Washington County in the 2020's (Frederick: transplants, sale, real estate)

[Dequindre]

Back in 2006, I moved to Franklin County, PA after being priced out of Washington and Frederick Counties in Maryland. Back in those days, homes were pre-sold before hitting the market, office buildings and shopping centers were going up left and right, and it seemed like endless growth was on the horizon. If you check out residential real estate listings today, their sale history shows that some homes (particularly the mid-2000s McMansions) were selling for over $100,000 more than they are today (imagine that, even before inflation!). The whole atmosphere was fast-paced.

The Recession of 2009 put a quick stop to much of that. Home prices in Maryland and Virginia closer to DC dropped to more reasonable prices, and people were no longer priced out into Washington County. Much of the fast-paced growth has resumed in Frederick County, but Washington County is growing at a fairly slow pace: slower than surrounding counties like Frederick (MD), Berkeley (WV), Jefferson (WV), Franklin (PA), and Frederick (VA).

What seems to be the disconnect with Washington County, and how can that be remedied in the 2020's?

At some point, home prices in Frederick County will reach the point where people are priced out into surrounding counties, so Washington County can be a beneficiary of that. In the meantime, Washington County's elected officials should do everything in their power to make it an attractive place for growth, just as it was pre-Recession.

[MidValleyDad]

Many Washington County people see no reason to encourage 'damn Liberals' to move into the county. So they see no reason to make it 'attractive' for people to migrate from the DC metro area or even from Frederick

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

Many Washington County people see no reason to encourage 'damn Liberals' to move into the county. So they see no reason to make it 'attractive' for people to migrate from the DC metro area or even from Frederick

The county only has to look east to see how transplants have, and will continue to, change the character of Frederick County. I suspect Washington County is looking for a more Carroll County model for growth where the overall cultural and political sentiment of the county remains even as it grows in population.