Moving To Maryland

[Sunshine]

Hello Family. I'm moving to Maryland as soon as I am able. I'd appreciate any insight on any cities you know about. Though there is crime everywhere, I'm looking for a city that I don't have to be afraid to walk in. I don't mind hood(ish), but I'm not trying to live in the ghetto. I'd prefer a nicer spot, however. My price range is low to medium as far as rent. Low doesn't have to mean gutter so if you know of any oases in the desert, let me know. I like racial diversity. It's ok if the city is predominately Black, but I'd prefer not to live in an area that is predominately White. Convenient public transportation is a must. I need to be able to get to work, school, and home without too much trouble or time to get there. I'm not interested in Baltimore or Silver Spring. Any other suggestions will be welcomed.

[Omavi]

Ok ....

Look at College Park, Takoma, Silver Spring (not all areas a expensive), White Oak, Laurel, Burtonsville, Columbia, even some areas in DC ....

Actually, depending on what your price range is, you can find a reasonable area ...

[Black Yoda]

No Baltimore for you, huh? Can't say I blame you. :-) I've lived in the Towson and Owings Mills areas. The rent is fairly affordable. I had a 1 bedroom apartment in Towson for around 700. It's probably around 850 a month now. I live in a brand new (meaning no one has lived in it before me) 2 bed room/ 2 full bathroom apartment in owings mills for 1150. It has all the nice appliances and fixtures and a small but nice balcony. If you look around, or have a roomate, you can live quite comfortably. Utilities can be a beast though. Please check out the reviews for any apartment complex you're interested in. You'll get a very good idea of what the place is like. You can also get some good deals or gift cards for finding a spot through some websites.

http://www.apartmentreviews.net/ratings/maryland/

http://www.apartmentratings.com/


If you're looking to buy, I've seen some nice homes for 150K. With good credit, the mortgage might be a couple hundred higher than rent, but it might make sense if this is a long term move and you already have a job secured here.

[Sunshine]

Thanks for the replies. I know about apartmentratings.com. I've put it to use before. I didn't know about the other site. It's nice to have a back-up in case the other doesn't have info on a particular apartment. I'm currently living in an apartment that is a brand new construction. I'm the first resident. I know how it feels to not be concerned about someone else's dirt that lived there before you....lol. That's not bad rent for such a place Yoda. That rent would be for a studio, if you're lucky, in San Francisco. A NICE one bedroom, if you're lucky, anywhere else in The Bay. Bmore would be my last resort though.

Omavi, I'm checking out a couple of those cities you've mentioned. I was told to stay out of DC itself by someone that grew up their. Visiting is ok though. Laurel would be too dead for me and inconvenient as far as location and things to do. I found several apartments to choose from. I'll contact yall later for any heads up on the neighborhoods. Thanks again.

[PL]

SUNN-AYYYYY!!!

Throw Hyattsville on your list also. New Carrollton and Lanham too.

[Sunshine]

Hyattsville was on my list. I took it off though. I read something online about high crime there. I don't know how current the info was.

[Precise Wisdom]

Queen, we've already discussed Baltimore!! Love BMore, but I have moved on. Was there 10 years...wow, 10 years. Keep in mind the places I told you about in the surrounding areas though. I agree, visit DC but live on the outskirts. I tried DC recently and got turned around so much on the main streets. Just when you think you are on the street in the direction you are suppose to be going, the street breaks off and you are in a whole other part of the city. I lived in SouthWest DC which is pretty small...liked it but didn't love it at all.
Upon my research of diff areas in MD, I have seen some parts that ... let's just say are not condusive to my expectations. Oxon Hill was one of them. I found that most places in PG County are outdated in terms of recent renovations. The same way it looked 20 years ago is the same way it looks now. Have you thought about Virginia at all? Arlington, VA is right next door to DC but it can be quite pricey.

[Sunshine]

Sorry for the late response. I did consider VA. Arlington or Alexandria. There is another popular city. The name escapes me right now. However, I'm going to stick with Maryland. I'm looking at Silver Spring, College Park. Lik, I can't find any info on Lanham, so you will have to be my expert advisor on that one. Omavi, which cities are the least expensive, BUT are nice? Remember, I'm not trying to be in the ghetto or a city that's on its way down the toilet. I'm being hit with different pieces of info, and none outweighs the other. I need some consistent, and specific, inside advice. In Silver Spring and College Park, I know where I want to work out there and where to go to school. I just need to know where to live: which neighborhoods to consider, and which apartment communities are best to choose from. And is the rodent and bed bug problem as bad as people say??? As far as Lanham, tell me all about it, Lik.