Moving from Toronto to Baltimore: neighborhood comparison (lease, attorney)

[KLynch10]

You can walk for a long way around Canton and Federal Hill without nearing any trouble.... which is a huge reason they've become so desirable. Federal Hill is on it's own peninsula, and Canton is huge, and the closest neighborhoods are fine, and rapidly improving.

[Browngurl]

It's really hard to compare the two cities. I grew up in Baltimore and I spent a substantial amount of time in Toronto. I think what would be consider the worse part of Toronto might be downtown Sherbourne Street near Moss Park. You have a lot of drug activity there especially in the summer time. Even there i didn't feel unsafe. America in general is just more violent on the whole. Toronto is such an immigrant city so it's hard to compare to Baltimore. Get ready for some interesting experiences and keep ur wits sharp! I think Federal Hill, Fells Point, Mt. Vernon and maybe Canton would be your best bets if u want to live and be able to go out to a nice cafe and so on. Public transportation sucks in baltimore compared to how awesome it is in Toronto

[zipp83]

Thanks for all of the helpful posts. How much can I expect to pay for a 1br apartment in these neighborhoods (canton, fells point, mt. vernon, fed hill) including parking? I'd like to spend around $1500/mo for rent+parking, but get the feeling from reading other posts to this forum that this may be on the low side for what I'm looking for.

Here's a question. What are cab fares like? Would it be a wise financial decision to forgo a car, thereby saving on the initial car cost, insurace, rent, gas, etc. and use the money on cabs instead?

[Michael21214]

Originally Posted by ay jayy

As for comparing Baltimore and TO, they are very different. I have visited Toronto many times and walked all over the city at all hours without too much concern for safety. Baltimore isnt like that. Certain neighborhoods are fine, but you are never really that far from a bad block. Once you get your bearings you will be fine though.

Baltimore is kind of like Buffalo...only bigger.

[KLynch10]

Originally Posted by zipp83

Thanks for all of the helpful posts. How much can I expect to pay for a 1br apartment in these neighborhoods (canton, fells point, mt. vernon, fed hill) including parking? I'd like to spend around $1500/mo for rent+parking, but get the feeling from reading other posts to this forum that this may be on the low side for what I'm looking for.

Here's a question. What are cab fares like? Would it be a wise financial decision to forgo a car, thereby saving on the initial car cost, insurace, rent, gas, etc. and use the money on cabs instead?

Your budget should be just fine. The Cab drivers are total scumbags in this city, they would totally try to rip off a Canadian. I would recommend bringing a car, or living near Mass transit, but a car will be nice because you can take day trips to DC, Philly, Gettysburg, the Ocean and wherever.

The only people I've seen that are content without a car are people who work and live downtown, and don't have family in the area. If you do forgo a car, I would recommend living in Mt. Vernon or Otterbein (Northern part of Fed Hill), both are close to the Light rail.

[zipp83]

Originally Posted by Michael21214

Baltimore is kind of like Buffalo...only bigger.

Ugh. Hope not. (Although I've only been through Buffalo a couple of times and haven't given it much of a chance).

[davecj]

1500 for a 1 bed would be easy to find. The difficult part is finding one with parking unless you're in a condo. There are a number of 1brs with parking in Henderson's Wharf in Fells Point.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by zipp83

Lol! From my experience abroad rollerblading does seem to be a Canadian thing. I've heard that biking in Baltimore isn't too bad

It's not as good as TO - and drivers are certainly more aggressive and ignorant of the law here - but it's getting progressively better.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by zipp83

Thanks for all of the helpful posts. How much can I expect to pay for a 1br apartment in these neighborhoods (canton, fells point, mt. vernon, fed hill) including parking? I'd like to spend around $1500/mo for rent+parking, but get the feeling from reading other posts to this forum that this may be on the low side for what I'm looking for.

Here's a question. What are cab fares like? Would it be a wise financial decision to forgo a car, thereby saving on the initial car cost, insurace, rent, gas, etc. and use the money on cabs instead?

Canton would be the ideal location to forgo a car ... if there was rapid transit there (if you can wait, 10-15 years it will be there ). But certainly all of SE Baltimore and downtown is in biking distance from there and you can always hop in a cab, on a bus, or use zip car.

If you avoid the need to look for street parking in Canton you'll save yourself months worth of time. That's a big reason I never visit Canton - it can be a 25 minute + commitment to find a place to park.

[Michael21214]

Baltimore drivers are largely unfriendly to bicyclists. The city has slowly been adding bike lanes to some major routes, but prepared to share them with parked cars and speeding drivers passing on the right.

Depending on where you are going, you get places by routing your trip through parks and side streets, but that will take some careful planning.

Compared to Toronto, you are likely to be appalled by Baltimore's "public transportation." Large swaths of the city are unserved by the light rail line and the subway line. Buses can be slow, crowded, and drivers rude and unhelpful.

On the bright side, the Charm City Circulator buses are free and cover a lot of ground. I think some of them have bike racks too.