Congress Heights, Deanwood or Hyattsville?

[Karelyn Cruz]

First time home buyer here. My husband and I are looking into buying a 2 bd/2 bath house or townhouse (no condo) close to metro (we dont have a car) in the near future. Our our budget is ~$350K which limit us. We have been interested in the Anacostia/Congress Heights, Deanwood and Hyattsville areas as we can still find good houses within our price range there. We are also interested to buy in an area with growth potential. Any thoughts on which of the three areas has higher growth potential? Any other areas that we should be looking around? Thanks! 

[M Marie M.]

Of the three choices, I'd pick Hyattsville, provided it is the Hyattsville near the PG Plaza and West Hyattsville. "Hyattsville" seems to be like Silver Spring in that is all over the darn place, so there is that.

You mentioned you are a car-less person. I have been predominately car free since the 1990s, and I got a car in my life when I married my husband about 7 years ago. I have 2 rentals and a primary home and so it is possible to be a car less real estate investor.

Why Hyattsville? Well the Beltsville to Mt. Ranier Route 1 corridor is our Plan B should I get transferred to another duty location from my current day job duty station in downtown DC. So part of it is for are personal reasons. I've also lived in that general area before while a student at UMD, so I'm aware of the problems of PG County and what I hate about it.  Congress Heights and those other parts of EOTR (east of the river) DC are not part of my traffic patterns so I am not as familiar with them. Deanwood has been touted as up and coming by some people for over 10 years (looking at watch) if it hasn't up and come by now, the way it is now may be as good as it gets. And Congress Heights... I will always wish the best for that area, but it lacks things, that I as a car free person need. Hyattsville, the area also including parts of Riverdale, Adelphi, College Park (Hollywood), and northwest bits of Mt. Ranier (my husband loves University Park but the taxes are too high) despite being in the f-up that is PG County have possibilities for growth because of what UMD and EYA is doing with the Rt 1 corridor. The county which seems to act as if decent sidewalks are an abomination are beginning to put in semi-logical sidewalks in those areas around PG Plaza mall and Rt 1. It is also close enough in to make getting into the city easier. The Purple line might also show up, who knows. Infrastructure and job centers (such as UMD and a few govt agencies) are reasons I would bet on Hyattsville.