Moving to Baltimore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind with respect to houses, there generally is an offsetting price difference in the city due to taxes,i.e. your monthly costs of owning, including mortgage, remain roughly equal due to lower prices per square foot. That has gone away a bit as there are far more updated housing in the city and more people valuing walk ability and a shorter commute than a decade or so ago, but still exists to some extent.

The honest answer is that for all the North Baltimore neighborhoods, including close in county, like Towson and Stoneleigh, there is very high level of demand for well priced properties. Most will sell within a week of listing. If I were op I would connect with a realtor and start touring neighborhoods now. Spring market starts in mid January.

Roughly equal to the county.

[Anonymous]

Avoid Baltimore City. Looks north in Baltimore County and specially the nice areas of Towson. Easy drive south to JHU.

West Towson and Ruxton.

For community pools and really nice sense of community with young families and a great public elementary school (Stoneleigh), look at the Stoneleigh community and Wiltondale!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind with respect to houses, there generally is an offsetting price difference in the city due to taxes,i.e. your monthly costs of owning, including mortgage, remain roughly equal due to lower prices per square foot. That has gone away a bit as there are far more updated housing in the city and more people valuing walk ability and a shorter commute than a decade or so ago, but still exists to some extent.

The honest answer is that for all the North Baltimore neighborhoods, including close in county, like Towson and Stoneleigh, there is very high level of demand for well priced properties. Most will sell within a week of listing. If I were op I would connect with a realtor and start touring neighborhoods now. Spring market starts in mid January.

Roughly equal to the county.

Not exactly. I will take a higher mortgage and interest expense (which is fully tax deductible) in a safer area with better schhols and lower crime - than a cheaper house in Baltimore City with worse schools, more crime and very high property taxes. And property taxes are not fully tax deductible as they are subject to the SALT limitations/guidelines.

Regardless - you get what you pay for. Buy in the best public school district and it will be far easier to sell than a house in Balt. City.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind with respect to houses, there generally is an offsetting price difference in the city due to taxes,i.e. your monthly costs of owning, including mortgage, remain roughly equal due to lower prices per square foot. That has gone away a bit as there are far more updated housing in the city and more people valuing walk ability and a shorter commute than a decade or so ago, but still exists to some extent.

The honest answer is that for all the North Baltimore neighborhoods, including close in county, like Towson and Stoneleigh, there is very high level of demand for well priced properties. Most will sell within a week of listing. If I were op I would connect with a realtor and start touring neighborhoods now. Spring market starts in mid January.

Roughly equal to the county.

Not exactly. I will take a higher mortgage and interest expense (which is fully tax deductible) in a safer area with better schhols and lower crime - than a cheaper house in Baltimore City with worse schools, more crime and very high property taxes. And property taxes are not fully tax deductible as they are subject to the SALT limitations/guidelines.

Regardless - you get what you pay for. Buy in the best public school district and it will be far easier to sell than a house in Balt. City.

Well, it does matter where in the county you bought. For the areas that have been discussed, it absolutely is often the case. You may live further out, or in a less popular neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind with respect to houses, there generally is an offsetting price difference in the city due to taxes,i.e. your monthly costs of owning, including mortgage, remain roughly equal due to lower prices per square foot. That has gone away a bit as there are far more updated housing in the city and more people valuing walk ability and a shorter commute than a decade or so ago, but still exists to some extent.

The honest answer is that for all the North Baltimore neighborhoods, including close in county, like Towson and Stoneleigh, there is very high level of demand for well priced properties. Most will sell within a week of listing. If I were op I would connect with a realtor and start touring neighborhoods now. Spring market starts in mid January.

Roughly equal to the county.

Not exactly. I will take a higher mortgage and interest expense (which is fully tax deductible) in a safer area with better schhols and lower crime - than a cheaper house in Baltimore City with worse schools, more crime and very high property taxes. And property taxes are not fully tax deductible as they are subject to the SALT limitations/guidelines.

Regardless - you get what you pay for. Buy in the best public school district and it will be far easier to sell than a house in Balt. City.

