Moving in a few weeks, commutable area to Columbia. NEED HELP! (Ellicott City: neighborhoods, pay)

[cjmeck]

Originally Posted by Lindsay1126

Ok so I checked Columbia today and I guess I had added something to my search critera by accident before. There are more than I realized.

No one ever explained about the sqft thing. So are basements included in listed sqft? I have never lived in a basement able area, so here ANY livable sqft must be listed. So basically everything except the garage is included.

How is Columbia? It looks pretty suburbia from what I have seen. I have read there is a city HOA fee? How much is it? Thanks.

Basements are not included in the TAXABLE square footage. They are included in the "total finished living area" assuming the realtor changed that information in the MLS. If they did that, the basement should be included in the advertised square footage. Which, full disclosure, is a bit of a crap shoot. Some do, some don't (). Your realtor should be able to weed them out for you based on a separate search criteria we have in the MLS if square footage is something you want to focus on.

As to Columbia's fee... Most of Columbia is subject to the "CPRA" (Columbia Parks and Rec Association Fee). Basically, its an enormous HOA. You can read about it here; https://www.columbiaassociation.org/ The cost will vary based on a percentage of the property's taxable value. For example, a house selling for $589k could expect about $1600/year and a house selling for $300k could pay roughly $1000/year. It seems like a lot but its a fantastic community with SO much to offer. It will be disclosed on MLS how much the fee is for the particular property.

It will be very difficult to find a rental for your German Shepherd. When we PCS'd here, we too considered renting for awhile as I wasn't sure exactly where I wanted my kids to go to school. But we have a German Shepherd as well (and a Great Pyrenees mix!) so finding a rental was out of the question. We ended up buying after a quick 48 hour visit to town (saw 12 houses in 2 days, insanity!). But if you do all of your research on the back end like you are doing now, you'll be fine.

[Rastuso]

Sorry for reviving an older thread, but it had some good info in it.

I'm looking at a job in Columbia. Houses are definitely expensive, but what is stunning is how bad the high schools are. I've never seen a $600,000 VERY nice house feed a bad high school with 35% free school lunches. Plus some $600k houses have a house worth $250k about 6 houses down. Which is VERY odd.

What are the schools there like? It almost seems like a deal breaker. Some will have a great elementary and middle, then a crap high school. Clearly a result of sending middle schools from disparate levels of affluency to a single high school.

I know the people on the low end think this is great, but owning an expensive house should include a good school.

I know this may come off sounding bad, but it seems pretty glaring in the entire Columbia area.

J

[james777]

Originally Posted by Rastuso

Sorry for reviving an older thread, but it had some good info in it.

I'm looking at a job in Columbia. Houses are definitely expensive, but what is stunning is how bad the high schools are. I've never seen a $600,000 VERY nice house feed a bad high school with 35% free school lunches. Plus some $600k houses have a house worth $250k about 6 houses down. Which is VERY odd.

What are the schools there like? It almost seems like a deal breaker. Some will have a great elementary and middle, then a crap high school. Clearly a result of sending middle schools from disparate levels of affluency to a single high school.

I know the people on the low end think this is great, but owning an expensive house should include a good school.

I know this may come off sounding bad, but it seems pretty glaring in the entire Columbia area.

J

It isn't just Columbia, it is the entire state and most other major metropolitan areas as well. If you want your kids to get a good education, send them to private school.

[Rastuso]

It's absolutely not normal. Good neighborhoods have good schools. Except in major Robin Hood areas.

Columbia seems to be the product of a hippie thinking diversity is the solution to everything.

I know no one who wants to live in a neighborhood where their house is worth twice many of the others. It's a crazy bad investment idea.

J

[Rufus Clay Banger]

Originally Posted by Lindsay1126

Hi everyone,
So after much research, we have decided against a long commute. We can not afford the type of home we need in Columbia, where my husband will be working so are looking at Baltimore suburbs, city (in safer areas not near city center), county or Anne Arundel County. What areas should we be looking into? Pikesville, Cantonsville and even Anne arundell county(would love suggestions there too) are what we are looking at now, they seem relatively safe, am I right thinking that? I home school so schools are not a huge issue, except for resale value of the home. My son is special needs and will spend a fair amount of time at John Hopkins, so I would like to be somewhat close to them (within 45 min-1hr), so even if there is an emergency, I could get him there. We are white and though, I have no qualms with a diverse area, I do not want to be in a largely one demographic area that we would not fit in. Thank you so much!!!

Budget $385k
SAFE AREA!!!!!
1900 sqft+
fenced back yard (or capable of fencing)
Commutable by 45min-1hr to Columbia mall area
Commutable to John Hopkins for my son
Would like an area that has somewhat stable home market value

Recognizing this thread is a few months old: You have plenty of options. Anywhere in Western Howard County will fit your requirements. Just look west of Columbia.

[Rufus Clay Banger]

Originally Posted by james777

It isn't just Columbia, it is the entire state and most other major metropolitan areas as well. If you want your kids to get a good education, send them to private school.

Steaming pile of bull squeeze. There are a gazillion places with good home values and good schools. You are obviously uninformed.

[james777]

Quote:
Originally Posted by james777 View Post
It isn't just Columbia, it is the entire state and most other major metropolitan areas as well. If you want your kids to get a good education, send them to private school.

Originally Posted by Rufus Clay Banger

Steaming pile of bull squeeze. There are a gazillion places with good home values and good schools. You are obviously uninformed.

Since you seem to know so much about home values and schools why don't you make a few suggestions to the OP? That is what this board is for, not running fellow posters into the ground.

[james777]

Originally Posted by Rastuso

It's absolutely not normal. Good neighborhoods have good schools. Except in major Robin Hood areas.

Columbia seems to be the product of a hippie thinking diversity is the solution to everything.

I know no one who wants to live in a neighborhood where their house is worth twice many of the others. It's a crazy bad investment idea.

J

It is normal in many places in Maryland for a $250,000 house to be located in spitting distance from an expensive house. Not all good neighborhoods have good schools. Robin Hood areas???? I don't know what you mean.

Most things in Maryland are the product of a hippie thinking, "diversity is wonderful" thinking. This is the bluest state in the country.

I didn't say it was a good investment idea; I just said it is quite common.

[cjmeck]

Originally Posted by Rastuso

It's absolutely not normal. Good neighborhoods have good schools. Except in major Robin Hood areas.

Columbia seems to be the product of a hippie thinking diversity is the solution to everything.

I know no one who wants to live in a neighborhood where their house is worth twice many of the others. It's a crazy bad investment idea.

J

Have you visited any of these schools? Talked to any parents/teachers/students in the communities? The curriculum at the various high schools across Howard County is more or less the same. These ratings are arbitrary and change all of the time. What is the graduation rate? What percentage of kids go on to higher education? Are the schools conductive to a safe learning environment? Does this school have a good STEM reputation or are sports/music/ect stronger here? Those are the questions that helped me chose a high school for my kid. Not only that but Howard County is notorious for redistricting every couple of years so even then, that changes up the numbers.
Columbia DOES embrace mixed socioeconomic living; and truly, the local appraisers know the difference between a custom home one street over from typical tract housing. But hey, our "hippie haven" may not be your speed. Try Ellicott City; your money won't go as far but you might like the "uniformity" of the neighborhoods.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by cjmeck

But hey, our "hippie haven" may not be your speed. Try Ellicott City; your money won't go as far but you might like the "uniformity" of the neighborhoods.

Now, now, let's be nice. Some of us Ellicott City folk like the uniformity of our neighborhoods. Oh, and we also enjoy not having to pay the CPRA.