European young couple moving to Baltimore or to Washington (Annapolis: crime rate, houses)

[jonjj]

Well bawlmer, I wish you luck. You may want to check the real estate options out there. Some of the homes in the area are selling for the same amount at or above what was listed just a year or two ago. The market is in a slump but some city neighborhoods are actually still doing pretty well. I think you would be surprised to see what you may get for your home. By the way, I am not far from you at all. I walk through the neighborhood all the time.

[Be More]

Originally Posted by jonjj

Well bawlmer, I wish you luck. You may want to check the real estate options out there. Some of the homes in the area are selling for the same amount at or above what was listed just a year or two ago. The market is in a slump but some city neighborhoods are actually still doing pretty well. I think you would be surprised to see what you may get for your home. By the way, I am not far from you at all. I walk through the neighborhood all the time.

While Upper Fells Point..or southeast Baltimore in general is not perfect....it certainly is close to being perfect in my book. So many things to walk to and see......restaurants, museums, shopping....a gigantic park...harbor. I truly enjoy teaching over there and walking my kids to do take part of all that community has to offer. Its an amazing area.

[bawlmer]

A wise man one said, "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." Walk along the "harbor" in B-more (if you can stand the stench) and then go for a walk in downtown Annapolis, or the Chicago lakefront, then tell me about perfect. If you can get close to the water, for the smell, you may not be able to actually see much except trash floating on the surface. Talk with your neighbors and ask how many have been victims of crime. I bet it's more than you know. Prostitutes walk freely through residential neighborhoods and the great park most everynight. Walk the streets of DC's Capitol Hill neighborhood and compare cleanliness. Go to Georgetown to shop and then come back. I know it's more expensive in those other places, but what's the cost of quality of life? Don't think I'm stating opinions here, you can walk down to the water and see. You can see the trash strewn alleys and vacant and boarded homes-in one of the best neighborhoods. Two renovated homes on my street sold within the last year for $20,000 + less than their listed price. Lets be real.

[jonjj]

I do have very good friends (in fact, ex-wife) who lives in Capitol Hill in DC and she expresses the same concerns people in Baltimore have. But to help you a bit, I hope you realize the history of Baltimore's Inner Harbor and know that it is a working port. As such, the water may not be as sparkly as the beaches of Chicago. I have been to Chicago numerous times. Take a walk along the port of Chicago sometime. (if you can). As far as Annapolis goes: same bay, same water. And yes, I have seen trash floating in the water there also. The prostitutes working Baltimore Street have been doing that for 100 years; even moreso 20 years ago. By the way, there are prostitutes working DC too. Oh, and Chicago. I am very real in my thinking of Baltimore. I guess maybe your expectations were to high and wanted that suburban dream in the city. My advice: move and do it quickly to eliminate this pain you have. I just hope you are more careful next time in your decision while you find your Garden of Eden.

[bawlmer]

Jonjj, I wasn't addressing any of my posts at you, personally. I was simply pointing out the realities of B-more's crime and filth. I'm encouraged that you would defend the city so vigorously. There are things I like about the city life, too. Like commuting by train to DC and being able to walk everywhere. It's just a shame I have to walk around crime scene tape to go to the convenience store. Best wishes. I believe my point is made.

[barante]

I don't know how we got to the water quality, but here goes. Without making comparisons with other cities, this can be stated as a fact: Inner Harbor water quality is far superior to what it was in the late 1890s, or 1990. For the longest time, you see, Baltimore had the distinction of being the biggest American city with a sewer system and everyone knew it. Wastes permeated backyards; the stench was horrible. Except that the powers that be didn't care because the Democratic machine's kingpins controlled the emptying and processing of wastes.
Even after a new sewer system was inaugurated about 1915, there was a reason why Fells Point, Federal Hill and Locust Point were relegated to the poor: Stench and horrendous heat and humidity in an age that did not know airconditioning.
As to prostitutes, I may not know this as a fact but will cite it anyway: I believe ours can compete with any city. And the price is right. A onetime neighbor of mine was propositioned by a lady who started by quoting $10 and the quickly offering a free sample, when my friend was not interested. When John (and that was his name, really) asked why she would offer it for free, she replied: "Because it's so good that you are sure to come back for returns."
Smart chicks live and work in Baltimore.

[bawlmer]

Very interesting information. I second you on the stench. As for prostitutes, I'm not talking about the (sometimes) cute girls all dolled up on B-more St. Not that one is any better than the other, but the prostitutes to which I refer are the down-and-out, skanky ones who walk off the beaten path around Pat. Park and the residential areas between Broadway and the park. You may not even recognize them unless you slow down to park you car and they approach your window. The result is the soaring ghonerrhea and AIDS rate in the city.

[jonjj]

What is odd about some of these statements is that I live in the neighborhood being mentioned and I never see prostitutes in the residential areas except on Baltimore Street and Broadway. And I walk through the neighborhood every day early in the morning and after 4 in the evening. Maybe I'm just not getting to it at the right time.
Murder rate in Baltimore---been a problem for a very long time. This year, we are up about 3 or 4 from last year. But, to be honest, I can never remember a time when the murder rate wasn't redicously high, even during the O"Malley years. It truely is a shame.

[barante]

Baltimore is a very heavily addicted city and lots of regular women give it up for a quick fix.
Baltimore, whether addicted or not, also is a poor city. Just ride the Metro now that everyone is bundled up and you see that even the working stiffs look grungy in comparison to New York or Washington.

[jonjj]

After walking away from the thread, I decided to go to the lighter side especially after reading barante's post. I thought you may like this little true story. The home I bought happens to be on Baltimore Street near the park and there are occasional street-walkers along the blocks of Baltimore. My home was a rehab and sat empty for a few years before I bought it. When it was empty the hookers used to sit on the "stoops" out front to ply their trade. After I had been living here for about a week, I looked down from an upstairs window and happened to see a 300 (not exagerating) pound white woman sitting on the stoop and smoking a cigarette. I thought that she needed to know that someone now lives here and to move along. So I go down and open the door and say hello. She turns around and looks at me and says, "Oh, you live here now? I'm sorry. I won't work your stoops anymore!" in that typical southeast Bawlmer accent and tries to get herself up and move along. I said good-bye, shut the door, and just shook my head.

Now, with that being said, I also have two quotes I heard by the girls working Baltimore street that I thought I would share:
1. "$10.00 to look at, $100.00 to touch" (I thought that was clever.)
2. This one gal was drinking a beer while walking and looked at me and said: "Hot ***** and cold beer. Ya want some hon?" (Also clever but a bit whimsical also.)