Possibly relocating to Baltimore area (Catonsville, Glen Burnie: transplants, apartments, rent)

[onelilredrose]

Hi,
My husband is being offered a job in the Baltimore area (on one of the docks?) that seems to pay really well...well at least compared to where we live now.
We currently reside in Albuquerque, NM and both our incomes combined is not quite $70,000 year. We own a large 4 bedroom home in a quiet community about 10 miles outside of Albuquerque. Our mortgage is $1400 a month. We live pretty comfortably on our income here. I love the weather here, it's generally warm and dry.

My problem? My husband has been offered a job there in the Baltimore area making more than both of us make here (not quite $90,000 year). This seems like alot of money to us. We're thinking we could take the job and I could be a stay-at-home mom.

Is this a realistic expectation? How far will that type of salary get us? We will probably rent at first because I'm not sure how my boys and I will feel about living "back east". LOL! We are all small town born and raised. "Back East" has horror stories of gang violence, drugs, high living expensis in small apartments, racism... Not to say that where we live does not have drugs or violence, but from all the transplants we have met from "back east", our life is simple, slow paced, and accepting.

I guess I should stop rambling about my fears and ask for advice and opinions.
Do I really have anything to fear? I have three boys, a 16 year old, a 15 year old and a 4 year old.
Rose

[kharing]

I moved here in July from Albuquerque. I think it is way better here because there are alot more options. Nothing to fear. I would be more afraid in the South Valley or driving East of San Pedro than the tougher areas of Baltimore. It's all relative.

You might like living in White Marsh. Similar to Rio "Rat Hole" (sorry could not resist!)...you need to drive everywhere, near a large mall and safe by some standards. I prefer to live in the city, but I don't have children.

I think you will find it cheaper to live here than New Mexico - especially with the salary increase.
Cost of living was ridiculous in the Albuquerque Metro Area!

[fakeeyes]

Baltimore is great.

My wife and kids and I moved to the Baltimore area from Cincinnati in 2006. Like your husband, I was offered a job making more money in a more rewarding career ffield here in Baltimore. Well,after some degree of trepidation -- Baltimore's reputation of crime, the schools, moving my kids hundreds of miles away from their aunts and uncles and grand parents, the daunting idea of moving a whole household period across country -- we all decided to take the gamble and just do it.

Was it chaotic? yes. have we experienced our share of issues and challenges? yes indeed we have. Would we do it again? hell yes, in a heart beat!

Our Baltimore experience has been in vertually all regards a charming one. You'll find in reading this board that Baltimore has its share of harsh critics and big fans. I happen to fall in to the later group of folks. I recognize that like any large city, Baltimore has its issues, but even in the two years I've lived here, I've witnessed huge progress.

We rented for a year in the city, for a year in the county (Owings Mills area) and eventually decided that do to better acccess to public transportation options, and the vibrent feel of many city neighborhoods, city living was the answer for us. We purchased a 3 BR 2 BA rowe home in Baltimore City. When we were looking, back in June, depending on neighborhood, prices ranged from 200 to 400K for properties that would meet our needs. Most city properties have extremely small yards, so living close to a large park was important to us. The patterson Park area was a natural middle ground, and after much deliberation and searching, was the neighborhood we chose to make our home.

There are many facenating and diverse city neighborhoods like Patterson Park, Hampden, Hamilton, Federal Hill, Mt. Washington, Mt. Vernon, canton, Fells point, that have their individual charms. If the suburbs are more your style, consider Catonsville on Baltimore's Southwestern fringe, Glen Burnie slightly East South East, or White Marsh/notingham/Middle River on the city's NE side, for goods schools, low crime, and a relatively painless commute to the inner harbor area.

There is so much to do, that I can't even scratch the surface without turning this post in to one of the longest, and most boring lists in history. You can Check out the free museums in Baltimore and D.C., explore the inner harbor, climb to the top of Baltimore's Washington Monument, take in the awesome crab cakes seafood and ethnic food, let the little ones run wild at the Maryland Science center, Acquarium, port Discovery and the zoo, take in a playy, or a concert, or a scenic country drive. Plus, both the beach and the mountains are only 2 and a half hours away, talk about quick and easy summer weekend git aways (only 45 minutes to an hour away if you don't mind the bay beaches, or Pennsyltucky ). I could go on and on, but, I'll shut my trap for now, and sum up by saying that you've come to the right place to ask questions. All of uss on here will be glad to help you out. Just be warned, we all have opinions, some positive, some not so much. Read what we say, take notes, plan out what it is that you want to see, and come and visit us ova here in Balmre Merlin, hon. If you don't have the luxury of taking a trrip out east -- we didn't, and made the choice and the move in four weeks -- this board will be an even greater resource to you.

[onelilredrose]

Thank you. Hubby will be visiting the area when he gets the call for the in-person interview.

[Streetchie]

For 90k a year you should be able to enjoy Baltimore to its fullest. Having said that, rent the second season of The Wire to see what dock work is like in Baltimore.

[thenuge]

If you are thinking about buying property or if you have kids who need to go to school, you may wish to investigate the counties. Baltimore City seems OK for the just-past-college crowd. Not sure if it works for anybody else. Seems like families and most higher wage earners get out. Property tax is high and city service is low.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by thenuge

If you are thinking about buying property or if you have kids who need to go to school, you may wish to investigate the counties. Baltimore City seems OK for the just-past-college crowd. Not sure if it works for anybody else. Seems like families and most higher wage earners get out. Property tax is high and city service is low.

There are quite a few higher wage earners in the city. There are plenty of neighborhoods in the city that require top dollar to live in.