Where would you live for 1M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"no hate"?? It's just clear you actually haven't lived or spent time in Severna Park. Or Pasadena. There are plenty of affordable homes in Severna Park, Arnold, and Cape St. Claire - we looked at all of these areas. Yes, it's pretty purple rather than typical Maryland blue - but Severna Park voted for Biden. In Pasadena Trump led by 20 or 30 points? People are also far more educated in SP - typical family is a couple both with college and/or grad degrees, very commonly working in federal government (many at the NSA), earning maybe $150-300k per household. Every other house has a boat in the driveway and neighborhood life centers around the swimming pool and the boat dock. Baltimore is 30 min away and DC an hour. Nearly everyone is into fishing, boating, kayaking and everyone is crazy about sports. There's a big community around the environment and protecting the Bay. And yeah, boat guys with Trump flags. The dems don't have flags, but there are actually more of them. Overall people are way less obsessed with their jobs than in the the DC area and way more down to earth and just pretty much into their kids and friends. And always the boats.

No, I’m very familiar with both areas. Not everyone who doesn’t paint a utopian picture of Severna Park is ill informed of the area. Voting for Biden doesn’t mean Severna Park is Dem. Lots of anti-Trump Republicans voted Biden. Severna Park’s county council district is one of 3 in the county that is represented by a Republican, and their last councilman was an actual white nationalist. Severna Park is very much connected to Pasadena politically, culturally, and socially. Sure, Severna Park has higher income levels and many more college-educated people, but SP is still more similar to Pasadena in every way than it is to the DC metro and even Howard County. The Lake Shore area of Pasadena is essentially an extension of Severna Park and is not all that different. The waterfront there is also expensive and highly affluent, while the neighborhoods inland are a mixture of pred. MC & UMC. Exactly the same as SP & Broadneck areas. SP residents imagine themselves to be far more different from their surrounding areas than they actually are.

If you go to the Chat in SP, too Facebook group, you’ll find a post from not too long ago where someone looking at a possible move to Severna Park inquired about the local schools. The parents raved, but several students chimed in and ripped the school’s culture around mental health, racism, and classism to shreds, and most of them seemed to agree that their mental health got infinitely better after leaving Severna Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Annapolis!

Love Annapolis, but think it is fair to say that the schools can be a little hit or miss.

OP, Catonsville in Baltimore County is adorable and you could get a great home well under budget. The elementary school there is great and the middle and high school are also totally fine--though given you wouldn't have to spend 1M for a nice house there, the Baltimore privates could be affordable. (And while the prep schools up there are a whole world unto themselves, can get a terrific education.)

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"no hate"?? It's just clear you actually haven't lived or spent time in Severna Park. Or Pasadena. There are plenty of affordable homes in Severna Park, Arnold, and Cape St. Claire - we looked at all of these areas. Yes, it's pretty purple rather than typical Maryland blue - but Severna Park voted for Biden. In Pasadena Trump led by 20 or 30 points? People are also far more educated in SP - typical family is a couple both with college and/or grad degrees, very commonly working in federal government (many at the NSA), earning maybe $150-300k per household. Every other house has a boat in the driveway and neighborhood life centers around the swimming pool and the boat dock. Baltimore is 30 min away and DC an hour. Nearly everyone is into fishing, boating, kayaking and everyone is crazy about sports. There's a big community around the environment and protecting the Bay. And yeah, boat guys with Trump flags. The dems don't have flags, but there are actually more of them. Overall people are way less obsessed with their jobs than in the the DC area and way more down to earth and just pretty much into their kids and friends. And always the boats.

No, I’m very familiar with both areas. Not everyone who doesn’t paint a utopian picture of Severna Park is ill informed of the area. Voting for Biden doesn’t mean Severna Park is Dem. Lots of anti-Trump Republicans voted Biden. Severna Park’s county council district is one of 3 in the county that is represented by a Republican, and their last councilman was an actual white nationalist. Severna Park is very much connected to Pasadena politically, culturally, and socially. Sure, Severna Park has higher income levels and many more college-educated people, but SP is still more similar to Pasadena in every way than it is to the DC metro and even Howard County. The Lake Shore area of Pasadena is essentially an extension of Severna Park and is not all that different. The waterfront there is also expensive and highly affluent, while the neighborhoods inland are a mixture of pred. MC & UMC. Exactly the same as SP & Broadneck areas. SP residents imagine themselves to be far more different from their surrounding areas than they actually are.

