Living across the street from an elementary school or living across the street from a trash pad (tenant, 2014)
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Personally I wouldn't want to live near a school. There is always a ton of traffic, people blocking driveways, a lot of noise.
And it can also be a quick sale to people that have kids or future rental. I have properties in great school districts and two are especially close to a great schools and great school districts. When either property comes up for rent I have multiple families foaming at the mouth to get in so their kids can be in that school district.
The pluses:
You can play on the jungle gym at night. The swings, however, are too close to the ground.
Minuses:
You can't have a dog of any size if there is the remotest possibility it will get out. It will head straight for the school.
The parents of small children are the most important people in the entire world, and if they need to drive across your lawn to get to little Jimmy, they will. Or whatever else they feel like.
There will be lost pieces of homework in your yard. Also, at least one of the waiting parents is a litterbug, and they'll be there every day.
Unless you have a secure fence, you'll find children in your yard from time to time. You don't want to be responsible for them, but I've heard that rock salt in a shotgun is no longer an acceptable solution to stray children.
It depends on the road setup, but it's possible that every day there will be times that traffic will prevent you from leaving your house in a timely fashion. Or perhaps not.
You will hear nonstop shrieking and screams whenever they are outside.
If you someday decide to move, you will have a much smaller pool of potential buyers.
I have to agree with this. I live in a neighborhood with a school. I don't live next to the school, but the traffic is affected. I absolutely hate driving through a school zone. I will drive out of my way to avoid it. I hate the change in speed limits throughout the day because I'm always afraid I will forget. This school doesn't have enough parking and you can't park on the streets so you find parents and kids in dangerous or nuisance spots.
Keep looking! All three of those lots have major detriments. It will be a pain while you are living there. One day you will want or need to sell. The detriments will be even more obvious at that point. You will be selling at a discount compared to someone who doesn't have those problems.
And it can also be a quick sale to people that have kids or future rental. I have properties in great school districts and two are especially close to a great schools and great school districts. When either property comes up for rent I have multiple families foaming at the mouth to get in so their kids can be in that school district.
Unfortunately, the OP seemed to infer that their school district isn't good, in which case that wouldn't be a selling point.
My guess is your tenants solely focus on the school district and not the inconveniences of living across the road from one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by momanager
...just the darn school ratings (and other school stats) and the location of the school for Lot 2 are an issue.
I do have to add though, the problematic school near me was built in the late 50s/early 60s and they obviously didn't plan for the amount of parents choosing to drive their kids. While there is room for them to line up through the parking lot and front of the building, there's always a lot of 'overflow line' onto the street. Perhaps newer schools are better designed with regards to parent drop off in mind?
Just a note, the school systems the OP is considering (Howard County and Montgomery County, Maryland school systems are County based) are two of the top three in the State. Even the "bad" schools in those Counties are above, well above, average in the State rankings.
Last edited by North Beach Person; 03-05-2017 at 10:15 AM..
Reason: Clarity
Since you can't find info online about when the school will be built, see if the county office for building permits or for planning would have any info.
For some reason a large property not far from friends provides a wonderful natural area and tons of privacy. It is owned by that county for the local school system. BUT it cannot be built on now because it was found to be in a flood plain. (If I lived there I'd be so curious how that process of buying, inspecting and getting financing even went). So they own this large plot they cannot build on.
Somewhere here you said something about the stats for the school that concerned you. Do you mean possible crime?
I'd move on or go for #3. But you mention the neighbor's sloping lot. I can't figure out how that effects your lot...would it be at the bottom of the slope?
For Maryland you don't have to go to Great Schools, the Maryland State Department of Education publishes rankings for all public schools in the State.
OP specifically mentioned looking on Great Schools, which is why I referenced it.
And school rankings, now matter who does them, still don't tell the whole story. I don't put much stock in them. But if someone wants their child to learn how to take a standardized test, by all means, put as much importance on them as you wish.
You cannot accurately judge a school on paper. I promise you this. I taught in Title I schools for a decade.
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