Are Gwynn Oak or Pikesville safe areas for a single girl? (Baltimore: fit in, rent)

[kejesm]

Hi - this is my first post so please forgive me if this question has been asked already.

I work in DC, make $65K per year and rent in Montgomery Coutny MD. I really want to buy a house - not a condo or townhouse, a single detached 2 or 3 bedroom house with a yard and I'd like to keep my home purchase price under $200K (pls don't laugh).

Gwynn Oak and Pikesville have homes that fit into my price range but I know nothing about the area. I've lived in Silver Spring off Rt 29 (the burbs) for four years and while I like it, I can't afford a house here. I enjoy working in the city but def am not a city girl. I like the burbs and driving my car where I need to go. I don't mind a blue collar town but I want a safe place to walk dogs and enjoy my back yard. Do either of these towns suffice?

If these aren't safe areas, can you recommend anything in between Baltimore and DC? I know the commute will be awful but I'm willing to do it for a house.

Thanks for your help!

[oneworld25]

I'm not so sure about Gwynn Oak, the houses are pretty nice but crime may be an issue. Most of Pikesville is safe and quite nice. If you could let me know what area in Pikesville the house is in, I could give you more info as I live in Pikesville.

[kejesm]

Hi thanks for the response. I've found a few possibilities in the following subdivisions in Pikesville:

Scott Hill (Scott Hill Dr)
Gwynnvale (Greenwood Rd)
Old Court Grove (Bonnie Brae Rd).

I'm not overly picky. I love small, older homes with lots a charm/haven't been renovated and I don't mind a diverse neighborhood as long as it's relatively quiet and safe. I would definitely invest in a home security system and two massive dogs for protection.

Thanks for your advice - I greatly appreciate it.

[myselfdotcom]

Gwynn Oak is really hit or miss. There are some really nice old houses that are real bargain..but depends on the street. If you will, try get the end street units..like no exit cul-vac-sac.
Pikesville used to be a jewish community..not sure what happenned to it since...

[oneworld25]

Like the above poster said Pikesville has a reputation as a Jewish community. However, there have been more blacks and even some hispanics moving in in the past few years. Most of Pikesville's Jewish community is not Orthodox (not that this is good or bad I was just mentioning this).

The homes that are on Scott Hill Drive and Bren Brae Road are more in what I call Randallstown than Pikesville. This area is heavily African-American and while Randallstown is not viewed as being ritzy, I do believe the area should be safe. It's also important to note that the school's they are districted to are terrible, but if you don't have any kids this should not be an issue.

The house on Greenwood Road is more close to what I consider Pikesville. I'm not terribly familiar with the Gwynnvale neighborhood but I've driven down Greenwood Road a few times and it seems like a pretty decent neighborhood. I'd imagine the Gwynnvale neighborhood would have a fairly large black population though it may not be as homogenous as Randallstown. I don't think you'd have an issue with crime in Gwynnvale or Randallstown.

Some neighborhoods around BWI airport in Glen Burnie may also be an option for you. Planes can be heard flying over your head but I'd imagine the homes are pretty cheap and I was walking around a neighborhood in Glen Burnie a few years ago and it seemed pretty safe to me. Being close to BWI would also allow easy access to the MARC train so you could commute via public transportation. The area of Dundalk may also be interesting to you. It's a very blue collar area on the east side of Baltimore County that will give you fairly easy access to I-95.

You may also want to post this in the Baltimore forum to see what people there have to say.

[myselfdotcom]

agreed with oneworld25.
personally I don't like the west side of Baltimore as much because the heavy traffic along 695. It seems like there are constant traffic jam LOL at I695/I70 area, towards Towson on I695 and I695/I95 area
There are still some part in Glen Burnie which still affordable. Same as in Dundalk area. Try stay from Turner Station though.