Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Maryland > Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland
 [Register]
Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland Calvert County, Charles County, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-13-2015, 10:37 AM
 
9 posts, read 19,132 times
Reputation: 20

Advertisements

Long time lurker. I'm planning to move to the DC Metro area -- actually planning a trip to explore several options -- Columbia/Ellicott City (would take MARC train to Union Station and walk to work), North Beach, MD (take commuter bus and walk a bit further), Gaithersburg, or Nova -- looking at several homes spread out over Manassas, Woodbridge, Fairfax County, but hard to find anything decent in our price range. Already working with realtors in each state. Already pre-approved and don't want to spend more than $400,000. Ready to choose a community and make the move.

BACKGROUND: I have a 15-year-old daughter on an IEP for hearing impairment. She needs a good, caring, not overly-crowded school where teachers and administration value ALL students, not just high-performers.

Need a garage for my husband's project car and Harley Davidson bike, fenced yard for dogs. Hence, we are looking at tremendous commutes. Townhomes OK. No HOA would be wonderful, though. Would welcome feedback with suggestions, experience with specific neighborhoods.

We are staying in North Beach on our next trip to explore the area, and trying the commute on the bus to test.

QUESTIONS: Is the bus extremely crowded or full, for those who may use this travel route to DC? Is there one time period that is less crowded for seating? Am I going to be OK buying tickets with correct change on the day of travel, or is there a way to advance purchase?

How is traffic? Lots of stop-and-go, or fairly steady progress on Route 4? How many times does the bus stop on the way to DC? Is there a direct option?

Specifically looking for advice on living and working in DC from North Beach in this post, but would welcome all input given the communities listed above. Thanks in advance -- these forums have already provided a wealth of information.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-13-2015, 10:52 AM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
44,878 posts, read 59,858,372 times
Reputation: 60419
As to the bus run I have no clue. There are 10 or 12 (maybe more) making runs M-F to DC (there is also one supposed to stop at the Census Bureau in Suitland soon, I don't know whether that one has started yet). Most are fairly full.

Houses with garages are somewhat difficult to find in either Beach, you have to remember that much of the housing stock started life as summer cottages.

In North Beach there are two HOA townhouse developments (Burnt Oaks and San Francisco By The Bay), both have some garage units. I would not encourage you to move to either one.

Outside the immediate North Beach town limits there are a few houses with garages, no HOAs unless you're in a named sub-division (names like Chesapeake Lighthouse, although those are townhouses, or Deer Crossing Landing).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 11:16 AM
 
9 posts, read 19,132 times
Reputation: 20
The house we are looking at is right in town, no garage, but it has everything else we want and off-street parking. Close enough.

Love being away from it all in North Beach. Not so interested in heavy-duty night-life, just need a local grocery and gas station with diesel for the TDI.

Thank you for the information on the two townhouse developments. Duly noted. They are not on our radar. SFH are affordable in North Beach and that's likely the way we would choose to go.

Any chance you could tell me the streets that mark the town limits? I'd like to be able to walk to catch the bus, but it wouldn't be awful to drive in and park, I suppose, and might be worth it if lower taxes?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 11:21 AM
 
2,172 posts, read 2,652,311 times
Reputation: 2581
Quote:
Originally Posted by pumpkintrina View Post
Long time lurker. I'm planning to move to the DC Metro area -- actually planning a trip to explore several options -- Columbia/Ellicott City (would take MARC train to Union Station and walk to work), North Beach, MD (take commuter bus and walk a bit further), Gaithersburg, or Nova -- looking at several homes spread out over Manassas, Woodbridge, Fairfax County, but hard to find anything decent in our price range. Already working with realtors in each state. Already pre-approved and don't want to spend more than $400,000. Ready to choose a community and make the move.

BACKGROUND: I have a 15-year-old daughter on an IEP for hearing impairment. She needs a good, caring, not overly-crowded school where teachers and administration value ALL students, not just high-performers.

Need a garage for my husband's project car and Harley Davidson bike, fenced yard for dogs. Hence, we are looking at tremendous commutes. Townhomes OK. No HOA would be wonderful, though. Would welcome feedback with suggestions, experience with specific neighborhoods.

