Looking to move to Catonsville, Ellicott City, or Columbia

[newhart]

I wonder if the OP might want to consider the Linthicum area by the airport. Inventory seems pretty low now but something might come up in his price range that needs a lot of work. I know several professionals who work at Ft. Meade who bought places there and fixed them up.

[downeysyndrome]

Originally Posted by bus man

I stand corrected. I've been inside a townhouse on Plumtree, and I cannot even begin to fathom paying $300,000 for it. But that's Ellicott City for you.

OP, if Old Stockbridge doesn't work out, I would reiterate trying for Sewell's Orchard or Clary's Forest. But darn, I just checked out some listings on a Clary's Forest street on which some friends live, and even there the townhouses are going for $300,000. Unbelievable!

Many of the areas people have mentioned here seem to be a bit higher than my price range - from what I've seen, $200k doesn't buy too much. I am mostly trying to find a safe area that will give me access to the areas I mentioned in my original post.

[downeysyndrome]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

Correction, it was the Longfellow neighborhood around Hesperus. The townhouses had a diverse population but it was very safe.

I don't mind diversity (though I get very little of it here in northern Carroll right now), safety/crime is one of my biggest concerns.

[mls012]

Your budget will buy you a condo in Columbia, or townhouse in a old and not so nice area. So if your stuck on Columbia , I'd consider a condo. I wouldn't also avoid all the neighborhoods you mentioned in your first post. While they do have shady areas, the entire "village" isn't bad. Just like another poster mentioned, just don't live across the street from those village centers. That's kinda the key.

Those neighborhoods are also looked down upon based on the school ratings also. You didn't mention having children, so that may not be of a concern to you right now.

My first condo was in Sierra Villas (in Clarys Forest). These are like mini townhomes,2 floors, little yard, a contemporary feel, and most have reserved car ports. Here are 2 that are under 200K.
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]http://www.mrishomes.com/listing/listingsearch.aspx[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/11248-SNOWFLAKE-CT-A-12-3-COLUMBIA-MD-21044-157406402[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] Here's another standard condo in Clarys Forest. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]
http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/5904-WATCH-CHAIN-WAY-704-COLUMBIA-MD-21044-154714437

[/SIZE]On the other side of town, you may want to check out this neighborhood in Kings Contrivance
7605 WEATHER WORN WAY #B, COLUMBIA, MD | MLS HW8723577 | Listing Information | MRIShomes.com

[downeysyndrome]

Originally Posted by mls012

Your budget will buy you a condo in Columbia, or townhouse in a old and not so nice area. So if your stuck on Columbia , I'd consider a condo. I wouldn't also avoid all the neighborhoods you mentioned in your first post. While they do have shady areas, the entire "village" isn't bad. Just like another poster mentioned, just don't live across the street from those village centers. That's kinda the key.

Those neighborhoods are also looked down upon based on the school ratings also. You didn't mention having children, so that may not be of a concern to you right now.

My first condo was in Sierra Villas (in Clarys Forest). These are like mini townhomes,2 floors, little yard, a contemporary feel, and most have reserved car ports. Here are 2 that are under 200K.
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]http://www.mrishomes.com/listing/listingsearch.aspx[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/11248-SNOWFLAKE-CT-A-12-3-COLUMBIA-MD-21044-157406402[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] Here's another standard condo in Clarys Forest. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]
http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/5904-WATCH-CHAIN-WAY-704-COLUMBIA-MD-21044-154714437

[/SIZE]On the other side of town, you may want to check out this neighborhood in Kings Contrivance
7605 WEATHER WORN WAY #B, COLUMBIA, MD | MLS HW8723577 | Listing Information | MRIShomes.com

Wow - Thank you for the post! I'm not stuck on Columbia, but from what I've seen of it, it seems consistently nicer than most of the areas I've looked at in Catonsville. I'm open to any further suggestions for other towns/areas in the general area - I know I've had Elkridge suggested a few times, and am keeping an eye out there as well. I've also been looking at southern Sykesville and Marriotsville, but very little has popped up there.

I have considered a condo, but I am less familiar with resale value down the road on condos, and the addition of Condo fees might limit my budget there a little further. The one you sent on Snowflake looks very nice! It is good to know to avoid being right around the village centers of the mentioned neighborhoods.

Also, I do not have children and am not in a position to be having any anytime soon, so that is not a concern. I am looking at schools to get a general reflection of the area, but that is about it.

[mls012]

Well your very much like me..champagne wishes on a beer budget. Lol. All the areas your looking are great and should have resale value. You just have to scale back the size/type of the property. The nice areas of Catonsville are more than your budget also. The market for condos tend to be first time buyers and empty nesters. As long as you buy a nice affordable place, you should sell just fine. I lived in my condo for 5 years and doubled my $ when I sold. The 3 bed units in seirra villas were selling for 265k when I moved 8 years ago. I had a smaller condo. Now they may never sell for that high again, but the prices have dropped back down so much, you could be getting a deal if you hold on to it for a few years.

[mls012]

I don't know much about these areas but it may be worth looking into Severn, or Odenton. It's Anne Arundel county but close to Ft. Meade.

[downeysyndrome]

Originally Posted by mls012

Well your very much like me..champagne wishes on a beer budget. Lol. All the areas your looking are great and should have resale value. You just have to scale back the size/type of the property. The nice areas of Catonsville are more than your budget also. The market for condos tend to be first time buyers and empty nesters. As long as you buy a nice affordable place, you should sell just fine. I lived in my condo for 5 years and doubled my $ when I sold. The 3 bed units in seirra villas were selling for 265k when I moved 8 years ago. I had a smaller condo. Now they may never sell for that high again, but the prices have dropped back down so much, you could be getting a deal if you hold on to it for a few years.

It is certainly starting to feel that way. I don't mind a smaller home, though as I said, a townhome is my preference over a condo for various reasons (no condo fees/association on top of an HOA, some semblance of a yard for a dog, etc). I am looking to stay wherever I move for at least five years. What areas would you consider the nicer areas of Catonsville? There was a home in the Paradise neighborhood I put a bid on about a month or two back just east of 695 which seemed to be in a nice area. Other than that, most of what I see on the market is further north, practically in Woodlawn, which I generally have seen/heard of as a less than preferable area. What I've heard/seen is the area further West and nearer to Patapsco State Park is nice, but I have seen little to nothing out that way.

For resale reasons, I have had it drilled into me that a home I buy should have a minimum of 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths.

[richrf]

The resale value of the housing stock in Columbia is confusing me. I just looked at a new listing for a condo near the Town Center and at $350,000 it is $100,000 less that the previous purchases price as reported by Zillow. Other condos and town houses seem to be exhibiting similar price fluctuations. My guess is that new home buyers in Columbia are looking for very particular types of housing in very soecific areas and housing not in these areas are more susceptible to wide price fluctuations as well as long resale timeframes. Not being from Columbia and knowing that residents often do not talk about problems as it may affect community resale values, Columbia remains somewhat an enigma.

Interestingly, my own realty agent, who lives in Columbia, suggested D.C. for my condo search and didn't recommend any in Columbia even though I specifically asked for some ideas in Columbia. Budget for Columbia was$350,000 plus depending upon condition. Higher for D.C.