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My s/o just received an incredible job offer in the suburbs of Maryland to start in Spring 2025. Although the “office” is around the Annapolis area, he will probably never go in. Most of his work will be remote with the occasional visit to his sites he controls in Laurel, Severn, Joint Base Andrews and Edgewater. He will have a few sites between DC and Baltimore, and out to the shore of Maryland. He probably will travel to them 2-3 times a month.
I have many job opportunities in DC, Baltimore, and every place inbetween. However, I want to keep all regions open.
I love DC, and think the location is great. I currently am in NJ and while I do really like NJ, its very expensive for what it is. I dont like paying the premium living next to NYC, which is a city I don’t like at all. Also, a home is about $600k here and property taxes can run you over 2.5% in most towns. A 600k home has about 15-20k in taxes per year. Theres no way you can live like that lol. The COL and how poor the transit is in NJ are the reasons I am entertaining this move since the COL/taxes are lower in MD while having better functioning transit around DC, if I visit/work there. I have lived in MA/FL/NY/NJ/NC/CT and want to settle after moving so much for work/family/my colleges.
So what am I looking for?
1. Ideally a community that you can find a larger 1 bedroom (800sqft) or smaller 2 bedroom for under $1,900 a month. I see there even some one bedrooms in complexes for $1,500 around Maryland. Also, ideally close to an area where we could eventually by a townhome for under $500k. Our income will be about 200k combined, but since we are 26 and have 60k in combined student loan/car debt, we dont want to overspend.
2. For the purposes of job searching, I would like to be somewhat close to both Baltimore and DC for jobs. I would prefer under 1 hour of a commute each day. I commute 100 minutes a day into Manhattan and its too much. I could live with 60 minutes.
3. Close to transportation options. I would like to be nearby to a MARC, WMATA, or any rail service. I dont have to be next to one, but under a 15 minute drive is preferable.
4. Close to restaurants, shops or entertainment. Preferably not a 20 minute drive to a wawa lol.
5. safe and dog friendly. I want a safe area that also has dog parks close by. Or hiking.
My questions?
1. What towns and cities would work best for criteria above?
2. Are the MARC trains reliable? I like the fares and the timetables work great, but how do others think?
3. I also am planning to visit in January, then again in May. What would you recommend for a stay?
4. Anything I ahould be aware of when going down?
Maryland looks beautiful and I can’t wait to explore.
Last edited by masssachoicetts; 11-08-2023 at 08:57 AM..
Columbia, Ellicott City, Laurel, Burtonsville and Crofton come to mind. I have used MARC trains to go to Baltimore. They are semi-reliable, but the parking is limited. If the s/o could drop you off, the train options are workable.
I preferred the MTA commuter buses, when I lived in Columbia and worked in DC. They are in better shape than the train cars.
Regarding a place to stay, there is a Holiday Inn just of I-95, at Cherry Lane, with a Laurel address. It is central enough to allow you to explore commuting options.
Regarding "anything else", do no settle in the cheapest apartment you find. Check reputation comments. There areas with more crime such as Severn. I also would not live close to the airport because of the noise.
Last edited by goldenage1; 11-08-2023 at 10:51 AM..
The rents, apartment/house prices, and cost of living in Maryland are pretty much the same as in NJ. The property taxes are less, but that is not saying much because NJ has the highest property taxes in the nation. The transportation in Maryland is not as good as in NJ. Traffic here is worse and NJ Transit is better than MARC. You will need to job hunt before searching for a place to live, so that you can keep your commute to a reasonable time.
And don't buy in Baltimore City because the property taxes are worse than NJ.
My s/o just received an incredible job offer in the suburbs of Maryland to start in Spring 2025. Although the “office” is around the Annapolis area, he will probably never go in. Most of his work will be remote with the occasional visit to his sites he controls in Laurel, Severn, Joint Base Andrews and Edgewater. He will have a few sites between DC and Baltimore, and out to the shore of Maryland. He probably will travel to them 2-3 times a month.
