Do we stay in DC or move to Baltimore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just moved into Hampden a month ago and loving it. Vibrant, yet close to nature, tons of arts stuff, etc. Our kid is in one of the private schools, but our current place is zoned for Medfield which I think is supposed to be pretty good.

Agree with the person who said that love Baltimore for what it is and not what it’s not, and ignore the hysterical DC Baltimore-haters who think you’ll get shot as soon as you cross the city line. I moved to Hampden from a much much much less safe part of Baltimore… where I lived for 18 years and experience no crime other than having my car rifled when I left it unlocked by accident. I don’t yes the taxes are awful, but you’re paying taxes on a house that costs 500K, not 1.2 million. Taxes work out to be about 2.3%, just add that in and see whether it makes sense for you or not. It’s very very high, but when you compare it to what you pay to live anywhere decent in DC, it suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

Total hijack: How was 34th Street this year? I was curious with the pandemic if it would go on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just moved into Hampden a month ago and loving it. Vibrant, yet close to nature, tons of arts stuff, etc. Our kid is in one of the private schools, but our current place is zoned for Medfield which I think is supposed to be pretty good.

Agree with the person who said that love Baltimore for what it is and not what it’s not, and ignore the hysterical DC Baltimore-haters who think you’ll get shot as soon as you cross the city line. I moved to Hampden from a much much much less safe part of Baltimore… where I lived for 18 years and experience no crime other than having my car rifled when I left it unlocked by accident. I don’t yes the taxes are awful, but you’re paying taxes on a house that costs 500K, not 1.2 million. Taxes work out to be about 2.3%, just add that in and see whether it makes sense for you or not. It’s very very high, but when you compare it to what you pay to live anywhere decent in DC, it suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

Total hijack: How was 34th Street this year? I was curious with the pandemic if it would go on.

NP. You mean the really,really X-mas decorated block w of Keswick? It's still its same self.

[Anonymous]

The idea that the main purpose of your house is to appreciate in value is an idea you have to let go of when you move out of hot urban RE markets like DC. In most of the country, prices stay pretty flat over time. That also means they stay affordable and you can have a nice-sized livable place, so its not necessarily a terrible trade off.

I think if you were into suburban life you could have a nice house near Towson and be v happy. But if you really want urban life....I am less sure it makes sense. Hampden was up and coming 20 years ago. Fed Hill has more crime than I’d be comfortable with. Bolton Hill is nice but I’m not sure about crime or family friendliness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just moved into Hampden a month ago and loving it. Vibrant, yet close to nature, tons of arts stuff, etc. Our kid is in one of the private schools, but our current place is zoned for Medfield which I think is supposed to be pretty good.

Agree with the person who said that love Baltimore for what it is and not what it’s not, and ignore the hysterical DC Baltimore-haters who think you’ll get shot as soon as you cross the city line. I moved to Hampden from a much much much less safe part of Baltimore… where I lived for 18 years and experience no crime other than having my car rifled when I left it unlocked by accident. I don’t yes the taxes are awful, but you’re paying taxes on a house that costs 500K, not 1.2 million. Taxes work out to be about 2.3%, just add that in and see whether it makes sense for you or not. It’s very very high, but when you compare it to what you pay to live anywhere decent in DC, it suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

Total hijack: How was 34th Street this year? I was curious with the pandemic if it would go on.

Yup, nothing can stop those inflatable Santa aliens. 😍 indomitable spirits, hon!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just moved into Hampden a month ago and loving it. Vibrant, yet close to nature, tons of arts stuff, etc. Our kid is in one of the private schools, but our current place is zoned for Medfield which I think is supposed to be pretty good.

