Single-Family Home Rentals if working in Laurel (Baltimore, Columbia: real estate, house)

[DrD76]

Hello CD folks,

We are a family of 4 (husband, wife, two 1-year olds) with 2 dogs. There is a very good chance I will accept a job in Laurel, MD. So we are contemplating relocating and renting a Single Family Home.

We will be absolutely new to MD, so my questions are:
1) What areas should I consider when looking for Single-Family Homes for Rent, if working in Laurel, MD?
2) Are there any websites (besides Zillow/Trulia etc.) where can I search for rental SFHs using various criteria? For instance, Houston,TX has a site called Houston Real estate, Houston homes, Houston Realtors - HAR.com which allows searching for real estate in Houston, TX. So I was wondering if there was a similar real estate site for areas near Laurel, MD. I believe Laurel is right in the middle of Baltimore and DC, so perhaps a site that caters to all these surrounding areas?

I understand that rents will be much higher than what I am used to... probably greater than 2k for a 2000+ sq. ft home... I am OK with that.
Basically looking for a 2000+ sq. ft SFH with a fenced backyard for the dogs, easy commute to Laurel, easy access to shopping, restaurants, etc.

Thank you very much in advance for everyone's expert opinions.

DrD

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by DrD76

Hello CD folks,

We are a family of 4 (husband, wife, two 1-year olds) with 2 dogs. There is a very good chance I will accept a job in Laurel, MD. So we are contemplating relocating and renting a Single Family Home.

We will be absolutely new to MD, so my questions are:
1) What areas should I consider when looking for Single-Family Homes for Rent, if working in Laurel, MD?
2) Are there any websites (besides Zillow/Trulia etc.) where can I search for rental SFHs using various criteria?

You could find decent housing in Laurel itself, but you should understand that Laurel addressses are in three different counties. The Howard County part, AKA North Laurel has the better schools system and is more prestigious. You could also look in the Russett community in the Anne Arundel part of Laurel. Also good are Fulton, Burtonsville, Elkridge, Ellicott City and Columbia. If you would be working at Fort Meade, then check Odenton and Hanover.

I don't know of specialized rental sites, but there are many house listings in Realtor.com and Craigslist, as well as the major realty firms like L&F and C21. Also check the Washington Post real estate section on the weekends.

[cjmeck]

Zillow pulls the rentals from the real estate MLS, although its not usually up to date but would be a decent start. What sizes/breeds are the dogs? I ask because property management companies have very strict rules on that and it could limit you. Also, Laurel is fairly close to Fort Meade so you'll find rentals on www.militarybyowner.com which is how military families find rentals. Additionally, if you google rentals near Fort Meade, some real estate websites are bound to come up and they'll have the "master list" for rentals. Craigslist is another option. As far as what areas to consider, it will depend on your budget. Towns with decent shopping, restaurants near Laurel will include Crofton, Odenton, Hanover, Columbia, Ellicott City, Elkridge for starters. Single family homes in those areas will likely be at least $2200+ Best of luck.

[DrD76]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

You could find decent housing in Laurel itself, but you should understand that Laurel addressses are in three different counties. The Howard County part, AKA North Laurel has the better schools system and is more prestigious. You could also look in the Russett community in the Anne Arundel part of Laurel. Also good are Fulton, Burtonsville, Elkridge, Ellicott City and Columbia. If you would be working at Fort Meade, then check Odenton and Hanover.

I don't know of specialized rental sites, but there are many house listings in Realtor.com and Craigslist, as well as the major realty firms like L&F and C21. Also check the Washington Post real estate section on the weekends.

Thank you very much GoldenAge. That was very good info. It will definitely help me in my search.
Thanks very much
DrD

[DrD76]

Originally Posted by cjmeck

Zillow pulls the rentals from the real estate MLS, although its not usually up to date but would be a decent start. What sizes/breeds are the dogs? I ask because property management companies have very strict rules on that and it could limit you. Also, Laurel is fairly close to Fort Meade so you'll find rentals on www.militarybyowner.com which is how military families find rentals. Additionally, if you google rentals near Fort Meade, some real estate websites are bound to come up and they'll have the "master list" for rentals. Craigslist is another option. As far as what areas to consider, it will depend on your budget. Towns with decent shopping, restaurants near Laurel will include Crofton, Odenton, Hanover, Columbia, Ellicott City, Elkridge for starters. Single family homes in those areas will likely be at least $2200+ Best of luck.

Thank you CJmeck. Funny you ask, because, I do believe I might encounter some resistance due to my dogs.
I have a Yorkie (pretty small dog) and a Great Dane (pretty big, yet extremely gentle well-mannered dog). We have had them since they were puppies (They are 3 & 7 respectively). And the way we raised them is that, while they are inside the house, they will run right inside their crates and know to stay there, i.e. they are not allowed to run around the house ever, especially because of our two 1-year olds.
Yes I too have been looking at ZILLOW and TRULIA. I will keep looking. Seems like I will have very few SFHs to choose from. $2200 is doable. Although, today, in Tucson, AZ, I pay $1250. I realize that I have to keep my budget open to keep my family happy and comfortable.
I will also check out the other sites you mentioned.
Thank you very much!
DrD

[cjmeck]

I'd recommend avoiding rentals that use a property management company and try instead to rent directly from a private owner. I understand how hard it is renting with big dogs and unfortunately, the vast majority of property management companies will take issue with the Dane. I have "aggressive" breeds myself so if I could fight this I totally would but its easier to just avoid them altogether.

[DrD76]

Thank you for the tip CJmeck.
I guess Craigslist would be one source to find private owners?
If you don't mind, what are the other places that I could find private owners?
Thanks very much
DrD

[TheCaliforniaMarylandPers]

Well it depends. Are schools a priority since you're only renting? If schools aren't a priority, then I suggest Russet, Maryland City, and even Seven Oaks are nice choices. Hanover is nice if you want to be near lots of entertainment and Baltimore. If schools are a priority, then I suggest Piney Orchard (Odenton/Crofton), it's a very dog friendly community. Nantucket and Crofton Woods are also nice communities, and these three neighborhoods are like 10-20 minutes from Annapolis, which is also a cool place.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by DrD76

Thank you for the tip CJmeck.
I guess Craigslist would be one source to find private owners?
If you don't mind, what are the other places that I could find private owners?

You might also try Militarybyowner.com and indicate proximity to Fort Meade Maryland. There are private owners in the military, but they could rent to non-military. They tend to be more dog-friendly than most civilian owners.

[DrD76]

Originally Posted by TheCaliforniaMarylandPers

Well it depends. Are schools a priority since you're only renting? If schools aren't a priority, then I suggest Russet, Maryland City, and even Seven Oaks are nice choices. Hanover is nice if you want to be near lots of entertainment and Baltimore. If schools are a priority, then I suggest Piney Orchard (Odenton/Crofton), it's a very dog friendly community. Nantucket and Crofton Woods are also nice communities, and these three neighborhoods are like 10-20 minutes from Annapolis, which is also a cool place.

Thank you TheCali... Schools are not so much a priority right now since my kids are only 1. Thank you for all the suggestions. I will definitely check them out. Really appreciate it!
DrD