thinking about Silver Spring (Baltimore, Rockville: houses, art, best place)

[WilliamT]

We recently sold our home in Laytonsville and are looking to downsize to a smaller single family home around 2500 sq ft. We are considering the Silver Spring area and was wondering which areas we should avoid.

thanks in advance,
WilliamT

[pkoons]

20901 - Borders Takoma Park and Hyattsville. Mostly older homes. Not the best from a safety standpoint but lots of great ethnic restaurants and convenient.

20902 - Wheaton. Some older neighborhoods are still very safe and well kept but the homes may not be in the best shape. Also very ethnically diverse.

20903 - Hillandale. The worst section of Silver Spring in my opinion. Not much here.

20904 - Mixed bag - you have Fairland and White Oak with a lot of townhomes and apartments, but some of the Colesville areas are decent.

20905 - Here's where you should be. Norbeck Rd area. Lots of nice houses but most are pretty large (ie over 2500 sq ft).

20906 - Glenmont. You get some nice neighborhoods close to Rockville's Manor Country Club but anything off Bel Pre Rd is trouble. Lots of older homes here as well.

20910 - Downtown. Single family homes will be pricey. Some very attractive TH's in the 2500-3000 sq ft range. Downtown Sil. Spring may be the 3rd best place to eat out in Maryland besides Baltimore and Annapolis. Very convenent too. My 2nd choice.