Moving from Florida to Maryland. Where should I live? (Silver Spring: apartments, rent)

[sunshinejoe]

Hello,
My job is taking me to MD. The office is in Silver Springs. I am open to living anywhere that is within 1 hour and would love to commute using public transportation. I know nothing about MD other than having relatives in Frederick.

With that in mind, I am trying to decide where to purchase a home. I am not into living in old homes but prefer a single family home, new construction (no townhome or apartments), 4 Bed/3 Bath around $600k.

What cities would you suggest I look into? Thanks

[goldenage1]

The easiest commute would be from Silver Spring, Wheaton or Glenmont. They are all on the Metro Red Line. It is also within one hour to look at Rockville and Gaithersburg, although that commute would involve a bus. You probably will not get new construction with that budget, but you could find a house less than 20 years old.

You can find a new construction 4-bedroom SFH in Frederick, but you commute would be horrendous.

Do you have children who would attend public school? If so, you would be in decent but not top-notch school zones.

[goldenage1]

Also look along the route of the MARC train from Point Of Rocks/ Dickerson/ Germantown etc. You might be within walking distance of the office in Silver Spring. Those are the outer burbs, but you have a better chance of finding a new construction home in the budget.

https://www.mtamaryland.com/services...rainSystemMap/

[Flamingo13]

Just any FYI - It's Silver Spring (it's not plural) - you certainly should rent anywhere before deciding to buy a home.

[sunshinejoe]

Thanks for your responses. No kids of school age to worry much about. I had not explored the possibility of renting (isn’t rent outrageous these days in those areas mentioned above?). Most def do not want to live in the boonies. I would prefer not having to ride a bus - I would rather walk instead (not sure if doable during the winter time).

[BOS2IAD]

Originally Posted by sunshinejoe

Thanks for your responses. No kids of school age to worry much about. I had not explored the possibility of renting (isn’t rent outrageous these days in those areas mentioned above?). Most def do not want to live in the boonies. I would prefer not having to ride a bus - I would rather walk instead (not sure if doable during the winter time).

How much rent per month do you consider to be "outrageous"? I ask because different people have different ideas as to what "outrageous" is to them.

[sunshinejoe]

That is what I have heard people complaint about. I have not rented in many years, so I have no idea what it runs for these days.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by sunshinejoe

Thanks for your responses. No kids of school age to worry much about. I had not explored the possibility of renting (isn’t rent outrageous these days in those areas mentioned above?). Most def do not want to live in the boonies. I would prefer not having to ride a bus - I would rather walk instead (not sure if doable during the winter time).

Silver Spring is a large geographic area. If you're talking about walking distance from downtown Silver Spring there's currently one SFH new build available for $1.45M. $600K is an extremely low budget for what you're asking for in the DC metro. You should speak to a local realtor, but I can almost guarantee you're going to have to let go of the idea of a new build if the budget is firm and you don't want to drive 80+ miles a day.

[sunshinejoe]

I am not looking in the metro area for $600k. I am aware that is not enough for what I am searching. I am willing to commute up to 1 ht using public transportation, to increase my chances, if possible.

Is $600k not enough within 1 hr of silver spring?

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by sunshinejoe

I am not looking in the metro area for $600k. I am aware that is not enough for what I am searching. I am willing to commute up to 1 ht using public transportation, to increase my chances, if possible.

Is $600k not enough within 1 hr of silver spring?

It will be a stretch to find new construction within an hour commute. I found one example of a three-bedroom SFH in Laurel:
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...=srp-list-card

Here's a 4-BR not yet built, close to the Brunswick MARC train route:
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean..._P417000772265

Even Frederick, MD starts at $700K for new construction. There are plenty of townhouses in your price range, however. There are also plenty of livable older homes under $600K within Montgomery County. You could drive or take a Flash bus from this one in upper Silver Spring: https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...=srp-list-card

BTW, we lived for 30 years in Silver Spring before retiring. We commuted all over the Balt-Wash area. My choice would be an existing house like the listing above on Windmill Lane. It is 40 years old, but it has been well-maintained. It has a garage, an unfinished basement and enough of a lot that you have some privacy. It is about a 20 minute drive to downtown Silver Spring. You should compare the cost of parking in SS before you rule out a bus.