Agree with the person who said that love Baltimore for what it is and not what it’s not, and ignore the hysterical DC Baltimore-haters who think you’ll get shot as soon as you cross the city line. I moved to Hampden from a much much much less safe part of Baltimore… where I lived for 18 years and experience no crime other than having my car rifled when I left it unlocked by accident. I don’t yes the taxes are awful, but you’re paying taxes on a house that costs 500K, not 1.2 million. Taxes work out to be about 2.3%, just add that in and see whether it makes sense for you or not. It’s very very high, but when you compare it to what you pay to live anywhere decent in DC, it suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

Total hijack: How was 34th Street this year? I was curious with the pandemic if it would go on.

Yup, nothing can stop those inflatable Santa aliens. 😍 indomitable spirits, hon!

Thanks, hon!

[Anonymous]

No need to go to Baltimore if you have kids as the schools suck. Price appreciation for REs is horrible in Baltimore and property taxes are 3.15%. This is in addition to 3.5% of additional county income tax. It is a lose-lose in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, housing is cheap until you get the sticker shock from property and income taxes, and the huge increase in car insurance. Crime is also horrendous, schools are bad, and the infrastructure is awful.

There's a reason Baltimore is cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No need to go to Baltimore if you have kids as the schools suck. Price appreciation for REs is horrible in Baltimore and property taxes are 3.15%. This is in addition to 3.5% of additional county income tax. It is a lose-lose in my opinion.

Property taxes are 2.3% in the city. It’s high, but you can get a new build in a safe area with 2000+ square feet for under $500k.

Don’t listen to uninformed scaremongering. Just be smart and figure in taxes plus (excellent) private schools and see if the bottom line works for you. Do the math for yourself and decide according to whatever factors matter most to you.

[Anonymous]

Our baltimore suburb has been the polar opposite of isolated this year. Our kids are always out of the house, playing outside with friends, biking, impromptu games of basketball/soccer/kickball, tons of fire pits and socially distanced fun.
Maybe the isolation of suburbia is true if you live in the exurbs, but not true where we live. We walk to Starbucks, school, soccer, and have lots of running loops right outside our door.

We lived in DC and Arlington and chose Baltimore. I could wax poetic about the idyllic life we live here, but I’m sure all the stalwart DCers will mock me, so I’ll just sign off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our baltimore suburb has been the polar opposite of isolated this year. Our kids are always out of the house, playing outside with friends, biking, impromptu games of basketball/soccer/kickball, tons of fire pits and socially distanced fun.
Maybe the isolation of suburbia is true if you live in the exurbs, but not true where we live. We walk to Starbucks, school, soccer, and have lots of running loops right outside our door.

We lived in DC and Arlington and chose Baltimore. I could wax poetic about the idyllic life we live here, but I’m sure all the stalwart DCers will mock me, so I’ll just sign off.

Rp poster. There are definitely parts of Towson that are just as walkable as where I am. When I see the price per square foot people are paying to be in the city in dc and the inner suburbs, I really feel that we are getting the last laugh. Having lived in dc when the city had no working snow plows under Barry, I chuckle more as the dc posters say there is no hope for Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

Interesting thread op. I think what it seems to me from reading these responses and my own experience is that this definitely makes sense if you can find a suburb of baltimore that fits your walkability needs but buying within the city probably doesn’t make sense. So if it was me, I would definitely make this move to one of the closer in suburbs. But I live in Arlington and have surprisingly found it to meet all of my needs after living in Chicago and thinking I would be in the city a long time. I live in a part that is pretty bustling, can definitely walk to a coffee shop, playgrounds, a few restaurants, farmers market etc. It is certainly not the level of walkability choices in restaurants etc as I had in the city, but it meets that need for myself personally. But if you know for yourself that you truly need the city feel than maybe Baltimore isn’t the best fit for long term investment sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting thread op. I think what it seems to me from reading these responses and my own experience is that this definitely makes sense if you can find a suburb of baltimore that fits your walkability needs but buying within the city probably doesn’t make sense. So if it was me, I would definitely make this move to one of the closer in suburbs. But I live in Arlington and have surprisingly found it to meet all of my needs after living in Chicago and thinking I would be in the city a long time. I live in a part that is pretty bustling, can definitely walk to a coffee shop, playgrounds, a few restaurants, farmers market etc. It is certainly not the level of walkability choices in restaurants etc as I had in the city, but it meets that need for myself personally. But if you know for yourself that you truly need the city feel than maybe Baltimore isn’t the best fit for long term investment sadly.

