Relocating to the Area with two young children

[Anonymous]

My husband will be working in DC (Georgetown area) and I will be working part time (also driving to DC). We have a house budget of $1-1.5 million. We like newer single family homes. Our children will be in kindergarten and preschool next year. Good schools and relatively easy commute are most important to us. We visited the area earlier this year and did not like the older look of Bethesda but liked the newer areas in N Bethesda/Rockville. Potomac was intimidating with all the mansions and we are probably priced out anyways. We did not have a chance to drive through Silver Spring and Kensington although we have read good things about that area as well. We are also open to Virginia (McLean or Arlington) but I think I like MD better. We got stuck in some Tysons area traffic that was not fun. Could not imagine driving through that daily.

Could you help us narrow our search?

We are down to earth people and will be new to the area. Would love to be near an elementary school with a strong community. We would like to be in a feeder to a top high school.

[Anonymous]

I live in Kensington and am a huge fan. Our neighborhood elementary is Kensington Parkwood and we feed in to North Bethesda Middle and Walter Johnson. The families here are almost universally down to earth and friendly and with your budget you could buy a new construction home.

[Anonymous]

Close in Potomac (near Bells mill elementary)

[Anonymous]

If you want newer homes, you'll need to go a little farther out to the Fauxtomac/Rockville/Gaithrsburg area. The commute will be a little rougher. There are certainly homes in your budget closer in, with excellent schools, but they will tend to be a little older. Finding something updated in Kensington is a possibility in that price range.

[Anonymous]

Try Timberlawn subdivision in North Bethesda - SFH on the other side of Edson 10 minute walk from Whole Foods, less than mile from Metro. Houses don't go up for sale often, but there are a couple that rent, and you could bide your time.

[Anonymous]

Here's one close to the KPES in Kensington

http://www.redfin.com/MD/Bethesda/4613-Edgefield-Rd-20814/home/10996232

and a new construction home also near the school


http://www.redfin.com/homes-for-sale#!market=dc&max_price=1500000&min_price=900000®ion_id=8309®ion_type=2&sst=&v=8

fyi, I'm not a realtor. This neighborhood sits between 355 and Connecticut and is about a 5 minute drive to Whole Foods in North Bethesda and a 10 minute drive to downtown Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Chevy Chase and parts of Kensington has family oriented homes. Mostly older homes but very nicely renovated. It's close to the metro and DC. A good sense of community depending on how you feel. Although Chevy Chase might cost much more.
True, new single family homes tend to be in upper parts of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband will be working in DC (Georgetown area) and I will be working part time (also driving to DC). We have a house budget of $1-1.5 million. We like newer single family homes. Our children will be in kindergarten and preschool next year. Good schools and relatively easy commute are most important to us. We visited the area earlier this year and did not like the older look of Bethesda but liked the newer areas in N Bethesda/Rockville. Potomac was intimidating with all the mansions and we are probably priced out anyways. We did not have a chance to drive through Silver Spring and Kensington although we have read good things about that area as well. We are also open to Virginia (McLean or Arlington) but I think I like MD better. We got stuck in some Tysons area traffic that was not fun. Could not imagine driving through that daily.

Could you help us narrow our search?

We are down to earth people and will be new to the area. Would love to be near an elementary school with a strong community. We would like to be in a feeder to a top high school.

OP, there are plenty of non-mansion homes in Potomac. I grew up in Potomac in a modest house (3200 sq ft) with 5 bedrooms and 3 full and 1 half bath. When my parents sold it it went for $730,000. There are plenty of these types of homes (as well as homes in the $1 million range) along Falls Road going to Bells Mill, Beverly Farms, Wayside, Potomac, Cold Spring ES. Just didn't want you to discount Potomac because you thought it was all mansions and the elite rich.

[Anonymous]

OP where will you be commuting to? That will make a big difference.

[Anonymous]

OP move to Virginia. We moved from DC for MCPS schools and are deeply disappointed. Curriculum 2.0 is terrible.

[Anonymous]

I would look in Arlington. Commute to Georgetown would be easy as well to most other parts of DC. Traffic in Arlington is not bad - nothing like Tysons. Schools are good and you could get a new or newish house in your price range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP move to Virginia. We moved from DC for MCPS schools and are deeply disappointed. Curriculum 2.0 is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband will be working in DC (Georgetown area) and I will be working part time (also driving to DC). We have a house budget of $1-1.5 million. We like newer single family homes. Our children will be in kindergarten and preschool next year. Good schools and relatively easy commute are most important to us. We visited the area earlier this year and did not like the older look of Bethesda but liked the newer areas in N Bethesda/Rockville. Potomac was intimidating with all the mansions and we are probably priced out anyways. We did not have a chance to drive through Silver Spring and Kensington although we have read good things about that area as well. We are also open to Virginia (McLean or Arlington) but I think I like MD better. We got stuck in some Tysons area traffic that was not fun. Could not imagine driving through that daily.

Could you help us narrow our search?

We are down to earth people and will be new to the area. Would love to be near an elementary school with a strong community. We would like to be in a feeder to a top high school.

OP, there are plenty of non-mansion homes in Potomac. I grew up in Potomac in a modest house (3200 sq ft) with 5 bedrooms and 3 full and 1 half bath. When my parents sold it it went for $730,000. There are plenty of these types of homes (as well as homes in the $1 million range) along Falls Road going to Bells Mill, Beverly Farms, Wayside, Potomac, Cold Spring ES. Just didn't want you to discount Potomac because you thought it was all mansions and the elite rich.

Totally agree. I just left Potomac and had a 2,200 square foot home that I sold for $800,000. Lots of really nice areas you can get into for your budget. I am most familiar with neighborhoods that feed into Wayside. Clagett Farm is newer. There are also some streets off Glen Mill Road that have gorgeous houses and some should be in your price range. Don't be intimidated.

[Anonymous]

I'd look in DC at the Palisades- easy commute to G'town and downtown, and loads of things in that price range.

[Anonymous]

There is plenty of "newish" nice homes in Potomac in your budget. I know because we have been searching in Potomac in that price range for the last few months.

To keep your husband's commute manageable, I'd focus on areas that feed to Potomac, Seven Locks, or Carderock Springs ESs. There are more housing options out further that feed to Wayside, Bells Mill, Etc. but, your husband's commute will be more tedious.