I have many job opportunities in DC, Baltimore, and every place inbetween. However, I want to keep all regions open.
I love DC, and think the location is great. I currently am in NJ and while I do really like NJ, its very expensive for what it is. I dont like paying the premium living next to NYC, which is a city I don’t like at all. Also, a home is about $600k here and property taxes can run you over 2.5% in most towns. A 600k home has about 15-20k in taxes per year. Theres no way you can live like that lol. The COL and how poor the transit is in NJ are the reasons I am entertaining this move since the COL/taxes are lower in MD while having better functioning transit around DC, if I visit/work there. I have lived in MA/FL/NY/NJ/NC/CT and want to settle after moving so much for work/family/my colleges.
So what am I looking for? 1. Ideally a community that you can find a larger 1 bedroom (800sqft) or smaller 2 bedroom for under $1,900 a month. I see there even some one bedrooms in complexes for $1,500 around Maryland. Also, ideally close to an area where we could eventually by a townhome for under $500k. Our income will be about 200k combined, but since we are 26 and have 60k in combined student loan/car debt, we dont want to overspend.
2. For the purposes of job searching, I would like to be somewhat close to both Baltimore and DC for jobs. I would prefer under 1 hour of a commute each day. I commute 100 minutes a day into Manhattan and its too much. I could live with 60 minutes.
3. Close to transportation options. I would like to be nearby to a MARC, WMATA, or any rail service. I dont have to be next to one, but under a 15 minute drive is preferable.
4. Close to restaurants, shops or entertainment. Preferably not a 20 minute drive to a wawa lol.
5. safe and dog friendly. I want a safe area that also has dog parks close by. Or hiking.
My questions?
1. What towns and cities would work best for criteria above?
2. Are the MARC trains reliable? I like the fares and the timetables work great, but how do others think?
3. I also am planning to visit in January, then again in May. What would you recommend for a stay?
4. Anything I ahould be aware of when going down?
Maryland looks beautiful and I can’t wait to explore.
You aren't going to find all you are looking for , you're going to have to compromise. Rents are the same or higher here then in NJ. Nice 1 Beds are at least 2100. To find what you want maybe Columbia , Crofton, Severna Park or Odenton. That's a big maybe.
My s/o just received an incredible job offer in the suburbs of Maryland to start in Spring 2025. Although the “office” is around the Annapolis area, he will probably never go in. Most of his work will be remote with the occasional visit to his sites he controls in Laurel, Severn, Joint Base Andrews and Edgewater. He will have a few sites between DC and Baltimore, and out to the shore of Maryland. He probably will travel to them 2-3 times a month.
I would recommend maximizing you and your S/O's flexibility by finding a place in a location that's central to all the places you'll be going. If I had to pick one single spot for that, I'd say Annapolis. It offers convenient access to Washington via U.S. 50 going west; to the Eastern Shore via U.S. 50 going east; to Baltimore, BWI Airport, and the Fort Meade area via I-97. There are commuter-bus routes from Annapolis to Washington and Baltimore, using comfortable "over-the-road" coaches. And, it's just a really nice place overall. I will say, though, affordability will be an issue. Also, be careful if you find a relatively cheap place near Forest Drive; there are several housing projects tucked away near that road, and I don't think you'd want to live too close to them.
Other nearby areas to consider would be Edgewater to the south, or Severna Park, Odenton, and maybe Waugh's Chapel to the north/northwest. In case you don't know, Severn and Severna Park are not the same place. Do not consider Severn or anywhere else in close proximity to Fort Meade; these areas are not safe. Laurel is a mixed bag. Some parts of it are pretty nice, but it does have its issues.
The MARC Penn Line train, which shares tracks with the Amtrak Northeast Corridor line, is fast and reliable. The Camden Line is slower and a bit less reliable, though still not too bad. The commuter buses are subject to traffic congestion, but they're still about as reliable as one could expect, given the heavy traffic around here.
