Desperate for Direction re: Move to Md (Baltimore, Columbia: apartment, condos)

[clearlight]

i'm a new registree & may not yet know how to use this forum, but let's give it a whirl ; )

i'm originially a northeasterner ( born in Conn, raised in central Jersey, college in Massachusetts ) but have lived in Miami for the last 30 years. It used to be a nice place ( 'nough said . . lol )

In any event, i'll be joining my daughter in the Maryland about this time next year so need to find a good but still affordable location for someone on a soon-to-be-fixed income.

What's delightful about anticipating this transition is that i no longer need to be concerned about any aspect of a commute, however i will, as a trade off, need to focus on safety, convenience, availability of good healthcare ( in the event the body falls apart : \ ), and of course affordability, especially when it comes to housing. Nevertheless, i would want to continue to live in a decent area, though from what im hearing that may be virtually impossible, given that i'd be trying to locate within 1- 1 1/2 hours of Elkridge, where my daughter's now living.

I know essentially nothing about Maryland, except that it seems to be a very sane place to live & has quite a tax load ( 1 thread even mentioned PA as a option, i think, as more tax friendly for seniors ). My daughter's lived there very happily as a DC attorney for about 6 years, but seems to know very little about anything that does not cross her desk . . just that she'd like me up there sooner rather than later, if for no other reason than to have a meal together now & then. Her mother is more than ready to leave Miami for a host of reasons, not the least of which is an unbearable hurricane presence 6 months of the year, with 6 months of cleanup for 6 months thereafter. Not a way to live . . But when it comes to housing her options are much broader than mine, however, so effecting this move may be somewhat problematic.

What i do know is that i'm not ready to join the ranks of those waiting to die . . lol . . and would want an age & interest diverse community. [ Someone once said there's an area near Johns-Hopskins in Baltimore that is a safe, nice community with easy access to stores & restaurants & the like . . & that also has decent condos in the 200K bracket. Is that accurate, do any of you know, and if so, can anyone give me a name / zip / central intersection for that area ? ]

Whatever information any of you are kind enough to provide will be very much appreciated & put to good use, i can assure you . . It's quite clear from perusing the threads on this forum that quite a number of you, incl pkoons & mike from back east, have got the goods on Maryland . . so i thank you all in advance.

That said, i throw myself on the Mercy of the Court . . no , wait . . i mean the Forum ; ) . . and await what i'm sure is going to be an unsavory verdict. * braces self * Nevertheless, it's time to face the music . . lol

[pkoons]

My first thought, when you mentioned walking to restaurants & stores etc. was to recommend a planned community that has a lot of amenities as well as a mix of condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. Columbia in Howard County and Crofton in Anne Arundel County are great for this. Very nice communities. Columbia is better for convenience - access to major roads, closer to Elkridge, and each community has a "village center" with necessary shops. Crofton, however, is considerably safer, possibly due to it's out of the way location and lower ratio of transients (people bouncing from apartment to apartment, etc.) They both have a nice country club community (Hobbits Glen in Columbia, Crofton in Crofton) and decent restaurants. My recommended condo community in Crofton is technically a Gambrills address, The Village at Waugh Chapel. Columbia has a bunch of good ones, but I would stick to those located within the Harper's Choice and River Hill villages if possible. Other similar options would be King Farm in Rockville, Kentlands in Gaithersburg, Piney Orchard in Odenton (great farmer's market!!), and White Marsh town center north of Baltimore (where White Marsh, Nottingham, and Rosedale all come together by the mall).

The Baltimore area you mentioned is most likely either Hampden (unique, funky, heavily liberal, an "up and coming area" so not very safe) or Waverly (a little more conservative and expensive, I think this is where Ed Norton grew up). My recommended Baltimore neighborhoods are Fells Point (cool waterfront condos, very active part of town, one of the safest), Roland Park (if a $800K+ house is reasonable for you), and Lexington Market area (some nice condos by UMAB, and close to the harbor).

Good luck - please let me know if you have any more questions!!!

[clearlight]

Pkoons, what a Tremendous Resource you are for this forum! Whatever they're paying you's not nearly enough . . lol Lots of meaty information & options in there, which should keep me busy a while . .

Your offer to entertain additional questions if need be is most generous & appreciated. Hopefully, i won't need to trouble you further, nevertheless i'm sure i speak for many in saying it's mighty good to know you're out there. ; ) And Thanks again !!

[pkoons]

Please tell the moderator that you think I should receive some compensation, maybe they can start cutting me a check here and there!!! Maybe I could set something up with realtors if people say "PKoons from the City Data site sent me..." I'm just joking, I am glad to help everyone out. Best of luck to you!