If you go to the Chat in SP, too Facebook group, you’ll find a post from not too long ago where someone looking at a possible move to Severna Park inquired about the local schools. The parents raved, but several students chimed in and ripped the school’s culture around mental health, racism, and classism to shreds, and most of them seemed to agree that their mental health got infinitely better after leaving Severna Park.

wow. I just read up on Peroutka. Funny how that has never come up on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy a $600k SFH in PG County, invest the other $400k, and send my kids to private school.

Cool story -- except for that whole 6500 dollar a month private school bill for 3 kids comes due. Better to invest in real estate within a good school district where you will actually get your investment back....

Cool story--tell that to the people who live in Bethesda etc and send their kids to private school. I prefer privates to public school any day regardless of where I live. COVID reinforced that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:crofton, severna park, arnold

waiting for the haters lol.

No hate, but I don’t get the love affair with Severna Park at all. It’s essentially just Pasadena but with a pool in the backyard. Outside of the very thin (and very expensive) waterfront line, all the housing is boring and generic, and the area lacks decent shopping or dining. The schools are great, but there’s other very good schools in Anne Arundel County as well. Unless you have $2M+ to afford a 4-bed waterfront house in a “community” where everyone’s isolated by driveways that are longer than the street itself & more than half the kids attend private schools, then you’re paying extra money to live in a very boring and generic area with very awful summer traffic. The arrogance that you encounter in Severna Park is insane and worse than what you’ll see in even Bethesda sometimes. Lots of people act way wealthier than they are. Some of the neighborhoods feel like a cult as well.

At $1M, I’d much rather look in Crofton, Odenton, Davidsonville, and Edgewater. beautiful homes for $1M in these areas in neighborhoods like Two Rivers, South River Colony, South River Landing, Eagles Passage, the Ridings at North Branch, or Wilson’s Grove. You’re much closer to decent shopping & dining—either in Annapolis or at Waugh Chapel, and you’re closer to water that is accessible to the public. The schools are all very good in these areas as well. Crownsville is also a much nicer area than Severna Park, but I’m not too sure about the schools in that area.

"no hate"?? It's just clear you actually haven't lived or spent time in Severna Park. Or Pasadena. There are plenty of affordable homes in Severna Park, Arnold, and Cape St. Claire - we looked at all of these areas. Yes, it's pretty purple rather than typical Maryland blue - but Severna Park voted for Biden. In Pasadena Trump led by 20 or 30 points? People are also far more educated in SP - typical family is a couple both with college and/or grad degrees, very commonly working in federal government (many at the NSA), earning maybe $150-300k per household. Every other house has a boat in the driveway and neighborhood life centers around the swimming pool and the boat dock. Baltimore is 30 min away and DC an hour. Nearly everyone is into fishing, boating, kayaking and everyone is crazy about sports. There's a big community around the environment and protecting the Bay. And yeah, boat guys with Trump flags. The dems don't have flags, but there are actually more of them. Overall people are way less obsessed with their jobs than in the the DC area and way more down to earth and just pretty much into their kids and friends. And always the boats.

and apparently racist and racist enough to vote in a racist on their council

[Anonymous]

OP said she wants to stay home for a few years so kids are little, and they could move again. Middleburg is the place I see the Bethesda Dad who is being convinced to downgrade being happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy a $600k SFH in PG County, invest the other $400k, and send my kids to private school.

Cool story -- except for that whole 6500 dollar a month private school bill for 3 kids comes due. Better to invest in real estate within a good school district where you will actually get your investment back....

Cool story--tell that to the people who live in Bethesda etc and send their kids to private school. I prefer privates to public school any day regardless of where I live. COVID reinforced that.

