moving from nc, tiers of silver spring in white oaks? (rentals, condos)

[sudormall]

Hi all,

I'm moving to the DC area from North Carolina. I'll be frequently commuting between FDA and UMD, So i though this location is fairly close to both the places. I'm looking to buy a townhome/condo for something less than 200K. I found a condo to purchase at tiers of silver spring in white oak. I'm trying to gather as much information as possible about the area before I actually drive up there to look at it. I was wondering how good the location is in terms of safety and crime. My wife will be graduating in the summer and will be moving later so I'd prefer to be at a location that is safe. I'm asian indian and i'm ok with the are being diverse as long as its a safe neighborhood. If people have other recommendations, please do let me know.

someone posted in the forum to stay away from lockwood drive, is it really a bad location to be in ?

any help is highly appreciated! Thanks!

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by sudormall

I'm looking to buy a townhome/condo for something less than 200K. I found a condo to purchase at tiers of silver spring in white oak.....
someone posted in the forum to stay away from lockwood drive, is it really a bad location to be in ?

I am a former resident of the 20902 zip code and I know White Oak fairly well. Generally speaking, anything under $200K is the bottom of the market. If you have neighboring units that are rentals, you might find you neighbors are somewhat undesirable.

OTOH, I have seen a listing for a 2-bedroom on Carriage House Drive that is nicely re-furbished. It might be OK, but you really would have to see the neighboring units in person. I would try to see how close to the highway or shopping center it is. I would find highway noise or foot traffic to be undesirable, but you may be OK with it.

Be aware that closing costs in Maryland are extremely high compared to other states. If you plan on moving in less than 5 years, you may not be able recover your costs. In any case, condos do not appreciate as well as single family houses. (Please check selling prices of other units over time if you are thinking of buying a condo.)

If you expect your income to increase, I would advise you to wait until you can put a down-payment on a better townhouse or single family house. The price range of $275,000 would get you a more desirable house in the same zip code. Perhaps look at the Cherry Hill Road area where you will find other Asian Indian families.

Regarding Lockwood Drive, I do not consider it a bad area. One stabilizing factor is the number of Orthodox Jewish families who want to be able to walk to their synagogue on Lockwood Drive. It might another area to consider. However, note that the houses around Legato Drive are cheaply built. They have always sold for low prices and apparently are not that desirable.