We are staying in North Beach on our next trip to explore the area, and trying the commute on the bus to test.

QUESTIONS: Is the bus extremely crowded or full, for those who may use this travel route to DC? Is there one time period that is less crowded for seating? Am I going to be OK buying tickets with correct change on the day of travel, or is there a way to advance purchase?

How is traffic? Lots of stop-and-go, or fairly steady progress on Route 4? How many times does the bus stop on the way to DC? Is there a direct option?

Specifically looking for advice on living and working in DC from North Beach in this post, but would welcome all input given the communities listed above. Thanks in advance -- these forums have already provided a wealth of information.
Here's the schedule, for stop info, etc.:
http://mta.maryland.gov/sites/defaul...mmuterLine.pdf
You're looking at at least 1.5 hours each way on the bus (so presumably ~2 hours door to door/4 hours a day on the commute). Will you only be commuting into DC once in awhile? Four hours (on the rare days when you don't hit traffic) is certainly not at all advisable as a daily commute, unless you have really masochistic tendencies, of course. The region's traffic is atrocious, so I'd recommend you look much, much closer to the DC job for housing. The $400K budget isn't great, but isn't bad, either, and the IEP generally won't be a problem for the DC-area school systems as they're well-funded.

You mention Gaithersburg/Kentlands, which might be a solid option, but it mostly depends on where in DC the job would be, if it's close to metro line(s), and what color those lines would be. If you want to provide the cross streets for the job, I'll be happy to provide a couple recommendations on accessible neighborhoods within your price point, if I can.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 11:29 AM
 
9 posts, read 19,132 times
Reputation: 20
The job is four blocks or so north of Union Station, so MARC, VRE or Red Line are good options.

I am permitted to telework and only need to travel to DC as-needed. Maybe 2-3 days a week. Some weeks I will be traveling out of state. Even at only 2-3 times a week, a commute time of 2 hours each way is still pretty daunting. This is good information, thank you.

Columbia/Ellicott looked good because it's close to the airport and still less than 30 miles from DC. Gaithersburg -- a place called Washington Grove was recommended by a coworker. Looking at homes in both of those neighborhoods too.

Nova seems impossible. Commutes seem crowded and worse, and homes are even more expensive. We liked George Mason high school, Woodson, Robinson, etc. Can't find anything in our price range. Too rich for my blood!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 11:39 AM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
44,878 posts, read 59,858,372 times
Reputation: 60419
North Beach town limits:
As you come in on RTE 261 from the intersection with RTE 260 you will pass the NB Fire Department on your left, that's still in Chesapeake Beach. Continue a couple hundred more yards and you come to 1st Street (Neptune's on the corner to your angled left), that's the southern limit. The northern limit is just past Walton Nature Preserve on your right going to Anne Arundel County (Holland Point and Rosehaven).

East/West is of course the Bay (actually a bit offshore) west to Greenwood Ave.

I think you'll find a trip to Dunkirk to the Safeway or Giant will be better than Roland's in CHBCH.


Advantages to both Towns are the water and sewer systems. While some houses outside town have sewer all the houses outside are on individual wells. Which means that when the power goes out so does your water. You do have one flush in reserve.

Living in Town (North Beach) does give you free access to the Beach and pier for fishing. Also, and this is nuts and bolts, our streets are plowed hours before the ones in the County are. Also you will have trash service contracted by the Town instead of having to find your own vendor. That includes weekly recycling and pretty much unlimited cans. Bulk pick up (couches, say) in the first week of the month and has to be scheduled through Town staff.

Yes, the tax rate is higher in Town when you combine the Town and County taxes (although there is a tax differential on the County tax rate which lowers them a bit). If you drill down, your County taxes pretty much all go to the schools if you live in Town.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 11:49 AM
 
9 posts, read 19,132 times
Reputation: 20
Thanks for the information. Really hoping someone jumps online who uses the 820 and commutes to DC on a regular basis. North Beach is great, but I need to be sure I can bear the commute.

Afer this week, I should have personal knowledge of that commute. We plan to stay in NB and take the bus to town to see just how bad/good it is.

