baltimore county suburbs :think: (Columbia, Catonsville: real estate, countertops, appliances)

[msprestige]

my husband and i will be buying a home in baltimore county in 2 years, will be studying at john hopkins university and he will be working downtown, our son will be 5 by that time and will be starting kindergarten, our main concern will be good school for our son, i went to private schools , but we cant afford that for our son, and safe neighborhood as my husband travels for business, and good space at least 2000 sq ft my questions are,

which baltimore county suburb do you think is up and coming?
which particular area has good schools?
we plan on staying for 10 years so of course should be a good investment.

we know ellicott city or columbia in howard county are some of the best areas especially for school and safety, but we are convinced even as much saving as we are doing we wouldnt be able to afford that area in 2 years...

we are looking to spend up to 460,000 and would put down up to 80,000 to 90,000 on a down payment.

any areas that are up to 30 minutes from baltimore city is fine , we didnt chose baltimore city because we prefer the suburbs and schooling is important and well frankly we dont think we'll get the space we need for the pricewe'll be willing to spend.

so up and coming neighborhoods are mostly what we are looking at.

any help will be appreciated. we have a friend who recieved advice on here 1 year prior to moving and it was right on point, she is out of state but in a fabulous neighborhood that was up and coming and now is one of the more sought after neighborhood , hope we have the same luck,...

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by msprestige

so up and coming neighborhoods are mostly what we are looking at.

Could you define "up and coming"? It seems to mean that you expect that the the house values will appreciate because it becomes more desirable. I think one would need a crystal ball to predict that, and the economy is very unpredictable right now.

I only have personal knowledge of Catonsville, and the high school has a good reputation. I think it is desirable because it's convenient to both Columbia and downtown Baltimore.

[davecj]

At your price range you could very well just pick a place on a map and be able to afford something nice I would say about 80% of the time.

[msprestige]

@goldenage1 i have definitely thought of catonsville but i have been hearing mixed reviews.

@davecj would that include newer homes, we are not interested in older homes , we are definitely the kind of buyers who are into granite countertops ,stainless steel appliances etc,...
and in which areas on the map

[goldenage1]

[quote=msprestige;20318360 we are not interested in older homes , we are definitely the kind of buyers who are into granite countertops ,stainless steel appliances etc,...
[/QUOTE]

That's a lot more helpful. Possibly Perry Hall, Whitemarsh, Bel Air and Fallston would fit your needs. Your price range turns up many new homes, and Perry Hall and Fallston get good rating at Greatschools.

[End-User]

I'm no real estate agent, but I don't think Baltimore county has too many houses above $460k regardless of age. Certainly not if you only need 2000 sq ft. I too would recommend Catonsville, or Owings Mills, but you can pretty much pick your school and not have to worry about price. The only issue is that you want a place that will be a good investment based on nearby development.

[davecj]

Unless your plan is to buy something cheap and hedge that it will be worth significantly more in the next few years, you could just purchase in an established community for a safer investment.

Many older homes have been renovated and have all the nice features you're looking for in family oriented neighborhoods especially since competition amongst sellers has increased. Your price range would get you a very nice 3-4 bed, 2-3 bath home with some yardage in most communities in Baltimore County.

[msprestige]

thank you very much everyone

@davecj that is exactly what am looking for, something in a planned community with 4 bed 2-3 bath and some yard

[KLynch10]

I agree with Dave, I think New construction is the opposite of "Up and Coming" these days because they have to do whatever it takes to sell the final units, which means immediate loss in your property value.

There are many stable nice communities in North Baltimore County that have been nice for a long time, and there values are very stable and solid. They are quite charming when they are redone, for my money, nothing new compares.

[msprestige]

@klynch10 which of those communities in north baltimore county would you recommend