Looking to buy a House in MD (Baltimore, Columbia: crime, mortgage)

[BostonianRebel1]

new forum poster here. I'm hoping I can get some expert guidance from locals or at least people familiar with the area.
is Westmister or Frederick a good place to buy ?
How is Manchester MD ? Carrol County?
Open to suggestions

I am from Boston ,single Male, Hockey guy and will commute to DC through MARC (Dont mind the 1 hrs commute). Looking to maximize my purchase,

[westsideboy]

More info is needed:

Rent/Mortgage top and bottom range that is possible
urban/suburban/rural living situation preference
Schools important?
Politics important?

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by BostonianRebel1

new forum poster here. I'm hoping I can get some expert guidance from locals or at least people familiar with the area.
is Westmister or Frederick a good place to buy ?
How is Manchester MD ? Carrol County?
Open to suggestions

I am from Boston ,single Male, Hockey guy and will commute to DC through MARC (Dont mind the 1 hrs commute). Looking to maximize my purchase,

If you are going to use MARC Westminster and Manchester are not options. In fact very little of Carroll County is a reasonable commute to DC via any method. Sykesville, Mt Airy are about the only parts of CC that will work. Frederick is good but limiting yourself to MARC means you will be going down the Brunswick Line. If you catch thr train at Frederick you will go down the 'Old Main' to Point of Rocks before getting on the Meetropolitan Line to Washington. If you have to get into a car to get to the MARC station you may want to consider just driving to Brunswick or Point of Rocks to catch the train. That opens your options up in Frederick County. It all depends on what you are looking for in a house.


I'm glad you don't mind a 1 hr commute because that is pretty much the minimum to downtown from anywhere out this way.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by BostonianRebel1

I am from Boston ,single Male, Hockey guy and will commute to DC through MARC...
Open to suggestions

Find the MARC stations map. Pick a neighborhood in walking distance.
I suggest RELAY.

[bus man]

Westminster isn't a bad place, but it's mostly standard suburbia. Frederick has that too, but it also has a nice downtown area. And it also has MARC service, something Westminster lacks. Service out of Frederick is very limited and it's kind of slow, as the train has to go somewhat out of the way to Point of Rocks before joining the main line down into DC. You may want to consider the commuter buses that operate from Frederick and Monocacy to Shady Grove and then you'd take the Metro Red Line from there into DC.

If commuting to DC is on your plate, you need to choose where you live with "ease" (very definitely a relative term) of commute as a high priority. Westminster, Manchester, and indeed anywhere in Carroll County, is just not well situated for that. Frederick is a better option. Better still would be closer-in areas like Columbia or Annapolis, but you did say that you want to maximize your housing dollars, and the closer-in areas tend to be more expensive.

[BostonianRebel1]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

More info is needed:

Rent/Mortgage top and bottom range that is possible
urban/suburban/rural living situation preference
Schools important?
Politics important?

1.First time buyer (FHA 3.5% down) up to $3400
2.School not important
3. Politics: Both party sucks!! , so dont care
4. suburban/rural
5. will drive up to 30 min to get to the MARC

[BostonianRebel1]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

If you are going to use MARC Westminster and Manchester are not options. In fact very little of Carroll County is a reasonable commute to DC via any method. Sykesville, Mt Airy are about the only parts of CC that will work. Frederick is good but limiting yourself to MARC means you will be going down the Brunswick Line. If you catch thr train at Frederick you will go down the 'Old Main' to Point of Rocks before getting on the Meetropolitan Line to Washington. If you have to get into a car to get to the MARC station you may want to consider just driving to Brunswick or Point of Rocks to catch the train. That opens your options up in Frederick County. It all depends on what you are looking for in a house.


I'm glad you don't mind a 1 hr commute because that is pretty much the minimum to downtown from anywhere out this way.

Thank you so much for the info. I don't mind at all driving a bit to get to the MARC. I value privacy, quiet neighborhood and maximizing space
I was thinking of going to Monocacy MARC for the Frederick area
and for Westminster and Manchester drive to Halethrope MARC

[BostonianRebel1]

Originally Posted by bus man

Westminster isn't a bad place, but it's mostly standard suburbia. Frederick has that too, but it also has a nice downtown area. And it also has MARC service, something Westminster lacks. Service out of Frederick is very limited and it's kind of slow, as the train has to go somewhat out of the way to Point of Rocks before joining the main line down into DC. You may want to consider the commuter buses that operate from Frederick and Monocacy to Shady Grove and then you'd take the Metro Red Line from there into DC.

If commuting to DC is on your plate, you need to choose where you live with "ease" (very definitely a relative term) of commute as a high priority. Westminster, Manchester, and indeed anywhere in Carroll County, is just not well situated for that. Frederick is a better option. Better still would be closer-in areas like Columbia or Annapolis, but you did say that you want to maximize your housing dollars, and the closer-in areas tend to be more expensive.

spot on ,
My job is indeed in DC
I have been doing some research , I feel like Annapolis is overpriced, Columbia seems crime is on the rise and it is getting over populated and yet overpriced to get a decent size house
the housing market in MD is so hard
I was told to stay away from Glen Burnie and Pasadena , is that true ?
any recommandation ?

[BostonianRebel1]

would you recommend Brunswick, MD 21716 ?
how is the life style ?

[james777]

No, you don't need to stay away from Glen Burnie and Pasadena as there are many nice places in the area. However, each neighborhood you look at you need to keep in mind the distance to the nearest MARC line. I would pay particular attention to the two MARC lines that run between Baltimore and Washington. I don't know if you will get more house for your money out in Western Maryland, but access to the train and the total commute will not be as easy as the area directly between Baltimore and DC and the Penn and Camden MARC lines.

Why is Maryland housing so hard? I think it is pricey, but not hard.