Moving to Baltimore

Submitted by nationdecay t3_10lubn9 in baltimore

Im moving to Baltimore this summer and have some concerns. While I visit and spend time in the city regularly I have some questions

Are wages typical of the rent?

Should I immediately get cameras and an alarm if living in a home with a street entrance?

Is parking generally included in apartment complexes ( I want to find a row home but am looking at all options)

Is crime in the city getting better? I’ve been in some bad neighborhoods for extended periods of time and usually never had an issue but I still hear horror stories of residents getting shot leaving their house in nice neighborhoods.

As a new resident what are some dos and don’ts for someone moving from a place like West Virginia

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tastywiings t1_j5z3j5p wrote

>but I still hear horror stories of residents getting shot leaving their house in nice neighborhoods.

I wouldn't believe everything you hear

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No-Doctor-6988 t1_j5z1zvn wrote

I have lived here since the day I was born and haven’t been shot yet. 🤷‍♀️

Baltimore is dangerous. All big cities are dangerous. Baltimore is also: beautiful, interesting, full of culture, museums, great bars and restaurants, home to a thriving music and arts scene, tons of farmers markets, festivals, and events, and full of dedicated, kind, and wonderful humans, and generally a pretty fucking rad place to live. I genuinely wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Wages here are pretty good - I cannot speak to rent, as I have owned my home since 2001.

Do get a camera for your door - that’s just smart no matter where you live.

Don’t leave anything of value in your car.

Do explore the city and take in all the great stuff it has to offer.

Don’t be afraid - as long as you are street smart and aware of your surroundings, you will be fine. Lived here 44 years and never had a problem.

Do talk to people and find out what they like to do in the city to get ideas.

Hampden, Mt Vernon, Station North, Remington, Fell’s Point, Locust Point, and Fed Hill are all neighbourhoods you should make a point to check out and get to know. They’re fantastic.

Hope that helps. Welcome to Baltimore!

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PerpetualHuman t1_j5zdai7 wrote

Yep, I'd echo this wholeheartedly. I moved in 2008 from Southern California, ended up staying since. Come scope out neighborhoods and their vibe, see where you feel most comfortable based on what is important to you: walkability, coffee shops/restaurants. Lived in Remington, Patterson Park, Union Square and now on the edge of the city in 97-year old lovely bungalow. Also have never been shot gif

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needleinacamelseye t1_j5z35v8 wrote

The answer to most of these questions is 'it depends', but I'll try to answer them as best I can.

> Are wages typical of the rent?

It depends how much you're making and where you want to live. If you're making $15/hr, you're going to struggle to find a place without roommates more or less anywhere in the city. If you're making more than $75k/year, you should be fine to rent a 1BR in a good neighborhood. Housing costs are comparatively low in Baltimore as opposed to other NE cities, though they have been going up recently.

> Should I immediately get cameras and an alarm if living in a home with a street entrance?

If it makes you feel safer, by all means, but I don't think cameras + an alarm are strictly necessary in a lot of the neighborhoods this sub is going to end up recommending to you. If you're in a rougher area, though, they're definitely worth their while.

> Is parking generally included in apartment complexes?

I'm not sure, but I don't think so - friends who have lived in apartment buildings downtown say it's generally $100-150/month extra, if it's offered at all.

> Is crime in the city getting better?

Short answer: not really. The vast majority of the shootings in the city are between folks (overwhelmingly young, Black, and male) involved in the drug trade. If you are not involved in the drug trade and don't spend a lot of time in neighborhoods where drugs are openly dealt, your chances of getting shot are vanishingly low. Unfortunately the rates of muggings, robberies, and carjackings are quite high and are much more dispersed across the city. Some people live here for decades and never have an issue with crime, others see quite a lot of it in a short period of time. You can minimize your chance of being a victim by being proactive, but one day your number might come up. That's Baltimore.

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nationdecay OP t1_j5z2y7i wrote

Sorry I probably should have been more clear. Im an apprentice electrician from Harpers Ferry West Virginia. I live about an hour outside of the city and because of this my area tends to be where most people move to when they want to leave the city for rural life in a “small” town. Because of this I tend to visit Baltimore 2 times or more a month because I find it to be a very beautiful place and have always wanted to live in the city. However it is a big change because the house I currently live in is 3 bedrooms and I pay 1000 a month and also have a driveway as well as street parking. Im familiar enough with Baltimore to drive around without GPS in most cases and I tend to ask a lot of questions especially with this being what I consider a big move

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sit_down_man t1_j5zb2fu wrote

Are you looking for a more urban rowhome, or a single family home still within city limits?

