Potomac or Kemp Mill, MD?

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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Moving/ Relocating

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amother

Scarlet

Wed, Oct 03 2018, 3:36 pm

Seriously considering a move to one of these areas. In the info gathering stage - haven't been yet but plan to. We want to buy a house - we want a nice house (4/5 bedrm, 4 bath, nice backyard in a SAFE area), and can spend up to $1M. We are moving from California and want a warm, friendly community where our kids have school friends to play with on shabbos. I'm modern (a sahml while my last is still home but plan to rtn to work - I have a degree in International Relations), DH yeshivish (a financial professional). Considering Berman & Torah school for the kids.

We like the thriving Jewish life in Kemp Mill. However, it seems from my research that Potomac is safer, the median educational level is higher and homes are nicer. Side note, DH's business is dependent on the wealthy (financial advisor to wealthy). I just don't know how densely populated with Jews Potomac is? It's important that my kids have school friends living near by.

I don't want to drive far for school & Jewish establishments.

Yes I've posted before but trying to better define my question as I feel we could fit in both communities. We want to visit for a shabbos but trying to get a better idea of which area we should visit if only there one shabbos.

bigsis144

Wed, Oct 03 2018, 6:53 pm

I’ve only been in Kemp Mill less than a year, but we’re very happy with the shuls and schools.

I don’t know much about Potomac, though I do think it’s more modern than Kemp Mill. My son had a Torah School classmate who lived in Potomac, but they were the NCSY family, so I can’t extrapolate the frum population from that.

I love the diverse jobs of the people I know in Kemp Mill - data scientists, military scientists, stay at home mothers with PhDs in microbiology, college professors, a YA fantasy author, doctors, lawyers... apparently Young Israel Shomrai Emunah was known for a time as “the scientists’ shul”.

amother

Scarlet

Wed, Oct 03 2018, 11:13 pm

Op here. Thank you for your reply. Actually listing some of your friend's professions is very insightful and gives me a better understanding of the population. Any other info is greatly appreciated as I've never been there nor do I know anyone who does. Are there many nice/biggish homes in kemp mill?

bigsis144

Wed, Oct 03 2018, 11:32 pm

From a real estate agent's listing in the weekly Torah School newsletter:

Quote:

GREATER KEMP MILL:
$675,000 For Sale Popular New Bedford Colonial-5 Levels
Expanded to Accommodate Banquet-size
Gatherings MC10275921

$589,000 For Sale Popular New Bedford Split Colonial 5/6
BR/3.5 BA, Updated Kitchen Huge Family Rm MC10268699

$510,000 For Sale - 5BR, 2.5 BA, Popular Split Level with
Sub-Basement, Updated Kitchen; Great
Location; MC10052428

$475,000 For Sale 4BR, 3BA Split Foyer in Kemp Mill Model
Home Condition – Remodeled Kitchen w/Granite
Countertops MC10316296

$465,000 For Sale 4BR, 3BA Updated Rambler in Kemp Mill,
Completely Remodeled Kitchen with Granite Countertops and
Wood Cabinets MC10322983

$439,500 For Sale 3BR, 2FBA, 2HBA, Watermill
Townhome, Former Model Home - End Unit Brick Townhome
w/Garage MC10346163

$5,800/mo For Rent Magnificent Custom Home in Popular
Springbrook Forest 5BR 5.5 BA 2-Car Garage on a Majestic 1
Acre Lot MC10310160

I know of one house that recently went for $760k that had like 7 bedrooms and a cathedral-ceiling entry hall, but it was on the market for a while before anyone bought it.

I love the amount of greenery in Kemp Mill - we live close to many lovely hiking/biking trails, and even the most modest houses have decent yards. (I lived in Brooklyn for a while and got very depressed among the bricks and concrete, so this is HUGE for me!)

There's really only one or two big apartment complexes in Kemp Mill - most of the community lives in single-family houses. The residential streets in much of Kemp Mill are deliberately NOT in a grid - lots of loops and cul-de-sacs - to keep traffic to a few main artery roads, so it feels very suburban since most people will only drive down a street if they are going somewhere on that street.

I haven't been to Potomac, so I don't know what the houses there are like, but I've driven through Rockville and Bethesda and those houses are GORGEOUS.

I'm from Los Angeles, so I grew up with classmates in massive Hancock Park or Beverly Hills mansions as well as tiny little duplexes on Detroit Street; you certainly get more bang for your buck in Silver Spring.

Hope that helps? Feel free to PM me if you have more questions Very Happy

eschaya

Fri, Oct 05 2018, 2:31 am

Another former angeleno who lives in kemp mill. It's a great area with a wide range of frum jews; especially since it sounds like you and your husband can fit in different camps, this might be an ideal location for you. Lots of both berman and torah school families in the area... the proportion varies depending on which part of kemp mill you live in.
I feel very safe here... perhaps Potomac is more safe (? really dont know) but no matter what, either is incredibly more safe than Los angeles is! I feel comfortable letting my kids walk to friends or shul alone.
The houses are generally not on par with Hancock park houses (where I grew up), though you definitely can find larger and more expensive homes.
Please feel free to pm me if you need more information. Hatzlacha either way. The general region is a great place to live (and the schools are amazing).

amother

Scarlet

Fri, Oct 05 2018, 5:49 pm

Op here. Thank you both for the info! I wrote a long reply but for whatever reason, it was lost Sad

. In summary, we are moving from the La Brea/Hancock Park area and my son is in preschool at Yavneh. I love his school. My dd is still at home with me. The two main reasons we are moving 1) lower finances. We want to sell our home here and buy with cash in kemp mill as to have no or a very small mortgage. 2) I want a community with a modern shul 3) I want my kids to live near school friends for play dates on shabbos & yom tov.

