Montgomery County (Bethesda, Colesville: place to live, place, venue)

[tulip34]

We moved from Chicago , and in 4 months we changed 4 different hotel in ellicott city , silver spring , Laurel , Bethesda , now in kentlands . Ellicott city is very quiet ,we found Bethesda a very nice place with good school , for grocery and shopping and trips to Costco either you have to go Rockville Pike or to Gaithersburg .In kentlands its good school , nice people around , close to shopping and grocery .

From the affordability point of view , potomac and chevy chase are beyond reach , looking something in Bethesda for good schools , but its all in high rise or old buildings
coming from midwest and enjoying new and updated houses at less price really spoils
alot , its hard to live in older highrise with price.

[paposo]

Originally Posted by LovinCO

I lived in Mont Co for 40 years and raised two children. Here are your best areas and schools....Bethesda, Potomac and Chevy Chase.....period. BUT, to find a single family home in any of those areas for 450k-550k....gonna be tough- I was raised in Potomac and went thru the public school system and when I got married and had kids, we move to Gaithersburg to a GREAT neighborhood with a fantastic Elem. school (prices were lower). Im being specific b/c I know what it is like to move to a new area and know nothing....(we move to CO 1 1/2 yrs ago) - OK, look at Washintonian Woods neighborhood - may be able to get one of the smaller houses in your price range - and Fields Road Elem. school - parents are very involved, teachers were terrific! Neighborhood is tons of kids, really friendly people, close community - any specific questions, just ask!! Good Luck

BTW - all the people I went to school with in Potomac.....we all lived in G'burg

I recommend this post.
Silver Spring, Chevy Chase are too close to D.C. and have high crime rates. Potomac is THE most affluent part of the county. Gaithersburg/Germantown can be nice. I would also recommend Olney. Very peaceful - nice area.

[cpterp]

Originally Posted by paposo

I recommend this post.
Silver Spring, Chevy Chase are too close to D.C. and have high crime rates. Potomac is THE most affluent part of the county. Gaithersburg/Germantown can be nice. I would also recommend Olney. Very peaceful - nice area.

I strongly agree, except the part about Silver Spring and Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase probably has one of the lowest crime rates in the area. Just because it's close to DC does not automatically mean that crime rates are high. There are many nice communities in DC, Chevy Chase (DC and MD) probably being the nicest and most exclusive next to Georgetown. Chevy Chase actually borders Potomac and Bethesda. Now Silver Spring may have a little more crime, but more becuase of it's own size and urban landscape that's it's location on the DC border (although I will admit that may play a role).

[cpterp]

Originally Posted by tulip34

...its hard to live in older highrise with price.

It's a good thing you didn't move to Manhattan.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by paposo

I recommend this post.
Silver Spring, Chevy Chase are too close to D.C. and have high crime rates. Potomac is THE most affluent part of the county. Gaithersburg/Germantown can be nice. I would also recommend Olney. Very peaceful - nice area.

Chevy Chase has high crime rates??

What bizarro world do you live in?

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by cpterp

I strongly agree, except the part about Silver Spring and Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase probably has one of the lowest crime rates in the area. Just because it's close to DC does not automatically mean that crime rates are high. There are many nice communities in DC, Chevy Chase (DC and MD) probably being the nicest and most exclusive next to Georgetown. Chevy Chase actually borders Potomac and Bethesda. Now Silver Spring may have a little more crime, but more becuase of it's own size and urban landscape that's it's location on the DC border (although I will admit that may play a role).

I think that one thing a lot of people leave out when talking about MO county is the rule of proximity... There are a lot of good areas in MO county but a lot of those good areas are in very close proximity to the ghetto... I spent time growing up in Silver Spring and in Olney... The area where I lived in Silver Spring was ghetto, I don't really know how else to put it... Now Olney looks like the ultimate suburb with kids playing in big yards, houses with pools, lots of bike paths, people walking their dogs, etc... But often I still ran into issues with crime... Our house was broken into, cars were vandalized, my power wheels was stolen (who steals a kids toy?)... When I got into my teens I started to see a lot of drugs and petty crime... Now none of those people probably lived in Olney but the crime was right down the street in Aspen Hill, and wheaton...

This also applies to other places in Mo county like Rockville, Gaithursburg, and Germantown...

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by tercel95

Now Olney looks like the ultimate suburb with kids playing in big yards, houses with pools, lots of bike paths, people walking their dogs, etc... But often I still ran into issues with crime... Our house was broken into, cars were vandalized, my power wheels was stolen (who steals a kids toy?)... When I got into my teens I started to see a lot of drugs and petty crime... Now none of those people probably lived in Olney but the crime was right down the street in Aspen Hill, and wheaton...

This also applies to other places in Mo county like Rockville, Gaithursburg, and Germantown...

You're right about Olney. I lived there for nine years before moving to the Chevy Chase - Bethesda area. There is a lot of property crime up there, not to mention Gaithersburg & Germantown. (I lived in Montgomery Village before Olney.) And in Gaithersburg & Germantown it is not just property crimes.

That's why I got such a kick from a previous poster recommending those areas as nice & quiet, but saying to stay away from Chevy Chase because it has "high crime rates." What a joke!

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

You're right about Olney. I lived there for nine years before moving to the Chevy Chase - Bethesda area. There is a lot of property crime up there, not to mention Gaithersburg & Germantown. (I lived in Montgomery Village before Olney.) And in Gaithersburg & Germantown it is not just property crimes.

That's why I got such a kick from a previous poster recommending those areas as nice & quiet, but saying to stay away from Chevy Chase because it has "high crime rates." What a joke!

Yeah Chevy Chase, Bethesda, and Potomac are pretty isolated from the crime... After spending 14 years in MO county I can't really say I would recommend it to anyone though... I really enjoyed living in Southern MD, you can have a halfway decent commute to DC and live in a nice semi-rural area far away from the crime...

[D'arcy]

Originally Posted by tercel95

... Now none of those people probably lived in Olney but the crime was right down the street in Aspen Hill, and wheaton...

This also applies to other places in Mo county like Rockville, Gaithursburg, and Germantown...

You're right. I used to live in Silver Spring many years ago. I moved to Southern Maryland and moved back to Silver Spring again.

I think this area is not a good place as it was before, crime rate, crazy life, etc.

Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac are nicer but houses over there are hard to afford.

Can anyone suggest other areas? We're looking for a new house.

Thanks

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by D'arcy

You're right. I used to live in Silver Spring many years ago. I moved to Southern Maryland and moved back to Silver Spring again.

I think this area is not a good place as it was before, crime rate, crazy life, etc.

Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac are nicer but houses over there are hard to afford.

Can anyone suggest other areas? We're looking for a new house.

Thanks

Move back to Southern MD, or to Jacksonville, FL like I did... Imagine everything you liked about SOMD but almost half-price...