Where to live near JHU APL (Columbia, Ellicott City: apartment, for rent, condos)

[RelocatingRunner]

I'm looking into taking a job at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Laurel. I'm curious if you guys would be able to offer any suggestions on areas to live. I'm posting this in a couple of the MD area forums, since I'm not sure where it will get the best response.

I'm planning on renting, probably long term. I'd like a 1BR/1BA with decent storage space, and a nice kitchen with some space is a bonus. A garage would be great too. Ideally rent would be under $1200/mo. Complexes seem easiest, but I'd consider other options if they make sense.

Commute-wise, I'm pretty pleased with anything under 20 minutes. I won't start to consider it a negative until it's over about a half hour. What I'm looking for in a location is somewhere that I can run from my apartment door. I usually find that being a couple miles away from some trails that I can get into works out well. I run daily, so it's nice to have a couple options. I do plenty of running on the roads too, as long as they aren't too busy.

I like quite, northeastern "town"-type suburbs, which this area seems to share some of the spirit of, so I'm hoping I can find something good around here. Thanks for the help!

[bus man]

I would look in the Kings Contrivance or Hickory Ridge communities of Columbia.

[E-Z-B]

I checked out Columbia yesterday. Wow, didn't realize how wooded the area was. Was hoping to find a bunch of neighborhoods with sidewalks and 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath single family houses, but there weren't many there. Maybe I looked in the wrong places? Ellicott City was a bit disappointing as well. Was hoping to find areas like Moorestown / Mount Laurel / Haddonfield / Cherry Hill down there...

[newhart]

Originally Posted by E-Z-B

I checked out Columbia yesterday. Wow, didn't realize how wooded the area was. Was hoping to find a bunch of neighborhoods with sidewalks and 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath single family houses, but there weren't many there. Maybe I looked in the wrong places? Ellicott City was a bit disappointing as well. Was hoping to find areas like Moorestown / Mount Laurel / Haddonfield / Cherry Hill down there...

E-Z-B - you might have to start from the beginning. You posted on someone else's thread so this isn't making sense. what are you looking for? For what price? Most of the Columbia and Ellicott City neighborhoods that I know are full of 4br single family homes with sidewalks.

To the original OP, you're looking for a 1-BR apartment, possibly with a garage? You're lucky in that you can look in many areas and still be 20 mins from work. A garage is probably stretching it. I agree with the above poster to check out the King's Contrivance neighborhood of Columbia. There are quite a few trails there and you could end up within walking distance of the village center. There are a couple of complexes there, plus some condos that are often for rent. Check out padmapper. If you see something that looks good, you can come back here and ask about it. Going north to Columbia or EC would work as well, as would Clarksville, but I doubt your budget would work there. Maple Lawn is a nice area and very close to the APL, but it's pricey.

[RelocatingRunner]

Thanks bus man and newhart. It is looking like the Kings Contrivance/Colombia area is going to be my best bet. I currently have a garage, some complexes where I'm moving from have them, so I was just kinda hoping there would be an equivalent option. I agree that it's not looking likely though. Honestly, proximity to a town center isn't really a draw to me at all. I'd prefer to live as far from the busier areas as possible.

Google reviews of complexes in the area are pretty much universally awful, so I'm not sure what to make of that. They can't all be that terrible, can they? Although, maybe I'm looking on the low end of the price range and that's having an impact.

E-Z-B: Colombia is pretty wooded, for the most part, but it all seems to be crisscrossed with paved paths through the woods. They aren't the sidewalks you're probably used to, but I think they give a nice feeling of nature and being a little more isolated (even though you aren't). From what I've seen looking around, I think you may find something a little more like what you're looking for if you go south towards Laurel and maybe even to Odenton/Crofton.