Living in Philadelphia or Baltimore?

[Anonymous]

The good thing about Baltimore is that you can make a DC salary and commute especially if you have a partial telework schedule. It’s 50 minutes to an hour on MARC and 35 minutes on Amtrak. Five days a week is a bear but people do it. This allows you to feel like you’re UMC on a middle class DC salary.

Commuting from Philly to NY is very rare.

[Anonymous]

OP is thinking of buying property 6-8 years from now. A lot can happen between now and then. Honestly, neither city appeals to me, but I’d probably lean towards Philly given its relative size, cultural offerings, and amenities.

[Anonymous]

Philly +1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The good thing about Baltimore is that you can make a DC salary and commute especially if you have a partial telework schedule. It’s 50 minutes to an hour on MARC and 35 minutes on Amtrak. Five days a week is a bear but people do it. This allows you to feel like you’re UMC on a middle class DC salary.

Commuting from Philly to NY is very rare.

Agree. When you're in Philly, your only world is Philly. If there's no good job there, no option to just take train to DC. I'd feel extremely isolated there.

[Anonymous]

Tell us how much you want to spend on a house so we can post links! I love showing people what their money can buy them in Baltimore. Their eyes usually pop. Yes, the taxes are high, but not high enough to offset how much cheaper real estate is.

Post a range, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like them both, op. I give an edge to philly for the food and proximity nyc as well as DC. Are you looking for your first house, last house or something in between? Do you have kids? Is this a retirement place?

OP, here. I'm 25 now and am not planning on kids for the foreseeable future. Def not a retirement place!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell us how much you want to spend on a house so we can post links! I love showing people what their money can buy them in Baltimore. Their eyes usually pop. Yes, the taxes are high, but not high enough to offset how much cheaper real estate is.

Post a range, OP!

Hard to say, but maybe $500-900k in today's dollars. Big range, but would depend on how much cash I put down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The good thing about Baltimore is that you can make a DC salary and commute especially if you have a partial telework schedule. It’s 50 minutes to an hour on MARC and 35 minutes on Amtrak. Five days a week is a bear but people do it. This allows you to feel like you’re UMC on a middle class DC salary.

Commuting from Philly to NY is very rare.

Agree. When you're in Philly, your only world is Philly. If there's no good job there, no option to just take train to DC. I'd feel extremely isolated there.

Not really. Lots of employment in the Philly suburbs (pharma) , New Jersey, Wilmington. And yes, NY. But Philly is 3x the size of Baltimore so has a lot more opportunities to begin with.

[Anonymous]

My daughters lived in Philly for summer internships. Near UPenn. Rittenhouse? Interesting dining but so glad to be back in DC.
Baltimore? I think neither if you have a choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell us how much you want to spend on a house so we can post links! I love showing people what their money can buy them in Baltimore. Their eyes usually pop. Yes, the taxes are high, but not high enough to offset how much cheaper real estate is.

Post a range, OP!

Hard to say, but maybe $500-900k in today's dollars. Big range, but would depend on how much cash I put down.

I know less about the RE market in Philly, but you can live like royalty in Baltimore. Waterfront view and 2400 sq ft in Canton? Sure. 3000 sq ft hypermodern? Sure. If you like old fancy buildings that's a whole different story and you could be very, very happy.

Now, don't expect appreciation like you see in DC. The reason everything is reasonably priced is that the market isn't that hot! Having said that, my place appreciated 5%/year, which is better than a poke in the eye. Buy here not for speculative reasons but because you find someplace you'd enjoy living.

City taxes are very high, which makes some DC-lovers howl and clutch their pearls. But the prices are low enough to largely compensate. In any case, it's easy enough to crunch the numbers and see if they make sense for you. Round up and factor in 2.3% city taxes. If you want to live in the county they're much lower, but not a lot of 25 year olds dream of living in the 'burbs.

My top two reccs for young people would be Canton and Hampden.

You might not want or need this much space but it's a cool home:
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/3424-Woodberry-Ave-21211/home/40132750

I have been to that pool and it is to die for. Seriously. An excellent nearby restaurant does poolside service and it's divine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell us how much you want to spend on a house so we can post links! I love showing people what their money can buy them in Baltimore. Their eyes usually pop. Yes, the taxes are high, but not high enough to offset how much cheaper real estate is.

Post a range, OP!

Hard to say, but maybe $500-900k in today's dollars. Big range, but would depend on how much cash I put down.

I know less about the RE market in Philly, but you can live like royalty in Baltimore. Waterfront view and 2400 sq ft in Canton? Sure. 3000 sq ft hypermodern? Sure. If you like old fancy buildings that's a whole different story and you could be very, very happy.

Now, don't expect appreciation like you see in DC. The reason everything is reasonably priced is that the market isn't that hot! Having said that, my place appreciated 5%/year, which is better than a poke in the eye. Buy here not for speculative reasons but because you find someplace you'd enjoy living.

City taxes are very high, which makes some DC-lovers howl and clutch their pearls. But the prices are low enough to largely compensate. In any case, it's easy enough to crunch the numbers and see if they make sense for you. Round up and factor in 2.3% city taxes. If you want to live in the county they're much lower, but not a lot of 25 year olds dream of living in the 'burbs.

My top two reccs for young people would be Canton and Hampden.

You might not want or need this much space but it's a cool home:
https://www.redfin.com/MD/Baltimore/3424-Woodberry-Ave-21211/home/40132750

I have been to that pool and it is to die for. Seriously. An excellent nearby restaurant does poolside service and it's divine.

Actually think Baltimore appreciation in last two years higher than dc’s. Which makes sense, most of dc’s big gains were 5 to 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I wouldn't pick either. Both are permanently in decline and kind of depressing.

Former Baltimore City and Philadelphia adjacent resident. I'd just move to Florida or Colorado or somewhere with a positive future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Baltimore and lived in Fed Hill. It is a complex city but we really enjoyed our time there. I wouldn't want to live in Fells with my family, but would move to Roland Park in an instant.

FYI, there are some parts of what are basically Roland Park (Keswick) or very close to it (Tuscanny-Cateburry and certain parts of Guilford) that have townhouse type arrangements and probably work better for families than Fells.

I love Baltimore. I forget how great Tuscany-Canterbury is! People discount the great neighborhoods and people in Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I wouldn't pick either. Both are permanently in decline and kind of depressing.

Former Baltimore City and Philadelphia adjacent resident. I'd just move to Florida or Colorado or somewhere with a positive future.

You would have said this about DC 25 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I wouldn't pick either. Both are permanently in decline and kind of depressing.

Former Baltimore City and Philadelphia adjacent resident. I'd just move to Florida or Colorado or somewhere with a positive future.

You would have said this about DC 25 years ago.

No I wouldn't. I lived in Baltimore 25 years ago and never said anything like that about DC. DC is the Capitol. Baltimore is nowhere.