Please tell me about Waldorf, MD. (St. Charles, Indian Head: real estate, renting, hotels)

[danaf617]

Hi all!

My husband and I (and our 2 small kids) are most likely relocating to the DC Metro area from South Jersey.
He'll be taking a job in DC.

I've been looking at homes in areas of MD and NoVa. Someone on another forum (not related to cities or real estate) mentioned Waldorf, MD. Of all of the places I've looked so far Waldorf seems to have the most beautiful homes in our price range. (Which tops out at about $280k)

What is the area like? Schools? The commute to DC?

I've never been to the DC Metro area and it's quite intimidating to think about the big move without knowing much.

Thanks for your help!

[EdwardA]

Waldorf is ok some nice homes in that price range. The commute to DC maybe a challenge though but folks do it. Schools not the strongest in the region but I' not as far gone as neoghboring PG schools. An involved parent should be able to make up the difference in whatever shortcomings that come up.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by danaf617

Hi all!

My husband and I (and our 2 small kids) are most likely relocating to the DC Metro area from South Jersey.
He'll be taking a job in DC.

I've been looking at homes in areas of MD and NoVa. Someone on another forum (not related to cities or real estate) mentioned Waldorf, MD. Of all of the places I've looked so far Waldorf seems to have the most beautiful homes in our price range. (Which tops out at about $280k)

What is the area like? Schools? The commute to DC?

I've never been to the DC Metro area and it's quite intimidating to think about the big move without knowing much.

Thanks for your help!

The first thing I must emphasize is how awful the commute is. I used to take the commuter bus out of Waldorf and it did little to nothing to relieve time or the stress of being out in traffic. If you live in Waldorf, be prepared to stay on the road for a while.

As the school, EdwardA said it, it is a middling school system. They are about to finish building a new high school in the St. Charles part. I've also have heard some good things about North Pointe. It's a nice place to live but it just depends on what kind of lifestyle you want.

[danaf617]

Originally Posted by meatkins

The first thing I must emphasize is how awful the commute is.

That is pretty much enough for me to hear.

I am a stay-at-home mom and my husband earns our only income. For the past 7 years, we've lived 2 miles from his headquarters. It takes him less than 5 minutes to get to and from work.

This move will surely be an adjustment for him. I do not want him commuting an hour or more each way, every day.

[Rescue3]

I used to do western Waldorf to 17th Street downtown, and then to the topside of the Beltway, for about ten years.

Rush hour = one hour minimum each way. Nowadays it is much worse. Everyone who works in DC and lives in the suburbs has the same problem. If your husband is tied to a take-home car or works LEAP (10 hour days), he is in for very long days.

Lots of people compensate in different ways. Most government offices allow telecommuting of at least on day each week, many two days per week.

My way to compensate was to leave home at 5:00 AM and leave work at 4:00 PM. I tended to beat most of the rush hour traffic. But one accident on the other side of town can through the whole region into a snarl. (Like this morning.)

Another way is to commute only to a Metro station, then hop on the subway. (When I have to do business in DC, that's what I do. Cheaper than driving and parking.) The Branch Avenue station in PG County is the one people in Charles County uses.

Charles County is a nice suburb/rural mix; every store and restaurant in the world in Waldorf and ten miles south - you have active farming. By the way - you may want to think about Indian Head.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by danaf617

That is pretty much enough for me to hear.

I am a stay-at-home mom and my husband earns our only income. For the past 7 years, we've lived 2 miles from his headquarters. It takes him less than 5 minutes to get to and from work.

This move will surely be an adjustment for him. I do not want him commuting an hour or more each way, every day.

Unless you are planning of living in DC, which on a budget of 280K would put you in places I doubt you and your family would be comfortable in. An hour commute is pretty much a given in this area. Maybe you can find something in the close in towns in PG in this price range but then schools will become an issue.

I wouldn't disqualify Waldorf solely based on the commute because this region has the 2nd longest average commute in the country. There really is no way around that for many people in this area.

That's because residents of the Big Apple have the longest commute in America, according to a report from the Census Bureau that examines the commuting habits of Americans. Residents of the New York metropolitan area spend an average of 34.6 minutes commuting to work, just edging out Washington, D.C.-area commuters, who clocked in with 33.4 minutes of commuting time. (The average American commute is around 25 minutes each way.)

Residents of those cities get to work in different ways, though. Close to a third of those in the New York area commute to work via public transportation, and while Washington ranked third in usage of public transportation (the San Francisco Bay area came in second), it was a distant third, with about 14% of D.C. denizens using the Metro system. Most of the rest drive, braving the infamous Beltway (and helping the area earn the title of the most accident-prone city in America).

