Potomac or McLean?

[Anonymous]

I am looking at both locations which are in reasonable distance and commute to my kid's private school in Bethesda for a budget of 1.4-1.6m. Heard the Potomac (looking at Potomac village area) ) resale market is slow and McLean is more active. Looked at a few properties, got the feeling that the Potomac houses are of a better value for the houses themselves (for the same price you got bigger space and seems higher end build although older), but the McLean houses may have better appreciation prospects given the demographics (good schools attract young families) and closer distance to DC. Any other things I should consider but missed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am looking at both locations which are in reasonable distance and commute to my kid's private school in Bethesda for a budget of 1.4-1.6m. Heard the Potomac (looking at Potomac village area) ) resale market is slow and McLean is more active. Looked at a few properties, got the feeling that the Potomac houses are of a better value for the houses themselves (for the same price you got bigger space and seems higher end build although older), but the McLean houses may have better appreciation prospects given the demographics (good schools attract young families) and closer distance to DC. Any other things I should consider but missed?

Why aren't you looking in Bethesda?

[Anonymous]

We made this decision last year. We ended up in Potomac. I think you are right that the same property costs less in Potomac than in McLean. If you go outside the beltway in McLean toward Great Falls, the prices seem to be a bit lower. There is no portion of Potomac within the beltway, of course, so it's not quite apples to apples. Both seem to have a mix between cheap and quality construction. However, the income and real estate transaction taxes are higher in MD. Property taxes are a bit lower in MD, but not enough to offset the other differences for us (may be different depending on your situation). McLean, at least inside the beltway, has better access to shops and services in the McLean downtown. Potomac has the village, which has much of what you need, but not as much as McLean.

If you are planning to drive to Bethesda each day, the bridge going from VA to MD should cause you some concern. On some days it becomes a nightmare. I worked in Tysons pre-covid. My commute home could vary from 20 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the bridge, and there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to when the traffic would back up. For some reason, there is very rarely traffic going from MD to VA.

[Anonymous]

When do you plan on selling? The market 10+ years from now is completely impossible to predict. I prefer Potomac b/c McLean is really old school and traditional.

[Anonymous]

Do you have high HHI? If not, then potomac for proximity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When do you plan on selling? The market 10+ years from now is completely impossible to predict. I prefer Potomac b/c McLean is really old school and traditional.

Yes, if you're in it for the long haul, the market could be completely different in 10+ years. We just sold in Potomac after 20+ years and did very well.

[Anonymous]

I can not imagine choosing to commute a child through traffic every day if you can avoid it. Also, I would assume more of her school friends will be in MD.

[Anonymous]

Potomac has several billionaires so no clue why folks would think it poorer. I live in Potomac and the owner of “Redskins”
and owner Nats and Caps live here among others.

But trouble it they don’t run in my circles. I actually live walking distance to Bullis school. I had one new neighbor DC whose kid went there, another new neighbor kid goes to the catholic school here.

I think it depends where you work. Some parts of DC like Georgetown or AU is just back streets.
Most neighbors don’t work in DC or Virginia.

There are two good New listings on Holly Hill in Potomac, it is walking distance village and a dead end. Of course since walking distance Starbucks, chipotle, pizza and library of course less for money. A little bit further out more for money.

The “village” always has kids 12-18 hanging out.

[Anonymous]

In general, inside the beltway (McLean/Bethesda) is more active than outside the beltway (Potomac/Vienna). If you are committed to school in MD, I would live there, but overall Bethesda is a more comparable price--point and location to Mclean than Potomac is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general, inside the beltway (McLean/Bethesda) is more active than outside the beltway (Potomac/Vienna). If you are committed to school in MD, I would live there, but overall Bethesda is a more comparable price--point and location to Mclean than Potomac is.

Not all of Bethesda is inside beltway and most is not walking distance to metro. I see folks dropping 1.4-1.7 near me in last few months in Potomac homes. So it is not price.

[Anonymous]

Potomac, because the public schools are good if needed, you have the westfield mall, wildwood shopping center, cabin John shopping center, minutes to Bethesda, ice skating rinks. Pike and Rose
Good point about dc friends will be local. Unless you go to The Potomac school, really makes no sense to live in va.

[Anonymous]

Potomac is the great falls of md which is not as desirable as Bethesda closer in . Mclean is the Bethesda of va.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Potomac is the great falls of md which is not as desirable as Bethesda closer in . Mclean is the Bethesda of va.

Sort of agree. Parts of N Arlington are also the Bethesda of Va.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general, inside the beltway (McLean/Bethesda) is more active than outside the beltway (Potomac/Vienna). If you are committed to school in MD, I would live there, but overall Bethesda is a more comparable price--point and location to Mclean than Potomac is.

I disagree. Inside the Beltway is more expensive and there is little inventory. I’m not seeing much happen and prices are high. If there is more activity it may be perceptual because houses are closer together inside the Beltway. The further west you go towards Great Falls, the larger the properties get. It’s still a seller’s market

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can not imagine choosing to commute a child through traffic every day if you can avoid it. Also, I would assume more of her school friends will be in MD.

Absolutely this, 100%. Having your kid commute between McLean and Potomac every day is a horrible idea.