Aspen Hill

Residents of Flower Valley can stroll down neighborhood streets like Sunflower Drive and Bitterroot Way to access swim clubs in the summer and neighborhood green spaces that connect to the larger Rock Creek Park trail system. Shady trees are present throughout the community, and folks can shop along Rockville Pike to the west or just across Norbeck Road for grocery shopping or a night out at a local diner. Flower Valley Bath and Racquet Club is the neighborhood's main recreation center. It hosts a pool, basketball and tennis courts, a shaded pavilion with tables that residents can rent, a snack bar and several grills for a summer cookout. The club also offers tennis and swimming lessons. Flower Valley Neighborhood Park is in many backyards and features a basketball and tennis court, playground, and nature trails that connect to the much larger Rock Creek Park system. A brief walk through the park's trees leads to Sunfish Pond, a small fishing area. There's also the Lake Frank Trail further south, which leads to Lake Bernard Frank, a larger reservoir popular for catching panfish and largemouth bass. "A lot of folks live in Flower Valley and are part of Manor [Country Club]," says Lisa Johnson, a longtime Aspen Hill local and Realtor with Weichert. Manor Country Club is in the Manor Park neighborhood across Norbeck Road. Locals can become members to access the club's 18-hole golf course, pool, and numerous themed dining areas, including a pub, tiki bar, and patio with views of the golf course fairways. Folks come to the Flower Valley Bath and Racquet Club for annual events, like the Fourth of July Bike Parade, where kids pedal through the streets and end their ride by the pool. The club also hosts the Annual Crab Feast in July, a Maryland tradition. Rock Creek Village Center is a small retail plaza across Norbeck Road to the south. Rock Creek features neighborhood staple spots like Villa Maya, serving a Tex-Mex menu. "They have outdoor seating and great guacamole and margaritas; people love it," says Ashley Veith, a Realtor on the Tamara Kucik Team at RLAH. Rock Creek Village Center also features a Safeway for groceries and a CVS for pharmacy needs. The center also features the newer Italian restaurant Ema Rossi, and Veith recommends its wood-fired pizza. One of Ema Rossi's specialties is the Margherita Piu, a pepperoni pizza drizzled with chili-infused honey. Folks can head north to Georgia Avenue to enjoy dinner and drinks at the rustic Full On Craft Eats & Drinks diner, a made-from-scratch restaurant with various salads, sandwiches, beer and wine. Locals can also take Norbeck Road a mile west to explore the dining and shopping variety along the bustling Rockville Pike. Home values in Flower Valley range from $500,000 to $1 million, varying by square footage and lot size. The neighborhood comprises single-family homes in brick Craftsman and colonial styles, usually costing $700,000 to $1 million. Some townhouse options are available for around $500,000. Johnson explains that the neighborhood was mainly developed "in the 1960s, [made up of] different models, but mostly [from] the same builder; the homes here have the benefit of mature landscaping and large bedrooms." Most homes have half-acre lots, and Johnson adds that homes in Flower Valley are slightly more affordable than in other Aspen Hill communities like Manor Park, where it's harder to find homes under $1 million. Flower Valley falls under Montgomery County Public Schools, rated by Niche as the No. 1 public school district for athletes in Maryland. Students in the neighborhood can attend Flower Valley Elementary and Rockville High School, both with stellar A-ratings on Niche. There's also Earle B. Wood Middle School, with an A-minus rating. Flower Valley Elementary is within the neighborhood along Sunflower Drive so many students can walk to and from school. Commuters can take Georgia Avenue 16 miles south to reach the nation's capital in under an hour. Flower Valley is also within 5 miles of two Red Line metro stations, with Rockville to the west and Glenmont to the southeast. The Red Line offers rail access to and from downtown D.C.

