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Anonymous wrote:once i milk dc for free preK I'm going to buy one of the houses up in this Pleasantville ass development

hopefully prices in half a dozen years don't make me regret not buying more

In six years, everyone who bought into this development will be terribly underwater. Only in this manic market would people buy SFHs at $2.2 million or more, with an insane HOA fee on top, in the middle of nothing with a terrible commute to the jobs that they'll have to go in everyday to.

What are they HOA fees? It is kind of nice that they have a pool on site. I wonder if the pool will solely be recreational or will have some of the benefits that a pool club might have- summer swim team, etc. I noticed in this area it is common to join a pool club but will this pool replace that need?

Someone on this board reported $400/month. Just remember that is the teaser amount that the builder is using to lure people in.

For any HOA/Condo, in the documents, the developer has to show a budget estimate, usually 10 years as to why the HOA fees are being estimated that way.

HOA's don't have the same expenses as a condo (elevators, roofs, concierge, janitorial staffs etc) so the fees will usually be much lower unless the HOA is including landscaping of each house or their is a gate with a security person. The operating expenses for the HOA are landscaping for common areas, trash, snow removal, clubhouse maintenance, reserves and possibly a site manager/management company to process payments and provide resale packages. You also need an accountant to do an audit yearly and a reserve study every 5 years. The budget will tell you what expenses are needed for the Association. As with any purchase read your documents so you know what you are getting into.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the HOA fees?- Still being finalized, but estimated at $350/$400 per month

What are property taxes?

whatever Montgomery County would charge. On a $1.8 million dollar house, the taxes are probably close to $18,000.

Three brand new construction homes hit around the area (Lone oak etc) for under 1.7-1.8 with backyards. I’m sure people may look there first before batting an eye with Toll. They are lower prices just a tad but truly nothing to make families want to jump, wonder if they will let people by pass their “pre approval with TBI mortgage” and let people show up with their own pre approvals. Toll: “It’s protection for us”

I live in the area and though it is not as charming as walkable downtown Bethesda, it is close to a lot of restaurants, shops etc. but NONE of them are walkable by any means (and if you tried you’d be risking your life — lotsa pedestrian deaths bc the traffic is crazy). Traffic will only get worse with development planned in the dying office park by WJ but there is a planned community center (a definite positive). Fernwood is an absolute mess now and it will only get worse — that was the main reason there was pushback from the neighborhood. Also WJ will get relief soon, but the assigned elementary (ashburton) is the largest and most overcrowded in MCPS and although there is a plot set aside in Amalyn for a new elementary, I would not assume that will happen. It absolutely affects the education the kids get and I would not pay over a million dollars for that, let alone two million.

Anonymous wrote:What are the HOA fees?- Still being finalized, but estimated at $350/$400 per month

What are property taxes?

What are the HOA fees?- Still being finalized, but estimated at $350/$400 per month

As someone who grew up near train tracks between stations I hate the location boxed in by highway.

Makes it difficult in and out when one side a big road like beltway boxes you in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why on earth would someone buy these houses in the middle of nowhere (correction: nowhere but with a giant loud highway running by it) instead of something like Suffrage Point in hyattsville for $800k less?

Why on earth would someone buy in Hyattsville when they can afford a $2m house in Bethesda?

"in Bethesda" 🤣

Yeah, it's a big laughable to compare Bethesda and Hyattsville. But the PP above is correct that there are new (or almost new) builds in Bethesda that are cheaper than these houses and don't have highways in their backyards.

Anonymous wrote:why on earth would someone buy these houses in the middle of nowhere (correction: nowhere but with a giant loud highway running by it) instead of something like Suffrage Point in hyattsville for $800k less?

Why on earth would someone buy in Hyattsville when they can afford a $2m house in Bethesda?

Is this community even selling it seems that they have availability a plenty? Also it seems when driving around over there many other houses are finishing up new construction and from the looks of the MLS they are "coming soon." plus they are priced a little better than TB (in my opinion)

why on earth would someone buy these houses in the middle of nowhere (correction: nowhere but with a giant loud highway running by it) instead of something like Suffrage Point in hyattsville for $800k less?

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Anonymous wrote:At 1.8 you can get a 7,000 square foot house in Potomac in two acres.

That may be Bethesda but not walking distance to anything so kinds like Potomac.

If waking distance to metro or stores be worth it. It is not

It's true that this is not far from Potomac. But for closer in Potomac, you're not going to find two acres. You have to go out pretty far in Potomac (probably close to Gaithersburg or Poolesville), and in that case, the commute would be terrible. Your point that these houses are overpriced in valid, but not sure a comparison to far-out Potomac really works.

This is right. Close in Potomac prices have really shot up recently too.

This one, close in sold $1,750,000 million in Potomac on Two Acres very close to Bethesda border

Only in DC 1987 is an old house

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Rockville/8805-Mayberry-Ct-20854/home/10916775

It was built in 1987 and needs at least $200,000 in updates. The kitchen and bathrooms are really dated.

Looks well maintained. Kids these days, so spoiled.

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Anonymous wrote:We have recently started thinking about looking at Amalyn townhouses for purchase since we can't find anything in our price range that isn't outdated or weird layout, etc. Anyone else here looking at Amalyn? Thoughts on the location, builders, etc? I never saw myself living in a community like that but getting really frustrated with the market.

What is your price range? That area is practically Rockville, so I’d presonally expand my search there rather than spend this much for a townhome.

What???
Are you crazy??
That is across from WJ high school and definitely NOT practically Rockville.

I live in Rockville, and you'd never mistake it for being almost Rockville. 🙄

Just to be clear, these houses are not "across" from WJ. They are about a mile away from WJ, next to 270.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Toll Bros. is among the higher end production (versus custom) builders. Their quality is good, and they offer extensive (and expensive) structural and other options which align with contemporary tastes.

lol - this has to have been written by a TB/Amalyn sales rep. Toll Brothers is known for their shoddy construction

Agree with 23:12, would never buy from TB