Baltimore MD cost of living

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amother

Wine

Fri, Nov 20 2020, 11:03 am

amother [ Ginger ] wrote:

Clothing will cost you a lot more when your kids are teens, especially girls. Just a heads-up! I did the Burlington/Target/Walmart thing as long as I could but those days are over!

True. I have two teen daughters and need to shop in the frum stores more, especially for skirts and tznius t-shirts for camp, but there is still Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, H&M and more recently Amazon and Ali, so it is possible to save some $$. Also, we have been very successful at the Hats to Hose 50% off racks for my stylish daughter who wishes she lived and shopped only in Lakewood...

It really depends a lot on the kid when they get older. My boys are perfectly happy with shirts and yeshiva pants from Kohls and JC Penney and suits from K&G. I offered a Hat Box shopping trip to one of them before he went out of town to yeshiva and he said "why would you want to waste your money on that?" Very Happy

amother

Azure

Fri, Nov 20 2020, 11:13 am

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

Curious if you’re willing to share what area used to be undesirable and is now more popular?

The Carla, Lightfoot, Darwood area. Near PJC.

I wouldn't call it undesirable exactly. Maybe that was the wrong word. Just that it wasn't a super popular area 10 years ago and now it is super expensive. Houses in decent condition are going for over 500k. When we bought it was 300k.

The Pickwick area also. Its been popular for a while but 10 years ago the houses were going for 325k and are now going for 525k.

Also Indian Village and Summit Park. Used to go for 250K and are now going for 450K

amother

Honeydew

Fri, Nov 20 2020, 11:27 am

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

So that might just be more of housing prices going up in general right? What’s PJC?

amother

Bisque

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 2:05 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

So that might just be more of housing prices going up in general right? What’s PJC?

It's also those specific locations.

This is going to sound horrible and I know it is horrible but I wish people would stop moving here. I really do. Whenever anyone asks about Baltimore and whenever Baltimore people say "come! Move here!" I cringe. The more people moving here the more housing prices will continue to go up. Why can't we just stay the way we are? I mean yes of course be welcoming to people coming but why are we actively recruiting people?

I guess I say this as someone who does not make enough to live here but I'm here anyway and hoping to stay since my parents are here.
We make under $100,000. Way under. We have a smallish family now but I would love to have a couple of more children. I have no idea how we will be able to afford it. From reading what others are writing here I doubt we will be able to make it. We'll probably have to eventually move to a more affordable community I guess.

We have a very small house (though it's cute and I like it) in a decent area. House prices aren't going up here but it's a decent area and I have good neighbors. Our dream area would be in the indian village/summit park/lightfoot areas but we missed the boat (we were not ready to purchase a few years ago when the houses were less) and no way will we be able to afford them now.

And I am NOT saying that people from out of town are the reason that we wont be able to afford to live here in a few years. Just saying that it has to have an impact on housing prices and the cost of living in general. You can yell at me for being mean. Just saying anonymously what I'd never say in real life but wonder/worry about.

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 2:40 pm

amother [ Bisque ] wrote:

Asking sincerely not being sarcastic: Do you really think that the cost of living in another community will be that much lower that your income would be able to keep up? I know some out of town communities that have “amenities” like cheaper housing and tuition vouchers are becoming so popular that there is a major housing crisis and the houses you do find are very expensive.

amother

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 2:50 pm

Amother bisque, I get you 100%. I worry about this whenever I consider moving to a less expensive place, because they all seem to be actively trying to grow and I won't be able to stay long term. I would want to rent for a while before deciding whether to invest in a home, and home values are likely to shoot up during the time I'm renting, so why bother?

Baltimore people, are there suburbs nearby where housing is less expensive but you can easily commute to schools and jobs in Baltimore? I'm thinking like Cherry Hill is to Philadephia?

imaima

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 2:59 pm

amother [ Bisque ] wrote:

So what's the point of preventing other people to move there? You already have a house and already missed the boat for a better house... If noone moves to Baltimore and prices drop, the price of your house will drop too

amother

Orange

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 3:48 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Baltimore people, are there suburbs nearby where housing is less expensive but you can easily commute to schools and jobs in Baltimore? I'm thinking like Cherry Hill is to Philadephia?

