Is Bowie still a good a city? (Rockville, Crofton: section 8, best town)

[Nobodyimportant]

I left Maryland in 2009 and will be returning this year. I was thinking of buying a home in Bowie, MD. When I was a kid, it was considered one of a very few nice neighborhoods in PG county. My questions:

1. Is Bowie still considered a nice neighborhood? I am single with no kid so school is not yet a consideration.
2. How is the commute from Bowie to Bolling AFB in S.E. D.C.?

The reason I looked at Bowie instead of Northern Virginia (which I prefer) is housing prices. I plan to spend less the $300,000 in a house. And in Northern Virginia, I could only afford condo or at best townhouse. I really want a house with some yard.

[kinkytoes]

I would say yes. I visit Bowie occasionally as I got my car from the AWESOME Honda of Bowie. It doesn't look like a city to me, though. It has a lot of open space and rural-looking areas. The wonderful Patuxent Nursery is also there, and a rocking nursery biases any location for me.

In your absence, the traffic all over the area seems to have gotten horrific, so maybe you'd like to practice the commute a few times before picking a specific place.

I took a little look-see and I also liked Davidsonville. It looked really rural and I would definitely consider living there rather than someplace congested in NOVA, but that's my personal preference.

[PGC Native]

Bowie isn't going to be much different than in 2009...If not a little nicer. Property values are finally on the rise again, so now might be the time to start looking. I grew up in Bowie and graduated high school there in the last few years. It isn't a bad city by any means, but it might be different than what it was like in your childhood.

I would say the best part of Bowie to live in for your price range, when considering safety and quality of life would probably be north of Hwy 50. 20715 zip code is the more desirable part of town. It was largely developed by Levitt (think Levittown, NY) in the 60's and has a very suburban, neighborhood feel. Each neighborhood is divided into different letter themes. Each section has a park or recreation area too. Kenilworth, Somerset, Buckingham, Fox Hill, and Tulip Grove are considered the most desirable of the Levitt neighborhoods.

You can easily find a 4 bed 2 bath 1 car garage cape cod style or 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch for $300,000 or less in these areas. None of the Levitt homes have basements, unfortunately, but many have been added on to over the years, so you might be able to find one with a large addition like many have. All of the homes in the Levitt areas have decent sized lots and most streets have some mature trees and are well landscaped.

I would agree with the poster above who said Davidsonville is very nice. But it is definitely significantly more expensive, as is Crofton/Gambrills. You would likely only find a townhouse in your price range in Crofton, and Davidsonville is largely rural with little that would fit your criteria.

[Nobodyimportant]

Thanks guys. One of my friend used to live in Bowie until 2002. So the last time I was physically in Bowie was 2002. I remember it was nice.

I grew up and lived in Rockville, Montgomery County before I moved out of MD. Commuting from Rockville to DC was horrible. As long as I can get an average of 30-40 minutes commute each way, I would be happy.

[AeroGuyDC]

Without having searched, it seems a bit far-fetched to get a "nice" house for $300K? The poster above mentions Cape Cod style houses which I believe are typical of an older neighborhood. These tend to be smaller and might be the perfect fit for you. However, I wouldn't expect to find anything in that price range that resembles anything like what is typically built in the DC-metro area these days, though.

[PGC Native]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

Without having searched, it seems a bit far-fetched to get a "nice" house for $300K? The poster above mentions Cape Cod style houses which I believe are typical of an older neighborhood. These tend to be smaller and might be the perfect fit for you. However, I wouldn't expect to find anything in that price range that resembles anything like what is typically built in the DC-metro area these days, though.

Just doing a quick search on the MLS shows there is a lot of inventory for $300,000 or less in Bowie. Some of those are even 'McMansions' built in the 80's and 90's. You are not limited to a cape cod per se, but there are going to be a lot of housing stock from the 60's in town, and cape cods are the most affordable in those areas.

[Nobodyimportant]

I would be very happy with a 3 beds 2 baths. I can do without a basement. I actually don't want a McMasion, too much work to maintain and upkeep. I just need a nice small house with some yard for gardening. I also do carpentry as a hobby on the weekend and I think having a townhouse would be annoying to my neighbors.

[kcmo]

Bowie has nicer areas than many areas of AA County.

[bowian]

Originally Posted by Nobodyimportant

I would be very happy with a 3 beds 2 baths. I can do without a basement. I actually don't want a McMasion, too much work to maintain and upkeep. I just need a nice small house with some yard for gardening. I also do carpentry as a hobby on the weekend and I think having a townhouse would be annoying to my neighbors.

Then an older Levittown house in Bowie could work for you. I spend a lot of time in and around the city of Bowie, and it is still very nice. So are the surrounding areas. Quiet and well-kept.

[PGC Native]

The Pointer Ridge area (south Bowie, late 60's and early 70's Levitt neighborhoods) are not as safe or desirable as north Bowie. The contemporary 70's housing line (Peach Walker Drive area and Nottinghill Drive in S. Bowie) are not holding up well. Many homes are in disrepair with yards overgrown or homeowners have tried to turn the houses into more "colonial" designs, rather unsuccessfully. It looks junky and messy, IMO compared to the well-manicured streets of north Bowie. There are far more rentals, Section 8 vouchers and group homes in Pointer Ridge than other parts of town. Break ins, armed robberies, and car thefts are not unheard of in Pointer Ridge. The only section in 20716 I would consider on a $300,000 budget is Holiday Hills.

While I don't think anyone is in terrible danger in South Bowie, I think it's best to look at all options. You will see many of the same floorplan/home designs that you can find in North Bowie in Pointer Ridge for significantly less money. There is a reason for this.