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Old 05-21-2015, 08:29 AM
 
4 posts, read 5,124 times
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Hey all!

My husband and I are pulling our hair out trying to decide on an area of Maryland that meets most, if not all, of our criteria. We currently don't reside in Maryland, and aside from visiting family in Potomac and Silver Spring, we're not too familiar with the areas.

Here's our criteria:
- a home in an area that would likely see appreciation
- good schools (however, our daughter is only 8 months)
- nearby amenities
- a commute that will not be horrendous (we need access to DC and Annapolis)
- AT LEAST 2,000 sq. ft of livable space (between 2,000 and 2,500)
- outdoor space

Here's some background: My husband will work in Annapolis Monday through Friday, while I'll be in DC Monday through Friday. At some point my husband will also need to commute to DC about 2 days a week (not imminent). Many people suggested Crofton to us. We checked out several properties a few weekends ago in Crofton. I loved it! However, after that visit my husband decided he wants to be near more city life (be able to walk to restaurants, shops, etc.).

Here's our concerns and maybe you all could lend some insight:

1. Is there any ideal area for commuting to DC and/or Annapolis?

2. When it comes to resale, which drives interest and ultimately sales- proximity to shops and restaurants or good schools? We've been back and forth on this because we started to consider Silver Spring (downtown and not) because of proximity to a breadth of restaurants and Bethesda/Rockville, however, the schools in Silver Spring are not rated highly.

We're interested in buying a property and the top of our budget is $525,000. We're interested in at least 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. We've considered renting and will strongly consider it the closer to our move time (late August, early September) but wouldn't want to spend more than $2500.

Thoughts? And feel free to be honest and dispel any unrealistic expectations -- just be kind :-)

Last edited by JanJan1538; 05-21-2015 at 08:52 AM.. Reason: correction
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Old 05-21-2015, 08:35 AM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
44,990 posts, read 59,968,393 times
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You would have had Calvert County and parts of Anne Arundel not in Crofton until you hit the "city life" part.

I will say that your husband may find that "city life" is about 4 or 5 rows back as parenthood takes hold.

I do have to ask why 3 people need 3000 sq. ft.
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Old 05-21-2015, 08:51 AM
 
4 posts, read 5,124 times
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Thank you! I believe he's a bit unrealistic in that desire for "city life." We used to live in New York for a short spell and I think he's trying to hold on to that -- except we're not in NY anymore!! lol I get wanting to be near a diverse offering of restaurants and culture but at least we have DC for that. I'm working on him with regard to wanting to be nearer to the city. For me the priority is the commute and home value. If we're going to buy a home, I want it to be a smart investment. And I also want a work-like balance which doesn't mean spending a significant amount of my non-working time commuting.

As for the square footage, we'll likely expand our family and that figure includes the basement. Honestly, between 2,000 and 2,500 (including a basement) is ideal. I just looked at house I favorited in Crofton and it's 2,298 sq. ft.

I'll look into Calvert County. Thanks for the feedback
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Old 05-21-2015, 09:15 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,340 posts, read 26,824,109 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JanJan1538 View Post
2. When it comes to resale, which drives interest and ultimately sales- proximity to shops and restaurants or good schools?
I believe that "good schools" is much more of a driver of resale value. This is particularly true of the DC area which is full of high achievers who want their kids to have the best schools.

At any rate, I think your best location between the two commutes is Crofton.
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Old 05-21-2015, 12:38 PM
 
318 posts, read 757,870 times
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Montgomery County (Silver Spring, Bethesda)
PROS: It has the city life you're looking for. Good Schools.
CONS: Expensive and harder to find a home with a lot of livable/outdoor space

Anne Arundel County (Annapolis, Crofton)
PROS: Annapolis would have the city life, cheaper than Montgomery County and more space.
CONS: Longer of a commute for both of you (I'm also unfamiliar with how the schools are rated)

Calvert County
PROS: Better Schools, less expensive. More livable/outdoor space.
CONS: No city life, longer commute for both.


I personally think Calvert County would be the best option for family life as long as you guys don't mind commuting a bit. Getting that city feel would also only be 30 minutes away or so.
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Old 05-21-2015, 02:17 PM
 
5,102 posts, read 6,022,691 times
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Good schools pretty much trumps all for resale value when you are looking at homes oriented towards families with children. Shopping, restaurants, 'city life' trumps schools for families without children. So you need to figure out which group you will be in :-). Getting both may be possible but probably not in your budget.

Given your stated job needs I would pretty much rule out Montgomery County. You may find something in the southeast corner of MoCo but that is a small area and I believe generally a higher cost area.
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Old 05-21-2015, 08:59 PM
 
Location: Howard County, Maryland
1,539 posts, read 2,291,122 times
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The "city" feel is tough to meet without being in the city. What about Columbia? It is going to be a further commute to Annapolis but it has a tad busier vibe than Crofton. Google it and see what you think about the distance, area, schools, ect. Last year CNN/Money Magazine rated Columbia #6 top place to live; if you're into stats like that you'll find it online. That said, Crofton or Odenton (Piney Orchard area) would be my picks for an easier commute.
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Old 05-21-2015, 10:08 PM
 
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Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

Does anyone have any insight into Bowie? It seems PG county has a lot of issues in general, however, Bowie may be its gem. I also read gov't has proposed raising property taxes to improve schools. Since it is about equidistance from DC and Annapolis, should it be a consideration or would our property not likely see any appreciation? Is there a really desirable part of Bowie (i.e., good home appreciation and good schools)?
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Old 05-21-2015, 10:54 PM
 
4 posts, read 5,124 times
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Ugh! Please disregard the Bowie question. I inadvertently came across a thread on this site about Bowie, sparked by a Washington Post article back in February. It provided a lot of insight into the history of Bowie and its bleak future.
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Old 05-22-2015, 07:33 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,340 posts, read 26,824,109 times
Reputation: 6925
Quote:
Originally Posted by JanJan1538 View Post
2. When it comes to resale, which drives interest and ultimately sales- proximity to shops and restaurants or good schools? We've been back and forth on this because we started to consider Silver Spring (downtown and not) because of proximity to a breadth of restaurants and Bethesda/Rockville, however, the schools in Silver Spring are not rated highly.
Your husband gets some support from Money magazine's recent issue. They reported that homes within a quarter mile of a Starbucks had appreciated by 200% over 16 years. This was a much greater rate of appreciation than average.

However, I still suggest targetting the best school district you can afford unless you are willing to move again in 5 years when your child is old enough for school.

I think the Starbucks measure is a quirk in that Stabucks locates in some "up-and-coming" urban areas like Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Or else they are great at picking locations in growing areas. But, even Crofton has a few Starbucks locations.
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