Recommend places to live in and near Annapolis? Kid and pet friendly (Frederick: for sale, real estate)

[Missmeamea]

Hi there! I have a job interview in Annapolis on Friday. While I'm there, I'd like to check out some places to live for myself and my family. I'm a 37 yo female, husband 35, son 3 going on 4, two cats. We currently live in Delaware (Newark) and have family here. We have friends in Annapolis. Our rent is currently $1200 a month for a 3 BR 1.5 BA singe family home - our landlord hasn't raised rent since 2004, so I know we won't be finding a similar rental range now!

Can anyone please recommend places in Annapolis to check out - both neighborhoods and apartment communities. As well, if there's anyplace I should REALLY avoid looking at, I'd like to know that too. We're open to anywhere within commuting distance of downtown Annapolis.

The more I look at places and rental rates, the more I'm thinking if I were to get a job there, I might have to stay with a friend during the week and commute back and forth on weekends for a while....

Thanks!

[Missmeamea]

I'm moving to Annapolis from Delaware due to a new job. I'm staying w/a friend in Cape St. Claire until I can move my family down. What are some good working class neighborhoods in the "greater Annapolis area" to raise a 4 year old? We need to find a house to rent. Would prefer a detached house rather than a townhome. Basically, how far outside of Annapolis do I need to look to find a 3BR place renting for $1400 or $1300?

Any comments are welcome. Thanks!

[beilart]

Most 3 Bedrooms homes in Annapolis and even outside will be higher than 1300 per month. You might consider a smaller home for that price. Annapolis is a great place to live though.

[Missmeamea]

Thanks for the input (and I enjoyed your post about being sad to leave).

Yes, I know that $1300 is probably not doable - I suppose that's more my aim than a requirement. Absolutely, not looking for something of that price in downtown Annapolis! I've occasionally seen places of $1300 or $1400 pop up here and there on property management sites. We've got time to look, so hopefully with enough of an eagle eye and some patience...?

I probably should have said - looking for suggestions of neighborhoods within commuting distance of Annapolis, probably on the older and shabbier side but still safe. For instance, we don't need much in the way of updated appliances and bells and whistles, and I currently commute 45 minutes to work so anything under that is viable. I've also looked at Deale and Shady Side, though I'm told the commute will likely be more like 1 hour. Kent Island...Pasadena...Arnold...Cape St. Claire...Edgewater...anything along those lines.

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by Missmeamea

Thanks for the input (and I enjoyed your post about being sad to leave).

Yes, I know that $1300 is probably not doable - I suppose that's more my aim than a requirement. Absolutely, not looking for something of that price in downtown Annapolis! I've occasionally seen places of $1300 or $1400 pop up here and there on property management sites. We've got time to look, so hopefully with enough of an eagle eye and some patience...?

I probably should have said - looking for suggestions of neighborhoods within commuting distance of Annapolis, probably on the older and shabbier side but still safe. For instance, we don't need much in the way of updated appliances and bells and whistles, and I currently commute 45 minutes to work so anything under that is viable. I've also looked at Deale and Shady Side, though I'm told the commute will likely be more like 1 hour. Kent Island...Pasadena...Arnold...Cape St. Claire...Edgewater...anything along those lines.

You can search for rentals on the MLS as well:

HomesDatabase - Home for Sale and Rent in DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania

I would seriously consider towns in Calvert County. More of a commute for you, but excellent schools, lower crime, and lower prices. Prince Frederick may be a nice choice.

[Missmeamea]

Thanks Dreamy. That link is great.

For the moment I'm resigning myself to waiting a bit for the seasonal changes to the rental market. When I had looked in August, there was a lot more available. I'm hoping to find a late fall deal in November with landlords a bit more desperate to fill an availability. Not so much in search of an unrealistic low price, but to hopefully see more properties up for rent in more places.

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by Missmeamea

Thanks Dreamy. That link is great.

For the moment I'm resigning myself to waiting a bit for the seasonal changes to the rental market. When I had looked in August, there was a lot more available. I'm hoping to find a late fall deal in November with landlords a bit more desperate to fill an availability. Not so much in search of an unrealistic low price, but to hopefully see more properties up for rent in more places.

Rents are falling...

U.S. Apartment Vacancies Hit 23-Year High of 7.8% (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by Missmeamea

Thanks Dreamy. That link is great.

For the moment I'm resigning myself to waiting a bit for the seasonal changes to the rental market. When I had looked in August, there was a lot more available. I'm hoping to find a late fall deal in November with landlords a bit more desperate to fill an availability. Not so much in search of an unrealistic low price, but to hopefully see more properties up for rent in more places.

You're welcome.

Something to keep in mind about rentals in the MLS. There's two types of management. Some landlords just pay a real estate agent to list the rental and get a client. Once you sign the lease, the homeowner is your landlord and that's the end of the agent's involvement. The other type is the agent or agent's agency may actually be doing property management for the homeowner and they will be your landlord.

It's important to ask and establish which scenario it is so you don't get any unrealistic expectations.

[beilart]

I agree with Dreamy that rent prices are coming down but I don't see them coming down all that much here in Annapolis. When a home or condo goes up for rent here where the price is 1500 a month or less, it won't last a day because it seems that people are standing in line for them. The last 3 bedroom house I saw for rent here was 3 grand a month. Ouch!

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by beilart

I agree with Dreamy that rent prices are coming down but I don't see them coming down all that much here in Annapolis. When a home or condo goes up for rent here where the price is 1500 a month or less, it won't last a day because it seems that people are standing in line for them. The last 3 bedroom house I saw for rent here was 3 grand a month. Ouch!

I'll be one of the happiest people out there when this housing disaster ends; it's putting a lot of people's lives, including mine, in limbo. Meaning, I wouldn't ordinarily rent, because like everyone else I've been mentally conditioned that I should always buy, but for the past five years that I leased, I would have been dumb not to. Along the way, I've gotten a lot smarter.

Renting is no different than owning, other than the cost differences (cheaper in a lot of cases), the stigma, the taxes (if the house actually costs enough to deduct it), and the fact that I can't paint the walls purple without consequence.

But one things for sure: despite all the hype from the 6 percenters that I'm throwing away my money renting, my landlord has a lost a lot more money in equity than I have renting in these past five years. And the issue of raising the rent has never once been brought up.

One thing that I've noticed which has negatively impacted the rental market though is all the folks that have lost their homes in foreclosure. They had to go somewhere, and with their ruined credit, they make nice targets for landlords to name their price.