Hi OP, somebody upthread mentioned the Scotts Hill neighborhood of Baltimore. Its right next to TA. My friend lives there, she has a playgroup in her house and loves it there. It's not a commute, it's a 7 minute drive from the rest of Baltimore's Jewish community! and the houses are way cheaper. She told me about 3 houses on the market right now in her neighborhood, all selling for between $230k and $270k. Not huge houses, I think the biggest one was about 1900sq ft.
But she always talks about how friendly it is there, I would love to live there but my husband loves his shul and Rav and doesn't want to move. There are about 35-40 frum families, a lot of them work in TA, but many dont. I think it's predominantly Yeshivish people living there.
But really, it's a great option, if only more people would consider it.
Cheaper houses. Safer. In the county. Nice neighbors.
Just thought I would mention it ...

amother

Bisque

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 3:59 pm

imaima wrote:

True. I guess you have a point. Maybe I'm just dreaming and hoping housing will stop going up and we will be able to afford something in the area we would rather live in in a few years?

amother

Bisque

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 4:03 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

So then we probably missed the boat on those communities as well. Smile

So is the cost of living anywhere with a semi substantial jewish community (in my mind I see that as somewhere with decent religious schooling for K-12 for both boys and girls) going to be around the same in every community?

amother

Powderblue

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 7:31 pm

There is room for the Baltimore community to expand into cheaper neighborhoods, if people are willing to try.

The thing that makes Baltimore not so cheap is tuition. Tuition isn't cheap. Depending on where you send it may not be cheaper than NY/NJ. For a larger family that can dwarf your savings on cost of living.

Rubber Ducky

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 7:55 pm

If you want to be a pioneer, you can buy cheaper. I have a client (whole house renovation, recently completed) on Glen. Their house backs up to Menlo but there not yet other frum families on the block.

amother

Seafoam

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 8:11 pm

amother [ Powderblue ] wrote:

Another thing to keep in mind, salaries are generally lower than those in the tri state area. I knew of a family where the husband lived in NY during the week and just came down for Shabbos , because his job was so much higher paying there than an equivalent one in Baltimore would be. That's something that really cuts into quality of life, though, and I think most people would have a hard time with that.

amother

Navy

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 9:20 pm

Wow
This thread is scaring me... we just moved to Baltimore and are currently renting. We want to buy sometime soon but are getting discouraged. We too thought Baltimore would be more affordable in terms of housing but it’s really not.
Rubber Ducky can I PM you?

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 9:58 pm

Rubber Ducky wrote:

For me I’m too scared to live in that area 😔

amother

Orange

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 10:18 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

For me I’m too scared to live in that area 😔

yep. me too...

but there are other neighborhoods that are not too expensive.
To the amother who said that she is renting and now worrying that she can't afford to buy:
There are some more affordable neighborhoods. Yes, the best value for money is in those neighborhoods that seem less safe.eg. Glen, Menlo, Bancroft, the roads between Park Heights avenue and REisterstown rd. But you can buy in the 7mile area (Boxford, Nerak etc) at reasonable prices. Not such nice houses, but it's ok. Or if you are kind of yeshivish you could buy in Scotts Hill (as I mentioned before where my friend lives and loves it).
Or Summit park. That's still reasonably priced I think. Even Indian village is not sooo expensive.

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 10:38 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

Summit Park is the area across from the quarry right? That’s not expensive?

amother

Cerulean

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 10:41 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

You also have to take into account taxes. Lots of cheaper areas are in the city. But you can end up paying way more taxes for a small house in the city as a decent home in the county.

Rubber Ducky

Mon, Nov 23 2020, 11:10 pm

amother [ Navy ] wrote:

Of course! Keep in mind that I'm a residential and kitchen designer, not a real estate agent.

Busy as a bee

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 12:52 pm

Hi OP

I live in Baltimore now also for 4 years and happy to answer any questions if you want to PM me.

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