Buying in Baltimore and commuting to Fort Meade

[Anonymous]

You'd be commuting with the worst of traffic, both AM and PM.

I don't think you could afford to buy in Annapolis, but you could probably rent and it wouldn't be a bad drive. At least there is some nightlife to walk to and the crowd is younger than you'd think (especially at the spots up West St, away from the water).

Or buy a townhouse in Hyattsville or Mt. Rainier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend that amount of time in a car, nor would I sink my money into Baltimore real estate. They are another riot away from further depressed prices. Why not rent closer to work? That whole area is inexpensive.

OP, do not listen to people like this. Baltimore has plenty of nice neighborhoods, many of which have appreciated in price since Freddie Gray.

Here's a home that is right across from Riverside Park and within waling distance to the $1B+ Port Covington development, which will house the new Under Armour Headquarters. This would be a reasonable commute to Fort Meade:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1741-Covington-St-21230/home/11020476

This will take some sweat equity, but it would be worth it once Port Covington comes around. Here's a home that sold two blocks away to give you a frame of reference about what stuff sells for when it's fixed up:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1532-Covington-St-21230/home/11885715

The Rah Rah Baltimore booster has found you. The commute to Fort Meade is reasonable only if you want an hour plus commute.

This is ridiculous. Stop. Google Maps does not agree with you, nor does anyone who's actually done that commute. The commute time from Capitol Hill to North Baltimore around 6 pm is 1:30 to 1:45. There is no way it takes 1 hour to do a reverse commute from the edge of South Baltimore to Fort Meade.

Huh? I commuted from Baltimore to DC for three years. The commute is usually two hours each way, sometimes more. Fort Meade is about two-thirds of the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Huh? I commuted from Baltimore to DC for three years. The commute is usually two hours each way, sometimes more. Fort Meade is about two-thirds of the way.

Where in Baltimore to where in DC? From my experience the real back up in the AM comes when you enter DC on 295.

[Anonymous]

Ive never lived in baltimore but I love visiting Federal Hill, Fells Point and the little italy area.

[Anonymous]

Look in Laurel, the Howard County part.

[Anonymous]

I know people who live in Frederick (Monrovia area) who commute to Fort Meade. They love it- good schools, good community. Traffic isn't great but won't be either coming from Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

Have you thought about buying a GHI home in Greenbelt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend that amount of time in a car, nor would I sink my money into Baltimore real estate. They are another riot away from further depressed prices. Why not rent closer to work? That whole area is inexpensive.

OP, do not listen to people like this. Baltimore has plenty of nice neighborhoods, many of which have appreciated in price since Freddie Gray.

Here's a home that is right across from Riverside Park and within waling distance to the $1B+ Port Covington development, which will house the new Under Armour Headquarters. This would be a reasonable commute to Fort Meade:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1741-Covington-St-21230/home/11020476

This will take some sweat equity, but it would be worth it once Port Covington comes around. Here's a home that sold two blocks away to give you a frame of reference about what stuff sells for when it's fixed up:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1532-Covington-St-21230/home/11885715

OP cannot afford any of this. I'd rent on Ft. Mead until you get more money saved. They allow contractors on base housing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend that amount of time in a car, nor would I sink my money into Baltimore real estate. They are another riot away from further depressed prices. Why not rent closer to work? That whole area is inexpensive.

OP, do not listen to people like this. Baltimore has plenty of nice neighborhoods, many of which have appreciated in price since Freddie Gray.

Here's a home that is right across from Riverside Park and within waling distance to the $1B+ Port Covington development, which will house the new Under Armour Headquarters. This would be a reasonable commute to Fort Meade:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1741-Covington-St-21230/home/11020476

This will take some sweat equity, but it would be worth it once Port Covington comes around. Here's a home that sold two blocks away to give you a frame of reference about what stuff sells for when it's fixed up:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1532-Covington-St-21230/home/11885715

OP cannot afford any of this. I'd rent on Ft. Mead until you get more money saved. They allow contractors on base housing.

If OP got a roommate they could definitely afford this. The PITI is $1,800 / month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend that amount of time in a car, nor would I sink my money into Baltimore real estate. They are another riot away from further depressed prices. Why not rent closer to work? That whole area is inexpensive.

OP, do not listen to people like this. Baltimore has plenty of nice neighborhoods, many of which have appreciated in price since Freddie Gray.

Here's a home that is right across from Riverside Park and within waling distance to the $1B+ Port Covington development, which will house the new Under Armour Headquarters. This would be a reasonable commute to Fort Meade:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1741-Covington-St-21230/home/11020476

This will take some sweat equity, but it would be worth it once Port Covington comes around. Here's a home that sold two blocks away to give you a frame of reference about what stuff sells for when it's fixed up:

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/1532-Covington-St-21230/home/11885715

OP cannot afford any of this. I'd rent on Ft. Mead until you get more money saved. They allow contractors on base housing.

If OP got a roommate they could definitely afford this. The PITI is $1,800 / month.

OP is in his early 30s. He may not want a roommate. I'm not sure if he'd get approval with only 15k down.

The Pigtown options are much better for his financial situation. I do think he could make it work. Pigtown is right off the entry into the city and depending on his hours the drive doesn't have to be that bad. Pigtown also offers more room for appreciation, methinks, as people are being priced out of Fed Hill/Riverside and are now starting to look into Pigtown. The area, while not perfect, has cleaned up quite a bit compared to a decade ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Huh? I commuted from Baltimore to DC for three years. The commute is usually two hours each way, sometimes more. Fort Meade is about two-thirds of the way.

Where in Baltimore to where in DC? From my experience the real back up in the AM comes when you enter DC on 295.

It doesn’t matter where you leave from, it is solid traffic the entire way heading towards dc.

[Anonymous]

OP, maybe rent for a year up in Baltimore and see how the commute goes? Or, smaller scale, find an AirBNB in various neighborhoods for a few days at a time during busy commuting times of year (not August, not December) and try out the commute. I'd look at Canton, Fells Point and Federal Hill as a young/single person, but they may be too pricey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, maybe rent for a year up in Baltimore and see how the commute goes? Or, smaller scale, find an AirBNB in various neighborhoods for a few days at a time during busy commuting times of year (not August, not December) and try out the commute. I'd look at Canton, Fells Point and Federal Hill as a young/single person, but they may be too pricey.

This is a great suggestion, especially for a city like Baltimore where the neighborhoods are drastically different in terms of safety and feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The Pigtown options are much better for his financial situation. I do think he could make it work. Pigtown is right off the entry into the city and depending on his hours the drive doesn't have to be that bad. Pigtown also offers more room for appreciation, methinks, as people are being priced out of Fed Hill/Riverside and are now starting to look into Pigtown. The area, while not perfect, has cleaned up quite a bit compared to a decade ago.

Pigtown is not a better option for appreciation and is much less safer. The house in Riverside is a couple blocks from a $1B+ development (Port Covington) that is literally going to reshape Baltimore and be a city within a city. Saying that it is a worse investment that a home in Pigtown, which people have been saying is "up-and-coming" for decades and is not too far from West Baltimore's worst neighborhoods, is just false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, maybe rent for a year up in Baltimore and see how the commute goes? Or, smaller scale, find an AirBNB in various neighborhoods for a few days at a time during busy commuting times of year (not August, not December) and try out the commute. I'd look at Canton, Fells Point and Federal Hill as a young/single person, but they may be too pricey.

Try the commute once during rush hour, and then you will be ready to move on.