Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can drive during off-peak times, but there is still congestion then, sometimes. I will look at Germantown and Springfield. Thanks.



Round Hill/Purcellville (VA)
Odenton/Glen Burnie/Lithintcum (MD)
Stafford (VA)
La Plata (MD)



There is NO WAY you can be in downtown DC in 45 minutes from here. Maybe with a helicopter.

From Purcellville, you can definitely be in Sterling in 45 minutes. On a good day, maybe Tyson's. Maybe.
But yeah, the helicopter would be a good idea for DC.

If schools aren't a consideration, there are some quiet neighborhoods in NE DC and close-in PG County (Hyattsville area).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can drive during off-peak times, but there is still congestion then, sometimes. I will look at Germantown and Springfield. Thanks.

Round Hill/Purcellville (VA)
Odenton/Glen Burnie/Lithintcum (MD)
Stafford (VA)
La Plata (MD)

Odenton and take MARC

I had a coworker who took MARC from Odenton to downtown, and the total commute was usually about an hour, and MARC was delayed all the time.

South Four Corners in Silver Spring
Greenbelt
Hyattsville
Cheverly
There are some nice areas in Glenn Dale and Lanham.

Kensington is a 45 min commute during rush hour, but I wouldn't consider it affordable.

Germantown is not a 45 min commute. It's affordable, and there are pockets of decent neighborhoods.

Parts of Silver Spring will be relatively affordable (near glenmont, aspen hill, white oak, colesville), and close to a one hour commute. Some nice areas, and some less nice.

Olney is nice and safe, but it's more like a one hour+ commute (sometimes closer to 90 mins during rush hour).

Glen Burnie and Chesaoeake Beach are further out.

Anonymous wrote:Driving to downtown DC in 45 minutes during early rush hour...that's a stretch even from Wheaton, not those further out places being mentioned.

OP, don't kid yourself about the commute sacrifice you might have to make...what is your budget?

+1

Seriously, some of these PPs are living in fantasy land. You always have to expect that there is going to be some kind of delay in DC, even if it's just volume. It can happen at 7am. Roads get closed, motorcades appear, accidents, construction, etc. It look us 55 minutes to get downtown from Bethesda just inside the Beltway on Sunday afternoon--without any unusual incidents. Also, IMO, traffic on 66 in NoVa has been getting exponentially worse over the years. The person who said maybe on a helicopter from Purcelville was right. On a weekend, assume it'll take you 45 minutes to get from Falls Church to Metro Center.

Also, you have to think about the time you add to park in downtown, walk to your office, etc. (Many parking garages are not in the same building as one's office.)

Please consider renting first, then buying. You can see for yourself how awful traffic is getting.

There is a development of Co-ops in Burke right next to the VRE that are insanely cheap (though they don't sell well and must be owner-occupied).

I would pick Hyattsville or Cheverly. I like both towns a lot.

Springfield, Burke (VRE train to DC), area around Huntington metro.

Driving to downtown DC in 45 minutes during early rush hour...that's a stretch even from Wheaton, not those further out places being mentioned.

OP, don't kid yourself about the commute sacrifice you might have to make...what is your budget?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can drive during off-peak times, but there is still congestion then, sometimes. I will look at Germantown and Springfield. Thanks.

Round Hill/Purcellville (VA)
Odenton/Glen Burnie/Lithintcum (MD)
Stafford (VA)
La Plata (MD)

There is NO WAY you can be in downtown DC in 45 minutes from here. Maybe with a helicopter.

Cheverly, Md. Much closer than that, and safe (albeit surrounded by not-so-safe locales).

How cheap is cheap? Will you have kids living with you? If I had to do a major downsize I'd stay in the city limits and rent a cheap apartment and go car-free.

Bowie, MD

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you can make it from Glen Burnie to downtown in 45 min even under good circumstances. I'd shutter to think what that commute would be like on a Friday afternoon in the rain. Maybe look at Germantown, MD, or Springfield, VA

You can't do Glen Burnie to DC in 45 minutes, even under good circumstances.

Germantown isn't inexpensive.

PG county is probably the best option. How about Greenbelt? Or College Park?