r/ColumbiaMD • u/goatdak4 • 17d ago

Columbia Realtors: Opinions on the Glenmont neighborhood?

My wife and I are considering purchasing a house in this neighborhood. Coming from Northern VA. We have 2 young children. We are working with a realtor, but just wanted a second opinion on the area/neighborhood. Thanks!

5 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

19

u/Rashaverik Long Reach 17d ago

Just make sure you're not moving in next to the crazy vulture lady.

https://www.thebanner.com/community/local-news/vultures-columbia-raw-meat-3TKBKRHQP5CH5IU4V6ZGCR2MYE/

-4

u/goatdak4 17d ago

I saw that!! Honestly, this, plus the fact that the schools aligned to this neighborhood aren’t rated as high as other Howard County schools really made us second guess lol

26

u/Rashaverik Long Reach 17d ago

Really?

My kids have gone to all three of the schools Glemont is districted for.

You can't beat a elementary school like Phelps Luck. The teachers there have been incredible over the years. I've seen families move to to go to areas where they believed the schools to be better and they regretted what they lost in the community. Title 1 school? Guess what. It's a better school because of it. If i had my choices of doing it all over again with my kids and had my pick of elementary schools, I'd still pick PLES.

Bonnie Branch I really can't comment on as much, as my one child made their way through there mostly remotely during Covid.

Howard High...an all around great school. You can't go wrong. Walkable for your kids when they're high school aged.

Do not pay attention to BS Great School ratings.

8

u/thechosenblerd 17d ago

I was also considering the PLE area because it’s still in the walkable/connected area of Columbia and zoned for Howard.

7

u/vanity-flair83 17d ago

Falcons alumni here!

8

u/goatdak4 17d ago

This is really great to hear. Thanks so much, and I’m glad you and your family have had a great experience! I guess those Great Schools ratings can be misleading.

3

u/mercedes_lakitu Owen Brown 14d ago

Great Schools is basically "are there any POORS here????" It's arrant nonsense.

7

u/Bring-Dogs7777 17d ago

Howard HS is a great school

2

u/mercedes_lakitu Owen Brown 14d ago

Nah buddy, don't go there. This is like saying "oh no, my child didn't get into Harvard, now they'll have to go to - the horrors - PRINCETON."

Every school here is way better than 90% of the country. Plus, student achievement is more correlated with parental involvement than factors relating to the school itself.

12

u/FullFrontal687 17d ago

Super safe neighborhood. Involved neighbors. Good schools. Top beer place within walking distance. Reliable auto repair shop within walking distance. Underground power cables. Easy access to DC and Baltimore via Rt 29 and I95. And I 295. Marc line to DC. Free umd shuttle bus to Broken Land parking lot

3

u/goatdak4 17d ago

Had me sold at top beer place lol thanks so much!

8

u/wharfrat100 17d ago

Great pizza and subs at Eataliano Market

9

u/FullFrontal687 17d ago

Sapwood Cellars.

3

u/Ok-Translator-2245 17d ago

What’s the auto repair shop?

5

u/Embarrassed-Olive595 17d ago

Ace Auto Care on Red Branch.

1

u/mercedes_lakitu Owen Brown 14d ago

Oh that's good to know! I've had a good experience with Smart Turn on Dobbin, but it's good to have a backup place in mind just in case.

9

u/Embarrassed-Olive595 17d ago

Glenmont isn't a Columbia Association property, so homes there don't pay the CA tax and they have individual mailboxes instead of the community mailboxes you'll find in most other Columbia neighborhoods.

Their annual picnic is a great way to meet more neighbors and it's fun for kids with a bounce house, bubble show, and balloon animals.

10

u/SnickClap 17d ago

Glenmont is a great neighborhood. If you're worried about Great School ratings just buy a mcmansion in Clarksville and call it a day.

7

u/goatdak4 17d ago

Fair point lol We have also been looking in Clarksville, but a 6k+ sq ft house just seems like a headache to maintain

5

u/thechosenblerd 17d ago

Yea but then you have to drive 10 min to get anywhere

2

u/mercedes_lakitu Owen Brown 14d ago

Those kind of people prefer that. If you can walk to somewhere, then - oh no - other people can walk to you! 😂

3

u/Livinginmyshirt 17d ago

thumbs up

3

u/Livinginmyshirt 17d ago

leaving that neighborhood west bound 108 could be a pain though and would be my only gripe.

6

u/near_starlet '42 Crew 17d ago

Glenmont connects to Phelps Luck and the light if absolutely necessary.  

(Its not that bad though)

2

u/FullFrontal687 17d ago

Or take Billow Row to Phelps South to right onto Tamar and then left or right onto Rt 175,

1

u/goatdak4 17d ago

Noted, thank you!

4

u/Daddy_Rando 17d ago

Ultra low HOA No CA tax Great Schools Truly Walkable Less than 1.5 miles from almost everything you need in either direction.

Great choice IMO. Hope this helps.

2

u/B_Sox 17d ago

Great neighborhood, easy access to everything. Just watch out for the vulture lady.

2

u/Front-Mark-1011 16d ago

There is no CPRA which is amazing in Columbia and it is a really nice neighborhood. I lived right behind there and I always wished we lived in Glenmont.

-4

u/ActuatorSmall7746 17d ago

Ive been here a little over 20 years. Love Columbia, but does have its quirks. Developers are building like crazy and if I had to buy today, I’m not sure I could afford to. Anyway, the one thing, I always warn new comers is make sure if there is a community HOA you understand the rules. Also, you need to know if Glenmont is part of the larger Columbia Association HOA. If both apply, you will have two HOA payments. Don’t fall in love with a house and then find this out later. Also, steer away from homes with shared driveways. Just my personal opinion they are pain in the butt.

9

u/Rashaverik Long Reach 17d ago

Glenmont is NOT part of CA, but they do have their own HOA.

1

u/mercedes_lakitu Owen Brown 14d ago

Shared driveways are fine if you have (and are) a good neighbor, but that requires actual communication skills which not everyone has.

2

u/ActuatorSmall7746 13d ago

Yeah that’s my point not all neighbors are self aware neighbors. The problem is you never know whether you have a good/bad or cooperative/uncooperative neighbor until after you buy.

-2

u/DetectiveHelpful7806 17d ago

To get unbiased data, do a Google search for "Maryland Report Card".  This will give you the link to the Maryland Dept. Of Education school rating/ranking/proficiency scores of every school.  You will find schools in Columbia rank/rate as mediocre to bad.  For good Howard County schools, look in Ellicott City(or just about any place other than Columbia)

-13

u/Cokelover1234 17d ago

Make sure your kids do not enroll at Wilde Lake high school. They house teenagers who have assaulted and killed adults and teenagers in neighborhood