Need suggestions for moving to Md (Columbia, Silver Spring: houses, rental, job)

[slv2fun]

Hi all:

I am new to the area and got a job in DC. My wife and I are looking at places to rent/eventually buy.I think my initial budget is a rental at about 1400/month. I moved over after finishing school and when I saw the prices I said YEOW!

Anyway, we are looking for a place to live that is 1) safe 2) convienient to metro (my wife don't drive so I am the chaffeur ) 3) international 4) reasonably priced rental.

We like Rockville but our wallets do not. Any suggestions? We were considering Gaithersburg or Silver Springs, or Laurel or Columbia. Any parts of these areas to avoid?

[dullnboring]

I live on the Virginia side of the Potomac so I can only be of limited help so far as suggesting specific neighborhoods, so I'll leave the more in-depth responses to the many others in this Maryland forum that are more knowledgable than I am.

I can speak however about Metro access. In order from best-to-worst served by public transportation of those cities you named:

Silver Spring - Has it's own Metro station on the Red Line, and two other stations within a five mile radius (Forest Glen and Takoma), and it's Metro station also offers MARC (Maryland Commuter Rail) service, and extensive Metrobus system; it is also the closest of all those named to DC so commutes into the city are the most bearable of the four choices

Gaithersburg - Roughly five miles (depending on where in the city you live) past the Red Line's Shady Grove terminus. There is however a MARC station in downtown Gaithersburg, as well as in Washington Grove (closer towards Rockville) and Metropolitan Grove (closer towards Germantown) which will take you into DC. Good bus service as well.

Laurel - Nearest Metro station is Greenbelt on the Green Line which is I believe some 10 miles away. MARC station at Laurel and at Laurel Racetrack; Metrobus service

Columbia - Nearest Metro station is at least 15 miles away. Nearest MARC station is in Jessup or Savage, some 5-10 miles away (depending where you live). Decent bus service. Columbia is also the furthest from DC of all the cities.

Columbia is also however generally perceived as the nicest of all of the areas and more inexpensive than areas in Montgomery and parts of PG County. It's probably the cheapest and safest of all of the cities listed. Laurel is pretty nice for the most part but has some rough edges, as does Gaithersburg (again, the specifics on neighborhoods to avoid I'll leave to others). Silver Spring's layout is very urban, moreso than most DC suburbs, high density and gritty in parts while yuppiefied in others. All of the cities are fairly "international" with large immigrant populations, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg in particular.

[WilliamT]

Silver Spring - I think anything outside the 495 inner loop is probably ok. (The farther north the better for less crime but I don't know the area that well. Stay away from Wheaton, (crime ridden) and University Blvd isn't good.) Takoma Park isn't too safe either.

Gaithersburg - Stay away from the following areas (I wish I could just circle all the areas on the map. It would be much easier).

Here are the places I would avoid:
Rt 355 and and surrounding Deer Park road area.
Flower Hill area close to Woodfield Rd isn't too safe either.
Anything on Diamond Ave I would also avoid. (Old Gaithersburg)
Lake Forest Mall - I won't go there at night.
Montgomery Village area is too crowded and not good as well.

I recommend these areas:
Redland Road / Lake Needwood area is good.
Everything east of Route 115 (Muncaster) Further away from Shady Grove, the better.

Laurel - anything east of Route 1 is very bad. Home prices don't move in that area. Its run down (The good parts are Laurel are closer to Route 29/Rt 32).

Columbia - Stay away from Tamar, and anything on Little Patuxent Pkwy. If you can swing Ellicott City, I would recommend that instead. For Ellicott City, the best area is 21043. 21042 isn't as fast growing but houses are very reasonably priced.

[Trishyj]

I lived in Montgomery County for 38 years. I just moved last year. So, here is my answer from my experience.
Silver Spring-no, would not ever consider it.
Gaithersburg-not too bad-still has some decent areas-but going downhill.
Laurel-I would not look there-but I don't know too much about that area.
Columbia-don't know too much about that area either although I have heard that Howard County is fairly nice, but expensive.

