Relo: Bethesda to Severna Park/Arnold - help! (fit in, houses)

[MoCotoAACo]

This spring we are looking to relocate from Bethesda to the Severna Park/Arnold area. We are leaving Bethesda because my husband can now work primarily from home, so we don't need to be so close to DC anymore, we never really "fit in" here, and because it continues to become more and more congested and the schools are overcrowded.

We have three kids (ages 1, 3, and 5) and are looking for an area with great schools (which I believe covers pretty much all of SP and Arnold), a community feeling (lots of kids playing in the neighborhood), water access (some combination of pool, marina and/or beach), and down-to-earth people.

We've done a bit of driving around, (particularly in Ulmstead Estates and Shore Acres) and get the feeling that the Arnold neighborhoods are a little more spread out, more yard, etc. My concern is whether there is that community or neighborly feeling with being so far apart. (Again, coming from an area where houses are on top of each other.) Please feel free to correct me, and suggest areas that may be a little tighter knit.

In SP, we've seen a lot of great houses and neighborhoods - but we're concerned about what many have mentioned about the "keeping-up-with-the-joneses" mentality, or the uppityness there. We don't want to find ourselves in another Bethesda to be honest. We've been focusing on Berrywood, Oakleigh Forest, Cape Arthur and North Cape Arthur, Chartwell, and Shipley's Choice - mostly because we continually see kids running around all the time.

With all schools being "equal", commute a non-issue, and a budget of up to $650 (but ideally more around $550 or less), where do we go?!?!?!?!

[Yipee]

Curious as to which you decided on.