Moving to Baltimore from Ann Arbor, MI; Looking for neighborhood specific information (Ellicott City: apartment)

[MichToBalt]

My wife, young daughters, and I are moving to Baltimore for 3-4 years. I'll be at a post-doc research position at JH med campus while my wife will be freelancing from home with the girls.

I've been browsing and searching your forum here as part of our search for a rental ... there's a wealth of information. I'd love to ask some specific questions about neighborhoods and particular streets or blocks as we identify potential homes.

Ideal home:
Rent < $1300
3 bedroom (or 2 bedroom with a finished basement that can double as a guest room for short-term visitors) Enough yard space for 1 and 3 year old girls to be outside (i.e. more than the 3'x5' outdoor space we saw at some federal hill homes.) We'd be happy with a 10x10 yard, but more would be great.
Walkable neighborhood during the day for my wife to easily get out with two young kids.
Open to urban or suburban living. Currently live in a very suburban setting; Ann Arbor is a rather insulated college town.
Access to a good elementary school (not private, tuition's not in our budget).
<30 minutes to JH medical campus.

On to some neighborhood specifics questions.

Hampden - Is Power's street a family friendly street? Is the park right there, Elm park, a place one would find parents and young kids during the day? Other than the public elementary, are there accessible charter or magnet options?

Coldspring New Town - How are the condos there? There seems to be more crime in the neighborhoods just west of coldspring. Does that crime makes its way into Coldspring? Is the cylburn arboretum well used?

Thanks in advance!

[MichToBalt]

And one question I forgot to add.

Medfield - We've seen townhomes listed on weldon place just north of 41st and east of 83. Hard to tell from google streetview what they're like. Any information to share on them?

[Clyde Pharmer]

Powers Street is improving. I didn't live by there, but remember reading in the Hampden Happenings and Baltimore Sun that there used to be a lot of drug dealing at the park there. With the gentrification of the neighborhood, it has since gotten much better. Most of the drug dealing I've seen happens more along Falls Road, but that too seems to have declined.

Beech Street seems very family friendly with a lot of young families in the small park there by Wyman Park/Lowe Stony Run. Hampden Elementary is improving, Medfield Heights Elementary is pretty good. Unfortunatwly I don't know anyone with kids there now or recently. There is a good charter school I used to occasionally drive my neighbor's daughter to in Remington, but I can't remember it's name.

If you're more suburban inclined, Owings Mills has a Metro line that takes you to Hopkins hospital. Better schools are in the suburbs unfortunately.

[davecj]

I don't think you'll find what you're looking for at your rental price. I would consider Baltimore County if you would like a yard and lower rent.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by davecj

I don't think you'll find what you're looking for at your rental price. I would consider Baltimore County if you would like a yard and lower rent.

I'd suggest Catonsville for a good elementary school and walkability. However, the commute will probably be more than 30 minutes considering traffic. Even there, you will do better if you can increase the budget to $1500. That's what you would pay for a decent townhouse with a small yard. You would find a 2-Br apartment under $1300.

[K-Luv]

I agree with the idea of looking in Baltimore County instead of Baltimore City. Owings Mills could be a good choice and Baltimore's only subway line goes straight from Owings Mills to Johns Hopkins Medical Center, it practically takes you to the front door.

Catonsville or Ellicott City, perhaps.

[Tinawina]

Originally Posted by MichToBalt

Coldspring New Town - How are the condos there? There seems to be more crime in the neighborhoods just west of coldspring. Does that crime makes its way into Coldspring? Is the cylburn arboretum well used?

That little pocket your talking about is quite safe, I know people who live in that little area next to the hospital (that's where you are talking about, right?). Yes the other side of Greenspring Ave is like the wild west but crime doesn't cross over. I think the back of the housing projects faces Greenspring or something like that, so people generally don't go to the other side. The school it is zoned for is good, my kids go there.

Medfield is a nice working class neighborhood from what I've been told. It's fine but I don't know if it has that walkability factor you seem to be looking for.

I think some of the burbs to the east might make sense for you if you drive, like Parkville or Essex, Carney or even White Marsh/Nottignham or Rosedale (? - I think that's what it is called).

Another neighborhood that might make sense is Rodgers Forge, but I'm not sure how much the home rentals go for there. It is very family friendly though, with a really nice park for kids.