Thats good for you, and glad you can afford it -- but I think you missed the part about OP trying to reduce costs by moving, and to a "good to great" school district. Your comment was pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"no hate"?? It's just clear you actually haven't lived or spent time in Severna Park. Or Pasadena. There are plenty of affordable homes in Severna Park, Arnold, and Cape St. Claire - we looked at all of these areas. Yes, it's pretty purple rather than typical Maryland blue - but Severna Park voted for Biden. In Pasadena Trump led by 20 or 30 points? People are also far more educated in SP - typical family is a couple both with college and/or grad degrees, very commonly working in federal government (many at the NSA), earning maybe $150-300k per household. Every other house has a boat in the driveway and neighborhood life centers around the swimming pool and the boat dock. Baltimore is 30 min away and DC an hour. Nearly everyone is into fishing, boating, kayaking and everyone is crazy about sports. There's a big community around the environment and protecting the Bay. And yeah, boat guys with Trump flags. The dems don't have flags, but there are actually more of them. Overall people are way less obsessed with their jobs than in the the DC area and way more down to earth and just pretty much into their kids and friends. And always the boats.

No, I’m very familiar with both areas. Not everyone who doesn’t paint a utopian picture of Severna Park is ill informed of the area. Voting for Biden doesn’t mean Severna Park is Dem. Lots of anti-Trump Republicans voted Biden. Severna Park’s county council district is one of 3 in the county that is represented by a Republican, and their last councilman was an actual white nationalist. Severna Park is very much connected to Pasadena politically, culturally, and socially. Sure, Severna Park has higher income levels and many more college-educated people, but SP is still more similar to Pasadena in every way than it is to the DC metro and even Howard County. The Lake Shore area of Pasadena is essentially an extension of Severna Park and is not all that different. The waterfront there is also expensive and highly affluent, while the neighborhoods inland are a mixture of pred. MC & UMC. Exactly the same as SP & Broadneck areas. SP residents imagine themselves to be far more different from their surrounding areas than they actually are.

If you go to the Chat in SP, too Facebook group, you’ll find a post from not too long ago where someone looking at a possible move to Severna Park inquired about the local schools. The parents raved, but several students chimed in and ripped the school’s culture around mental health, racism, and classism to shreds, and most of them seemed to agree that their mental health got infinitely better after leaving Severna Park.

wow. I just read up on Peroutka. Funny how that has never come up on DCUM.

I have always been intrigued by Severna Park for the water access, but the conservative roots have scared me away. Since the pandemic hit, I know a lot of DC residents that have moved there -- I wonder if we will start to see a political shift?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:and apparently racist and racist enough to vote in a racist on their council

PP here that brought up the former county councilman. Not everyone in SP is a racist and there’s plenty of down to earth people there, but racism is still a huge problem in the community and I never understood the obsession among SP residents with painting SP as utopia. From personal experience, anyone who brings up anything that isn’t “perfect schools, on the water, beautiful, fun and amazing!” gets looked at like they’re weird and are made to feel like their negative experiences with the area is because of themselves by the SP cheerleaders.

I also don’t think SP is that much more laid back than the DC area either. A UChicago professor even studied the cultural around Severna Park. Severna Park HS was actually the focal point of a UChicago professor’s study on suicide in affluent and high-achieving high schools due to its unusual number of suicides, and she identified four “suicide clusters” that occurred at the high school from 2005 to 2015: https://www.annapoliscreative.com/poplar-grove-and-a-serious-adolescent-suicide-problem/

Not trying to steer OP away from Severna Park. It is a great area with amazing amenities, and the quality of life is very good there. Depending on OP’s situation and background though, but not every experience with SP is positive even if many, many are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP said she wants to stay home for a few years so kids are little, and they could move again. Middleburg is the place I see the Bethesda Dad who is being convinced to downgrade being happy.

I really hope "Bethesda Dad" isn't hung up on some weird idea that a lifestyle change is a downgrade. Sounds more like he is just fretting more about being further out from DC.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised nobody called $1m a starter hold on this thread. I’ve seen it in plenty of other threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"no hate"?? It's just clear you actually haven't lived or spent time in Severna Park. Or Pasadena. There are plenty of affordable homes in Severna Park, Arnold, and Cape St. Claire - we looked at all of these areas. Yes, it's pretty purple rather than typical Maryland blue - but Severna Park voted for Biden. In Pasadena Trump led by 20 or 30 points? People are also far more educated in SP - typical family is a couple both with college and/or grad degrees, very commonly working in federal government (many at the NSA), earning maybe $150-300k per household. Every other house has a boat in the driveway and neighborhood life centers around the swimming pool and the boat dock. Baltimore is 30 min away and DC an hour. Nearly everyone is into fishing, boating, kayaking and everyone is crazy about sports. There's a big community around the environment and protecting the Bay. And yeah, boat guys with Trump flags. The dems don't have flags, but there are actually more of them. Overall people are way less obsessed with their jobs than in the the DC area and way more down to earth and just pretty much into their kids and friends. And always the boats.