[maggie mc]

Take a look at Easton, MD.
www.jensencommunities.com - Senior community

[clearlight]

pkoons,
You got it . . am preparing a petition & about to go around taking names as we speak ! lol

In all seriousness however, you are the perfect pick for some kind of column or corporate advisory . . To have this information at your fingertips & ready to share - from housing to recreation to educational facilities & more still - PLUS a writing style that is not only articulate but entertaining, is rare indeed . . & indeed we are all more than fortunate to have the benefit of your perspicacious input ! ( i've been talking with my daughter about the areas you've mentioned & we're on it . . )

Long Live Pkoons !!

Originally Posted by pkoons

Please tell the moderator that you think I should receive some compensation, maybe they can start cutting me a check here and there!!! Maybe I could set something up with realtors if people say "PKoons from the City Data site sent me..." I'm just joking, I am glad to help everyone out. Best of luck to you!

[clearlight]

Maggie, i'm on it & Thank You !!

Originally Posted by maggie mc

Take a look at Easton, MD.
www.jensencommunities.com - Senior community

[mccollim]

I hope I can help you learn more about Maryland. By the way, what college in MA did you go to? About the John Hopkins info you mentioned, you could live in northeast Baltimore for a very affordable price compared to areas furthur south and closer to Washington, DC. Neighborhoods such as Lauraville, Hamilton, and more are reasonably safe, convenient, and near shopping and services. The closer you get toward Towson and White Marsh, the higher the homes get well over the $200,000, and really above the $300,000 range. Baltimore has a mixed reputation, but I live in northeast Baltimore, and it is a decent residential area. Hampden will likely be too expensive for you. You could find a home close to Northern Avenue or off Hamilton Road. I can provide you with crime and neighborhood information. Do you prefer a house or condo? Also, there are some condos in a section near Arbutus and a few universities southwest of Baltimore. There are many families there, and it is reasonably quiet, yet only minutes away from Baltimore and Elkridge. This may be more affordable to you than in every-increasing Columbia or Crofton. However, it does depend on your price range. There are a few lovely townhomes in Crofton for around $250,000. Again, if not in Arbutus or Baltimore County areas, I recommend northeast Baltimore. Crofton might require more use of a car and is more isolated, although safe and beautiful. Northeast Baltimore is affordable and you are in the midst of so many more activities.

Sincerely,
Richard McCollim
mccollim@cavtel.net

There are some affordable homes just north of Frederick Road in southwest Baltimore as well. I used to work in that area, and found the housing and neighborhoods to be decent. Frederick Road goes into a very lovely historical area of old Ellicott City. It also has several restaurants and stores and is easy access to 695 and 95 onto Elkridge, where your lovely and anticipating daughter is!

Contact me for more information.

Sincerely,
Richard McCollim
mccollim@cavtel.net

[clearlight]

ummm, richard ...... is there some reason you didn't identify yourself as a realtor or use your professional e-mail addy, i.e. richard@myrealestateprofessionals.com . . or is that not permitted on this forum ?

i can't fault you for trying to get one up on the competition but would have preferred a more honest, direct representation . .

[Mike from back east]

Clearlight, you'll find many areas around Charm City to your liking. Ideally you can come stay with your daughter for a couple of weeks and just tour a lot of the areas mentioned.

Bal'mer is my hometown. The locals are noted for referring to the opposite sex as "hon" short for honey. Local lore has it that if sit down in a diner the waitresses walk up to you with a pot of java and ask "coffee, hon" and the reply is usually, "sure, hon" and so it goes. Not a sexist thing at all, just local custom.

Some areas that may have promise are Catonsville, zero in on the corner of Frederick Rd and Bloomsbury Ave. I went to High School down the street from there (about a mile), great HS campus, lots of trees from all over the country form a sort of leafy dictionary of forestry.

Further out, there is Westminster, with an old style downtown that is perfect for walking about.

If money isn't a problem, there's downtown Annapolis (tres chic), and major redevelopment going on in South Balmer in the Locust Point area along Fort Ave (as in Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key.....). I worked for Domino Sugar down in that Locust Point area and it was a solid place of hard working folks, but is now gentrifying (at somewhat handsome prices).

I spent many of my formative years in Arbutus, Halethorpe and Relay, which are close to Elkridge, and are decent places, but have little of the amenities you seek.

My older sis still lives in Balmer (actually Essex) and hates it more all the time due to what she says is an inept Mayor and city government, etc, but I'm sure there are many nice areas uptown.

I used to love that area uptown around Memorial Stadium (gone now), in an area called Waverly, along 33rd St from Charles St to Loch Raven Blvd (Lake Montebello is lovely). This is near Johns Hopkins Univ (Homewood Campus). Its been a while since I've been up there, but hopefully it is as nice as it was.

I just spent ten days back in Balmer and DC, visiting family, and traffic in both towns is worse than ever. I'd love to see you get outside of the city and into one of the smaller towns that has some fresh air and character.

Welcome to Balmer, hon.

s/Mike