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Moving to Maryland? What will your commute be like?

By
Real Estate Agent with Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 MD594797


It took me 3 hours today to travel a total of 50 miles. I almost fell out of my car to kiss the ground when I finally pulled up in front of my house. I hate getting stuck in traffic - who doesn't, right? - it is such a waste of time and I always imagine all the things I could get done if I weren't crawling along the beltway.

Nope, we cannot say that traffic is one of the benefits of living in the Greater Washington DC area. (As a side note, it's also not good for one's blood pressure.) I typically and very skillfully try to avoid the worst by traveling on the back roads and/or by setting appointments at such times that they do not coincide with rush hour traffic. The optimist that I am, of course I always hope that it wont be so bad if I happen to have no other choice.

Well, today I had no other choice and, yes, it was that bad!


You know the sign If you lived here, you'd be home now? It just kept flashing in my head and I so wished I lived on the next street over .. or the next .. or at least off the next exit. Just anywhere NEXT!

I have plans to move closer to my office in 20905 Silver Spring - having an extremely short commute and more time for the things that really matter, is priceless to me.

The best advice I can give anyone relocating to the Maryland Suburbs of Washington DC: think really hard about your future commute.

What is more important to you - more house but a longer commute or less house but also less time on the road?

Unless the price-tag is of no concern to you, you'll likely be confronted with that decision. You can get more house and/or a more land if you look outside the beltway - far outside the beltway - moving to a close-in location will get you less house but also more time to enjoy it.

Related Blog:

Homes near Metro's Red Line in Silver Spring, MD

Posted by

Andrea Bedard
Thompson Co., REALTORS®

Silver Spring, Maryland
andreabedard.com

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Comments (17)

Richard Wilson
Cherry Creek Properties, LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Town or Country, in Colorado, we do it all.

You should take a look at Colorado!  From downtown Colorado Springs to my home it is 40 miles or 40 minutes, unless I stop at my neighbors house (2 miles away) for coffee, then it could be a 3.5 hour commute!  ;-)

Jun 28, 2012 11:49 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Hi Richard, I called a couple friends who live along the way, hoping I could stop by for a little chat - but there were stuck in the same mess I was stuck in.

Jun 28, 2012 01:28 PM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Hello Andrea,

The Dallas commute can be awful as well...some of our suburbs are almost in Oklahoma (or maybe it just feels like that!)

Have a fabulous weekend!

Jun 29, 2012 01:14 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

LOL! After a few hours of sitting in traffic I almost wish I could end up in a different state! At least I would know that time spent on the road actually got me somewhere!

Have a great weekend Lisa!

Jun 29, 2012 11:55 AM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend as well Andrea!

Jun 30, 2012 07:06 AM
Melissa Brown
Helen Adams Realty - Charlotte, NC
Realtor - South Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

Oh I remember those DC commute days (and not too fondly!)  I think when I was younger I longer for the "bigger" home, despite the commute.  Now that I'm older, my priorities have changed and time with the family is something you can't ever get back.  No one will ever say on his death bed "Gee I wish I spent more time in traffic driving to my big old house!"

Jul 01, 2012 11:08 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Andrea:  I remember when I was working for a builder in Northern Virginia... in the Fairfax/Centreville area.  For about six months of that time... I actually commuted from Fredericksburg to Fairfax.  It was a long drive, mileage-wise, but not necessarily a long drive, time-wise.  Probably about 100 miles I am thinking.  I wonder how long it would take with the current traffic snarles and logjams in Northern Virginia.

This was before I moved back from my short stay in Fredericksburg... and settled in Alexandria off Duke Street.

Jul 01, 2012 11:59 AM
Atlanta's Home Inspector, David Lelak IHI Home Inspections
IHI Home Inspections 404-788-2581 - Canton, GA
Experience the IHI Difference

Sounds exactly like Atlanta traffic. You bring up a great point regarding location, necessity, and more importantly family time. Sometimes, I think, people do not take time to view a move from every angle. I wish you well in your next commute! Have a safe and wonderful July 4th. :)

Jul 02, 2012 01:09 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Hi Lisa, it was a hot one! Thankfully our lights were only flickering during Friday night's storm and our power stayed on, unlike a hundred thousand+ other homes in the area.

Hi Melissa, LOL, yes that sums it up nicely! We need more space but I don't need a McMansion - I'd rather hubby has a shorter commute.

Hi Ms. Karen Anne, my wild guess is that it would take you a lot longer nowadays! 100 miles is long commute to begin with though.

Hi David & Bonnie, I make it a point to always ask if they think the commute would be acceptable and suggest driving the route during their regular time going to and coming from work. Thank you :-)

Jul 02, 2012 02:00 AM
David Tipton, GRI, ePro, SRES
Grady David Tipton Brokerage - Tampa, FL
Real Estate Broker - Tampa

I seem to recall a Northern Virgina commute in to D.C.  It was Bear, 80 mph and bumper to bumper. If you weren't quick they would run you over.  Loved living in the area though, beautiful and always something to do.

Jul 03, 2012 05:49 AM
Kara Roberson
RES.NET - Lake Forest, CA
RES.NET

Hi Andrea!

I'm trying really hard to move closer to my office, because here in Southern California, commutes can be deadly. I currently live about 20 miles away from the office, and it's an hour drive on most days. If there's an accident, forget it. So, I feel your pain!

Hope you have a great holiday!

- Pauline

Jul 03, 2012 07:27 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I have to drive 20 to 30 minutes to get to "anything"  fast food, movies, shopping, super market ect...  Never much in the way of "traffic" though, just distance.

Jul 03, 2012 10:38 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Hi Tampa Bay, there are quite a few impatient drivers on the road around here, I don't think it helps anything to be pushing from behind or cutting in and out ...

Hi Res.Net, we really want to get closer to hubby's job - it makes no difference to me as it is still in the area that I cover. But it would be so nice to have him home an hour or so more each day! 20 miles in one hour = ouch!

Hi Tammy, I don't mind the driving at all - love going the backways but getting stuck and nothing is moving? That I could do without!

Jul 03, 2012 11:36 AM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566
It was a challenge to get to Southern MD today because of the beaches, picnics and fireworks.
Jul 03, 2012 02:00 PM
Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA
Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD
301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

To be fair.. there is still a lot of traffic lights with no power. . but I share your pain. . 

Jul 03, 2012 09:37 PM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

I'm with you, Andrea.  I could make a lot more money if I was willing to drag my shingle across the mountain, but my blood pressure couldn't take the traffic.  Happy 4th!

Jul 04, 2012 12:42 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Hi Cheryl, I can only imagine!

Hi Fernando, I blogged this on Thursday, June 28th - a day before the storm - no power outages then.

Hi Mike, I had had to practice some deep breathing :-) Of course, I wouldn't advise to do that with the windows rolled down while surrounded by hundreds of other cars and the temps at 106.

Jul 04, 2012 01:15 AM