No, I’m very familiar with both areas. Not everyone who doesn’t paint a utopian picture of Severna Park is ill informed of the area. Voting for Biden doesn’t mean Severna Park is Dem. Lots of anti-Trump Republicans voted Biden. Severna Park’s county council district is one of 3 in the county that is represented by a Republican, and their last councilman was an actual white nationalist. Severna Park is very much connected to Pasadena politically, culturally, and socially. Sure, Severna Park has higher income levels and many more college-educated people, but SP is still more similar to Pasadena in every way than it is to the DC metro and even Howard County. The Lake Shore area of Pasadena is essentially an extension of Severna Park and is not all that different. The waterfront there is also expensive and highly affluent, while the neighborhoods inland are a mixture of pred. MC & UMC. Exactly the same as SP & Broadneck areas. SP residents imagine themselves to be far more different from their surrounding areas than they actually are.

If you go to the Chat in SP, too Facebook group, you’ll find a post from not too long ago where someone looking at a possible move to Severna Park inquired about the local schools. The parents raved, but several students chimed in and ripped the school’s culture around mental health, racism, and classism to shreds, and most of them seemed to agree that their mental health got infinitely better after leaving Severna Park.

wow. I just read up on Peroutka. Funny how that has never come up on DCUM.

I have always been intrigued by Severna Park for the water access, but the conservative roots have scared me away. Since the pandemic hit, I know a lot of DC residents that have moved there -- I wonder if we will start to see a political shift?

I highly doubt it. There hasn’t been a significant movement of people from DC to SP because the demographics of the area are virtually exactly the same as they were 15 years ago, and enrollment levels at the local schools haven’t fluctuated at all. There just isn’t any construction boom in SP that would accommodate an influx of new residents from DC to the point where it would alter the area’s character. I think if anything, the NSA/Fort Meade job boom helped shift the area from more conservative than it once was to being now purple. The only areas in Anne Arundel seeing a massive wave of new residents out of DC are in Western Anne Arundel County (areas like Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Severn), and those are the parts of the county have actually turned actually blue over the last decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
wow. I just read up on Peroutka. Funny how that has never come up on DCUM.

I have always been intrigued by Severna Park for the water access, but the conservative roots have scared me away. Since the pandemic hit, I know a lot of DC residents that have moved there -- I wonder if we will start to see a political shift?

I hope so. I stay out of FB groups like Chat in SP like PP mentioned - it’s just stupid mostly. I imagine each neighborhood is different so can only speak to my own experience. In the area where I live which is in the Folger McKinsey Elementary school district I don’t see the overt super conservative stuff in my day to day life. I am sure there are right wing nutjobs around but I have met plenty of Dems. There are a good number of families that grew up here and it’s really common for kids to buy their parents houses or buy another house in the neighborhood where their parents live and those families due tend to be more conservative overall, but there are a lot of new families moving here from DC, Baltimore and Philly. I know at least 6 families who are from DC and have moved here recently (1-3 years or so). One of my neighbors is a DC firefighter (with a long commute!). I do definitely have Trump voting neighbors too, but they aren’t the majority. My impression is that the trend is going bluer and new residents are bluer than long term residents overall. I wouldn’t say it’s a tidal wave or anything, but if you’re liberal/Democrat, yes you can definitely find like minded people here and you won’t be the only ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised nobody called $1m a starter hold on this thread. I’ve seen it in plenty of other threads.

That’s a a given. Is water wet?

[Anonymous]

My former neighbors moved to Arnold, MD. I know nothing about the schools and it would be too suburban for me but their home is lovely, they’re near the water and regularly kayak, and make it into Annapolis and DC often. They don’t have children so that wasn’t a factor, but whenever I’ve visited with my kids they’ve invited neighbor kids to come and make it a pool party and the neighborhood seems like an area where the neighbors know and enjoy each other.