The house we are most interested in is definitely in the city limits for NB. We will be there on Friday and plan to check out the Farmer's Market.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 12:28 PM
 
9 posts, read 19,132 times
Reputation: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by North Beach Person View Post
North Beach town limits:
As you come in on RTE 261 from the intersection with RTE 260 you will pass the NB Fire Department on your left, that's still in Chesapeake Beach. Continue a couple hundred more yards and you come to 1st Street (Neptune's on the corner to your angled left), that's the southern limit. The northern limit is just past Walton Nature Preserve on your right going to Anne Arundel County (Holland Point and Rosehaven).

East/West is of course the Bay (actually a bit offshore) west to Greenwood Ave.

I think you'll find a trip to Dunkirk to the Safeway or Giant will be better than Roland's in CHBCH.


Advantages to both Towns are the water and sewer systems. While some houses outside town have sewer all the houses outside are on individual wells. Which means that when the power goes out so does your water. You do have one flush in reserve.

Living in Town (North Beach) does give you free access to the Beach and pier for fishing. Also, and this is nuts and bolts, our streets are plowed hours before the ones in the County are. Also you will have trash service contracted by the Town instead of having to find your own vendor. That includes weekly recycling and pretty much unlimited cans. Bulk pick up (couches, say) in the first week of the month and has to be scheduled through Town staff.

Yes, the tax rate is higher in Town when you combine the Town and County taxes (although there is a tax differential on the County tax rate which lowers them a bit). If you drill down, your County taxes pretty much all go to the schools if you live in Town.

North Beach Person, my husband is a photographer/artist and is interested in weddings on the beach, maybe opening a studio. How is commercial property in North Beach? Plentiful? Reasonable?

One of the houses we are looking at is on 2nd street, I think. Pretty low crime? Do high school buses pick up kids for school in town? How far do the kids typically have to walk?

Thank you for sharing so much valuable information.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 01:24 PM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
44,878 posts, read 59,858,372 times
Reputation: 60419
Commercial property. There is a plentitude of property zoned commercial, much of it undeveloped. The commercial property owners, especially one of them, in Town are notoriously difficult to deal with. It seems as though they'd rather have an empty space than lease it.

The business community overall is dysfunctional in the extreme. Some of their ideas of good business practice is to close when there are a bunch of people in Town for an event then complain that they had no customers. There are a couple smart ones who realize that yes, they should be open when 3000 people are here for the Dragonboat Races in June.

Crime is generally of the "someone left their car unlocked and the change in the cupholder was stolen" variety. The County is having, as it seems the entire country is, an uptick in opioid use with the attendant overdoses.

There are no bars in town so that variable doesn't exist. Even with the numbers of people coming to the beach on weekends there are very few incidents. Now, there will be people who tell you that crime is out of control and the worst ghetto area in Baltimore is preferable to North Beach. These are the same people who call 911 if their neighbors have company from out of state or they see someone walking down the street barefooted. Yes, those are both actual calls to the Sheriff.

The buses stop at every intersection, so 1/2 a block.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-13-2015, 02:33 PM
 
Location: Upper Marlboro, MD
133 posts, read 255,487 times
Reputation: 112
Quote:
Originally Posted by pumpkintrina View Post
Thanks for the information. Really hoping someone jumps online who uses the 820 and commutes to DC on a regular basis. North Beach is great, but I need to be sure I can bear the commute.
My wife takes the 820 into DC from the Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro - a 10-minute ride - on a semi-regular basis.

The buses are reliable and generally run on-time, but the switchover from the 904 to the 820 has caused some anomalies. Normal traffic is built into the bus schedule, but if there is an accident, or if there is accumulating snow on a day that the government does not declare a Snow Day, then there is a noticeable delay.

One day this last winter, it took her about 2.5 hours to get to work, where it is normally a 55-minute bus ride.

She would take the bus more, but the project she is working on often requires her to work longer hours, so when necessary, she drives to the Largo Metro Station (20 minutes) and takes the Orange Line to the Federal Triangle (28 minutes).

Townhouses in our area are in the $350-$400K range and include 2-car garages and fenced backyards. I can't speak to the schools, but if your send me a private message with your specific questions, I will post it to our private community forum and hopefully get you some answers.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Maryland > Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top