Columbia moms help

Amie678 · March 2013

Hi ladies,
I haven't lived in MD very long and we are looking to purchase a home here. We've been looking in Columbia, Ellicott city and surrounding areas. We think we found a house that we might put an offer on this week. It's located in Long Reach, I think in the neighborhood of Phelps Luck. It's off Tamar Stonecutter just outside of Kendall Ridge. The elementary is Waterloo, middle is Mayfield high is long reach. Our LO will not be in school for quite a few years he's 2 months today OMG!! but it's still very important for us to be in a good school system area, aafe neighborhood, erc. So, I would like to know your honest opinions of this area, neighborhood, schools, crime, etc, harsh truths please : we moved here from out of state several months ago and don't know many people so it's a little stressful making such a huge purchase without having background knowledge on neighborhoods. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thank you!!!

Amie678 · March 2013

Wow, I apologize for the numerous embarrassing typos grammatical errors. I'm on my phone and it seems to have taken on a life if its own. Sorry!!

SarahKate31 · March 2013

Overall, Columbia and Ellicott City is a great area with great schools!! However, the Long Reach/Phelps Luck area is one of the "least great" areas in the county. It's a relatively lower income area, there's section 8 housing in the vicinity, and I've hea

mrsbecky07 · March 2013

I think Waterloo, Mayfield and Long Reach are all really good schools. I would be wary about any house that puts you in the district for Howard High though as an FYI.

Did you drive around the area? I think in Columbia y

pantsarella · March 2013

We used to rent a townhome in the Long Reach area (near where the house you're looking at is) and honestly, I wouldn't want to live there long term. It wasn't one of the nicer areas in Columbia. Howard County Police also has an interactive map on their

Amie678 · March 2013

Thank you all for your replies, it's a huge help. Since Longreach is so large & Tamar is a long road I thought maybe I'd try & narrow it down a bit and see if it makes a difference. The neighborhood is just behind Tamar Meadow apts

tbogirl · March 2013

Thats not the neighborhood I would choose in Columbia. Almost all Columbia schools are in the vicinity of section 8 housing, some are just nicer more low key than others. I would look for a house that feeds to thunder hill, stevens forest, vet

tbogirl · March 2013

Just to add I teach in Columbia and lived there for 8 years before moving this last June.

Kaybee44 · March 2013

I'm not a fan of the area. Like you said, that is an area where you go one way and it's fine and you go the other way and it's meh. I will give a shout out to Ellicott City if you are considering that. Dorsey's Search is a Columbia community but is mostly

Amie678 · March 2013

Thank you both! We really like Dorsey's Search too. We're not pinned down to any specific area. I work from home and my husband travels for work, mostly to DC, Baltimore NoVa occasionally further requiring flights out of BWI, so we can pretty much live

ras26 · March 2013

It's south of Columbia, but I'll put a pitch in for the Maple Lawn community. It's between Johns Hopkins/Gorman Rd and 216 just off of Rt. 29. We really like it here and feel very safe. The schools are supposed to be pretty good (we're n

Amie678 · March 2013

I love the maple lawn area, my OB was down that way but I think it's mostly townhomes and we're looking for a single family with a little land. We know we wont get a lot of land in these areas but we're hoping for even just around 1/4 acre.

ras26 · March 2013

Amie678:
I love the maple lawn area, my OB was down that way but I think it's mostly townhomes and we're looking for a single

Amie678 · March 2013

ras26:
Amie678:</strong

BillysGrl27 · March 2013

tbogirl:
Thats not the neighborhood I would choose in Columbia. Almost all Columbia schools are in the vicinity of secti

KathrynMD · March 2013

BillysGrl27:

tbo

Kaybee44 · March 2013

Personally, I really like Dorsey and River Hill the best. In Clarksville, you will get more bang for your buck. My MIL lives in the Glenelg area of Ellicott City, which kind of technically Clarksville, and the houses are very nice out there. The school

BillysGrl27 · March 2013

KathrynMD:
BillysGrl27

Cattidrie · March 2013

Funny - my mother lives in this neighborhood you are speaking of - off of Window Latch Way (specifically Dark Hawk Circle). If the house is there, it is a great neighborhood, very friendly and with kids. My mother has never had a problem an

Amie678 · March 2013

Wow, funny, it's actually on Dark Hawk! The immediate neighborhood is beautiful and perfect in every way. The whole community inside window latch is great. It's too bad the less desirable areas of town are so close. It's one thing to compromise closet

Cali1012 · March 2013

I second PP's opinion to check out the Howard County police crime stats for any area you are thinking of moving into (as well as the schools). I personally would not want to move into that area, but I would look at parts of Ellicott City and other pl

SarahKate31 · March 2013

Kaybee44:
Personally, I really like Dorsey and River Hill the best. In Clarksville, you will get more bang for y

mrsbecky07 · March 2013

SarahKate31:
Kaybee44:

Ragdolls · March 2013

Kaybee44:
Personally, I really like Dorsey and River Hill the best. In Clarksville, you will get more bang for your buck. My M

Kaybee44 · March 2013

Becky- It is all Ellicott City according to the post office Basically, they put Ellicott City on their mail or the zip anyway.

You may be thinking of Glenwood which is a little further west. She lives on Folly Quarter right down from Gle

mrsbecky07 · March 2013

oh I know where Glenelg is, I'm up and down 32 a lot lol, I just didnt realize it was still considered Ellicott City.

Amie678 · March 2013

Thank you all so much for your help. I definitely feel a little more educated about the Columbia area. We decided not to put an offer on the house and I have you guys to thank for that. I hope you don't mind if I ask your opinion on neighborhoods from tim

Kaybee44 · March 2013

I went to a playdate today off of Owen Brown Road in Hickory Ridge and that was a nice area back there. I saw some houses for sale as well

LuvBugMom · March 2013

mrsbecky07:
I think Waterloo, Mayfield and Long Reach are all really good schools. I would be wary about any house th

KathrynMD · March 2013

Kaybee44:
I went to a playdate today off of Owen Brown Road in Hickory Ridge and that was a nice area back there. I saw some hous

SarahKate31 · March 2013

LuvBugMom:
mrsbecky07:

Cattidrie · March 2013

Funny! But in my experience, if you didn't feel right about the house, area, etc. it wasn't your house. Your house is still out there waiting on you!

snookums2013 · March 2013

This may be a little late, but I looked up where Stonecutter is and I would definitely avoid that area. It's right near government funded housing and there is crime in that area. There's a reason those houses are lower priced than other areas

snookums2013 · March 2013

LuvBugMom:
mrsbecky07:

Amie678 · March 2013

Not too late at all. I appreciate all the feedback. I agree on Howard as well, although there may have been some negative comments all the reports show this as one of the best schools in the county and in the country. We decided not t

Amie678 · March 2013

For reference I meant to add, this one is just outside the Dickenson Pool (near Harris Teeter) Thanks!!

mars37810 · March 2013

Amie678:
Not too late at all. nbsp;I appreciate all the feedback. nbsp;I agree on Howard as well, although there may have been some

SarahKate31 · March 2013

mars37810:
Amie678:

Kaybee44 · March 2013

Don't forget that they're rezoning the schools so double check to make sure the school will be Guilford.

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