Is it possible to buy a decent house for $500K or lower in a safe neighborhood with good schools?

[Anonymous]

Leesburg...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In response to a PP: Brookeville/Olney isn't too far to commute to DC --- I do it every day (as do my neighbors). And the commute to Gaithersburg from Brookeville/Olney would be a snap even without the ICC --- there are plenty of backroads (especially through Laytonsville). Check out the zips 20833 and 20832. The schools are excellent.

And RE commutes: FWIW, I typically commute from Brookeville to DC (near the White House) by car via Georgia and 16th. During the summer and off hours, it's about a 50 minute commute (45 if I miss the lights) door to door. During rush hour, it's more like 1.15. Having said that, I've tried Connecticut Avenue as an alternate and it's taken 1.15 to get from downtown DC to the heart of Kensington --- so I don't know what folks are talking about when they say Kensington is close-in or a decent commute --- it's the same as commuting to Olney via Georgia Avenue. And FWIW, it's faster to get downtown via metro from Olney (Glenmont), but I hate the metro.

You are NUTS - there is no way you make that commute in that time.

The PP is right; even from the Maryland line at 16th Street, in no traffic, it's 20-30 min to get downtown. No way you can get to that line in 20 minutes from north of Olney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, try looking into the Alexandria area of FFX Co. (Waynewood, Hollin Hall). Some nice homes there for $500k. Also, good schools (great elementary, decent HS). Also, the commute to DC isn't horrible (GW Parkway, so it is a pretty commute and tends to not get too backed up).

I didn't read all of the posts, but I agree with this 100%. We live in this area and LOVE it. You can negotiate down. We got a 4BR, 2BTH in this area for $540K. It is mostly familes with young kids and some ederly which seemed to be selling to families with young kids everyday. Great, great area!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes--is Derwood or 20853 dangerous--just checked crime reports and it looks like lots of break ins, robberies, assaults...

PP here...not where I am in 20855. Check out the Mill Creek Towne neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, if you leave Olney at 6:30am (especially during the summer when traffic is super lite) you can make it to DC in 45 mins. FWIW, most of my neighbors who are attys or work for the Fed Gov leave early like that (some leave earlier) and their commutes are like that during the school year as well.

[Anonymous]

Poolesville is nice---good schools, rural, green and you can get a nice SFH for less than $500,000 but the only problem is the contaminated water supply (it has been linked to Cancer)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes, and Brookville gets closer, and her commute gets shorter every time she posts.

I've noticed this as well.

[Anonymous]

I'm 21:00 poster, and I swear I'm not the same as the other poster. I just moved here and I'm a WAHM so my commute is moot.

[Anonymous]

Woops: by "here" I mean Brookeville.

[Anonymous]

Brookeville seems pretty but the commute to DC feels like forever on Conn Ave

[Anonymous]

Yes, Dunn Loring Woods Vienna, great schools and very safe community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20:54 Several nicely-updated houses just sold on our street in Arlington Heights in the $460K range. It runs between Glebe Rd. and Fillmore St. and is very quiet. I agree that it is difficult to find good houses in Arlington under $500 with the wishes the OP mentioned, but not all less than $500K houses are as you described. Don't discourage people from finding lower cost housing in Arlington. The county board is trying to get rid of all the low cost housing in Arlington to boost the tax base. If any can be preserved by someone buying a modest house in Arlington, I (but probably not many other people in the "new Arlington") consider this a good thing.

Not trying to discourage people - I think there are a lot of great neighborhoods in Arlington including 22204, 22206, 22202 and I think it's great that there are some nicely updated homes in your nice neighborhood on quiet streets. Just saying that in my opinion, as someone who was recently house hunting and has previously house hunted and who is interested in real estate and attends open houses even when I'm NOT house hunting, I think it's incredibly difficult to find something a) in that price range in ANY part of Arlington, much less a desirable neighborhood like Arlington Heights, b) that has been updated enough that it is what most people consider "livable" and c) does not have a major location problem on a busy or main road.

I agree with you re: affordable housing. I grew up in Arlington (in a now-tony neighborhood that was very modest 30 years ago) and don't want it to be a place where only DCUMs who earn 200/400k can afford to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here: is 20853 Manor Woods safe though????

Yes! I dont have the crime stats infront of me but I can tell you as someone who has lived there for many,many years- I definitely felt very safe. I'm sure there are crimes here and there but this is not an area where crimes are prevalent like they are in Montgomery Village in Gaithersburg or my friend's neighborhood in SS where her house and her car has been broken into multiple times in 5 years. My husband and I in fact would love to eventually move our family to this zip code- great place to raise kids.

We live in 20853 and (touch wood) haven't had any issues yet. We know most every family on our immediate block, and we know our back neighbors. Manor Woods is a great community. There's a nice pool, with a good swim team. Sidewalks! Easy access to most shopping. About an hour from DC.

We like it quite a bit. I think as you go farther south from Manor Woods/English Manor, closer to Aspen Hill Road, it gets a little more sketchy. That's where Parkland MS is. North of Manor Woods is Flower Valley, which is a very nice subdivision. Personally, not for me because there are no sidewalks, but Flower Valley has great houses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here: is 20853 Manor Woods safe though????

Yes! I dont have the crime stats infront of me but I can tell you as someone who has lived there for many,many years- I definitely felt very safe. I'm sure there are crimes here and there but this is not an area where crimes are prevalent like they are in Montgomery Village in Gaithersburg or my friend's neighborhood in SS where her house and her car has been broken into multiple times in 5 years. My husband and I in fact would love to eventually move our family to this zip code- great place to raise kids.

We live in 20853 and (touch wood) haven't had any issues yet. We know most every family on our immediate block, and we know our back neighbors. Manor Woods is a great community. There's a nice pool, with a good swim team. Sidewalks! Easy access to most shopping. About an hour from DC.

We like it quite a bit. I think as you go farther south from Manor Woods/English Manor, closer to Aspen Hill Road, it gets a little more sketchy. That's where Parkland MS is. North of Manor Woods is Flower Valley, which is a very nice subdivision. Personally, not for me because there are no sidewalks, but Flower Valley has great houses.

Agree that around Aspen Hill/Parkland gets sketchier, and Flower Valley is nice (but if I'm not mistaken, quite a bit more expensive than a mile away in Manor Woods).

[Anonymous]

Tons of great houses available in West Springfield/Burke/Fairfax areas for that amount. Public schools are amazing - plenty of houses available in the neighborhoods that would get you into Robinson HS.