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

[Anonymous]

The Kentlands/Lakelands is a great community with homes in every price range. Rachel Carson is an amazing
elementary school and Lakelands Park and Quince Orchard are great schools as well. It is a great family friendly neighborhood.

[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.

What are you talking about? Please look up Rachel Carson Elementary School or Jones Bridge, or the other schools that feed into the Quince Orchard Cluster. Excellent, Blue Ribbon schools.

Pp has no idea what they are talking about or where Gaithersburg is, apparently.

[Anonymous]

Flower Valley is a nice neighborhood and the ES is pretty good. The MS and HS, not so much... Check out Olney and the 20853 parts of Rockville near Olney

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

What are you talking about? Please look up Rachel Carson Elementary School or Jones Bridge, or the other schools that feed into the Quince Orchard Cluster. Excellent, Blue Ribbon schools.

Pp has no idea what they are talking about or where Gaithersburg is, apparently.

To clarify, I'd assume PP means Jones Lane. The PP bashing Gaithersburg doesn't live there and equates the whole of Gaithersburg with Lakeforest Mall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Maybe some of you won't be here to see it but in 10-15 years the areas east of 270 will be no different than PG County.

Sorry, but I have to agree with this poster. I have worked in the area for years and see the transformation. FWIW, I live in a prett diverse area myself (Aspen Hill) and I'm not white, so I'm not against diversity.

Have any of you guys been to LakeForest Mall recently? It says a lot. LakeForest used to be a decent mall. Now, it's full of low tier stores and I think it's in foreclosure?

Not a great area if you can avoid it.

It has changed, no doubt, but that does not mean it will ever be like PG County in any way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Maybe some of you won't be here to see it but in 10-15 years the areas east of 270 will be no different than PG County.

Sorry, but I have to agree with this poster. I have worked in the area for years and see the transformation. FWIW, I live in a prett diverse area myself (Aspen Hill) and I'm not white, so I'm not against diversity.

Have any of you guys been to LakeForest Mall recently? It says a lot. LakeForest used to be a decent mall. Now, it's full of low tier stores and I think it's in foreclosure?

Not a great area if you can avoid it.

It has changed, no doubt, but that does not mean it will ever be like PG County in any way.

We went to Lake Forest recently and I thought it was fine. Maybe I'm crazy? Sure it isn't Montgomery Mall or White Flint - but so what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Maybe some of you won't be here to see it but in 10-15 years the areas east of 270 will be no different than PG County.

Sorry, but I have to agree with this poster. I have worked in the area for years and see the transformation. FWIW, I live in a prett diverse area myself (Aspen Hill) and I'm not white, so I'm not against diversity.

Have any of you guys been to LakeForest Mall recently? It says a lot. LakeForest used to be a decent mall. Now, it's full of low tier stores and I think it's in foreclosure?

Not a great area if you can avoid it.

It has changed, no doubt, but that does not mean it will ever be like PG County in any way.

We went to Lake Forest recently and I thought it was fine. Maybe I'm crazy? Sure it isn't Montgomery Mall or White Flint - but so what?

I go to Lake Forest Mall a lot. I wouldn't go at night. There is a lot of crime near the transfer station (big bus stop). I find most malls to have a lot of crime issues at night, though, other than those that are in extremely high end neighborhoods. It's fine during the day. I like Macy's, Children's Place, Gymboree, the little train the kids can ride, Sears (with Lands End), Penneys (Optical and Sephora). It has Hollister, American Eagle, and H&M. It's definitely NOT Montgomery Mall, but it's got some useable stores. I'm sad the Striderite closed down, though.

[Anonymous]

I shop at Lakeforest every few weeks. It has been many years since I would go there alone at night, but during the day, it is fine. I want to support the stores in my immediate area, so that they won't have to close and so that other decent retailers will want to move in. I also enjoy the Trader Joe's and Marshalls which are nearby.

When the Watkins Mill development opens, there will be new housing, shops, and restaurants for those of us east of 270 to enjoy. The master plans for Gaithersburg also call for the fairgrounds to be changed into mixed-use development. I think the next 20 years will bring a lot of changes to Gaithersburg, many of them for the better. I am certainly not the least bit concerned about my property value going anywhere but up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I shop at Lakeforest every few weeks. It has been many years since I would go there alone at night, but during the day, it is fine. I want to support the stores in my immediate area, so that they won't have to close and so that other decent retailers will want to move in. I also enjoy the Trader Joe's and Marshalls which are nearby.

When the Watkins Mill development opens, there will be new housing, shops, and restaurants for those of us east of 270 to enjoy. The master plans for Gaithersburg also call for the fairgrounds to be changed into mixed-use development. I think the next 20 years will bring a lot of changes to Gaithersburg, many of them for the better. I am certainly not the least bit concerned about my property value going anywhere but up.

Olde Towne Gaithersburg is supposed to be made into an attraction to draw visitors in. It's doubtful the city would allow "decline" while attempting to grow the economy and population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flower Valley is a nice neighborhood and the ES is pretty good. The MS and HS, not so much... Check out Olney and the 20853 parts of Rockville near Olney

We live in 20853 and I agree that it's a nice neighborhood! Have heard that Rockville HD is actually pretty dEcent though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live east of 270 and I wouldn't do it again. Lots of the areas are run down and skanky. Half the homes in every subdivision are in foreclosure. 30 percent of the kids coming into some of the kindergarten classes don't speak a word of english.

Obviously you can make anything work if you need to but why put yourself in the position to be in a failing school or a school that feeds into a failing school (Gaithersburg High for example) if you don't have to.

What subdivision are you in?


I live east of 270 and I don't think, well may one home that I know of that have gone into foreclosure. And that was a flipper, not the original owner. Some of the schools aren't the best, but if you're involved parent, your kids will be fine. As far as home values, they will not appreciate on the same pace as the east side properties.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you so much for all of the responses. It might have helped if I had mentioned that we want to rent a single family house (or possibly an end unit townhouse) for a year until we get to know the area better. DH will be commuting to Arlington so we'll probably try for somewhere mid-way on 270 between Democracy Blvd and Quincy Orchard Rd (exit 10) off of 270, where I will be working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you so much for all of the responses. It might have helped if I had mentioned that we want to rent a single family house (or possibly an end unit townhouse) for a year until we get to know the area better. DH will be commuting to Arlington so we'll probably try for somewhere mid-way on 270 between Democracy Blvd and Quincy Orchard Rd (exit 10) off of 270, where I will be working.

Best idea ever!

[Anonymous]

There are town homes around seven locks and Tuckerman and further down Tuckerman toward Montgomery Mall and Cabin John Park. These should feed into Potomac cluster schools which are very good. We're in the Travliah and StoneMill area and its an hour into DC but if you are going to Arlington you need to factor in extra time to get over either American Legion (beltway) Bridge or Chain Bridge. These can be major bottlenecks.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks again for all the help. Would like to try to rent a home in a place we can later afford to buy and I'm pretty sure the Potomac school district is not an option for us. I assume there is a significant difference between say exit 5 Rockville vs Potomac as far as housing goes?

As far as DH commuting to Arlington, while I am sympathetic, I have been the one doing the long commute for a long time and his has been 5-15 minutes. Optimally, we'll live somewhere close to 270 but not past exit 10 so he doesn't have to commute past Gaithersburg.