Manor Park is a suburban community among the trees of Aspen Hill. Due to diverse prewar custom development, no two houses look the same, but the biggest draw for locals is the neighborhood's Manor Country Club, where members can play golf and tennis or barbecue and socialize. "I've said before to my neighbors, 'Call me crazy, but it feels like we live in a resort,' and they'd say to me, 'I'm gonna correct you; we do live in a resort,'" says Lisa Johnson, a Manor Park resident for over 20 years and a Realtor with Weichert. "Even if you're not playing tennis or golf, [when] you take your neighborhood walk, it feels like that." Locals who aren't country club members can still be socially active in the neighborhood by attending events organized by the Manor Park Community Association. "Children who grew up in the neighborhood often end up coming back to purchase their own homes when they are adults," says Ashley Veith, a Realtor on the Tamara Kucik Team at RLAH. Manor Park is a community comprised of many second and third-generation families, which keeps turnover low and contributes to solid home satisfaction. Home values range from $750,000 to $1.6 million, varying by age and renovation status. Johnson mentions that no major builders developed Manor Park, so buyers can walk down shady, tree-lined sidewalks and find a wide variety of home styles built from the 1930s through the '70s. Streets are grid-patterned and end in small cul-de-sacs. At the lower end of the price range, 1950s brick colonials are right beside the golf course for about $750,000. Four-bedroom Cape Cods and split-level styles are priced between $800,000 and $880,000. There are also 1930s Tudor-style houses going for $900,000 and expanded colonials with bay windows priced above $1 million. While sellers usually experience multiple offers, Veith says there are plenty of off-market deals throughout the neighborhood. "Many residents house hop. They'll move a few doors down because their home needs have changed, but they want to stay in the neighborhood. Sometimes people house swap with their neighbors." Manor Country Club, the community's centerpiece, offers members access to an 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts and an aquatics facility with a separate lap pool for adults. There are also elegant dining areas serving seasonally inspired cuisine, from a dining terrace and patio overlooking the golf course, to the pub, popular for lunch after a round of golf, to a tiki bar. The country club is embedded among residential streets, which Johnson stresses as a huge benefit, saying, "It's the difference of being at the pool or playing tennis or having dinner and a couple glasses of wine on the back patio because you're able to walk home, rather than drive home." The Manor Park Community Association's annual events build bonds and keep neighbors engaged. There's a large July 4th party and fireworks display. "There is also a Halloween bash with trunk or treating and a formal Holly Ball in the holiday season with dinner, a live band and dancing," Veith says. The association also organizes Great Oaktoberfest, a fall festival that runs down Great Oak Street to the west. "[For] Great Oaktoberfest, the community association pays for kegs [and] live bands," says Johnson. "all the neighbors bring food. There's face painting and stuff for the kids as well. For groceries, Johnson suggests the Safeway at Rock Creek Village Center, less than 2 miles west on Norbeck Road. Another mile down the street are the shops and restaurants along Rockville Pike, where folks can browse Food Lion or get smoked brisket from Mission Barbecue. Rockville Town Square is an outdoor plaza featuring upscale dining options like Kumbia Restaurant, which serves Latin dishes like the Peruvian lomo saltado, has cocktail specials for happy hour, and is full of music and dancing at night. Paris Baguette is an artisan bakery serving creative pastries like tiramisu tarts, mochi donuts and buttercream bread. Manor Park's youngest residents are part of Montgomery County Public Schools, a highly rated district with an A rating from Niche and a student-teacher ratio of 14 to one. Flower Valley Elementary School and Rockville High School both have stellar A-ratings from Niche, and Earle B. Wood Middle School is rated an A-minus. Flower Valley Elementary is supported by an active parent-teacher association that sponsors festivals, bingo nights and an annual fun run. Students at Earle B. Wood Middle can attend summer robotics camps and complete literacy and world language assignments to keep their skills sharp all year. Manor Park residents are within 5 miles of three metro stations: Glenmont to the south and Rockville and Twinbrook to the west, for Red Line access through the greater Washington, D.C., area. Commuters can also drive to downtown D.C. in just under an hour along 16th Street, Connecticut Avenue or Georgia Avenue.