Can you tell me abt ...
1) The weather and how you manage in it. How bad is the winter/summer? How do you manage snow? Sorry, I'm a Cali girl. I did live in NYC as a single but never had to schlep kids to school in the snow or drive in it.
2) what's the commute like to/from Berman Acadamy and Torah School?
3) How many kosher markets, restaurants, mikvahs, ect? Want to get an idea of community size.
4) Are most of kemp mill/your neighbors Jewish? I like cultural diversity but want my kids to have lots of school friends around.
5) what is the general cultura/personality of kemp mill Jews and non Jews in Greater Washington. For example one could say ppl in Cali are in general friendly, polite, laid back, like nature, and the political nature is liberal.

We want to take a trip to kemp mill & Potomac during Yavneh's winter break Jan 18-27. I'm hoping Berman & Torah school are in session so I can visit at a normal time. Do you know when their break is?

Any info helps. Thanks so much!

SDmother

Sat, Oct 06 2018, 8:47 pm

If you want to pm me I can probably give you lots of info.

amommy2

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 6:06 pm

Hi, I just came across this post as I was searching for more info on Kemp Mill. I'm curious to hear the answers to OP's questions as I'm trying to get more info too. Also wondering if OP ended up moving to Silver Spring? If yes, can you share any insight on anything you think someone who's looking to move should know?

Thanks!

SRB

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 6:47 pm

Hi. This is the OP. We didn't move yet and actually now looking at a different area in Los Angeles because we really just don't want to move so far from family. Not sure if it will work out so id still be interested in reading answers to my questions above.

amother

Bisque

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:13 pm

amother [ Scarlet ] wrote:

Op here. Thank you both for the info! I wrote a long reply but for whatever reason, it was lost Sad

1.) I'm from NY (to add perspective) The weather is great. Some minor snow each year (dusting to a few inches). Every few years, a bigger snow. The city and schools shut down for minor snow. DC isn't great about handling snow.
2. I send to torah school. People carpool. I think Berman has bussing that you part extra for, but I'm not sure.
3. Kemp Mill has one kosher supermarket.
It's fairly large (by oot standards). Rockville has another supermarket. There are some restaurants (KM: one milchig, 2 pizza (one with sushi), a take out Chinese, and a fleishig). Rockville (15 minutes away) has more). Kemp Mill has two mikvahs. The main one and a very small one. Woodside has its own mikvah. White oak (I think) only has a Shabbos one. I don't really talk about mikvah that much, but I think most people use the main Kemp Mill one. It's pretty nice.

4. Depends on the block, but frum Jews are taking over the area. There are a big range of hashkafas.
5. People are generally nice and friendly. There are a broad range of people. Most people are professionals. Lots of educated government workers. The overall DC area tends to be political liberal, but the frum community is more politically conservative (however that can vary as well).

amother

Lavender

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:27 pm

Potomac is very modern.

The commutes to either school are hard.

KM has a nice variety of people and it is growing quickly.

There are a lot of threads with info. Search "silver spring" or "Kemp mill"

familyfirst

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:41 pm

Torah school vacation is over mlk weekend
Hebrew academy vacation is over end of year and new year

amommy2

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:48 pm

Thank you very much for all the information! How is the commute hard? Is there lots of traffic, a long drive...? Would it be feasible for both parents to have full time jobs?
Can someone who sends to the Torah School please pm me so that I can ask more specific questions?
Thanks again!

amother

Lavender

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 11:09 pm

amommy2 wrote:

From KM, Torah school is south and you do sit in DC traffic for part of it. If you are going that way anyway, then it's not bad. Berman is north and also a drive! What hashgafa are you? You need to decide schooling based on that, not based on the traffic.

The Torah School is awesome.

amother

Bisque

Thu, Jul 25 2019, 6:09 am

Is there something about the ts that you want to know? The Torah school is Woodside. It's towards DC, but not a horrible commute. With carpool, it's definitely manageable. Many people do it with full time jobs

amother

Gold

Mon, Sep 16 2019, 8:37 pm

Can someone who sends to Torah School give me more information about it? Are boys and girls separate? About how many children per class and how many classes per grade are there?

familyfirst

Mon, Sep 16 2019, 9:18 pm

Yes, boys and girls are separate but in same building
About 15 students per class
But on occasion they have combined two classes (no more than 25) so bestvto clarify that with administration
Great school! For most part teachers are there for multiple years

amother

Gold

Wed, Sep 18 2019, 10:51 pm

Thanks! What's the student body like, particularly the preschool? Are they more yeshivish, modern orthodox or in the middle? Is the community growing - do more families join the Torah School each year?

eschaya

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:23 pm

TSGW families run the gamut of Orthodox Judaism. There are yeshivish families, RWMO families, JPF families, BT and others who belie description. The community is growing rapidly. My oldest child graduated (6th grade) with 16 girls in her class. My 2 boys in the school now have 2 classes of boys, each probably close to 20 (they usually cap class size at 20). So that's a lot of growth!

TSGW is 10 minutes from KM without traffic, but usually takes closer to 15 minutes.

Feel free to PM if you have specific questions.

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