best places to raise a family around Laurel MD (Columbia: apartments, rentals)

[chicago2MD]

We (wife+5yr) may need to relocate to Laurel MD for my job from Chicago (suburb) in about 6 months permanently. I am not familiar with this area and would appreciate any input.

Here are things we are looking for:
1. Very good public school (ratings 8-10, preferably 10 or 9)
2. Low crime / safe neighborhood
3. commute distance upto 1 hour in rush hour traffic
4. not very close to public housing projects (past bad experience)

We are planning to rent for 6 months (not sure if I can get rent for 6 months, in that case 1 year) 1 or 2 bedroom and then look into houses once we are familiar with the area.
1. Rent budget: $1500 excluding utilities
2. House budget: $350K max (single or townhouse, 3 bed room, 2 bath, 1 or 2 car garage, not older than 1991)

Even though my job appears to be pretty stable but nothing is certain these days. I think it will make sense to stay within commuting distance of employment opportunities in case i need to start looking. I work in IT.

Based on my searches, Ellicott City appears to be a good choice (not sure about rent, house prices). I am planning to visit the area in coming months, will appreciate any input regarding the area I should look into and the area i should avoid. Is the commute from Germantown to Laurel bad during rush hour?

Thanks

[EducatedBro82]

Laurel is nice suburb. It is in 3 counties so here is the breakdown:

PG County- 20707, 20708-This is the "city" part of Laurel, Most businesses are here, the schools are good Elementary and Middle school wise. Laurel High School is good, nothing really goes on over there and they have the most students graduate from AP courses. They also have an International Baccalaureate Program. They were also nationally ranked in Newsweek. There are a few McMansions in this area such as Wilshire Estates, and the Villages of Wellington. Also Snowden Pond and most neighborhoods off Muirkirk Road are higher but well worth it. The Montpelier Neighborhood has Most of your Levitt Style homes around your budget. Alos the Greens a Patuxent, which is a golf course community may have homes in your budget as well. Scotchton Hills has townhomes and SFH as well.

Most apartment communities are in this area. Parke Laurel is a good community, so is the Point at Laurel Lakes, and Windsor at Contee Crossing. Emerson at Cherry Lane is good, however the noise level may be higher due to the construction of the Laurel Town Center.

Anne Arundel County-20724-The schools here are better than Prince George's County. Also the Russett Community has apartments and homes that can suit your budget, but may be more expensive. Homes can range from upper 300s to low 500s. This area also hosts a lot of the military families due to the proximity with Ft. Meade. The apartment communities are Concord Park, Camden, and Tall Oaks.

Howard County-20723-This is considered the best part of Laurel. It is mainly all suburban with the McMansions all over the place. The Emerson Community, which is STILL growing is pretty nice, but the price may be higher than your budget. The schools are considered the best in the State. The apartment communities are Bowling Brook, Country Meadows and The Seasons, all may be in your budget but may be priced higher.

If you are going toward an apartment, I would suggest inquiring about a special, especially if you are looking to rent for 6 months. Most places have a 6, 9, 12, or 15 month lease.

However, Laurel is experiencing a building boom with the BRAC closures around the USA, the ICC Interchange (last phase is the Laurel exit), and the Laurel Town Center (old mall was torn down and being rebuilt).

As far as crime, Laurel has a generally LOW crime rate. No murders, rapes, robberies, and heinous crimes. They have a little brekaing and entering and personal disputes here and there. But overall the living is better than anywhere in the Inner Beltway Area.

There is no Metro line to Laurel, so you will need a car to get around. However Laurel does have a "mini" bus system to connect all 3 counties.

I hope this was helpful to you and your wife. Good Luck in your search and WELCOME TO MARYLAND!!

[chicago2MD]

Thank you EducatedBro82. Your info is very helpful, it gives me some ideas where to look for when i am there in next month.

How bad is the commute from Laurel to DC or NOVA by car and public transportation?

Does the hurricane impact Laurel area much?

[AeroGuyDC]

EducatedBro82 gave you good advice.

I would emphasize that you should look for housing in Howard Country versus Prince Georges County if schools are a consideration. Your budget could be constraining, but I wouldn't call it completely out of reach.

We built a house in Laurel, Howard County and love it. The schools in our disctrict are rated 9 out of 10 at GreatSchools.com and other sites.

Also, as mentioned there is no Metro subway station access in Laurel....but the MARC train goes into DC and and connects to the Metro system in Greenbelt/College Park/Union Station. Lots of Laurel area commuters into DC take the MARC train for DC access.

[cjmeck]

You should check out Crofton (zip code 21114) or parts of Odenton (21113). In Odenton, the Piney Orchard community is good. Those areas are in Anne Arundel County and the schools in those neighborhoods are all 8 to 10 on greatschools. I don't know about your budget though to be honest. When we were considering rentals, it seemed the single family houses were going to be at least $2200 in those areas, I don't know for sure about townhouses or apartments. Ellicott City is great, but will likely not be in your price range. Also, for Laurel, the Howard County side is the good part (zip 20723) and the schools for that area are good as well.

[J_Lurk]

There is no advantage to going to Ellicott City vs. Laurel for schools if you are already looking at Howard County; the schools are managed county-wide, not by city. Howard County Public School System Either stay in Laurel or look at the southern part of Columbia.

Also, keep in mind that this is an area that has been developed for a while. You may not want to stick to your 1991 limit and instead look for a property that has been recently updated regardless of age. When we were looking we saw badly built houses that were 15 years old and well built ones that were 40 years old. The age isn't always a measure of your future maintenance woes.

[chicago2MD]

Thank you all for all the information. I am planning to visit the area soon.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by J_Lurk

Also, keep in mind that this is an area that has been developed for a while. You may not want to stick to your 1991 limit and instead look for a property that has been recently updated regardless of age. When we were looking we saw badly built houses that were 15 years old and well built ones that were 40 years old. The age isn't always a measure of your future maintenance woes.

Agreed. A well built brick ranch from the sixties could be a better buy than a poorly built town house that is 15 years old. You can get more space and privacy for the money. Just make sure the roof and mechanicals have been updated in an older house.

[lanoneus]

The Howard County Schools website is super-informative. Howard County Public School System

It lists every school in the county, and includes free/reduced lunch rates, programs available, and assesment grades. Your budget will be your biggest limiting factor. Even the townhomes in my area rent for $2200.