Single mom moving to MD-HELP PLEASE!!!!! (Baltimore, Silver Spring: apartments, for rent, condos)

[ZLS]

Hello all,

I am a single mother who will be starting a job in DC. I have a soon to be three year old. I will need to rent an apartment for a while, so I am looking for a great place to rent. I really want to live in MD, but have been told that Va would be good. I drive but refuse to drive into DC so am looking on a metro line. I am completely lost as to where to live. Was looking in Potomac or Bethesda but don't see apartments in Potomac and the apartments in bethesda are not near the highly ranked schools. (Potomac and Bethesda have the highest ranked test scores for elementary, junior and high school for the last 4 years. I've already checked.) Any advice, suggestions on best place to rent with great commute and great school district. Will consider an apartment or townhouse and even a house.

Thanks a million.

[emsgoof]

Depends on what you're willing to spend. Metro allows you to live in $1.5M townhouses, or $500K single family homes, or anything in between.
How long are you staying in the area? If you'll be leaving (or moving again) before your child is old enough to go to school, have you considered living in DC to try the area out and get a better idea of what you're looking for?

[ZLS]

I am not looking to buy a home. I am looking to RENT. I am taking a job with the government as I will be working for the US Attorney Genera's office. I have no intention on moving until I can afford to buy a house. I know I don't want to live in Baltimore and I don't know how it is in DC. From what I have read DC with a kid is not the place to be!

[dmarie7464]

Originally Posted by ZLS

Hello all,

I am a single mother who will be starting a job in DC. I have a soon to be three year old. I will need to rent an apartment for a while, so I am looking for a great place to rent. I really want to live in MD, but have been told that Va would be good. I drive but refuse to drive into DC so am looking on a metro line. I am completely lost as to where to live. Was looking in Potomac or Bethesda but don't see apartments in Potomac and the apartments in bethesda are not near the highly ranked schools. (Potomac and Bethesda have the highest ranked test scores for elementary, junior and high school for the last 4 years. I've already checked.) Any advice, suggestions on best place to rent with great commute and great school district. Will consider an apartment or townhouse and even a house.

Thanks a million.

Hi..I'm a single mom, too, and I moved back here after living in Chicago for 7 years. The schools here are fabulous. My condo is across the street from the Bethesda RedLine. There are plenty of condos, etc., for rent, but Bethesda is not so cheap! Whats your price range? Maybe I can make a suggestion--

[Zippy7fo]

Originally Posted by dmarie7464

Hi..I'm a single mom, too, and I moved back here after living in Chicago for 7 years. The schools here are fabulous. My condo is across the street from the Bethesda RedLine. There are plenty of condos, etc., for rent, but Bethesda is not so cheap! Whats your price range? Maybe I can make a suggestion--

Did you like Chicago???

[Lady Scarlet]

Even the lowest ranked schools in Montgomery County are better than most across the country.

Rockville, (Yale Village, or a condo (for rent) in College Gardens) Rockville Town Center (the Victoria or the new apts there) zipcodes: 20852, 20850, 20878, 20855 - location with access to metro.

[cutgarden]

ZLS, a buddy of mine used to live in Crystal City, on the edge of DC I guess. anyway, his apt. had a Safeway underneath the building, and it was 3 blocks to a metro. Have no idea what he paid, I'm guessing big bucks. Worth mentioning... I guess. lol

[ebo202]

ZLS, don't discount MD just yet! Schools are better and a LITTLE less congested than NOVA. Actually, I know quite a few places that might be perfect for ya. Write back, lemme know.

[ebo202]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention... I'd HIGHLY recommend Silver Spring area as well. I grew up in that area and the schools are still great. In addition, condos and townho.... Wait a sec! My sister has a townhouse up for rent in Rockville... walking distance to Red-Line Metro. I think about $2,400 for th whole place. AWESOME neighboorhood, next to the Montgomery County Courthouse.

[PenguinSix]

Calvert County schools are a close second to Montgomery county, but it is a much more rural setting and a bit more of a commute. You would probably have to drive to a metro, park, and then go to work (or take a commuter bus).

But...the prices are considerably cheaper. (Calvert has a nuclear power plant and LNG terminal on the southern side of the county that pay a considerable amount in property taxes, much of which was funneled toward making the schools top notch). Still, I'm not sure if the commute would work out for you, and there isn't much of a nightlife out there.

Search for towns like Dunkirk and Owings and Huntingtown. Elementary schools of Mount Harmony and Plum Point are very highly rated. A couple of the public high schools are in the Newsweek top 300 nationwide.