North East or Havre de Grace? (Aberdeen, Ridgely: 2010, HOA fees, houses)

[Ken1222]

My job will be moving from NJ to Aberdeen in 2010. After exhaustive searches, I have narrowed down my relocation choices to Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, or Ridgely Forest in North East (located just off of route 7, one mile east of route 272). I am single with no kids.

I do like Bulle Rock and Havre de Grace, also like the fact of the new stores on route 40 in HdG (supermarket, drug store, etc). On the other hand, North East also has a new supermarket, Walmart, Pizza, Chinese, etc.

I am aware of what is said about HdG, but others say that is an area with potential. My questions are:

1. Which is more desirable, HdG or North East? I was just down in Md last week, and spoke to a HdG native who referred to North East folks as rednecks.
2. Was told of a rumored drug problem in North East, centered around Lakeland road?
3. Any rumors about Bulle Rock golf course closing after LPGA leaves?

Thanks very much...

[cdesousa]

My friends moved from NJ to Havre De Grace because they had to relocate for their jobs also they bought a house in Havre and its gorgeous and good price. The area is really beautiful I am sure you will love it. It is very peaceful.

[gregc21]

North East is a nice area. Both HDG and North East are water oriented. Bulle Rock HOA fees are very high and go up every year. Ridgely Forest is very reasonably priced and has the same ammenities and minimal HOA fee. Taxes are twice as much in HDG.

[Elisanne]

I moved to Havre de Grace from New England about 4 years ago, following my husband's job move to APG. I love North East, and we looked at several houses there. Taxes are lower in Cecil County (which is where NE is located) than in Harford, which is one concern. As a single guy, I'm not sure you'll find much to do in NE aside from going to the pub or bowling. Summer sports are a possibility, but in winter, there's just not much there. In my opinion, NE is just a little too far from the other things that we enjoy. We drive into the city for music and other entertainment, and if we had chosen Cecil County that would have been a larger hassle. Personally I like HdG a lot. It has a nice community feel to it, even though I live outside the town proper. Our home is "up the hill" from the town, in a 1960s-era development across from Bulle Rock. We looked at Bulle Rock, but we prefer to avoid HOAs and take our risks with neighbors doing stuff we might not like, rather than getting into the "they won't let me plant a tree or paint my house" issues. Bulle Rock has nice homes, but the prices are inflated compared with the rest of the area. The HOA fees are high, and most of the lot sizes are tiny. If you are looking to buy, you would be wise to consider the resale issues associated with that kind of purchase. Also, apparently many of the Bulle Rock homes are now rented out, even though it is against some of the HOA rules (depends which part you're in). Many investors bought there when it was new, and found they couldn't flip the houses as quickly as they wanted, so the community effect that the builders were intended to install hasn't really happened (this I learned from an Aegis article about a year ago). The golf course is apparently a terrific one, so even if the LPGA pulls out, I doubt it will go away. As for drugs...well, they're everywhere now. Yes, they're in Cecil County, and yes, they're in Harford too. We're along the 95 corridor, which is a major drug line up and down the coast. Drugs and all that go with them are here, although I must say I don't see any activity in my goings. Still they're definitely there. I find Cecil County to be much more "country" than Harford, especially in attitudes. This is probably what that one person was referring to when they said it was all rednecks. Much more racist, in general...but the Cecil County stores, from grocery through Walmart, are cleaner than in Harford, and are MUCH nicer to shop in. Lots to consider!

[Ken1222]

Thank you Elisanne...good info. I just bought a house in Bulle Rock. I just love that area, the clubhouse, the golf course, etc.
Ken