Maybe Moving to Baltimore? Appreciate Advice (rentals, how much, home)

[Arbitration]

Hey - I am a 22 year-old single male college student from the midwest, graduating in May. I have been offered a job in Baltimore that would start after I graduate. I am thinking about taking it - but I have no knowledge of the city and do not know anyone there.

I'm wondering if you can fill me in on things like where to live, (are roommates are a good idea / how to find them), how to get around (is a car a bad idea?), how to meet people, what my budget should be like, and how to go about moving. As far as budgeting goes - the job pays 55kish (possibly a tad more). I hope to pay all of my expenses and still put a little into savings/retirement.

Also if you are willing to give general comments on your Baltimore experience that would be cool.

I really appreciate any advice you might have!

[Miss Crabcakes]

Originally Posted by Arbitration

Hey - I am a 22 year-old single male college student from the midwest, graduating in May. I have been offered a job in Baltimore that would start after I graduate. I am thinking about taking it - but I have no knowledge of the city and do not know anyone there.

I'm wondering if you can fill me in on things like where to live, (are roommates are a good idea / how to find them), how to get around (is a car a bad idea?), how to meet people, what my budget should be like, and how to go about moving. As far as budgeting goes - the job pays 55kish (possibly a tad more). I hope to pay all of my expenses and still put a little into savings/retirement.

Also if you are willing to give general comments on your Baltimore experience that would be cool.

I really appreciate any advice you might have!

First, welcome! Second, don't worry too much about all the bad things you may hear about Baltimore. There are some bad things but also many good things that you don't hear about and its very possible to have a good time here and I know a dozen people who have moved here form other places that love it.

Before we can make suggestions, I think we'd need to know more about you and your tastes.

For instance:
- why type of environment would you want to live in? Young, partygoing? Quiet suburb? In between? Artsy? City life?
- do you need public transportation or do you have a car?
- what types of things do you want to live near? Shops? Restaurants? Bars? Museums?

We have a lot of cool places for young 20-somethings and plenty to do. Also with your income, you could be very comfortable here.

[Arbitration]

Okay. I do "party" at school, but only on weekends, and I don't really like clubs. I would prefer living in a younger area to an older one though. One of my fears is that I will move 1000 miles away from home only to find myself bored & lonely.

Bars are good. Restaurants also, although I am in college-kid-cheap-mode so I don't eat out often. I plan to visit museums, but not so often that they would affect living preferences. I don't like shopping; proximity to shopping districts isn't a factor either way.

Transport - my job is in the harbor area. I do not own a car, but I have saved enough to buy one and probably would unless it really is unnecessary. I'd like to know how expensive it is to park it wherever I end up living, and how expensive it is to park downtown (& what the alternative ways to get downtown are).

Thanks for any advice!

[sobo16]

Originally Posted by Arbitration

Okay. I do "party" at school, but only on weekends, and I don't really like clubs. I would prefer living in a younger area to an older one though. One of my fears is that I will move 1000 miles away from home only to find myself bored & lonely.

Bars are good. Restaurants also, although I am in college-kid-cheap-mode so I don't eat out often. I plan to visit museums, but not so often that they would affect living preferences. I don't like shopping; proximity to shopping districts isn't a factor either way.

Transport - my job is in the harbor area. I do not own a car, but I have saved enough to buy one and probably would unless it really is unnecessary. I'd like to know how expensive it is to park it wherever I end up living, and how expensive it is to park downtown (& what the alternative ways to get downtown are).

Thanks for any advice!

Federal Hill sounds ideal for you. You can surely find housing that fits your budget, and be able to walk to work downtown. If you needed to drive anywhere, you could always use Zipcar.

There are a lot of young professionals your age there, and many bars and restaurants. You will definitely not be bored. You'll meet people through work, and you could join a social sports team (google Baltimore Sports and Social Club). Check craigslist to get an idea of how much rent would be. You could easily share a rowhouse with someone, or find one to live by yourself.

I lived there when I was 22 until I was 27. Feel free to ask me any questions you have. Good luck!

[davecj]

Yeah I agree. Federal hill is more than likely the way to go. Rentals are fairly expensive in most cases but searching on Craigslist for rooms (if you are ok going that route) is a good place to start.

I don't think you have to start your search tomorrow but it would be a really good idea to begin looking around March or April at the latest. You'll be competing with many others in your same situation as well as with the students that need housing as well.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by Arbitration

Hey - I am a 22 year-old single male college student from the midwest, graduating in May. I have been offered a job in Baltimore that would start after I graduate. I am thinking about taking it - but I have no knowledge of the city and do not know anyone there.

I'm wondering if you can fill me in on things like where to live, (are roommates are a good idea / how to find them), how to get around (is a car a bad idea?), how to meet people, what my budget should be like, and how to go about moving. As far as budgeting goes - the job pays 55kish (possibly a tad more). I hope to pay all of my expenses and still put a little into savings/retirement.

Also if you are willing to give general comments on your Baltimore experience that would be cool.

I really appreciate any advice you might have!

Congrats on the job offer. Evidently it's really hard for college grads to land something these days.

At 55K you should be able to afford your own spot but roommates may help you get into more "hip" areas and help ease your transition into a new city.

I think a car would be good to have, maybe a reliable used one where you can pay cash and use it for getaways, groceries etc.

I think B-more is a good place for a young adult it doesn't have the blatant competitiveness of DC and you can form real friendships with people and you can save money at the same time.

The problems with Baltimore come down the road when you settle down and want to raise a family.

[KLynch10]

Fed Hill, Canton or Fells should be good. Join a Kickball team, and you'll have friends for your duration in bmore.

[Miss Crabcakes]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

Fed Hill, Canton or Fells should be good.

I agree with this and in looking into the Baltimore Sports and Social Clubs. Also try Meetup.com. There are many active social groups that plan tons of events.

[Arbitration]

Okay, thanks for all the advice everyone!

Regarding cars, is it a huge hassle to get parking at home for them? How about parking downtown? How is public transportation? I'm wondering how most office workers go to and fro each day.

Also, thank-you for the neighborhood recommendations. What is the best way to go about finding listings in those areas? I know there's always craigslist, but if there are other sites that are good for the area it would be good to know.

[GoPhils]

You can definitely get by without a car, although it wouldn't hurt to have one for when you needed to get out of the city. However, parking (especially in the popular neighborhoods of Federal Hill, Fells Point, and Canton) can be tough, and trying to find a rental that comes with a parking spot could increase the price dramatically. A lot of people say biking is the most efficient way to get around in Baltimore, and I would probably agree, although most of the streets are not exactly ideal for having both bikes and cars on them.