Moving to Maryland (Baltimore, Germantown, Frederick: rentals, house, job openings)

[PTErika]

We are moving to Maryland from Las Vegas and have no clue about where we are going to live. My husband wll be working in Frederick, but I am a physical therapist and can work anywhere. I have found several promising options in Baltimore, but the commute seems far too long! Can anyone suggest a good halfway point between the two cities to live? Or a good public transportation option. I have also been looking at job in the DC area so suggestions for that option would be great too! Thanks!

[Marilyn Emery]

If your husband is working in Frederick and you will be working in DC you might consider Rockville. It will be an easy commute via mass transit to DC and a reverse commute for you husband (about 20-25 minutes) if he works during the day. There is resonable housing prices and rentals. There has recently been alot of updating with the town center and there is good shopping, restaurants and entertainment.

As far as other options you might check to see how close his job will be to the MARC train. If it is easy for him to get to the office from the train you can look anywhere along the train route to live.

[bowian]

If you end up working in Baltimore, you and your husband may consider living in Damascus, in Montgomery County. You could reach Route 70 via a back road, and commute to Baltimore, and he could commute to Frederick fairly easily (I believe also via 70 in the opposite direction, but someone correct me if I am wrong). The only issue is whether 70 is packed going to Baltimore in the mornings. It was not when I lived in Montgomery County, but that was in 1999-2001.

I used to live in Germantown, but you have to choose the neighborhood in that area carefully. There is a subdivision called Milestone in Germantown, not far from 70, which was nice enough several years back. But again, check it out to make sure it will work for you.

Also, see the thread on "need info on gaithersburg."

[cgordon]

If your hubby's in Frederick, note that there is a thriving medical community right here. Frederick Memorial Hospital is the main healthcare facility and there are lots of clinics and therapy businessses here, too.

Fort Detrick has a military medical clinic for Soldiers, retirees and family members, and the VA will build a community veterans clinic on the fort in the next year or so, too. The Army clinic has a PT program for patients currently, and the VA will offer PT as well.

Frederick's a great town, and if you could both work here, it would eliminate the long commutes ...

[firefightermom]

Instead of Damascus, I would recommend Mt. Airy, which is directly off 70--so west to Frederick and east to Baltimore without bothering with any back roads. When I was house hunting last year, I found the housing prices in Mt Airy to be better--more house for the money. It's a bit more rural, and straddles at least 2 counties (MoCo and Frederick) and the Frederick part is more affordable and has better schools. New Market is another nice small town right off 70 that was more affordable and more rural still...as compared to Damascus and other parts of MoCo.

[PTErika]

Thank you for everyone's replies. They have helped expand our house search a little! As far as working in Frederick, there are currently no job openings at the hospital and I am interested in neurological sub-acute rehabilitation as opposed to orthopedic outpatient settings. If anyone has any suggestions of other good hospitals in the area, please let me know!

[CHIP72]

You could look into job openings in the Hagerstown area as well. Living between Frederick and Hagerstown (a nice area in/near the mountains) would greatly reduce potential traffic issues. Hagerstown is also much closer to Frederick than either Washington or Baltimore are.

[GJHJ]

You might also want to consider moving north of Frederick, like Thurmont, Emmitsburg, or even Gettysburg. It's a straight shot down Rte. 15, and the home prices are going to be a little bit more reasonable, especially in PA.

[CHIP72]

Thurmont in particular would provide a short commute to both Frederick and Hagerstown, though the commute to Hagerstown would be over the Catoctin Mountain (a part of the chain that further south is the Blue Ridge Mountains).

If you go to Gettysburg, then job possibilities in Harrisburg and to a lesser degree York open up. Other possibilities for a longer but low stress commute to both Frederick and York include Westminster, MD and Hanover, PA (both of which also still allow commutes to Baltimore, though not as conveniently as someplace along I-70 would).

[Tim Rankin]

PTErika, I agree with CGordon's post. A physical therapist pos'n should be findable in Frederick City, considering the presence of Frederick Memorial Hospital. And with both of you working in Frederick, the choice to live there should be a no-brainer. It's really a great place to call home.

If you decide to live elsewhere, you could live as far southeast as Germantown or as far north as Thurmont, and still have a reasonable commute. It just really depends on what your housing preference is, in terms of rural, small town, or proximity to DC.