Is Prince Georges a good place to live now? (Bowie: for sale, real estate)

[howsitgoingdude3]

I'm in the midst of convincing my mother and step-father to move out of PG County (currently live in Upper Marlboro) and on to greener pastures before they make an awful investment and purchase a brand new house there (UPPER MARLBORO). They would like to sell the new house in 10 years and I think they're going to end up loosing money on the investment. As of now they are going forward with the new house in PG and they plan on living there for another 10 years before retiring to Florida. I was not born nor would I consider myself raised in PG although I did attend middle and high school there. My memories of the county are horrible. I have not been back to the county nor stepped foot in the county in 10 years. Is it still crime ridden, poor schools, sub par "luxury neighborhoods", ghetto, and largely formally uneducated? My mother would like to move from Upper Marlboro to one of the nicer "safer" counties like Fairfax, AA, MC, or Howard County? Is there any good reason for an upper class Black American to stay in PG County? Does it offer any worthwhile amenities (shopping, dinning, safety, convenience, peace of mind?) to this often overlooked segment of the population?

[Janipoo]

I think you already know the answer to your question, I guess you would like to have someone prove you wrong. I grew up in Landover Hills and I too do not have good memories being in PG county especially the school. My parents finally moved out about 7 years ago, my mom refused to move for the longest time, my dad wanted out long before.

Black/White it doesn't matter, when you are hard working and take pride in your home and community it is hard to live in an area where you are the minority.

As far as your parents losing on their investment on a house, I don't think you have anything to worry about because the housing has gotten so out that more and more people are moving out the city but still close enough to work. I think they will make money out of a home. I don't know if you've heard but apparently Takoma Park is turning around an alot of young professionals from Dc are moving there because it is cheaper and rehabing alot of the old homes. My niece looked at one there that still needed work I don't remember the exact price but it was unbelievable what they were going for.

[misseyhollimon]

I live in P.G. all my life I don't have any bad times here people need to give this area a chance their always going to the white area P.G. County does have alot to good things here and new things coming for instance Wegmans I never would have thought we upscale store like that but now we are. There are alot of redevelopment in the area me and my husband just recently brought brand new town home in Lanham area.




QUOTE=howsitgoingdude3;555897]I'm in the midst of convincing my mother and step-father to move out of PG County (currently live in Upper Marlboro) and on to greener pastures before they make an awful investment and purchase a brand new house there (UPPER MARLBORO). They would like to sell the new house in 10 years and I think they're going to end up loosing money on the investment. As of now they are going forward with the new house in PG and they plan on living there for another 10 years before retiring to Florida. I was not born nor would I consider myself raised in PG although I did attend middle and high school there. My memories of the county are horrible. I have not been back to the county nor stepped foot in the county in 10 years. Is it still crime ridden, poor schools, sub par "luxury neighborhoods", ghetto, and largely formally uneducated? My mother would like to move from Upper Marlboro to one of the nicer "safer" counties like Fairfax, AA, MC, or Howard County? Is there any good reason for an upper class Black American to stay in PG County? Does it offer any worthwhile amenities (shopping, dinning, safety, convenience, peace of mind?) to this often overlooked segment of the population?[/quote]

[teleblazer]

Did your folks ever consider Calvert County? They can visit the PG sections they are familiar with in Upper Marlboro whenever they want and would live just a short drive south of there. It's safe, very comparable to Montgomery and Howard Counties and from personal experience I've had quite diverse and welcome neighbors there.

The home values, even after the supposed market "bomb" have held up really well and homes are selling for lots less than their appraised values.

It's just a thought, since making a wise investment seems to be a priority.

[sam2chris]

We moved out last year to Calvert County and are so glad we did. PG is going down so fast! I grew up there my whole life and am now having of a child of my own and wouldnt think of living there. Not only has the price of everything blown up, but so has the crime! Just read the Washington Post online or check the PG COunty Police website.....its really sad.

[The Dissenter]

just to give you an idea:

i just mentioned to my mother i was thinking about going to look at a car for sale in PG. she basically begged and pleaded me not to go and said that a guy that went over there to look at a car got robbed and beaten seriously. imagine that chaos that would ensue if i was trying to live over there. i hope this answers your question.

[babyqs4]

I agree that PG is not the best county in Maryland. I lived there all my life til 3 years ago. Now i live in Annapolis. I was planning to move back to Bowie eventually but its gone down hill since the metro/ subway goes to Largo now AND the 2 malls that have showed up in the last few years (Bowie town center and Magic Johnson Blvd). I will be moving to Kent county soon. I do like Calvert county buy my uncle had a few racial issues there. We're black. Id recommend St. Marys or Calvert for elderly ppl though. Its usually quiet there.

[bargainmom]

I would not live in PG county if you PAID me to. Danger, Will Robinson! Seriously why jump into the oven if you can avoid the heat?

[moozoo31]

Well, contrary to the other posts, PG county is actually the only jurisdiction in the immediate DC area to have posted a double digit DROP in crime last year. The current county exec is really trying to clean up the county and make it attractive -- and in all my years here he is the FIRST to really take an interest in the county. Especially in the areas bordering DC, he has been instrumental in razing the drug areas, putting up affordable homes, instituting action plans for town centers and revenue building activities, etc. He is also trying to attract more upscale concerns to do business in the county, and he has had great marks three years running from whatever that Wall Street thing is that says how healthy a county's economy is.

According to my real estate contacts, it is also the only county that seems to really have the real estate moving currently because it is more affordable. Also, a friend of mine who works for the police in PG told me that a lot of the other jurisdictions are able to hush up what happens there whereas PG has had a bad rep so long that it just has everything bad out there like dirty laundry. Fairfax has a lot of problems with gang violence, etc. and other counties have had major issues, too. Basically, ANY metro area is going to have issues because people crammed in on top of one another to live is just a recipe for problems a lot of the time.

Overall, I would say that PG has a lot to offer and is making great strides in improving. Yes, schools are still not good, but even that is improving, and there are private schooling options available. Much of what people want improved has to be asked for/demanded by people who care about the county and push for change, but that is true anywhere, really. A place is only as good as the people who care about it.

I have lived here all my life, and while I would never claim it is wonderful in all regards, I think a lot of folks go on the bad rep and not on the truth. We are moving because my husband's job is in another state but not because we have fear of living in PG county.

[RoadTripGurl]

I beg to differ, even though PG County is still more affordable, its' still more expensive to live for the average person. I lived there most of my life. I am a Suitland HS alum. I hated it even when I was a teen. I gave PG a chance when I was able to purchase my first house for me and my son. I lived next door to drug users, it was horrible. the neighborhood wasn't the greatest, but where in PG has the greatest affordable neighborhoods? The school system sucks, I have a ADHD child. He was academically above grade level, but because he was so hyperactive, they thought putting him in a handicapped school with children in a wheelchair was a good choice! For the return on real estate, PG is good. The real estate is moving. But to raise a family away from all the nonsense, car vandalisms (my sister had 3 and her car stolen once), the high cost and the high property taxes, I would look elsewhere. And who wants to put their kids in private school if they can't afford it? Getting me and my son out of PG was the best thing I ever did.