North Kensington vs. Downtown Silver Spring

[Kakamy]

We are moving this summer. My husband will work in Bethesda at the medical center. We are city people and like to have walkable areas close to home, but we also want an area that is family friendly and the neighborhood kids for our children to have playmates (we have 3 daughters, 4, 8, and 11). Of course, we also want wonderful public schools. I am hoping for the real estate unicorn here and hope someone can recommend a place to buy. We can't afford a million dollar home and we want diversity in our schools. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. My internet search has narrowed it down to North Kensington and downtown Silver Spring, but not sure if that is accurate.

[Anonymous]

Kensington. Easy to get to Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

price range?

[Anonymous]

Look for the part of Kensington where your kids will go to Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. You will have some diversity there (as well as an IB program and plenty of AP classes).

[Anonymous]

Parkwood in Kensington is in the Walter Johnson cluster, but very walkable to lots of places, including the elementary school, and an easy commute for your husband. Chevy Chase View and Rock Creek Forest are the two neighborhoods in Kensington that feed into the BCC cluster, and are walkable to downtown Kensington. Prices can be all over the map, but the neighborhoods are worth checking out -- search for "South Kensington" on Redfin for listings. North Chevy Chase can sometimes fit the bill as well.

[Anonymous]

East Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

OP framed as north Kensington vs DTSS. That is easy - DTSS is far superior. If budget allows, certainly north chevy chase or south Kensington would be possible. But this one isn't close.

[Anonymous]

I have read good things about Newport mills middle school and takoma park middle school online. I feel like if we get into a bethesda school we will be the poor people. We can probably swing $600,000 for a house but that seems a stretch for the bethesda school districts.

[Anonymous]

In that budget range I'd give the edge to the four corners area. Not going to find much in DTSS for that.

[Anonymous]

DTSS does currently have houses we could afford and I'm hoping more pop onto the market by summer. We are looking for a real community, not like a "ye olde downtown" feeling. I went to college in MD and I loved takoma park but my husband thinks the commute is worse from that side than from kensington area. I just know zilch about anything in kensington and house hunting will probably be done in a long weekend so I wanted to narrow down options. Glad to see DTSS supporters thoug, I am more leaning that way. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I live in North Kensington and I really like it but you mentioned in your original post that you like being able to walk places and you will find so much more to walk to in DTSS. In that regard, there is no comparison. Even if you live close enough to walk to downtown Kensington, there just isn't much there (unless you REALLY like antiques). There's Westfields Wheaton but that doesn't sound like what you have in mind.

Having said that, you will get a much nicer house in North Kensington in your price range than you will get in DTSS. And the schools are decent, about on par with most SS schools. I feel like the community is strong and there are lots of families in my neighborhood. So I think the strong sense of community can certainly be found here. And the commute to NIH would be very easy--quick ride down Cedar and you're there.

[Anonymous]

Kensington will give your DH a much easier commute to NIH. With the current traffic patterns it will make a difference. The areas around Cedar Lane/Saul Road are nice-(don't know the exact name of the neighborhood) and the schools are good. It is not walkable though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in North Kensington and I really like it but you mentioned in your original post that you like being able to walk places and you will find so much more to walk to in DTSS. In that regard, there is no comparison. Even if you live close enough to walk to downtown Kensington, there just isn't much there (unless you REALLY like antiques). There's Westfields Wheaton but that doesn't sound like what you have in mind.

Having said that, you will get a much nicer house in North Kensington in your price range than you will get in DTSS. And the schools are decent, about on par with most SS schools. I feel like the community is strong and there are lots of families in my neighborhood. So I think the strong sense of community can certainly be found here. And the commute to NIH would be very easy--quick ride down Cedar and you're there.

Unless you REALLY love antiques - love it! I grew up in Chevy Chase, but love living in North Kensington. Unparalleled family feeling - can't imagine living anywhere else with my family!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DTSS does currently have houses we could afford and I'm hoping more pop onto the market by summer. We are looking for a real community, not like a "ye olde downtown" feeling. I went to college in MD and I loved takoma park but my husband thinks the commute is worse from that side than from kensington area. I just know zilch about anything in kensington and house hunting will probably be done in a long weekend so I wanted to narrow down options. Glad to see DTSS supporters thoug, I am more leaning that way. Thanks!

I really think Takoma Park is a better option. The commute is not bad at all to Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Where are you walking to in north Kensington? Wheaton? Um, pass.