Moving to Gaithersburg area - need to figure out where to live and send DS to kindergarten

[Anonymous]

I will be working in Gaithersburg and need to know more about where to live and send our kids to school. Our youngest will start kindergarten in September. We can't afford to live someplace like Potomac but have zero interest in a place as far out as Frederick either. We want to consider Gaithersburg or Rockville or maybe there are some small not ridiculously expensive hamlets or neighborhoods in the area that would be good to look at. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Looking for that balance between great schools and "reasonable" housing, if that exists here. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Look at Howard County -- somewhere like Clarksville. Much better schools than Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

Look at the Quince Orchard Cluster in Gaithersburg. While not Potomac, it is well regarded. I will be jealous of your short commute. You could also look at Richard Montgomery area in Rockville.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, but I have had a long commute for the past 10+ years and want to live close to where I work and be close to my kids schools so really looking to stay near to Gaithersburg-Rockville 270 corridor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the Quince Orchard Cluster in Gaithersburg. While not Potomac, it is well regarded. I will be jealous of your short commute. You could also look at Richard Montgomery area in Rockville.

Thanks, I will check that out. My commute now is awful and it sucks away my time with the kids. Making the move so I can be with kids more -- have been really feeling like I am missing out lately while DH gets the kids for more time in the evening.

[Anonymous]

Kentlands/King Farm/Fallsgrove if you're interested in planned communities. Darnestown/North Potomac are also nice, generally bigger houses and lots out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kentlands/King Farm/Fallsgrove if you're interested in planned communities. Darnestown/North Potomac are also nice, generally bigger houses and lots out there.

+1

[Anonymous]

Check out Derwood - Candlewood or Mill Creek Towne neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

What kind of house and what price range? I'm in $400,000 townhouses in the Wootton cluster. Not fancy, but easy commute, no crime, and great schools.

[Anonymous]

Yes OP, please tell us your budget and preference for type of house.

[Anonymous]

Budget is important,. but you will get more for your dollar in Gaithersburg than Rockville. Do a search for 20878 and 20855. We were very happy with Darnestown ES (middle schoolers now).

[Anonymous]

The schools in the "affordable" area of Gaithersburg, which means east of I-270, are awful. You'll be paying high Montgomery County taxes and getting very little in return.

The Gaithersburg schools on the west side of I-270 range from okay to fairly good, but you'll pay almost as much to live in those areas as you would to live in Bethesda, where the schools are much better.

Check out Howard County. It's not that long of a commute from Howard County to Gaithersburg, and you'll get much more house for your money and much better schools.

Gaithersburg (and Montgomery County in general) is in a serious decline economically and educationally, and there is no sign of a turnaround.

[Anonymous]

Flower Valley is a beautiful neighborhood in Rockville. You could try Olney, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools in the "affordable" area of Gaithersburg, which means east of I-270, are awful. You'll be paying high Montgomery County taxes and getting very little in return.

The Gaithersburg schools on the west side of I-270 range from okay to fairly good, but you'll pay almost as much to live in those areas as you would to live in Bethesda, where the schools are much better.

Check out Howard County. It's not that long of a commute from Howard County to Gaithersburg, and you'll get much more house for your money and much better schools.

Gaithersburg (and Montgomery County in general) is in a serious decline economically and educationally, and there is no sign of a turnaround.

The schools E of I-270 are not all 'awful'. Yes, they are diverse, but my children have gone all the way through school in this area; one graduated with excellent grades and with an IB diploma (from his neighborhood h.s.), and the other is set to graduate with plenty of AP credits and a few community college courses under her belt. They have been taught by some wonderful, caring teachers, and have friends from great families and many different backgrounds.

OP, single-family homes in East Montgomery Village are quite affordable and are in safe, family-oriented neighborhoods. There are also safe neighborhoods in the older part of M.V, but I would stick to the single-family neighborhoods for the best ones. If you go out toward Laytonsville, there are larger homes with more land. Laytonsville, Goshen, Stedwick, and Whetstone Elementary are all nice schools with active PTA's.

The Gaithersburg area is very diverse, and if you want to be surrounded by only white people, then by all means, don't move east of I-270. Personally, having come from a rural area, I love meeting people from different cultures, and I LOVE the fact that my children don't see color -- they judge people by their actions and how they treat others, which is a lot more than I can say for many people on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools in the "affordable" area of Gaithersburg, which means east of I-270, are awful. You'll be paying high Montgomery County taxes and getting very little in return.

The Gaithersburg schools on the west side of I-270 range from okay to fairly good, but you'll pay almost as much to live in those areas as you would to live in Bethesda, where the schools are much better.

Check out Howard County. It's not that long of a commute from Howard County to Gaithersburg, and you'll get much more house for your money and much better schools.

Gaithersburg (and Montgomery County in general) is in a serious decline economically and educationally, and there is no sign of a turnaround.

Thanks for including that last sentence--killed your credibility, so OP can now safely ignore your entire post!