How is Crofton? (Baltimore, Bowie, Annapolis: real estate, house, rent)

[JoeS]

We currently live in Edgewater and I love the location except the amount of Rednecks. We definately want to stay in AA county, but are exploring other options. Davidsonville is our first choice, but out of our price range of 650K. Where should we look next...Crofton? Our main goal is to stay in a commutable distance to D.C. and have good schools. Severna Park to far, Edgewater to redneck, PG county not our cup of tea, Arnold to far. Any comments?

[marylandur]

Edgewater too redneck? We had some friends who lived out there and it was very scenic with lots of woods and water. You could buy a boat and dock it right in your neighborhood or within a mile at the most. I think the people were good people to have as neighbors. But, I guess this is individual taste.
My only negative was the barking dogs everywhere! That would drive me nuts. When I was growning up in Maryland, I remember barking dogs EVERYWHERE.

The whole D.C. area is kind of redneck in places. This IS south of the Mason Dixon line! They are building very expensive McMansions in Edgewater and eventually, newcomers will be displaced there. Anywhere near the bay is a good investment. Look what happened to North Beach and Chesapeake Bay. Real Estate is going sky high there. Crofton put me to sleep,
driving through it. Very nice, but not much to do. If you want a quite place, Crofton is very nice. If you can afford such an expensive house, why do you want to live so far from civilization? Where do you work?

[JoeS]

Thank you Marylandur. You raise some good points. I especially liked the barking dogs..so true. Yes Edgewater is very scenic and there are some mansions. My only displeasure is the inconsistency, mansion then a shack. In reference to red neck, I don't want to sound like a snob, but I did awake this morning to the noise of a shot gun which was duck hunting on the bay. I work in D.C. at the Smithsonian on the mall.

[kosmo65]

I lived in Crofton for five years, and liked it there. It's not a booming town, but it's a great community for families - good schools, good recreational activities for the kids, close to DC, Baltimore, and Annapolis. My daughter loved growing up there!

I commuted to DC for part of the time while we were living there - if I hit the road at the right time, my commute took 25 minutes (to 3rd &C NW). Bad days weren't too horrid - under an hour door to door. I didn't always drive - the MARC train from the Bowie station into Union Station was a good alternative. Metro from New Carrollton was do-able, but not the best, as the parking lots there are a nightmare.

I'd live in Crofton again if we were going to head back east.

Millersville is also nice.

[gumby111]

I've been reading this forum for some time, saw this thread and since I live in Crofton, thought I'd give my 2 cents.

Crofton is simply a nice, suburban area. It's growing steadily but not drasitically so. It was orignally only the "triangle" bordered by routes 3, 424 & 450 but has expanded beyond that, especially to the east and north. The three major roads (mostly Rte. 3) can get crowded during rush times, with a lot of the traffic being pass-through. One of Crofton's best attributes is its proximity to all of DC, Baltimore and Annapolis. (This weekend, I took my son to the zoo in DC on Saturday and to the Baltimore Inner Harbor on Sunday.)

The area is generally safe and quiet, with the biggest problem probably being reckless teenage drivers. Inside the "triangle" there are constant walkers and runners on the sidewalks. It's very much a family area. Everything you need on a daily basis is right here. There is perhaps a slight lack of good restaurants--for a "night on the town" I think most head to Annapolis or one of the big cities. If you're used to Edgewater, the activity level will be fine for you.

Never heard of any "dog barking" problems.

I work downtown DC and usually commute by driving to New Carrollton metro. The new parking structure has eased parking problems for the time being. Usually takes me just over an hour. Non rush time is about 30 minutes. It's an easier commute than Edgewater.

At the moment, house prices are leveling-off after years of outrageous increases, like most of the DC-Balt. area.

[JoeS]

gumby 11 thank you for taking the time to provide your iput. I appreciate your comments.

[MD99]

nothing against Crofton, but I think it's worth the extra commute to get to Severna Park

[Kensington]

I lived in Crofton for a year, and I think it's a nice suburban community. With Annapolis, Baltimore, and DC so close there were many dining options. It doesn't have tons of dining options within 5 minutes, but, I thought it was adequate. Though the homes are older, I really liked the community feel of being "inside the triangle". If you are commuting into DC, I think it's your best bet for AA county.