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't end up moving back to Baltimore. |
Anonymous
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OP again. DH used to commute from CT to NYC, and it took 90 mins door to door. He hated the commute (called it the long dark tunnel in the winter), but still thinks he can do the B'more commute.
It's those gorgeous houses in B'more that are alluring. Not just space, but charm, and great walkable neighborhoods. For the same money (and yes, we've looked a lot), you get a cardboard box in Bethesda, practically underneath the beltway. He'd commute via MARC, which takes about an hour on a good day, but I'm told it breaks down fairly often. His office is 15 mins from Union Station on Metro. Y'all are makin' me think here. I'm gonna have DH read this thread. |
Anonymous
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OP again. Thanks for the suggestions NoVa folk. We'd love to live in Virginia. But NoVa won't work for us because of the private schools we need. Bethesda is the only place that works, and we've tried fitting the puzzle pieces together every way you can imagine.
Private schools in DC are 30K plus, vs 20K in Baltimore. 14:30 -- What would induce you to move back to Baltimore? |
Anonymous
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As someone who moved to Bethesda from Baltimore after meeting DH, dont do it!
I'm from the Hamilton/Parkville Towson area and I miss it desperately, but I hate having to make the drive once every week or so to visit my mother. I cant imagine having to do that every day. You do have the option of public transit, but Baltimore's system is nowhere near as comprehensive. |
Anonymous
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OP, what about the historic west side of Rockville?
Or something like this? http://www.trulia.com/property/45714083-5212-Continental-Dr-Rockville-MD-20853 |