Olney is still a pretty nice area. Frederick/Urbana area is up and coming and fairly nice. If I still lived in MD and had to move I would look in Olney-if I could afford it-or toward Urbana/Frederick even though it is getting far out from DC and the traffic to get home through that area is horrible. Sorry, I have no great secret place for you!! I guess MD has it good points, but I sure was happy to leave!

[Matthew Rosov]

ok - enough Laurel Bashing. Laurel is a good area. There are bad sections but far and few between. I would rate Laurel as being a definite B+ in safety. DullnBoring was correct on public transportation. It's not the best though not using it I can't speak from personal experience.

Also, if you are looking to spend $1400/mo in rental then you would be able to afford an $1800/mo mortgage with the various tax incentives. [cut]

[hunterswoods]

In case you hit this thread while investigating transportation options like I did, there is a new Bus between DC and Columbia:

http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/...neForWeb09.pdf

[hunterswoods]

I once asked a policeman about areas to avoid while house shopping. He gave me some practical advice. He said crime level is proportional to population level. If you move in around a lot of people, there is bound to be a lot of crime along with them.

[rewardgal]

Originally Posted by WilliamT

Silver Spring - I think anything outside the 495 inner loop is probably ok. (The farther north the better for less crime but I don't know the area that well. Stay away from Wheaton, (crime ridden) and University Blvd isn't good.) Takoma Park isn't too safe either.

Gaithersburg - Stay away from the following areas (I wish I could just circle all the areas on the map. It would be much easier).

Here are the places I would avoid:
Rt 355 and and surrounding Deer Park road area.
Flower Hill area close to Woodfield Rd isn't too safe either.
Anything on Diamond Ave I would also avoid. (Old Gaithersburg)
Lake Forest Mall - I won't go there at night.
Montgomery Village area is too crowded and not good as well.

I recommend these areas:
Redland Road / Lake Needwood area is good.
Everything east of Route 115 (Muncaster) Further away from Shady Grove, the better.

Laurel - anything east of Route 1 is very bad. Home prices don't move in that area. Its run down (The good parts are Laurel are closer to Route 29/Rt 32).

Columbia - Stay away from Tamar, and anything on Little Patuxent Pkwy. If you can swing Ellicott City, I would recommend that instead. For Ellicott City, the best area is 21043. 21042 isn't as fast growing but houses are very reasonably priced.

I would agree with you on some of the above but there are some nice and expensive homes in Flower Hill as well as less savory areas. The same is very true for Montgomery Village. Gaithersburg as a whole is variable. You can drive three blocks and the neighborhood will change from desirable to more or less desirable. I think what keeps the community from coming apart at the seams so to speak, is the excellent city of Gaithersburg government, events, and relationship with the county government and police.

In addition, the transportation options are excellent in Gaithersburg: the metro is just down Rt. 355, city and county busses run constantly, commuter trains into D.C. and vanpooling.

I have lived in Montgomery County for 35 years and seen enormous changes in growth in the county in many areas. There are only a few, limited streets and neighborhoods I would not buy a home in or near.

A close friend of mine moved to Frederick County, just north of here and his neighborhood is very nice but it takes the police and rescue more than 10 minutes to get to his subdivision which is just a few minutes off of I-270!

I'll take a few "less desirable neighborhoods in my county" to have great schools, great police, fire, rescue and other service within 5 minutes of my house!

[SilverSproong]

Originally Posted by Trishyj

I lived in Montgomery County for 38 years. I just moved last year. So, here is my answer from my experience.
Silver Spring-no, would not ever consider it.

Plz come by downtown Silver Spring/Takoma Park if you have a chance... I'm sure you'll disagree with what the poster above suggested... it's a nice area... lots to do and see and you will definitely find something on the price range you specified...

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/s...er%20spring%22

or if you're not a visual person:
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/s...er%20spring%22

[katzenfreund]

I currently live not too far from Takoma Park and think it is a charming place, lots of old houses with tree lined streets, lots to do, I would move there!