Better Waverly or Waverly (work in VA!) (Baltimore, Chester: lease, houses)

[adriftinthebay]

Let me start with an amusing introduction. I notice all over this board people are cautioning others not to move to Baltimore because their work location is considered far. Well, I may have them all beat since I work in Northern Virginia, in Tysons. I moved up here last year from DC (from Queens, NY beforehand) because of the sterile, self-important culture there and the "high culture" establishment-supported music/arts scene. The move to Baltimore was really a self-imposed exile to me and I am content a full year later. To make it all work, I work remotely a couple days from home and then migrate down to VA -- leaving 5am in the morning -- staying over a couple nights before returning home. So I only do the round-trip commute once per week -- it is totally manageable and I have more time to myself than I did when I was commuting every day from DC.

I operate on a very early schedule during the days I head down to VA so I never really deal with traffic. My biggest concern is getting past the DC Beltway since that is the worse place for traffic, not I-95 like others are alarmists about... but if I leave early enough it is fine. A job right off I-95 in the DC suburbs would be a joke to me. That said, I tried really hard to like Northern Virginia too but I couldn't, renting anywhere within a 50 mile radius of my work location in Virginia would have costed me on average $500 more a month. That's why I was in DC.

Now onto the question. Currently renting in Midtown-Belvedere but as my lease expires next month I'm thinking of making a home purchase. I am looking for a place somewhat walkable but with plenty of green (the less manicured, the better), this is why I am looking at Better Waverly or Waverly despite the transitional state they may be in. Don't mind being outside the "L" either because people need to start doing it, that said I also don't want be in am extremely crime-plagued and disinvested neighborhood.

Which place may offer a better long-term investment? The other option was Lauraville/Arcadia or Medfield/Hoes Heights but the houses in the former may be too large and too suburban, while the latter is just far removed. I like smaller 2-bedroom houses in the middle of a jungle but I'll settle on just more trees.

[Woodlands]

I feel your pain. I live in the city and wk in nova but im right on the orange line so i take the marc to new carrollton.

Waverly or Better Waverly is a mixed bag and could vary widely depending on the street. Unless you want to play roulette with your investement and social conditions. You may want to hop over to Ednor Gardens and Lakeside which northwest of 33rd St. Nice rowhomes with yards and sunrooms. If you want to be on York Rd ...go a little further to Radnor Winston which is very family frendly and backs to Loyola. Your other choices that you listed are fine as well. I would ad Mayfield which is just below lauraville at the top of clifton park and next to Lake Montebello

[Infinite_heights77]

Waverly or Better Waverly is a mixed bag and could vary widely depending on the street.

*Woodlands give a fair breakdown! I would be a little bit more colorful in my descriptions of these communities, but it's fair. I live in the Waverly community not too far from the Enoch Pratt's Govans branch.

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I feel your pain. I live in the city and wk in nova but im right on the orange line so i take the marc to new carrollton.

Waverly or Better Waverly is a mixed bag and could vary widely depending on the street. Unless you want to play roulette with your investement and social conditions. You may want to hop over to Ednor Gardens and Lakeside which northwest of 33rd St. Nice rowhomes with yards and sunrooms. If you want to be on York Rd ...go a little further to Radnor Winston which is very family frendly and backs to Loyola. Your other choices that you listed are fine as well. I would ad Mayfield which is just below lauraville at the top of clifton park and next to Lake Montebello

[Infinite_heights77]

Two of my cousins owned homes on Chesterfield Avenue. The Lake Monte area is a nice place. I always enjoyed visiting that neighborhood.

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I feel your pain. I live in the city and wk in nova but im right on the orange line so i take the marc to new carrollton.

Waverly or Better Waverly is a mixed bag and could vary widely depending on the street. Unless you want to play roulette with your investement and social conditions. You may want to hop over to Ednor Gardens and Lakeside which northwest of 33rd St. Nice rowhomes with yards and sunrooms. If you want to be on York Rd ...go a little further to Radnor Winston which is very family frendly and backs to Loyola. Your other choices that you listed are fine as well. I would ad Mayfield which is just below lauraville at the top of clifton park and next to Lake Montebello

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I feel your pain. I live in the city and wk in nova but im right on the orange line so i take the marc to new carrollton.

Waverly or Better Waverly is a mixed bag and could vary widely depending on the street. Unless you want to play roulette with your investement and social conditions. You may want to hop over to Ednor Gardens and Lakeside which northwest of 33rd St. Nice rowhomes with yards and sunrooms. If you want to be on York Rd ...go a little further to Radnor Winston which is very family frendly and backs to Loyola. Your other choices that you listed are fine as well. I would ad Mayfield which is just below lauraville at the top of clifton park and next to Lake Montebello

I think Woodlands is spot on about Waverly (and everything else in his post.) If you want to buy in Waverly, take some time to explore the vibe of the block. There are some great housing values there; so its worth a look.