Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

GingerMan027 t1_j5m0rwy wrote

Reply to comment by BrightThru2014 in What are these homes called and why aren’t they being built anymore? by rdervgyb2345

When I worked a L'Enfant Plaza, years ago, I saw new nice townhouses built around um, 7th Street SW? Showed them to my wife one time, we dreamed what must it be like to have that much money.

Then again, our first house, a 50's era rowhouse just north of Baltimore, cost us $67,500. Loved that house, brick and block, slate roof. You could walk standing up in the attic.

37

Malnurtured_Snay t1_j5m5xhz wrote

Man, I browse Baltimore rowhomes on Redfin and I'm like "I could buy this for what I paid for a one-bedroom in DC." Tempting, yes.

35

GingerMan027 t1_j5mdwd6 wrote

You got to know where you are in Baltimore. Many variables. If you work remotely, I can tell you places that are great, prices, neighborhood, and safety.

If you have to go to work there, it gets complicated. I have spent a life between the two cities. I love them both.

You want advice, looking for a house, PM maybe I can give you a lead.

32

Malnurtured_Snay t1_j5mhdw7 wrote

Well, it'll be a few years until I'm in a position to move. I went to Towson U., and lived in the northern suburbs for a bit. Between 2004 - 2008 (when I moved back to DC) I spent a lot of time in Baltimore -- a friend owned a little bar in Remington, and I'm overly fond of that neighborhood and will miss Dizzy Issie's until the end of my days (I forget if that was considered Remington or Hampden) -- but I don't consider myself familiar with the city anymore. Most of the people I knew there have moved away (even if just to the suburbs). But I'd still love the recs because then I can be semi-realistic when browsing Redfin :)

10

Malnurtured_Snay t1_j5mkmss wrote

Now I'm thinking of my buddy who owned a giant ass house on Reservoir Hill. It's certainly the type that you might describe as a "brownstone" -- full basement, main living floor, and two floors of bedrooms above it. He was renovating it one room at a time.

5

cornmuffins1776 t1_j5mbmcx wrote

But you might get mugged walking into your house in Baltimore. Had so many friends move there around 2005 and had to leave due to crime.

10

Malnurtured_Snay t1_j5mbptb wrote

Yes, sadly. :(

4

Altruistic_Loss6834 t1_j5mkt5y wrote

Lol just like in DC (where I lived on and off between 2005 and last year) there are plenty of great neighborhoods in Bmore where the crime you are most likely to encounter is package theft. I bought a nice rowhouse in Butcher’s Hill last year for under $400k and the neighborhood feels safer than my last DC residence near 14th and U (and omg my local grocery/target situation is sooo much better, actually a lot of food is better). What I have learned since moving here is that 95% of the people who talk shit about Bmore know more about it from The Wire than actually visiting.

20

Malnurtured_Snay t1_j5mwok3 wrote

Hahahaha. I was living in Cockeysville when they filmed the "fuck" scene looking for the bullet at a neighboring apartment complex.

2

smacks23 t1_j5okg7g wrote

I feel like every dc resident has done this exact exercise and every time I’m like wait what am I doing it’s Baltimore. And then I go to r/Baltimore to see if I’m making the right decision and the whole front page is crime and businesses closing. We have that in dc for sure but no where near the level. And the path for Baltimore to revitalize is so much harder to happen than dc

3

Malnurtured_Snay t1_j5opbqu wrote

I went to college in the Baltimore area, and I spent a lot of time in the city when I was younger. And sure, there were areas you absolutely avoided, but that's sort of like DC today. So I don't know if the crime is actually that bad there, if it's actually that bad here, or if I'm just getting old.

2