People on this board always suggest Davidsonville and I can't understand why? There is absolutely no diversity, no real shopping or restaurants, the 3 schools that feed from it are not that great and it's mostly McMansions, horse farms, well water and septic tanks, plus unless you go past Edgewater or over near the West River you are landlocked.

I lived in Annapolis for 10 years, near the Key School but we did the local elementary, Hillsmere and was very pleased with it. We had a very involved PTA that worked very hard at the school so it was a pleasant experience. If you are planning to do private, I'd look at Bay Ridge and the neighborhoods right before it, communities off of Arundel of the Bay Road, Hillsmere and Hunt Meadow. There is also a cute neighborhood off of Forest Drive behind Heritage Baptist Church, won't give you water but there is a pool and it's convenient to the highway. Another idea is up on Riva Road, Riva Trace and the few neighborhoods that are on either side of it, between the high school and Cape St. John. There is a kinda new neighborhood across from the mall on Bestgate, I think Ehrlich lives there, no water but a pool. As others have mentioned there's Murray Hill in downtown Annapolis, the neighborhood by the stadium and other pockets in the city.

We moved closer in to Crofton because the traffic just got too overwhelming trying to commute into DC every day so that is why I suggest areas that are going to be nearer the highway and I suggest you pay attention to traffic patterns and how far you really want to be. Severna Park, Arnold, Pasadena and Broadneck are just too far and too remote to travel into DC everyday for me. Don't get me wrong, I love Annapolis and once I can retire or can telework at least 3 days a week long term, I will be living back there but the commute is a killer. The Dillon's bus isn't bad but it's a bus and their isn't a lot of flexibility if you need to get home in the middle of the day.

Why choose Annapolis?

For privates, St. Anne's School of Annapolis is a lovely school, My daughter attends.

Anonymous wrote:18:21 here. Davidsonville is convenient (“convenient”) for commute to DC but it’s not really my taste...it’s all McMansions on pseudo-farmland. Some people love the country feel but personally if I had that $ to spend on a house I would prioritize being on the water.
The only private school I would have considered is Key. Granted my knowledge is a bit outdated but I was never impressed with the privates in Annapolis. They did not seem to have very strong academics or notable college exmissions compared to the top public schools. My peers who left public for private were honestly not that impressive and some of their math/science was WELL behind the top students at my school. I would only do private for a kid who would struggle without the smaller classes and extra attention you get with them, and then I would really only prefer Key school. Otherwise always seemed like a waste of money to me. But again that was 15 years ago.
I don’t know the subdivisions you list but if I were to move back I would focus on Annapolis proper, plus Eastport, bay ridge, etc. But I will NEVER move back .

I should clarify that the people who really want “elite” private schools commute to the DC area ones or Baltimore (McDonogh, St. Paul’s, Gilman, etc).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Annapolis proper is the only place with decent restaurants...if thats important to you. Davidsonville, Severna Park etc are all nice but definitely "suburbia" living. My partner takes the bus from Annapolis to DC everyday and loves it. Its 1.25-1.5 hours each way but she is free to sleep, listen to podcasts, read etc rather than sit in traffic behind the wheel. Whats your price range? Ive been actively looking in the Annapolis market for about a year and we just found a house we are going to put an offer on. So if you want advice about real estate in Annapolis I can help you.

I live in Annapolis, there aren’t decent restaurants. It’s my biggest complaint about living here.

Have you been to Sailor Oyster Bar? Its our haven outside of DC lol

And where do you live? Are you a DC transplant? Would love to compare notes...missing Ethiopian food so bad!

PP here that made the comment about their not being any decent restaurants in Annap. Yes I have been to Sailor several times it is ok, not great. It is beyond small also, makes the first floor of the original Matchbox look like Versailles.

I am a DC transplant been in Annapolis for 11 years.

18:21 here. Davidsonville is convenient (“convenient”) for commute to DC but it’s not really my taste...it’s all McMansions on pseudo-farmland. Some people love the country feel but personally if I had that $ to spend on a house I would prioritize being on the water.
The only private school I would have considered is Key. Granted my knowledge is a bit outdated but I was never impressed with the privates in Annapolis. They did not seem to have very strong academics or notable college exmissions compared to the top public schools. My peers who left public for private were honestly not that impressive and some of their math/science was WELL behind the top students at my school. I would only do private for a kid who would struggle without the smaller classes and extra attention you get with them, and then I would really only prefer Key school. Otherwise always seemed like a waste of money to me. But again that was 15 years ago.
I don’t know the subdivisions you list but if I were to move back I would focus on Annapolis proper, plus Eastport, bay ridge, etc. But I will NEVER move back .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Annapolis proper is the only place with decent restaurants...if thats important to you. Davidsonville, Severna Park etc are all nice but definitely "suburbia" living. My partner takes the bus from Annapolis to DC everyday and loves it. Its 1.25-1.5 hours each way but she is free to sleep, listen to podcasts, read etc rather than sit in traffic behind the wheel. Whats your price range? Ive been actively looking in the Annapolis market for about a year and we just found a house we are going to put an offer on. So if you want advice about real estate in Annapolis I can help you.

