PG or Charles?

[MasonDixonDweller]

We're AA, have 2 kids and the dog and love a quiet, suburban setting. It might be true that a large % of young folks want to live in urban areas with public transportation but it's still not everyone. You're always going to have a % of the population that loves space, both inside and outside their home.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Also I think in general the hype about young people and cities is just that, hype. They'll get married, have kids and will want space or decent schools. You don't stay young forever.

I disagree. I don't think it's hype. Recall that the migration from the city to the suburbs spanned two generations. Nobody called that migration hype. That was a real societal shift in preference that lasted half a century.

Cities were always the center of life and living for thousands of years and the only persons who lived outside of the city generally were farmers. The modern day suburbs were created for the affluent to escape living near the slums and crime in the city.

Now that cities are being reborn and have become a place where the affluent can live with relatively low crime, the suburbs are becoming less attractive. Especially if commutes are getting longer and longer for those that live in the suburbs. Even those with families are returning back to the cities. The suburbs are still nice for some, but there is a realization that a city offers so much more in terms of quality of life (walk-ability and activities) and amenities.

I agree that there will always be those who prefer the suburbs. But as many recent studies have shown, inner cities are being transformed and are growing at a fast pace. If it were hype, the growth of DC would has stagnated a long time ago. But it still marches on for young singles and families alike. I think the popularity of urban living will last indefinitely. City planning has gotten smarter.

Personally I think suburban living was an experiment that was partly successful. And people are realizing that there was something special about urban living all along. Of course now slums are almost non-existent unlike in the early 20th century. And public housing projects are disappearing. New affordable housing is being found in the outer suburbs in relatively nicer garden apartment complexes where housing is cheaper.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

.......................... And public housing projects are disappearing. New affordable housing is being found in the outer suburbs in relatively nicer garden apartment complexes where housing is cheaper.

Which will become slums within about a generation.

Exhibit 1A:

Prince George's County. It was tried in the 1970's and 80's there.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Which will become slums within about a generation.

Exhibit 1A:

Prince George's County. It was tried in the 1970's and 80's there.

Exactly, at some point people are going to have to realize buildings don't make a ghetto per se. It's the people and the type of community they form.

[Baghead]

It could be multi generational. The fact that younger people are doing the unthinkable by shying away from car culture supports that. However my impression is that young people are remaking DC in particular because they are clamoring for jobs jobs jobs and the government grew exponentially in response to the last crisis. I think there's a ceiling to that. One thing is clear: markets around the country are slowing again, even in places like Chicago, while DC region keeps trucking. Owning property in this region, whether it is in the near-burbs or the city is a good bet for now.

[armory]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

Or an economic bust. The trend has been toward developing around transit nodes closer to central cities. Upper Marlboro and Westphalia are outer Beltway sprawl. Look at where millennials and new families are locating. They want shorter commutes, diversity, and convenience to Downtown DC without the cost. They aren't too concerned about getting the 4 bedroom 4000sqft home with the bonus room as the previous generations were. And a significant number of them prefer not to have to rely on a car. Especially if they want to live where their peers are - inside the Beltway. Upper Marlboro is just not a happening place for millennials.

Also watch as the baby boom generation, who can no longer maintain their exurban 3 story homes, look for condos/apartments closer to mass transit, cities with arts and entertainment, and medical facilities. This generation will not be able to drive soon, which would force them to rely more on public transit. They will no longer be able to navigate a 3-4 story SFH as they get older. And as their homes get older, they won't be able to maintain them as far as repairs, lawn care, etc. Those costs will increase as they will have to pay someone to do it for them.

You may see a wave of old home sales in these areas in the next decade driving down home prices further allowing lower income individuals who can't afford to live closer to DC to move in. Yet, developers keep building these massive homes out in those areas thinking that there is still a demand for them. It's unsustainable.

It will be interesting to watch what happens. If I'm a speculator, I wouldn't be looking at anything outside the Beltway. PG has enough infill space for developers inside the Beltway for years and even decades to come.

Explain the development in Calvert, StMary's and Charles county. How about all of the SFHs built lately in SOPGC?

What is going to be built inside the beltway to rival that in southern MD? Are they going to build an urban version of St Charles there?

[NewToPG]

Originally Posted by armory

Explain the development in Calvert, StMary's and Charles county. How about all of the SFHs built lately in SOPGC?

What is going to be built inside the beltway to rival that in southern MD? Are they going to build an urban version of St Charles there?

Exactly. An enormous number of SFH in SOPGC now... really nice places.

[MasonDixonDweller]

Where did you end up moving to?