Silver Spring neighborhoods to consider? (Kemp Mill, North Kensington: houses, safe area, high schools)

[west_coast_transplant]

Well, we're officially moving in August. I've heard a lot about Silver Spring as an affordable area. What neighborhoods should we look in to find a nice, walkable, safe area that feeds to a good high school?

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by west_coast_transplant

Well, we're officially moving in August. I've heard a lot about Silver Spring as an affordable area. What neighborhoods should we look in to find a nice, walkable, safe area that feeds to a good high school?

Four Corners which feeds into Montgomery Blair High School that excels in science and math.

[papichulo2]

blair is cool. and four corners is good. i know lot of friends from Blair high school. piney branch not as much but i think that in the blair hs/northwood area.

[ktbackwards]

I don't know about high schools, but I recently moved here and the areas that felt the *safest were:
the neighborhoods surrounding the George Washington Cemetery near I-495 and 650 (older, but safe)
the North Kensington area north of Plyer's mill road (charm, cherry trees and such)
Wildwood Hills (Nice new area, but really a way out there)

It's been awhile since I've lived on the West Coast, but that's where I grew up (CA, and OR) but I've yet to find a place here that feels incredibly West Coast.

*Safe = less graffiti, less loitering, less boarded up windows, people came up and said "hi"

[CBMD]

I bet it'll be hard finding a place that feels "West Coast" on the East Coast. That's a tall order.

[DistrictSonic]

Affordability is relative here, you need to provide a budget. The better your budget, the better the school you can target.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by DistrictSonic

Affordability is relative here, you need to provide a budget. The better your budget, the better the school you can target.

Well, since the poster was coming from the west coast, I assumed that under $400K was affordable. There are plenty houses in the range of $350K-400 in Silver Spring and typically they are 3 bedroom ranches or Cape Cods that need some updating.

BTW, the poster did not specifiy that they wanted a "west coast feel", however there are some mid-century modern houses that do look like the west coast homes. This one in Kemp Mill is in a great neighborhood: http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4-20913?row=19

The above house has Northwood as its home school and it is average-rated, but it is part of the Downcounty Consortium that allow the choice of Blair HS.

[filmismyhustle]

def not white oak/lockwood

[west_coast_transplant]

Thanks for all the responses! We've done some more research and spoke with some colleagues and are looking at other areas. I'm sure I'll be making a lot more posts on this board!

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by west_coast_transplant

Thanks for all the responses! We've done some more research and spoke with some colleagues and are looking at other areas. I'm sure I'll be making a lot more posts on this board!

OK, if you can really afford $650K for a house, you don't need to ask about "affordable" neighborhoods. That is more a mid-range price, and it would get you a very nice house in the Blair HS district.