I live in Annapolis, there aren’t decent restaurants. It’s my biggest complaint about living here.

Have you been to Sailor Oyster Bar? Its our haven outside of DC lol

And where do you live? Are you a DC transplant? Would love to compare notes...missing Ethiopian food so bad!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Annapolis proper is the only place with decent restaurants...if thats important to you. Davidsonville, Severna Park etc are all nice but definitely "suburbia" living. My partner takes the bus from Annapolis to DC everyday and loves it. Its 1.25-1.5 hours each way but she is free to sleep, listen to podcasts, read etc rather than sit in traffic behind the wheel. Whats your price range? Ive been actively looking in the Annapolis market for about a year and we just found a house we are going to put an offer on. So if you want advice about real estate in Annapolis I can help you.

I live in Annapolis, there aren’t decent restaurants. It’s my biggest complaint about living here.

Have you been to Sailor Oyster Bar? Its our haven outside of DC lol

Anonymous wrote:Annapolis proper is the only place with decent restaurants...if thats important to you. Davidsonville, Severna Park etc are all nice but definitely "suburbia" living. My partner takes the bus from Annapolis to DC everyday and loves it. Its 1.25-1.5 hours each way but she is free to sleep, listen to podcasts, read etc rather than sit in traffic behind the wheel. Whats your price range? Ive been actively looking in the Annapolis market for about a year and we just found a house we are going to put an offer on. So if you want advice about real estate in Annapolis I can help you.

I live in Annapolis, there aren’t decent restaurants. It’s my biggest complaint about living here.

Annapolis proper is the only place with decent restaurants...if thats important to you. Davidsonville, Severna Park etc are all nice but definitely "suburbia" living. My partner takes the bus from Annapolis to DC everyday and loves it. Its 1.25-1.5 hours each way but she is free to sleep, listen to podcasts, read etc rather than sit in traffic behind the wheel. Whats your price range? Ive been actively looking in the Annapolis market for about a year and we just found a house we are going to put an offer on. So if you want advice about real estate in Annapolis I can help you.

Depending on kids age there is also St Anne’s for school, only goes through 8th grade.

Really depends on what style of house you want and amenities. In town Murray Hill is popular, a lot of people (not me) like Bay Ridge. Fishing Creek Farm is popular. West Annapolis is a neighborhood not a development. Cranberry Woods is close to Belvoir Farm and similar.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somewhere in bounds to severa Park, broadneck or south river high schools.
If you don’t care about schools though parts of Annapolis proper are quite fancy

Children will do private. Severn? Or Key?... Anyway, what communities do you like? The Downs? Belvoir Farms? They look a tad cheesy. no?... How about Davidsonville?

We recently moved from MoCo to Annapolis. Limited our search to Davidsonville and west side of Annapolis to keep commute to DC < 1hr.

We liked Davidsonville but ultimately too isolated for our taste. We wanted to be closer to restaurants, shopping, school, etc.

In terms of Davidsonville communities, we looked at Eagles Passage (newer, large homes, but poor water access) and Harbor Hills (older homes, but great water access/amenities and very active community).

Ended up buying closer in to Annapolis and have been happy with the decision. Can't comment on the Downs or Belvoir as they were outside of our search area.

Severn vs. Key: wildly different schools, though both are well-regarded.

Key is progressive, socially unassuming (for the most part), with very strong academics. Friendly place.

Severn is very athletics-oriented, seems less diverse & preppier, and is by reputation more status-conscious socially.

Visit both and you'll likely know immediately which is the better fit for you.

Anonymous wrote:Somewhere in bounds to severa Park, broadneck or south river high schools.
If you don’t care about schools though parts of Annapolis proper are quite fancy

Children will do private. Severn? Or Key?... Anyway, what communities do you like? The Downs? Belvoir Farms? They look a tad cheesy. no?... How about Davidsonville?

Somewhere in bounds to severa Park, broadneck or south river high schools.
If you don’t care about schools though parts of Annapolis proper are quite fancy

Severna Park or Riva

What considered the nicest place to buy in Annapolis area including Crownsville, Davidsonville etc? Since communities seem to be the thing out there, which ones are the nicest?.. and have the strongest value? Thanks!