There is more to a city than a walk score. Baltimore had its own unique culture, civic spirit and quirky arts scene that cannot be found in Arlington. There are neighborhoods like Hampden that actively support local businesses so much that it is almost impossible for a nondescript chain store to come in and compete. There are traditions like the Miracle on 34th Street up there that are just not happening in a place full of as many transplants and chain stores like Clarendon, for example.

Comparing Arlington to Baltimore because you can walk to places is like comparing Tysons Corner to Soho because they both have upscale shopping.

[Anonymous]

Look, the reason it is affordable is because there ISN’T wild appreciation like DC. Buy a place you want to live in, for a price you want to pay. Make something else your primary investment vehicle, and treat your house as a place to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting thread op. I think what it seems to me from reading these responses and my own experience is that this definitely makes sense if you can find a suburb of baltimore that fits your walkability needs but buying within the city probably doesn’t make sense. So if it was me, I would definitely make this move to one of the closer in suburbs. But I live in Arlington and have surprisingly found it to meet all of my needs after living in Chicago and thinking I would be in the city a long time. I live in a part that is pretty bustling, can definitely walk to a coffee shop, playgrounds, a few restaurants, farmers market etc. It is certainly not the level of walkability choices in restaurants etc as I had in the city, but it meets that need for myself personally. But if you know for yourself that you truly need the city feel than maybe Baltimore isn’t the best fit for long term investment sadly.

There is more to a city than a walk score. Baltimore had its own unique culture, civic spirit and quirky arts scene that cannot be found in Arlington. There are neighborhoods like Hampden that actively support local businesses so much that it is almost impossible for a nondescript chain store to come in and compete. There are traditions like the Miracle on 34th Street up there that are just not happening in a place full of as many transplants and chain stores like Clarendon, for example.

Comparing Arlington to Baltimore because you can walk to places is like comparing Tysons Corner to Soho because they both have upscale shopping.

As someone who lives and likes living in DC, this is true. Baltimore has huge issues that DC doesn't have, but it has so much more culture and sense of community than DC. It's just a much more fun/laid back place. If crime wasn't such an issue, it would be one of the best cities in the country to live in. Pretty big issue though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting thread op. I think what it seems to me from reading these responses and my own experience is that this definitely makes sense if you can find a suburb of baltimore that fits your walkability needs but buying within the city probably doesn’t make sense. So if it was me, I would definitely make this move to one of the closer in suburbs. But I live in Arlington and have surprisingly found it to meet all of my needs after living in Chicago and thinking I would be in the city a long time. I live in a part that is pretty bustling, can definitely walk to a coffee shop, playgrounds, a few restaurants, farmers market etc. It is certainly not the level of walkability choices in restaurants etc as I had in the city, but it meets that need for myself personally. But if you know for yourself that you truly need the city feel than maybe Baltimore isn’t the best fit for long term investment sadly.

There is more to a city than a walk score. Baltimore had its own unique culture, civic spirit and quirky arts scene that cannot be found in Arlington. There are neighborhoods like Hampden that actively support local businesses so much that it is almost impossible for a nondescript chain store to come in and compete. There are traditions like the Miracle on 34th Street up there that are just not happening in a place full of as many transplants and chain stores like Clarendon, for example.

Comparing Arlington to Baltimore because you can walk to places is like comparing Tysons Corner to Soho because they both have upscale shopping.

As someone who lives and likes living in DC, this is true. Baltimore has huge issues that DC doesn't have, but it has so much more culture and sense of community than DC. It's just a much more fun/laid back place. If crime wasn't such an issue, it would be one of the best cities in the country to live in. Pretty big issue though.

And we have the ravens with a beautiful downtown stadium., right next to Camden yards.