The Longest Commutes in America - TheStreet)

[slowlane3]

I live in the Waldorf area. It is a full-service city with a 2-level shopping mall and every conceivable store and restaurant, also a year-round ice rink and a minor league baseball team. At least half the population of greater Waldorf consists of the gigantic planned community of "Saint Charles" which has several sections, some of them with scenic lakes and walking paths. There are attractive new shopping centers and new hotels continually being added. There is very little industry in the immediate area, so many Waldorf residents must commute to Andrews A.F. Base or even further into Wash. D.C. or booming Northern Virginia for quality-paying jobs. This lack of well-paying nearby jobs, is one reason why Waldorf housing costs less than in other D.C. suburbs. Many military families live around Waldorf.

The Washington area overall has the nation's second worst traffic congestion, according to annual studies by the Amer. Auto. Assoc. for the past several years. Metrorail (subway) is another alternative, but the closest station your husband could drive to is "Branch Avenue" station near the intersection of Routes 495 and 5, and arrive there VERY early before the parking spaces fill up. The several traffic signals in the community of Brandywine, MD cause a very frustrating traffic backup daily.

Waldorf area schools are average-rated as far as test scores. The school populations are about half African-American. The much-praised North Point High School is very high-tech, but is now badly overcrowded - this should improve after the additional H.S. opens. You can check individual school statistics here http://www.greatschools.net and http://www.schooldigger.com .

You can view commuter bus schedules here Metro - Bus - Timetables . The busses have comfortable plush reclining seats. As you can see from the timetables, a big consideration is just how far uptown in D.C. your husband must commute. If he works toward the northwest side of the downtown area, his commute will be A LOT longer than if he works toward the south side of the downtown area, even though we're only talking a difference of about 2 miles. What will his exact work address be ?

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by slowlane3

I live in the Waldorf area. It is a full-service city with a 2-level shopping mall and every conceivable store and restaurant, also a year-round ice rink and a minor league baseball team. At least half the population of greater Waldorf consists of the gigantic planned community of "Saint Charles" which has several sections, some of them with scenic lakes and walking paths. There are attractive new shopping centers and new hotels continually being added. There is very little industry in the immediate area, so many Waldorf residents must commute to Andrews A.F. Base or even further into Wash. D.C. or booming Northern Virginia for quality-paying jobs. This lack of well-paying nearby jobs, is one reason why Waldorf housing costs less than in other D.C. suburbs. Many military families live around Waldorf.

The Washington area overall has the nation's second worst traffic congestion, according to annual studies by the Amer. Auto. Assoc. for the past several years. Metrorail (subway) is another alternative, but the closest station your husband could drive to is "Branch Avenue" station near the intersection of Routes 495 and 5, and arrive there VERY early before the parking spaces fill up. The several traffic signals in the community of Brandywine, MD cause a very frustrating traffic backup daily.

Waldorf area schools are average-rated as far as test scores. The school populations are about half African-American. The much-praised North Point High School is very high-tech, but is now badly overcrowded - this should improve after the additional H.S. opens. You can check individual school statistics here GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community and SchoolDigger.com - School Rankings, Reviews and More - Public and Private Elementary, Middle, High Schools .

You can view commuter bus schedules here Metro - Bus - Timetables . The busses have comfortable plush reclining seats. As you can see from the timetables, a big consideration is just how far uptown in D.C. your husband must commute. If he works toward the northwest side of the downtown area, his commute will be A LOT longer than if he works toward the south side of the downtown area, even though we're only talking a difference of about 2 miles. What will his exact work address be ?

[slowlane3]

I will also add that Waldorf compared with other suburbs, is quite far from airports and also universities. Although there is a community college nearby.

[BBC99]

Originally Posted by danaf617

Hi all!

My husband and I (and our 2 small kids) are most likely relocating to the DC Metro area from South Jersey.
He'll be taking a job in DC.

I've been looking at homes in areas of MD and NoVa. Someone on another forum (not related to cities or real estate) mentioned Waldorf, MD. Of all of the places I've looked so far Waldorf seems to have the most beautiful homes in our price range. (Which tops out at about $280k)

What is the area like? Schools? The commute to DC?

I've never been to the DC Metro area and it's quite intimidating to think about the big move without knowing much.

Thanks for your help!

Just remember, you get what you pay for in the area, just like everywhere in the northeast and mid-atlantic region.

If you want a 4 or 5 bedroom home, you btter be a gun owner or have some kinda helli-vehicle to get to and from work.

You can have a very good life and raise a great family in Waldorf. Some schools are better than others but it really comes down to parenting. I grow up in a very bad area and graduated from Yale.