Baltimore housing market

amother

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 12:26 pm

We have been looking for a home in Baltimore for 2 years. When is the Eruv going to expand already? Seems like the nearby zipcodes have good options, but no one wants to be the first to move with no eruv or frum friends for their kids.

amother

Slateblue

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 12:32 pm

amother OP wrote:

Baltimore is notorious for not venturing beyond the dalet Amos of the established neighborhoods. The fact that people now live in green summit is huge!! When I was young that would have been unimaginable. Even Indian village was a crazy jump!
It’s so insane to me how people will not venture a couple blocks away, knowing that neighbors will follow the way they do in Jackson and Toms River.
I also don’t understand why the area surrounding yeshiva lane has never been expanded more. There are tons of beautiful condos, townhouses, and homes there. It could have been a thriving community, separate, but still surrounding the yeshiva
Interesting that no one ever got further down cross country, in that neighborhood before pimlico, beautiful old homes.
But in general, Baltimore is expanding, but at a verrry slow pace

amother

Scarlet

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 12:47 pm

You have to be open to interesting ideas. The house across the street from me sold one year ago to a frum women, she paid 170k and put 20k into it and has a beautiful house. I paid 189k for my house 6 years ago. Fallstaff area but not on an all frum block. Poor us, we have "only" 7 frum families on a short block with 12 houses. You just have to look and be open, there is NO reason to be looking for 2 years.

amother

Almond

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 1:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

It is really frustrating. I guess we are choosy. Looked at dozens of homes. Feel free to post links. Open to townhome or semi-detached or detached home, 3 to 5 bedrooms with yard.

What's your price range?

amother

Blonde

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 1:48 pm

The eruv did expand to almost the jones falls very recently. There are halachic issues with it going past water and highways so that’s why it can’t expand much more. The eruv also goes almost to the beltway on park heights, across the street from the cemetary and until brooks Robinson drive.
From what I understand, Ner Yisroel doesn’t want people to move in and use the Yeshiva as a shul. There are shuls in owings mills and people do live in the developments there. I’m pretty sure there’s also (at least one) eruv. There are more frum families then you think who live out there, you just have to know who to ask…
Basically the eruv is much larger than anyone thinks or realizes. And I’m pretty sure there’s more than one eruv.
OP, where are you now? Where do you want to be near to? Houses are for sale and sold pretty quickly but there are some that are sitting. For 600 you should be able to find something. If you’ve been working with only one realtor it might be time to switch.
Tell us what neighborhood you want and I’m sure you could find a house. Definitely in the city. The county will be harder but doable.
And I forgot about the TA neighborhood. The houses there are cheaper and they have their own eruv.

amother

Coral

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 2:42 pm

What neighborhood? If your budget is 600K there is houses for sale in that range. I know for a fact there are 3 that just sold in the park heights area well below 600k (in the past couple months) and one on menlo currently going for about 600k (though I hope they come down as it seems over priced for that block). There is a house on Biltmore that needs a lot of work that will go for less than that too.

I know people are moving out near beth tefilla, mt washington, and past the quarry. The area past the Quarry just got an eruv, but people moved out there without one. With enough people moving past the eruv borders, and when not halachicly an issue, the eruv will probably expand.

If your budget is more like 300-350k I understand you not finding houses readily, but for 600k there are houses available.

amother

Almond

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 2:48 pm

amother OP wrote:

No - I confirmed that house is not in the frum neighborhood, it is actually across a highway.

Sorry about that - I should have mapped it to make sure it was on the correct side of Old Court. But, it's still a good example of pricing in that neighborhood for a similar size house. There have been a few for sale in the frum neighborhood over the past 2 years. Some are sold without officially going on the market, so word of mouth and moving quickly are important.

amother

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:11 pm

We are open to a few different neighborhoods, but we don't want to settle for something blah, it should be nice. Our income went up during the past 2 years so now we could potentially go for a 600K house but obviously if we find one for 350, 400, or even 500K that would be much better. Lower mortgage and more in the bank to pay bills and have a cushion. I really appreciate all the insights of the posters. Please send more. Anything I should know looking for a home in Baltimore.

amother

Scarlet

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:24 pm

amother OP wrote:

Do you live here now?

amother

Almond

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:24 pm

How about these, which are all in the middle of the community:

https://www.longandfoster.com/.....87713
https://www.longandfoster.com/.....05710
https://www.longandfoster.com/.....81457

It sounds like you are looking for something very specific. A $600,000 budget should be more than enough for a 4 bedroom house with a yard.

amother

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:47 pm

amother Hosta wrote:

Is being near any specific shul a factor for you?

Would you post who your agent is?

Must be near frum families and a shul, not a home minyan, chabad, or yeshiva but a real shul. Open to recs of agents.

amother

Blonde

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:51 pm

amother OP wrote:

Must be near frum families and a shul, not a home minyan, chabad, or yeshiva but a real shul. Open to recs of agents.

That isn’t narrowing it down. There’s a shul on almost every block. And one of the chabads is in a house. They own it but it’s still a house. Where are you now?
Are you trying to get a Beazer house for half price?

amother

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:52 pm

amother Blonde wrote:

Please explain
Yes we are picky
Yes we are realistic

amother

Scarlet

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:54 pm

amother Blonde wrote:

I’m getting the impression OP does not live in or around Baltimore. Her description of where she would live is not how someone would answer if she did live here. Which is fine!

OP, why not come and rent a place for a bit and see what area feels right? It’d much easier to find a place when you are already here.

amother

Black

Thu, Jul 20 2023, 4:56 pm

OP, the Baltimore eruv recently expanded to include the Greengate area, which is off of Green spring Ave, across from the quarry. It is a very nice neighborhood with houses in the 600-700 range. There are some frum families there who moved in recently, but it's predominantly not frum/not Jewish. Only concern you might want to check out is you'll be very limited on shul options.
Hatzlacha!