You'll be happy to know that property taxes in most areas of Maryland are much lower than they are in New Jersey. My house is worth somewhere around $750,000 and I pay about $8,000 in annual property taxes. To me that's way too high, but it'll probably feel like a bargain to you, with New Jersey and Massachusetts as reference points.
If you have an EZ Pass from New Jersey, it will work here too. (Toll roads in the area include I-95 north of Baltimore; the tunnels in the city; Route 200 north of Washington; and the Bay Bridge.) But you'll want to get a Maryland one, because the toll rates are less than if you use an EZ Pass transponder from a different state.
Good luck to you, and I hope it all works out. Maryland has its issues, same as any other state; but there are a lot of things to like about living here as well.
I would recommend maximizing you and your S/O's flexibility by finding a place in a location that's central to all the places you'll be going. If I had to pick one single spot for that, I'd say Annapolis. It offers convenient access to Washington via U.S. 50 going west; to the Eastern Shore via U.S. 50 going east; to Baltimore, BWI Airport, and the Fort Meade area via I-97. There are commuter-bus routes from Annapolis to Washington and Baltimore, using comfortable "over-the-road" coaches. And, it's just a really nice place overall. I will say, though, affordability will be an issue. Also, be careful if you find a relatively cheap place near Forest Drive; there are several housing projects tucked away near that road, and I don't think you'd want to live too close to them.
Other nearby areas to consider would be Edgewater to the south, or Severna Park, Odenton, and maybe Waugh's Chapel to the north/northwest. In case you don't know, Severn and Severna Park are not the same place. Do not consider Severn or anywhere else in close proximity to Fort Meade; these areas are not safe. Laurel is a mixed bag. Some parts of it are pretty nice, but it does have its issues.
The MARC Penn Line train, which shares tracks with the Amtrak Northeast Corridor line, is fast and reliable. The Camden Line is slower and a bit less reliable, though still not too bad. The commuter buses are subject to traffic congestion, but they're still about as reliable as one could expect, given the heavy traffic around here.
You'll be happy to know that property taxes in most areas of Maryland are much lower than they are in New Jersey. My house is worth somewhere around $750,000 and I pay about $8,000 in annual property taxes. To me that's way too high, but it'll probably feel like a bargain to you, with New Jersey and Massachusetts as reference points.
If you have an EZ Pass from New Jersey, it will work here too. (Toll roads in the area include I-95 north of Baltimore; the tunnels in the city; Route 200 north of Washington; and the Bay Bridge.) But you'll want to get a Maryland one, because the toll rates are less than if you use an EZ Pass transponder from a different state.
Good luck to you, and I hope it all works out. Maryland has its issues, same as any other state; but there are a lot of things to like about living here as well.
$8000 for $750k house is right around the median for USA anyway. Property Tax in MD is really nothing compare to the county tax etc.
For Odenton / Crofton area - Piney Orchard area of Odenton is definitely better than the area closer to 32, with the area north of 32 having some spillovers from those projects in Severn. Waugh Chapel area is fairly nice lol...as good as Crofton. The only problem is traffic since MD-3 is a mess and MD-32 near Fort Meade can be a mess during rush hour.
For Laurel - it's usually said that the Howard County part of Laurel (aka "North Laurel" but it's still Laurel mailing address) is good, the PG part (aka the actual City of Laurel) very mix bag (i.e. the "old town" Laurel area is ok, but some of the apartments to the east of that area is awful, then there's "West Laurel" which is mainly SFHs and is not bad. Then there's also the AA County part of "Laurel" (Maryland City / Russett). Maryland City is ehh...not good while Russett is mix bag.
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Personally I would start looking in the area around Piney Orchard in Odenton or Crofton...kind of in the middle of all the areas the S/O will head into except JB Andrews. For the last one, well, US-50 is usually not that congested until you get to I-495, then there's the alternate route going down US-301 to MD-4.
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