Maplewood in Bethesda, a Co-Op for Retirees

Conveniently located inside the Beltway at 9707 Old Georgetown Road, Maplewood in Bethesda is just outside downtown Bethesda, close to Wildwood for shopping and dining and just a few miles south of Pike and Rose.  Within a mile of Medical Center Metro, Maplewood in Bethesda also is only minutes away from shopping, restaurants, cultural attractions such as the Strathmore Center for the Arts and Arena Stage, places of worship, top-ranked hospitals and medical centers like John Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health.  Maplewood is close not only to the central business districts of Bethesda, but also close to Chevy Chase, Potomac, and Washington, DC.

Maplewood provides independent living in a vibrant community, nestled in a safe, wooded suburban neighborhood. The Maplewood experience is defined by abundant activities; beautiful amenities and first-class dining, all easily accessible; 24/7 security and concierge services; and a highly attentive, engaging staff. We also offer assisted living, skilled nursing care, personalized memory care and support, and rehabilitation services for resident owners who may be ready to transition to more care. The community’s comprehensive Lifecare Plan is available for qualified residents, offering high-quality, long-term health care and/or assisted living at a very manageable cost. On the lobby level there is also a wellness clinic with Dr. Wilks, an internist. His services are covered by Medicare so there is no out-of-pocket expenses to you.

Don’t miss the Market on the Square, Bistro Piano Lounge, Elegant Ballroom, Beauty Salon and Barber Shop, 9707 Cafe, and the more formal restaurant – The Urban Table. All on the lobby level of Maplewood. You’ll also find entertainment offerings and congenial neighbors in the billiards room, private dining room, club room, library, and art center.

Amenities at Maplewood in Bethesda include Art Studio, Bank / Banking On-site, Bar/Lounge, Beauty Salon, Billiard Room, Club House, College Courses, Common Grounds, Community Center, Concierge, Convenience Store, Dining Rooms, Elevator, Exercise Room, Extra Storage, Fax/Copying, Fitness Center, Game Room, Hot tub, Jog/Walk Path, Library, Meeting Room, Newspaper Service, Other, Party Room, Picnic Area, Pool – Indoor, Reserved/Assigned Parking, Retirement Community, Security, Storage Bin, Taxi Service, Transportation Service, Cable, and therapy gym.

The homes have hardwood floors, granite counters, electric stoves, and washers and dryers in each unit.

Maplewood in Bethesda offers independent living and skilled nursing care and assisted living in another part of the community.  The property is managed by Sunrise Senior Living.  There are even community pets – a cat or a dog for everyone to love!

The question probably should be – What isn’t near Maplewood?  You are perfectly positioned between downtown Bethesda and the new developments on the Rockville Pike like the Pike and Rose and the new community and shops that will eventually be approved for construction at White Flint’s old location.  If you need a bigger grocery store than the Giant at Democracy and Old Georgetown, there is a Harris Teeter in Bethesda at Battery and Wisconsin Ave and another just off 270 and Montrose. .  There is a large Whole Foods in North Bethesda across from the old White Flint location and a Trader Joe’s on Wisconsin Avenue.   In addition, there is a small market in one of the Grosvenor buildings that everyone raves about  and Balducci’s at Democracy and Old Georgetown in the Wildwood shopping center.

Restaurants abound! Check out Seasons 52 on the Pike or any of the great choices in downtown Bethesda like the Spanish Diner – or Positano or Black’s at the Woodmont Triangle.  You will never be hungry here!

Shopping? Try Westfield Montgomery Mall for Nordstrom’s and Macy’s plus lots of little shops.  Don’t miss the stores at Wildwood shopping center like Sephora or in downtown Bethesda like Bonobo’s and Lululemon.  For that matter, you are close to the Rockville Town Center too.

The library on Democracy is a nice friendly place to visit and if you are looking for swimming lessons so you can enjoy the indoor pool downstairs, you can try the aquatic center nearby.

There are several sized units to choose from ranging from one bedroom one bath units to two bedroom two bath units.   There are 730 square foot one bedrooms, 880 square foot units and 1100 square foot one bedroom one and a half bath units.  The two bedroom two bath units range in size from a 1050 square foot unit to 1440 square foot units with two bedroom, two bath with a den.

If you decide to move to Maplewood in Bethesda, you can bring your own pet with you!

There are two fees at Maplewood in Bethesda – an HOA fee and a co-op fee.   The fees cover property taxes, insurance, reserve funds and utilities including electricity, gas, air conditioning and heat, water and sewer and cable tv.  The fee also includes  alarm systems, management, parking fees, custodial services maintenance, exterior building maintenance, road maintenance, snow removal, trash and lawn maintenance.  The fees also cover Bus Service, Cook Fee, the Health Club,  Laundry,  Pool(s) and Recreation Facility.  For more information about the services provided in the fees, you should check out the Sunrise website.

Fees vary depending on the size of the unit but the following are examples.  In 2022 the fees for a one bedroom one bath unit with 730 square feet are and HOA fee of $1066 and a co-op fee of $2651.  The fees for the larger two bedroom and den are $6494 for the combined fees.  The combined fees for the two bedroom two bath unit with 1050 square feet are $5379 in 2022.

To see what is for sale now at Maplewood in Bethesda, just click here. 

Sales in 2021 ranged from $316,900 for a 730 square foot co-op to $795,000 for a 1600 square foot unit with two bedrooms, a den, a sun room and a breakfast room.

There are very few condo or co-op communities in Bethesda which offer nursing care and assisted living options, should they be needed. If that progressive care is important to you or your loved ones, another possibility in Bethesda is Fox Hill.

There are a number of sites on the internet that will give you ‘estimates’ for what your home will sell for. These sites use public records and usually some kind of algorithm to try to produce a value for your home. These sites also publicly state their ‘error rates’. That means they aren’t correct, they are simply an estimate based on incomplete date. We would love to do a free comparative market analysis of your home  and let you know what could expect to get in today’s market if you are considering selling. Our valuation is based on up to the day data for homes that have recently sold in the area. Our valuation is not based on a formula that relies on public records which can take months to update. Please visit my website in order to get your free property evaluation for your Bethesda home  We would love to help you sell your co-op at Maplewood in Bethesda.

Before you reject Maplewood completely out of hand for its high fee, it is crucial that you examine what is included in the co-op fee and compare it to what is included in the condo’s fee.  Co-op fees include taxes and insurance. Most co-ops include all utilities in their fees and in many instances an underlying mortgage.  The underlying mortgage is deducted from the amount which you will be financing or paying at closing and provides a tax deduction for most buyers.   It is really helpful to compare the condo and co-op fee side by side. In most instances, the co-op fee is not as high as it might seem.  For more information about the difference between a co-op fee and a condo fee, please read this article.

The co-op fee at Maplewood includes property taxes, all utilities including electricity and gas, water and sewer, air conditioning and heat, basic cable TV, common area maintenance, exterior building and lawn maintenance, health club, pools, party room and library, insurance,  management, front desk, parking, recreation facility, reserve funds and snow removal.   The fee which covers all your expenses except phone and upgrades to your cable gives you the ability to manage your expenses, a great bonus if you are on a fixed income or trying to save money!

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