Hermitage Park, a neighborhood located 13 miles north of Washington, DC, is what 7,600 residents call home. This central location is ideal for anyone commuting downtown for work, as the Glenmont Metro Station is only two miles from the neighborhood. This community has a variety of housing styles ideal for home buyers at any experience level. Hermitage Woods Condominiums includes one-to-three-bedroom contemporary condos. Prices can range between $100,000 to $300,000, depending on the number of bedrooms. Real Estate Agent of Realty Advantage Cristina Sousa said the older homes in the community are being remodeled. That upgrade is one of the big draws for home buyers. "They're older houses with bigger space," Sousa says. "Their lots are bigger, and pieces of land are larger than newer construction, which people like." The median lot size in Hermitage Park is 7,840 sq ft, which is slightly higher than the state's average of 7,599 sq ft. Single-family homes without basements can range between $500,000 to $650,000. Most houses larger than five-bedrooms start around $750,000. Residents are spoiled with the parkland available for walking and outdoor adventures. The Matthew Henson Trail lingers through most of the neighborhood, offering four miles of hiking and biking trails. Towards the end of the trail sits the Matthew Henson State Park, which consists of four units and 116 acres of land. The trail also runs through Bel-Pre-Neighborhood Park, which holds eight acres of green space and a creek. During summers, residents head out to the Strathmore Bel-Pre Pool. "Our pool is one of the nicest pools around," President of the Strathmore Bel-Pre-Civic Association Nancy Bechtol says. "It has a lot of land around it and brings all the kids out during the summers." The area also contains tennis and pickleball courts and pavilions that are available to rent. Students can start their education at the Georgian Forest Elementary School from grades K through five. This school has a Niche grade of B-. Following that, students can graduate off to Argyle Middle School from grades six through eight. Argyle Middle School is a Verizon Innovative Learning School, where students are given iPads or Chromebooks to provide them with connection and technology access at home. Lastly, students can earn their high school degrees at John F. Kennedy High School. This school offers a signature Leadership Training Institute program, which teaches students to become service-driven young adults. Hermitage Park residents are only a short drive from a cultural fiesta of cuisines. Around a mile away is the Aspen Manor Shopping Mall. This market contains Japanese, Mexican, Brazilian, and American cuisine. One popular spot for sweets is the Brazilian Bakery, where they're baking fresh Brazilian bread daily and homemade empanadas. Then, savory flavors can be found at Kobe Japan Hibachi and Sushi, where they’re serving hibachi chicken over rice and Philadelphia rolls. Located about a mile away is the Aspen Hill Shopping Center, which holds the grocer Giant Eagle. Besides the grocery store, this plaza has Sally Beauty and Five Below. Kohl's and Michael's are other shopping favorites in the Northgate Plaza next to Aspen Hill Shopping Center. The Aspen Manor Shopping Mall is also home to the Mexican grocery store La Mixteca Grocery and an Asian grocery store, Lotte Plaza Market. Folks also do their weekly grocery shopping at Aldi within the Plaza del Mercado shopping mall. Strathmore Bel-Pre-Civic Association is a non-profit corporation that helps promote communication in the area. Every quarter, they produce a newsletter called "The Bugle," which provides the neighborhood with community news and upcoming events. The Strathmore Bel-Pre-Civic Association has published this newsletter for over 50 years. "I hope it never ends," Bechtol says. "It's packed with loads of information, and people are excited to get it." They also sponsor community events such as the Annual Yard Sale, the 4th of July Parade, and BlocktoberFest. Hermitage Park is a tiny but mighty community that offers a lot to those looking for a home.

