What do you know about College Park Area close to Greenbelt Metro? (Columbia: real estate)

[1trade]

I’m a 33 year old man who currently works and lives in DC but I'm thinking of buying a house in the area in College Park that's close to the Greenbelt Metro. Can anyone tell me more about the location? Is it walker or driver friendly? Is crime a problem? Are people friendly? How long does it take to metro into the downtown DC area? Where to go shopping for health foods? The DC area I live in is an up and coming location by the Georgia Ave. Petworth and Columbia Heights Metro stations. I’m hoping that my real estate taxes won’t be too high as well.

Your assistance is much appreciated!

[flamfives5]

I went to UMD and have had two sets of friends that lived in the area, called Hollywood. It is pretty safe, definitely a couple sketchy people around but there are nice houses, kids playing in the park, etc. The Metro is close which is cool, and I believe it is relatively inexpensive to live there. The Metro would take you maybe 25 minutes to get downtown. I don't know about shopping for health foods, there is a Shoppers and a Giant pretty close, but you are right there on route 1 and there isn't TOO much within walking distance besides a few shops on Rhode Island. However there is Hollywood Park, a 7/11 etc. around, but it definitely ain't Columbia Heights.

[dkf747]

The areais not that bad, but is not the best place to be. Crime is not that bad in that area from what I remember. There is a walking path to Greenbelt Metro in the area so you wouldn't need to park at the station. There is a My Organic Market store on Rhode Island ave and a vegetarian, or healthy type, of cafe on Berwyn Rd. We used to go the MOM store every week when we lived in College Park. Other health food stores are usually a good drive from College Park. I would think that College Park is much cheaper than living in DC.

[tonyc]

look into College Heights, a lil pricey though.

[NJ2MDdude]

There are two Metro stations: College Park and Greenbelt. The former is located in the Old Town section of College Park, whereas the latter is located just outside the Beltway near the Federal Court House. The houses in Old Town have, over the years, become rental housing for MD students, but those old homes have a lot of character/charm and the neighborhood has an intimate feel to it. About 1 mile further out is the Yarrow section of College Park. It's located off Kenilworth Ave, near the College Park airport. Nice homes, mostly brick. Good neighborhood.

The Greenbelt station is located in the Hollywood section of College Park. My former co-worker lives there. It's mostly a working class neighborhood. I used to ride my bike through this neighborhood all the time, either coming from or going to the USDA farm. Overall, Hollywood's a good neighborhood, but I prefer the housing stock in Old Town and Yarrow. Alternatively, Beltsville in nearby; but you'd have to drive to the Greenbelt station. The homes off Montgomery Ave behind the Chestnut Hill Shopping Center are nice. Plus it's accessible to I-95 without having to drive on the Beltway.

Someone above mentioned College Heights Estates. There's also University Park. Both are conveniently located near the Hyattsville/PG Plaza Metro.

I used to take the Metro from College Park to Union Station. The commute wasn't bad at all. I believe my door-to-door commute was about 1 hour.

[emsgoof]

If you're referring to the Greenbelt metro station, the area is nice. The exception being Springhill Lake. Typical "wannabe inner-city thug" lifestyle, or college kids. The neighborhoods with actual houses are nice and quiet for the most part.

[1trade]

Thanks everyone for their comments!

I really appreciate it. We will continue to look in the area and also may consider other areas inMaryland as well.

Thanks again!

[lj42660]

My sister lived in College Park and had her car stolen out of her parking lot. The University of Maryland is in that town so it tends to be saturated with rowdy college students.

[AeroGuyDC]

College Park is saturated with college students, yes....but I have yet to see the "rowdy" that the previous poster's have mentioned. I live two miles from UMD and all I ever see down there are students walking to class...jogging...biking..or driving. It sounds to me like there is a grand assumption that a town associated with a university is overrun with "rowdy" kids. Unless i'm missing something, I just haven't seen it.

I live in what is technically Riverdale, MD, adjacent to College Park. I am happy with my locale, and especially like the proximity to the Metro station.

[cpterp]

I've been commuting to UMD for nearly four years now, and frequently use the College Park and Greenbelt Metro/MARC stations. Both areas around the Metro stations are relatively safe, but COllege Park gets its fair share of crime due to its proximity to Langley Park, and some sketchy areas of Hyattsville. Carefree college students tend to make easy prey. Greenbelt is probably the nicer (and quieter) area to live in and is very accessible to multiple modes of transportation, including the Beltway, I-95, MARC commuter train, and the Metro Green Line. There are supposed to be building this huge development right across from the Metro station, but that project seems to have been halted.

The College Park station (also a MARC station, but with less service) is kind of by itself across from the College Park Airport and FDA Headquarters, so its not really pedestrian accessible unless you live directly behind it. There are also some new corporate parks and the UMD research centers down River Rd as well. And yes UMD students can be very rowdy, especially when we win big games, and when Obama was elected president. There's no shortage of cheap watering holes along route 1...