Forest Hills

Forest Hills is the perfect name for a neighborhood like this. You half expect cartoon bluebirds to land on you when you walk past it. Perfect for families looking to have Bambi visit their backyard, but with American University so close, students may find themselves wishing this neighborhood had some more affordable options. Besides this, the neighborhood is beautiful, and practically drool-inducing.

Forest Hills is a neighborhood of approximately 11,300 residents located in the northwest section of the city. The neighborhood’s boundaries are generally defined as being within the footprint of Beach Drive N.W., Rock Creek Park, 27th Street N.W., 36th Street N.W. and Connecticut Avenue N.W. In 2010, the average price of a home sold here was $884,583 with 34% of the homes being owner occupied. Homes here tend to be the larger detached single-family homes as well as multifamily apartments and condominiums. As with many neighborhoods there is a commercial component to the neighborhood as well, especially along Connecticut Avenue N.W.

The Edmund Burke School as well as the Howard University School of Law are located in Forest Hills. Dedicated public recreational facilities are not located within the neighborhood although there are numerous private options. Excellent restaurants and shopping are located within the neighborhood along Connecticut Avenue N.W. Public transportation is available with numerous Metro Bus stops being located in the neighborhood as well as the Van Ness – UDC Metro station. Although the neighborhood is heavily wooded, there are many dedicated green space is available including Rock Creek Park, Soapstone Valley Park, Forest Hills Playground and Linnean Playground.

Crime or shall we say lack of, is where the neighborhood will appeal to many. Recent crime statistics indicate that crimes against people and property are infrequent. As always check the most recent crime statistics and make an informed decision as to the crime risk in any neighborhood. Looking for a great neighborhood? You have found it!

Forest Hills is a beautiful neighborhood, which boasts of plenty of grass, trees, and multi-million dollar homes. It has a primarily suburban feel, with a few scattered shopping areas and even a law school. Backed up to Chevy Chase, DC, Forest Hills has all the exclusivity without the horrendous traffic. Instead, the streets are relatively quiet as would be expected of the suburbs. Of course, we are still talking about DC with traffic generally being some of the worst in the country, but still Forest Hills manages to keep fairly quiet. This is because it doesn’t have as extensive of services as surrounding areas. On the other hand, with the Law school in its borders things will never be silent as a mouse either. Forest Hills has easy access to the Metro, for those who have jobs downtown. Naturally this is the case for a majority of citizens, as there aren’t very many offices in Forest Hills. Likewise, th3e schools are good in comparison to much of DC, so if you send your children there then they will at least learn to read and write. After school there are plenty of activities available, so roam the streets of Forest Hills and you will see busy moms taking their children from one place to another. Totally worth it for those who can afford the real estate prices.

Forest Hills is a great place to live. Located adjacent to some of the nicest neighborhoods in the area, it also shares a border with Rock Creek Park. Howard University’s Law School attracts some of the best and brightest minds in the African American community, while the elegant Hillwood House and Museum stands watch like the grade dame she is. Two embassies lend the area an international flavor, but can also snarl traffic when they hold black tie events. The Czech Republic and Netherlands embassies are actually in the neighborhood, while several others are very close by.
If you grow board with exploring the more staid places I described above, why not take a break and visit Soapstone Valley Park, a charming green space with a gushing stream running through it. Then, when you’ve had enough, stop by on the nearby eateries and grab a sandwich or a cold drink before heading home. You’ll find plenty of welcoming single family homes on the market, as well as condominiums and high end apartments.