I sold a house in Lutherville in the desirable Falls Road area, a few years ago, and bought in Roland Park. Both houses were roughly the same price at the time, but the Roland Park house has appreciated far more. It may be hard to sell a house on West Baltimore but there is high demand for the areas served by Roland Park public and Mt. Washington public.

[Anonymous]

We are a Hopkins family and love Stoneleigh. It's a tight knit community and perfect for families with kids. The problem is finding inventory, as others have mentioned.

[Anonymous]

For OP. We bought summer of 2025 in West Towson with no regrets. Did bid on two in Stoneleigh and Wiltondale and would have been happy there. But West Towson for our child is a 1 minute walk to his private school. Would also recommend Historic Lutherville a few minutes north of W. Towson. Still very easy access to JHU and lots of kids and activities. Check out 308 Morris Ave.

[Anonymous]

NP. Stoneleigh sounds great! Is it the kind of neighborhood where the kids are out playing together, riding their bikes around the neighborhood , etc. like in the 80’s? I would love that for my kids.

[Anonymous]

Did OP ask for advice and then just ghost? Rude

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Stoneleigh sounds great! Is it the kind of neighborhood where the kids are out playing together, riding their bikes around the neighborhood , etc. like in the 80’s? I would love that for my kids.

It’s not a cul de sac neighborhood, and the streets are a bit too trafficky for kids playing in them, but it is walkable to the public schools and swim club. The only downside is very limited inventory, and that the houses tend to be on the smaller side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Stoneleigh sounds great! Is it the kind of neighborhood where the kids are out playing together, riding their bikes around the neighborhood , etc. like in the 80’s? I would love that for my kids.

It’s not a cul de sac neighborhood, and the streets are a bit too trafficky for kids playing in them, but it is walkable to the public schools and swim club. The only downside is very limited inventory, and that the houses tend to be on the smaller side.

I drive through Stoneleigh all the time to see friends. There are always kids out playing. Not in the streets but in their front yards. Stoneleigh doesn't really get pass through traffic so it's not a neighborhood where you'd worry about speeding cars, once you drive off York Road or Regester Avenue, the two main entry roads for the neighborhood. And the streets are pretty narrow inside the neighborhood.

I worry more about a kid accidentally kicking a soccer ball into my passing car than hitting a kid with the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Stoneleigh sounds great! Is it the kind of neighborhood where the kids are out playing together, riding their bikes around the neighborhood , etc. like in the 80’s? I would love that for my kids.

Roland Park is definitely this kind of neighborhood. Kids can go to the pool sans parents (with permission & passing the swim test) at 10. Loads of kids as young as kindergarten bike to the private and public schools and around the neighborhood in general. It’s been lovely for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Stoneleigh sounds great! Is it the kind of neighborhood where the kids are out playing together, riding their bikes around the neighborhood , etc. like in the 80’s? I would love that for my kids.

It’s not a cul de sac neighborhood, and the streets are a bit too trafficky for kids playing in them, but it is walkable to the public schools and swim club. The only downside is very limited inventory, and that the houses tend to be on the smaller side.

"Charming" (wink wink)
I'm a Stoneleigh neighbor and agree with this, you don't buy in Stoneleigh if you want a McMansion. There are plenty of great options for this if you choose something a little North in the County. Stoneleigh homes skew small (but charming), Rolandn Park homes skew too big (but drafty and hard to maintain). and Homeland's skew too vanilla and close together
(but lovely).

[Anonymous]

I’d personally avoid Baltimore City schools completely (and I teach in the city). Yes, Roland Park is a great school but the city is a dumpster fire of an organization that I’d avoid if possible.

I’d also avoid the county schools but that’s just me. My kids went to Cathedral and then Loyola and NDP. Affordable, great education.

As for neighborhoods, I’d avoid high city taxes and choose Stoneleigh or Wiltondale.

[Anonymous]

Pinehurst is another great option. It straddles the county-city line but 75% on county side. It's sort of between Homeland and Stoneleigh geographically. Lovely 1920s housing vibes mostly fully updated. Good agents will show you around the area.