West Friendship
Nature trails, bodies of water and nearby sports
West Friendship Park in the Pfefferkorn Natural Environmental Area is popular with cyclists, hikers and horseback riders for its dirt-packed trails that weave through Howard County’s scenic countryside. Birders at the park can be on the lookout for orange-crowned warblers, vesper sparrows and snow geese. Nearby, locals may cast their fishing lines for rainbow trout and brown trout in the Middle Patuxent River. Alpha Ridge park offers a large playground, a planet observatory and sports like roller hockey and tennis. Willow Springs Golf Course is also in the neighborhood, with an 18-hole public course and a 32-stall driving range. Nine miles away, the 330-acre Centennial Park in Ellicott City offers a playground, tennis and basketball courts, and a 50-acre lake with a boat launch for small watercraft.Howard County Public Schools receive high marks from Niche
West Friendship is part of Howard County Public Schools, rated A overall by Niche. Local kids may start at West Friendship Elementary before moving on to Mount View Middle — both rated A by Niche. At the A-plus-rated Marriotts Ridge High, there are over 80 clubs and extracurriculars for students to choose from, including clubs for Bollywood dance, rocketry and poetry.New traditional homes and 20th-century farmhouses
Set along country roads without sidewalks, West Friendship’s single-family homes are generally 20th-century farmhouses or 21st-century new traditionals with a mix of colonial, Craftsman and farmhouse influences. “They’re kind of all over the place,” Bird says. “But it certainly got built up in the early 2000s.” Many homes are part of the Fox Valley Estates community, whose monthly homeowners association dues range from $30 to $90 and grant access to shared spaces, including a pool and tennis courts. “It’s not uncommon to find lots over an acre, whereas if you went into Columbia — it’s very rare,” Bird says. New traditional homes have three to six bedrooms with 3,000- to 6,000-square-foot layouts on 1-acre lots backing up to wooded views. Common features include covered porches, screened patios and attached multi-car garages, while private pools, barns and workshops are occasional additions. Three- to five-bedroom farmhouses are generally smaller with 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot-layouts and larger lots ranging from 1 to 5 acres. Common features include covered porches and detached garages or driveway spaces. Prices for farmhouses range from $600,000 to $1 million, while new traditional homes range from $1 million to $1.4 million. “There’s more space between houses here,” Bird says. “If you want more of the neighborhood feel, this might not be the right fit, but if you want more seclusion, the larger lots help with that.”Fun at the Howard County Fairgrounds
Events are held year-round at the Howard County Fairgrounds, including the Howard County Fair, an eight-day celebration in August. “It’s very popular,” Bird says. “They do a lot of trade shows, dog shows, a wool show, various 4-H animal shows — things like that.” Residents can enter any of the fair’s competitions, including a pie-eating contest and antique tractor pull. In May, the two-day Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival celebrates its namesake with music, artisan crafts and food like locally sourced lamb cuts and goat cheese. There are also seminars and classes for interests like quilt-making, crocheting and shepherding.Nearby eateries and shopping, dining in Sykesville
Along Frederick Road, there’s the locally owned Tony’s Pizzeria and a few fast-food chains — including Subway, Dunkin’ and High’s — a convenience store and gas station with snacks and deli sandwiches. About 2 miles down the road in Ellicott City, Fox & Barrel Farm Cafe offers freshly baked pastries and a comfort food menu with farm-to-table options. For groceries, Harris Teeter is 4 miles away.Sykesville is about 6 miles away, and Bird says it's an easy go-to for more shopping and dining. Along Main Street, The French Twist Cafe is a charming spot for a morning coffee or crepe, and on Sundays from May through October, the Downtown Sykesville Farmers Market is held across the street. Nearby, Main Street Bistro has a diverse menu with everything from spicy Thai pork pizza and drunken mussels to a cinnamon toast panini and wild blueberry pancakes. After dinner, there’s farm-to-table ice cream at Firehouse Creamery, which doubles as a small market with locally sourced meats, dairy and more.
Getting around from West Friendship
State Route 32 leads 40 miles south to Washington and Interstate 70 leads 23 miles east to Baltimore. “Getting to Baltimore takes about a half hour, and D.C. is about an hour,” Bird says. Residential streets generally aren’t sidewalk-lined, and there isn’t any public transportation; though, there’s a park-and-ride lot for carpooling. West Friendship Animal Hospital is in town; Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center is 14 miles away; and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is 23 miles away.


Agents Specializing in this Area
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Mike Evans
Keller Williams Lucido Agency
(667) 771-6130
101 Total Sales
1 in West Friendship
$860,000 Price
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Trent Gladstone
The KW Collective
(667) 218-4642
306 Total Sales
1 in West Friendship
$1,325,000 Price
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Charlotte Savoy
The KW Collective
(667) 771-4326
756 Total Sales
1 in West Friendship
$1,095,000 Price
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Jeff Washo
Compass
(667) 771-3741
276 Total Sales
1 in West Friendship
$350,000 Price
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Magan Drane
Responds QuicklyCompass
(667) 401-8977
74 Total Sales
1 in West Friendship
$785,000 Price
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Zugell Jamison
Responds QuicklyCummings & Co. Realtors
(240) 390-2560
248 Total Sales
2 in West Friendship
$1.1M - $1.4M Price Range
Schools
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | West Friendship | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 1 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 1 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 1 | 4 |
Robbery | 1 | 4 |
Burglary | 1 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 4 |
Larceny | 2 | 4 |
Crime Score | 1 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
West Friendship Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in West Friendship, Marriottsville sell after 123 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in West Friendship, Marriottsville over the last 12 months is $259,000, up 8% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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Property Mix - Square Feet
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Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
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