Small town feel

[Anonymous]

I am in CC MD and agree with the first poster that it has a great small town feel... much more than other areas I have lived in the DMV. Lots of kids running/biking around, everyone walks to school, I know all my neighbors...

But no way on that budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:chevy chase- specifically martins addition, whenever its summer and i see people walking down brookville (yes i know it can get busy) and hoards of kids having ice cream at olympia cafe i always think about the midwest town i grew up in, or cute NE beach towns. feels safe, tucked away, but close to everything.

For $750K? What could the OP find there, someone’s shed?

This made me laugh. Sad but true!!

I would take a look at Kensington, although it is getting harder to find something at that price range. It would have been very doable 2-5 years ago. You are more likely to find something at $750k and under in the area zoned for Rock View ES than KPES. Garrett Park also has a very small town feel, but may be tough in that price range.

[Anonymous]

Middletown, MD in Frederick County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of y’all gonna throw up all over this, but City of Manassas. It’s an actual small town where you know your electeds and if you need something from government the head of the department picks up their own phone. Old Town and surrounding neighborhoods are cute and walkable to bars, restaurants, shopping and the VRE. And housing, while it has escalated like everywhere, is well in OP’s budget.

This is true. I wouldn't send my kids to school there, but the downtown is several blocks of stores and restaurants. The shop owners all seem to know each other. I don't think there's a single chain downtown, except for banks.They have a farmers market in the summer and ice skating in the winter. Parades for the holidays. Local theater performances. This month I've seen signs saying they're doing carriage rides on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg or Purcellville, VA both have small town feels.

+1 both have a cute downtown, non-chain restaurants and shops, fun family activities throughout the year (parades, tree lighting, Memorial Day ceremony, etc). People are very involved in local politics. You get the small town aspect of running into people you know everywhere you go. Lovely local libraries in both towns. Both are walkable, Leesburg moreso.

Lovettsville is also an option. Amazing community spirit, but smaller, and you have to do your shopping in Purcellville or Leesburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:City of Fairfax. Great services. Friendly neighborhoods. 750,000 would work in most neighborhoods, but cutting it close in some. We have parades, Holiday activities, great parks etc.

+1, just heard the leaf truck go by in my CoF neighborhood. My mom calls it “Stars Hollow” when she comes for the 4th of July parade since we are constantly waving at all the people we know in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg or Purcellville, VA both have small town feels.

+1 both have a cute downtown, non-chain restaurants and shops, fun family activities throughout the year (parades, tree lighting, Memorial Day ceremony, etc). People are very involved in local politics. You get the small town aspect of running into people you know everywhere you go. Lovely local libraries in both towns. Both are walkable, Leesburg moreso.

Lovettsville is also an option. Amazing community spirit, but smaller, and you have to do your shopping in Purcellville or Leesburg.

Disagree on lovettsville. No walkable down town, car dependent, ugly racial divides, tiny library.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:chevy chase- specifically martins addition, whenever its summer and i see people walking down brookville (yes i know it can get busy) and hoards of kids having ice cream at olympia cafe i always think about the midwest town i grew up in, or cute NE beach towns. feels safe, tucked away, but close to everything.

For $750K? What could the OP find there, someone’s shed?

This made me laugh. Sad but true!!

I would take a look at Kensington, although it is getting harder to find something at that price range. It would have been very doable 2-5 years ago. You are more likely to find something at $750k and under in the area zoned for Rock View ES than KPES. Garrett Park also has a very small town feel, but may be tough in that price range.

We were looking in Kensington last year at this same price range and ended up buying in the part of Kensington zoned for Oakland Terrace/Newport Mill/Einstein due to being priced out of KPES. Schools have a good local rep and it’s still a reasonable walk to antique row, etc., and has a friendly small town feel with neighbors walking dogs and chasing kids, etc. Inventory is tough to come by though, especially because most of what pops up is small capes in the 500s which was smaller than we wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leesburg or Purcellville, VA both have small town feels.

+1 both have a cute downtown, non-chain restaurants and shops, fun family activities throughout the year (parades, tree lighting, Memorial Day ceremony, etc). People are very involved in local politics. You get the small town aspect of running into people you know everywhere you go. Lovely local libraries in both towns. Both are walkable, Leesburg moreso.

Lovettsville is also an option. Amazing community spirit, but smaller, and you have to do your shopping in Purcellville or Leesburg.

Disagree on lovettsville. No walkable down town, car dependent, ugly racial divides, tiny library.

Pp- on second thought I agree with you. Not what OP is looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Olney-Brookeville-Ashton-Sandy Spring. I cannot go into a grocery store without seeing someone I know from school, a kids' activity, etc.

This was going to be my suggestion. I love the Ashton/Brookeville area.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what OP means by small town. If you mean walkable to retail that is one thing, and if you mean neighbors who know each other and kids all play together that is another thing. You can find the latter in a lot of neighborhoods and developments, especially TH developments near schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is hard to find in the DC metro area due to county run government and schools.

This a very insightful comment.

Where I grew, everything was town based. Schools, libraries, sports, etc. And you felt really connected to your town.

My experience with MoCo has been the opposite. Elementary schools may feed into multiple middle schools. Neighboring kids may go to different schools for a whole variety of reasons. There's SO many sports leagues that you may not have anyone from your school on your team.

I understand it may be more efficient to run things that way, but you loose a sense of community for sure.

[Anonymous]

The Kentlands in Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Laytonsville. Post office is as small as a stamp. We love out here.

I like it too but a bit isolated and it takes time to get anywhere…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:chevy chase- specifically martins addition, whenever its summer and i see people walking down brookville (yes i know it can get busy) and hoards of kids having ice cream at olympia cafe i always think about the midwest town i grew up in, or cute NE beach towns. feels safe, tucked away, but close to everything.

For $750K? What could the OP find there, someone’s shed?

A small rental box at the UPS Store. The large boxes are now a million plus.