Walkable cities with good arts scene but lower COL than DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, try Pittsburgh or Baltimore if you do not want to move to the south.

Why do you suggest that they are eliminating the South as an option? Did the OP say that?

I'm the poster who suggested Pittsburgh and Baltimore. I did not suggest that OP was eliminating the south as an option - but was leaving open the possibility that they had a preference for the south that they had not stated, because many DCUM posters who are searching for a lower cost of living city seem to lean in that direction. I did not suggest any cities in the south that OP should consider because I don't know that part of the country very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parts of Downtown Orlando for year-round walkability and local arts scenes. There are amazing annual and weekly local arts festivals in the area, but you'll need to bike or drive to get to some of them. Check out Delaney Park, Thornton Park, and the Milk District. Audubon Park has excellent schools and a small business district with a weekly art market. You'll need to bike or drive a short distance to get to many of the other art festivals though. But you'll find super cool MCM homes that families are buying and fixing up.

Orlando is so much cooler and vibrant than DC, and has a much better local arts scene. People focus more on fun than work. I think it's due to the lower COL. You can afford to be an artist or open a cool new restaurant when you can buy a home in a good school district for $350K.

I grew up there and love it. But it’s been discovered (check current housing prices in those areas) and it’s crazy hot like 9 months out of the year. Like DMV in the summer hot and humid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburgh probably.

Was just going to suggest.

[Anonymous]

Louisville, KY

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the Hampden neighborhood in Baltimore. I also like Highlandtown. If you have a budget I can be more specific!

Bring a knife.

[Anonymous]

What about Wilmington NC?

[Anonymous]

Portland (OR), philadelphia, Denver, Asheville

[Anonymous]

Minneapolis -- arts of all kinds everywhere. It pervades the city. Cheap COL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^

Case in point. This appreciated almost $90,000 in 2 years. You could have bought it for $175,000 in 2019 and been sitting on a cash cow if you fixed it up yourself.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/3736-Elm-Ave-21211/home/10856160

It went up that much because it was renovated.

[Anonymous]

Richmond - Museum District or the Fan. VCU is an art powerhouse and there are tons of galleries and emerging artists. Amazing antiques too

https://www.museumdistrict.org/
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Richmond/3330-W-Franklin-St-23221/home/55445658
https://rerva.com/the-fan-district/

[Anonymous]

Ive also been hearing great things about Richmond
If you really like a city feel, how about a condo in Jersey City? Or Hoboken?
Providence is possible
Denver, though it didn't appeal to me
Nashville or memphis (Im not into the South either)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ive also been hearing great things about Richmond
If you really like a city feel, how about a condo in Jersey City? Or Hoboken?
Providence is possible
Denver, though it didn't appeal to me
Nashville or memphis (Im not into the South either)

Hoboken had the highest rent increase in nation last 12 months and inventory is scarce. Manhattan is cheaper

[Anonymous]

Newport News/ Norfolk VA. Has an Amtrak train short ride to Union Station and if you like beach easier ride to Virginia Beach and Outer Banks.

As far south you can go like Richmond with out being in the real South plus a mild climate without blistering heat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^

Case in point. This appreciated almost $90,000 in 2 years. You could have bought it for $175,000 in 2019 and been sitting on a cash cow if you fixed it up yourself.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/3736-Elm-Ave-21211/home/10856160

OP wants to walk and not die. How many dead people in Driud Park?

This house is in Hampden--I grew up in Hampden and spent very little time in Druid Hill Park. Other than an annual trip to the zoo, maybe.

+1. Maybe there’s a lot of zoo crime in “Driud Park” that we haven’t heard about?

Not sure where op is getting the sense Baltimore real estate doesn’t hold value, prices have risen in all the desirable areas over the past decade or so.

Taxes is a different issue but one gets so much more house for their money than in the dc area, paying $5000 or so extra in taxes isn’t that big a deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good suggestions PP. Pittsburgh will be a tough sell for DH because he won't like the proximity to some extended family he doesn't like to see, but you are right that the Deep South is probably not for us.

How pricy is Chicago? Anyone know anything about Providence?

As for the Baltimore suggestion, we have looked at this a ton because it would allow us to stay in current jobs, but the biggest issue is that real estate there is atrocious -- does not hold value and real property taxes are really high. So even though housing is much cheaper than DC, it feels like a bad financial decision to move there. We'd probably be better off staying in a condo in DC (which is presently all we can afford) in terms of longterm investment.

I don’t know why you’re downplaying Baltimore real estate. The arts centered neighborhoods in North Baltimore like Hampden and Remington have seen tremendous growth in the past 10-15 years. You could get a house in Hampden for $200,000 10 years ago. Now nothing that isn’t condemned sells for less than $350,000. Remington used to be dirt cheap around 2010-2015 but is almost as expensive as Hampden now.

You could get a house at the inner harbor for $1 when I was a kid. Literally $1. The city could hardly give them away.

I think you mean Federal Hill as there is no housing at the Inner Harbor, and most of those houses are now worth $750,000 to 1 million.