But, like Barnaby Woods, Chevy Chase, etc. it will be a bus to metro commute unless you have parking at work.

Just a quibble and not to derail, but all of Chevy Chase DC west of Connecticut is plenty accessible to Metro. I'm an 8 minute stroll or 5 minute haul ass trot.

To answer OP, the 3 families I know who live in Colonial Village and Shepard Park have at least one lawyer in them and at least one African American in each household.

They are not dwelling in a cave in Georgetown. You don't see them because they are at one of their other 3 homes in Martha's Vineyard, Palm Beach, Sun Valley. Really.

Anonymous wrote:The neighborhoods near Lowell are North Portal Estates or Colonial Village (Shephed Park is a bit south), and the houses there are quite a bit more expensive. Full of cave dwellers, black and white. Also, I think the in-bounds school for those neighborhoods is Lafayette.

I always thought of most of the cave dwellers as being in Georgetown.

PP who said Shepherd Park is an AA neighborhood with newer people moving in is misinformed. It is a very diverse neighborhood and has been for some time. I don't know what "newer people" you are talking about. If you mean white folks, they have been there for years. There are also several established synagogues along 16th street with healthy memberships.

I have lived in Sherpherd Park, Crestwood and now Forest Hills. I think all are beautiful neighborhoods.

I live in Shepherd park and i have less then a 5 min. walk to the metro. I walk to stores and restaurants. There is an amazing brand new playground that is full of kids living in this neighborhood. The SP Elementary school has really come up in recent years and is now IB and offers spanish and french starting Pre-k.

Good location if your kids end up at SJC.

I live just over the MD border from Colonial Village and think the neighborhood and houses are gorgeous. There's one in particular that I covet. But I do think PP is correct - cave dwellers! I never ever see anyone on the streets/sidewalks there. And for all it's beauty, it isn't all that convenient. Close to the park, yes. But not near enough anything to walk to (but the Deli, and then even some parts are pretty far away from it). Don't know what schools it feeds into but I say, you might as well just live over the border in MD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The insurmountable problem for me is the lack of walkability (to anything other than more residential blocks).

Are you serious? It's 8 blocks from downtown SS.

I wrote that but will admit Silver Spring has its merits.

But is it really only 8 blocks to, say, the Silver Spring fountain, or is it 8 blocks to the MD border, which features a few strip malls? That's how I'd describe the drive up 16th Street.

Of course, I wouldn't care to live 8 blocks from the nearest retail/ restaurant strip. Mine is less than 2 blocks away. For busy days, it's the difference between a comfortably integrated pop around the corner to run a few errands and a longer trip that needs a dedicated time slot. I also think walking through blocks and blocks of single-family residences gets dull very quickly, even if some of the homes are kind of pretty.

And lets point out that transit connections up there depend on bus access. Some bus lines are better than others in this town. I don't care for any of the ones with service less frequent than every 10-15 minutes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But it seems like hardly anyone sends their kids to public (at least after elementary) in the more affluent areas of the city anyway. So it seems like bad schools is not really a valid argument.

Shepherd Park is not considered one of "the more affluent areas of the city". Prices range from $500K to $800K on average.

...but Colonial Village is, and that is just over 16th Street.

Anonymous wrote:The insurmountable problem for me is the lack of walkability (to anything other than more residential blocks).

Are you serious? It's 8 blocks from downtown SS.

Anonymous wrote:actually, Shepherd has an odd feeder pattern. Deal for middle, Coolidge for high. Shepherd Elementary is not that good. I'd consider living in Shepherd Park, doing charter for elementary (I know, lucky in lottery), Deal middle, with right to attend Wilson if an application only doesn't work out for your kid.

Shepherd Park is also a neighborhood where there have been complaints of underwater mortgages. Prices still below peak (desirable for buyers I'd think).

That's not right. It's Deal for Middle and then Wilson. If you don't go to Deal, you have to go to Collidge.

Anonymous wrote:The neighborhoods near Lowell are North Portal Estates or Colonial Village (Shephed Park is a bit south), and the houses there are quite a bit more expensive. Full of cave dwellers, black and white. Also, I think the in-bounds school for those neighborhoods is Lafayette.

OP here: I'm pretty sure these areas are west of 16th St - I am talking about east of 16th, between 16th and Georgia.

I think schools and commute explains a lot of the variation in home value. The schools are not awesome and transit isn't fantastic. I'm not sure crime's really all that different than west of the park, especially in those little pockets around Colonial Village. And, bonus, you're close to the Parkway Deli!!! But, like Barnaby Woods, Chevy Chase, etc. it will be a bus to metro commute unless you have parking at work.

cave dweller?