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dizzy_centrifuge t1_j5zfxgm wrote

Things here are going to be a lot more expensive. Working in the trades, there's always the potential for high earnings if you get the right job, but I highly recommend landing a job before you move. Baltimore is a dangerous city. "Every city is dangerous" is a common refrain on this sub, Baltimore is more dangerous than most cities in the US. That said, there are plenty of safe neighborhoods. Apartment complexes are largely overpriced for the quality of the city, but you can find some awesome places to live via Zillow or FB at good deals.

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umbligado t1_j60c307 wrote

You’ll have some of the usual culture/lifestyle adjustment for someone coming from a more rural area to a more urban area, but lots of people do it every year (I think historically most of the entire original population of the Hampden neighborhood working in the mills came from West Virginia).

Also, lots of people live just outside the city limits first to test the waters. Worth checking out.

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No-Lunch4249 t1_j5zj3ty wrote

>Are wages typical of the rent?

In another comment you’re an apprentice electrician. I think you’ll have no problem at all affording rent on a pretty nice and spacious townhouse if you’re willing to share it with some roommates.

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nationdecay OP t1_j5zvoaf wrote

Nobody I know wants to move to Baltimore, I’m gonna be on my own

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No-Lunch4249 t1_j5zx337 wrote

Not kidding but check out Craigslist and Facebook, lots of people I know have found roommates that way. Decently common for a group to be trying to fill one room if they had a single roommate move out or something. That will buy you a few months or a year to meet people and find a more long term arrangement or save and get your own place

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nationdecay OP t1_j5zx9y1 wrote

It’s also the fact that I have extreme OCD and most people can’t deal living with me

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zta1979 t1_j601czv wrote

Your going to be in for a shock moving from where you are to here. I suggest moving to Sykesville which is right outside of Baltimore. It's rural , pretty out there.

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nationdecay OP t1_j601jd5 wrote

My whole purpose in this move is to be less car dependent and be close to things

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NewrytStarcommander t1_j609fa2 wrote

This I can get behind, in spite of my earlier snarky comment. I've lived car-free in Baltimore for 12 years. Choosing a neighborhood carefully is important (though sounds like you'll still have a car). Biggest hassle is groceries- Baltimore has a real challenge in access to groceries, so look where the grocery stores are in order to start looking for housing- some popular neighborhoods have no grocery access, so you end up still basically car dependent. It's great to be walkable to groceries, and even if you still have a car you'll want a decent transit line or two nearby, you can download the Transit app to see what your transit options are near where you are looking. Walkable neighborhoods with grocery stores and some transit access could include Hampden, Charles Village, Mt. Vernon/Midtown, Station North, Downtown, Locus Point (parts of Fed Hill as well, groceries being the issue here); parts of Fells (again, groceries are a problem); Canton.

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nationdecay OP t1_j601gkn wrote

No I want to be able to walk to places without using my car for days I’m off work

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magikarp19 t1_j61x6d9 wrote

Charles village/ waverly is a good spot. Maybe some parts of Hamilton/lauraville though it’s more of a suburban feel with larger lots and homes, so slightly less walkable. Hampden, maybe Bolton hill or station north though not as familiar with walkable amenities/ shops etc over there

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molotovPopsicle t1_j60ojhl wrote

i lived without a car for five years here, and it's more or less okay if you are a strong bike rider. things aren't close enough to walk everywhere you will want to go, and public transit is only sporadically convenient, doesn't run very late and is more designed for commuting than getting around town

in terms of safety, just use the same advice as you would for any city; don't walk around by yourself late at night and avoid closed off areas with no people. don't go to unfamiliar areas before understanding them and the neighborhoods

do some research about what you want to live close to most and find an area to look for a place that is close by. if you want to know more about that neighborhood, ask here

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Hansel4407 t1_j5z240v wrote

A lot of "it depends" questions, things that are the depends:

  • Your personal comfort level
  • Neighborhood you move to
  • Income
  • Your background
  • Roommates
  • Many other things

My opinions, your mileage may vary:

Are wages typical of the rent? - That's a huge it depends

Camera - Yes, at least a doorbell one as porch pirates are real everywhere

Alarm - it depends

Parking included - it depends but generally no

Crime - Consult this map https://www.baltimorepolice.org/crime-stats , strongly opinionated thing here

Dos and donts - oh where to start with that, maybe read this subreddit and see what you can gleam from it

Can you provide more details?

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zta1979 t1_j602moo wrote

Well if you want the least amount of crime, try Roland Park

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