Help on North Potomac Neighborhoods

[Anonymous]

We saw two homes in the QO cluster, only a half mile apart. One behind QO HS the other across from the Kentlands. They are both nice homes; similar size and features. One house is clustered to Thurgood Marshall ES the other Rachel Carson, as far as I know these schools are pretty similar. What I don't understand is why is there a huge disparity in price considering all of the above similarities. What am I missing? Is the slightly 'better' on paper school (Rachel Carson) worth 135k more in house prices? Does neighborhood make that much of a difference??

https://www.redfin.com/MD/North-Potomac/7-Seurat-Ct-20878/home/10627298

https://www.redfin.com/MD/North-Potomac/12013-Blackberry-Ter-20878/home/10626744

[Anonymous]

Did you actually go and compare the two homes?

Just skimming through the two links, there's nothing that pops out. If anything it looks like the more expensive home has a smaller lot too.

It may actually going to take a look at the home and neighborhood to see if there's any noticeable differences.

Is this price differential normal for homes between the two neighborhoods? Is it possible that one home is overpriced or the other home is underpriced?

Maybe someone more familiar with the area can provide more insight but I don't really see any differences based on the links. I remember Thurgood Marshall being mentioned on this forum before but can't remember in what context.

[Anonymous]

nevermind what I said about actually looking, just reread your previous post and saw that you actually visited the homes.

[Anonymous]

One more comment, I've seen differences in prices of homes in the same neighborhood range from $50k to $100k based on school zoning. Where the school line goes through the neighborhood.

But in those cases there were differences in the great schools ratings for the schools. For the two homes linked above it looks like the schools have equivalent GS ratings.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if this makes the difference but the cheaper house has electric in the kitchen. It's hard to find homes with gas stove in this area

[Anonymous]

The Seurat property is on a lot almost twice as big as the other, despite being cheaper.

Does the Blackberry property have more community features? (A pool?) Both the ES and MS are different. You could take a look at the MD public schools forum to see if there's a strong preference for this part of the QO pyramid.

Also, it looks like the Seurat property sold just two years ago, and has now been on the market for half a year with at least one failed contract. There could be some defect in the house or the location that you haven't spotted yet. (Or just people needing to relocate unexpectedly, and then a flaky buyer - obviously "defect" is only one of many possibilities for this history.)

[Anonymous]

Neighborhood absolutely matters or people wouldn't be trying to brand Gaithersburg as north Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neighborhood absolutely matters or people wouldn't be trying to brand Gaithersburg as north Potomac

Let's stipulate for the purposes of this discussion that North Potomac exists. The argument that it doesn't is really tiresome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neighborhood absolutely matters or people wouldn't be trying to brand Gaithersburg as north Potomac

Let's stipulate for the purposes of this discussion that North Potomac exists. The argument that it doesn't is really tiresome.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neighborhood absolutely matters or people wouldn't be trying to brand Gaithersburg as north Potomac

Let's stipulate for the purposes of this discussion that North Potomac exists. The argument that it doesn't is really tiresome.

Because neighborhoods matter, if Germantown changed to north north Potomac would you still not see the absurd vanity needed in rebranding a crappy area with a modifyied name of a better area? If silver spring became east Bethesda and RFK started Hill East would that's not be completely ridiculous? That is how the world views the jonesy 270 corridor of north bethesdas and North potomacs even if enough people wined and got the post office to accept it.

[Anonymous]

The Seurat Rd house backs to a long distance transmission power line field, which is an absolute dealbreaker to many people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neighborhood absolutely matters or people wouldn't be trying to brand Gaithersburg as north Potomac

Agree with this. It's just confusing.

[Anonymous]

I think it's the ES/MS difference.

[Anonymous]

The cheaper one feels more Gaithersburg even though they both are.

[Anonymous]

Aren't they in Rockville actually?