Moving to Baltimore and Bethesda (Columbia, Silver Spring: apartment, leasing, neighborhood)

[Westleigh]

Dear all,
My wife and I are moving from London, U.K. to Maryland. My new job is based in both Baltimore (3 days/week) and Bethesda (2 days/week). We would be grateful for suggestions on the ideal locations to live. We would like to rent a 1BR place for the first few months and I am willing to spend upto 1500/month in rent. The important considerations would be a safe neighbourhood and access to restaurants and shopping. In brief, my questions are:

1. Would it make sense to live in Bethesda as I hear it is a lot nicer (albeit more expensive) than Baltimore?

2. For locations that will give me a reasonable commute to both cities, I have heard that the following are good:
Laurel
Columbia
Ellicott City

Any feedback on the relative merits of each of the above and any further suggestions?

3. If I lived in Bethesda, would it be a realistic to take the MARC train to Baltimore 3 days/week. I do drive but having heard horror stories about the commute on the Beltway, wonder if the train might be a better option?

Many thanks for your help and advice.

Nik

[emsgoof]

If you were in Bethesda, looking to take MARC to Baltimore would entail taking the Metro down to Union Station, then picking up the MARC to Baltimore from there. To me, that would seem to take just as long. Going out of Bethesda in the AM isn't too bad, as long as you avoid the Beltway (learn the back roads).
Ellicott City / Columbia will give you easy access to the Dorsey MARC station to go either way, or also allow a relatively fast drive into Baltimore City.

[barante]

I would look at Columbia. In addition to everything else, the population is international.
Bethesda is too expensive.

[JaBradshaw]

If you working in Baltimore, I would recommend staying out of Bethesda, Ellicott City is very nice and a pretty wealthy area. Also try suburbs north of Baltimore, like Hunt Valley, Lutherville, Cockeysville, Towson, etc.

[Westleigh]

Many thanks folks. Very useful indeed. Any feedback on Silver Spring as a location to rent an apartment? I hear its close to Bethesda but not as expensive. This would mean that I have relatively easy commute to Bethesda 2 days/week. Any thoughts on how easy/tough it would be from here to Baltimore?

-NIK-

[barante]

Silver Spring really isn't a geographic place so much as it is a state of mind. What I mean is that it's all over the place.
If you can get a flat in Silver Spring that is convenient to the Interstates leading to Baltimore, that would be an excellent choice. A very efficient Metro runs to D.C. (and Northern Virginia suburbs).
Good luck!

[Westleigh]

Thanks Barante and others.
This is very useful information indeed. One of the places that we have been particularly interested in is the 'Avalon at Fairways' community on 5441 Columbia Road, Columbia, MD 21044. It does look pricey, but given that we are going to be newbies to the area, I would not mind a soft landing, even if it seems a little indulgent.

Does anyone have any information on this community and area? The leasing office informed me that the commute into Baltimore is about 20 minutes, but did not know about the drive/commute into Bethesda. Any information or advice would be much appreciated.

Nik

[emsgoof]

That neighborhood is pretty nice. Surrounded by a golf course, pretty quiet, but still close to the commercial center of Columbia.

[koofie]

Originally Posted by Westleigh

Many thanks folks. Very useful indeed. Any feedback on Silver Spring as a location to rent an apartment? I hear its close to Bethesda but not as expensive. This would mean that I have relatively easy commute to Bethesda 2 days/week. Any thoughts on how easy/tough it would be from here to Baltimore?

-NIK-

I used to live in Silver Spring and commuted to Bethesda - very easy if the Beltway cooperates (the earlier you go the better). I lived just off of Colesville Rd (rt 29) and the beltway) I also live in Owings Mills and used to commute to Bethesda. I would take Rt. 29, which I feel was easier than 95, and you dealt with less Beltway horrors. My opinion is that Silver Spring would work well because your commute to Baltimore would be going against the traffic jams most of the time and in going to Bethesda you would be close. Since you are also looking at Columbia, I would also say to try to stick with the commute on Rt. 29. I've never lived there, so I can't comment on the area any more than saying that it seems nice.

Good Luck!

[gmc862000]

To give you an idea of distance. I 95 is the major highway to get from the Baltimore Beltway also called (695) to the Washington Beltway also called (495). It's 30 miles from Beltway to Beltway.

Where in Baltimore will you be working, the downtown area or one of its suburbs?

From Bethesda, MD to downtown Baltimore you're looking of at least a 40 to 45 mile drive. The price of 87 octane gas right now is around $2.70 a gallon.