The Forum at 11801 Rockville Pike – Not Just for Romans!

The Forum at 11801 Rockville Pike is a mid century modern condo building, notable for spacious condos and its great location.  The 230 units range in size from 528 square feet to 1756 square feet, with large windows and lots of closets.  There are about 100 garage parking space and lots of surface parking.  The building is across the street from the Pike and Rose and close to the Metro.  There are no pet restrictions.  The Forum has community laundry rooms rather than in unit washers and dryers.  This is a popular building for people looking for spacious condos at a lower price than in downtown Bethesda or DC.  For example a one bedroom one bath with nearly 900 square feet of living space sold in April 2022 for $185,000.  You might think that this would be a condo desperately in need of updating – but instead it has granite counters and stainless appliances in the kitchen and new grey upgraded laminate flooring throughout.

Pike and Rose has really changed the area near the Forum at 11801 Rockville Pike.
From Bark Social, the social club for dogs that serves pizza and beer to the humans, to restaurants like Summer House Santa Monica with California-inspired fare and wines, City Perch, a stylish eatery and bar that offers comfort food and cocktails, or a casual noodle place, Pike and Rose has lots of ways to enjoy and afternoon or evening.  Check out  a movie in an upscale setting with reclining chairs and pillows and blankets at the iPic Theaters. Head to Pinstripes for some grown-up bowling and bocce paired with exceptional Italian and American cuisine.

Shopping at Pike and Rose is exceptional too!  Sephora, H&M, REI, LL Bean, Lucky Brand and Sur La Table are just a few places to get your special gifts.  if all this shopping makes you hungry, you can head over to the Harris Teeter or drive a few miles and go to Balducci’s at Old Georgetown and Democracy.

If you want more shopping, just check out Westfield Montgomery Mall.  Macy’s, Nordstroms, Ann Taylor, Build a Bear, Apple and more are all there waiting to entice you!

Cabin John Park

Just a short drive along Tuckerman Lane brings you to the Cabin John Regional Park.  Here you will find a large ice skating rink, ball fields, tennis courts, a popular children’s train, a dog park, and miles of trails for walking and exploring.  Cabin John is one of Montgomery County’s most popular parks!

Strathmore Hall

Strathmore Hall is a wonderful addition to the cultural opportunities in the DC area and only a short walk from the Gables. The music offered at Strathmore ranges from the Baltimore Syphony and the National Philharmonic to the Hip Hop Nutcracker and Wynton Marsalis.  The Music Center is a warm and inviting space with glass walls, honey colored wood accent walls, and lots of windows.  The accoustics at the Music Center make this a popular venue for performers – and one beloved by Montgomery County residents.

The Forum has a friendly pet policy without restrictions.

You may be absolutely certain that you want to live at the Forum at 11801 Rockville Pike because you love being close to Pike and Rose and you want to be close to the metro in a condo with an open floorplan  while being close to downtown Bethesda.  However, perhaps you are not certain where you want to live and you are not sure which buildings you should visit.   If you like large mid century modern buildings, you might consider the Whitehall in Bethesda or the Promenade at Pooks Hill or smaller mid century modern buildings like the Sussex on Battery.  If you like medium sized modern high rise buildings, you might look at the Christopher, Fairmont Plaza, Madison Park and the City Commons.  You might also consider the Chase, which also has a pool and tennis courts, making it unique for downtown Bethesda.  Further into Chevy Chase you might look at the Elizabeth or 4620 N Park.   Nearby in North Bethesda, you might consider the Sterling or the White Flint Station on Old Georgetown Road as reasonable alternatives that are similar to the Forum.  If you are feeling completely confused now by all your options, then you should give us a call at 240-401-5577 to talk about which buildings will truly match your wants and needs best!

The biggest issue at the Forum probably is its high condo fees.  After all, the units are spacious, the location is fantastic and the prices are reasonable.  However, the condo fees at the Forum are relatively high.  A unit with 877 square feet and one bedroom, one and a half baths had a fee between $555 and $638 per month. The fee for a two bedroom two bath unit with 1157 square feet of space was $957 in early 2022.  A three bedroom two bath unit with 1695 square feet had a condo fee of $1332 per month.

The condo fee includes the pool, a party room, tennis courts, tot lot, exercise room and sauna and the front desk.  It also includes heat and gas, air conditioning, water and sewer, plus master insurance.

Children who live at the Forum attend Luxmanor Elementary, Tilden Middle School and Walter Johnson High School.

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 are happy to do a free comparative market analysis of your home or condo in Bethesda (or anywhere else in the DC metro area) 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.

I have been a realtor for over 33 years, specializing in helping buyers and sellers with all their Bethesda and Northwest Washington real estate needs. In addition to being a realtor with many years experience in all kinds of markets – the good, the bad and the ugly, I also am an attorney admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia.  While I no longer practice as such, I think that my years of experience as a lawyer also work to the advantage of my clients.

In addition to a deep knowledge of the market and the ins and outs of the real estate transaction, I bring to my sellers a real commitment to technology in general and its absolute necessity in marketing properties.  My buyer clients also benefit from my technology skills because I am constantly searching all the hidden corners of the real estate market looking for that perfect home for them.

If you want an agent who always puts your interests first, then you should call me and set up a time for a cup of coffee, a little pastry and a lot of conversation.   Let me show you Howe Real Estate Should Be.  I am at 240-401-5577 or lise@lisehowe.com.   Looking forward to talking with you!