The Maryland community of Rock Creek Village hugs one of the Washington, D.C., metro’s most important natural features: Rock Creek. The 32-mile creek winds along the west side of the Montgomery County neighborhood on its way to the nation’s capital, with woodlands surrounding the water. Rock Creek Village is a cluster of subdivisions built in the 1960s, but the developers retained significant amounts of greenery and trees. Streets often end in cul-de-sacs with trees or gardens in the center. Roadside trees have matured over five-plus decades into broad canopies. The landscape isn’t rural by any means, but it’s plenty natural for Sue Cohen, who operates first-edition book seller Bren-Books.com from her home in the neighborhood. “I grew up in an apartment in the Bronx, and the only bit of greenery had a wrought iron fence to keep us from stepping out onto it,” she says. “We only have a third of an acre here. I joke that we’re going to lose mailmen because it’s a jungle outside.” Cohen has lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years, and one neighbor on her street has lived there since his house was built more than 50 years ago. “[When we moved to the area], we picked a place where we knew we would stay,” explains Cohen. “There has not been that much turnover over the years.” Alongside Rock Creek is Aspen Hill Local Park, where residents can play on soccer and baseball fields. However, the park is most popular because it’s an access point to the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail. Walkers, joggers and cyclists can travel the 19-mile paved path north to Rock Creek Regional Park or south to Washington, D.C., with some even using the trail to commute to work. On the north side of Rock Creek Village, Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center welcomes kids and adults to games of basketball, pickleball and Ultimate Frisbee. In the summer, some residents pay to join Manor Woods Swim Club. The pool hosts youth swimming and diving teams that compete in a countywide league. Cohen recalls her summers centering around the pool for a dozen years when her kids were growing up. “Everyone was a pool rat from the day after Memorial Day when they were forced into the freezing water all the way until the county championships.” The neighborhood’s commercial area is confined to Rock Creek Village Center on the north side. It contains more than five local restaurants. Molly Carter, a Realtor at Long & Foster Real Estate who has lived in Montgomery County for 14 years, recommends Creek Lodge Bar & Grill, where customers dine on American fare alongside taxidermized bears and wolves. Locals can do basic shopping at the retail center, which has a Safeway grocery store and a CVS pharmacy. Two more shopping centers are just over a mile away in Aspen Hill, where shoppers can stop at Kohl’s and Michaels or get a Vietnamese meal at Pho An & Grill. Also in Aspen Hill is Patient First, a clinic for primary and urgent care. There’s a variety of houses of worship nearby; nine Christian churches and three synagogues hold services within 2 miles of the neighborhood. Multiple mature subdivisions make up Rock Creek Village, with ranch homes and Colonial Revivals along the meandering streets. Buyers can find four-bedroom houses in the mid-$500,000s, with six-bedroom homes selling in the low $800,000s. Most homes come with moderate-sized yards, but there are small condo buildings for residents who want a smaller property at a lower price point. Condo prices vary from $200,000 to $250,000. There’s less than a month of inventory in the neighborhood, and when homes do hit the market they’re snatched away almost immediately, Cohen says. “Nothing here lasts a week.” Manor Woods Swim Club hosts events in addition to swim meets. They include a mini music festival called Manor Woodstock in May and a pancake brunch in June. The neighborhood is less than 2 miles from F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre and Glenview Mansion. The former hosts stage shows and operas, while the latter showcases rotating art exhibits that are free to the public. Niche ranks Montgomery County Public Schools the second-best school district in Maryland, and kids in Rock Creek Village attending the district go to schools all graded an A-minus or better by Niche. Many children are in walking distance of A-rated Rock Creek Valley Elementary School and Earle B. Wood Middle School, which gets an A-minus. Less than a mile outside the neighborhood, Rockville High School gets an A. The high school offers three specialized, academically rigorous programs: the International Baccalaureate program, an engineering program and a journalism program. The neighborhood is home to Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, an A-rated private school for preschoolers through 12th graders. Locals must use cars to some degree. Rock Creek Village borders Veirs Mill Road, the most direct route to Washington, D.C. The 15-mile drive to downtown can take nearly two hours when traffic is at its peak. Twinbrook station, the nearest Metro station, is nearly 2 miles outside the neighborhood. The station has paid parking spaces, so residents who want to skip the drive to Washington, D.C., can leave their cars at the station and catch the train. The ride to the heart of the district takes about 30 minutes.