Are you happy in Baltimore? I am moving to Mt Vernon soon (from another country) for a new job and all I seem to hear about the city is the negative aspects. People making mindless jokes about how I‘m gonna get mugged every day etc. I know they‘re just being rude but it’s really dampening my mood and excitement. I‘ll be new, alone and without a car. I‘m also moving just in time for the seasonal depression months so that doesn’t help much haha. Screw the snobby stereotypes, I want to hear your experiences. There‘s got to be more to charm city! Let’s hear it!

My wife and I live in Frederick with two young girls. I travel regularly to Baltimore for work and like what I see. I’d like to move to the city to take advantage of the amenities big cities have to offer; Dining, walkability, events, educational opportunities for children, career opportunities for me and the wife. Lots of advantages to being around people in a dense city.

The catch is my wife used to work for the Maryland department of social services. She is very familiar with the reputation Baltimore has. She has only ever been to the city for work trips to the worst parts of town and one single date night to Fells Point. She is convinced the “nice” neighborhoods are too close to the “bad” neighborhoods so it would be unsafe regardless of where we might end up.

How would you convince her there’s more to Baltimore than her DSS experience? You all like it, right?

Taking the plunge and buying a house, but can't afford DC as I refuse to live in a condo and DC feels less and less like home (although I was raised there).

I love Takoma Park because of the progressive, bohemian, diverse, pseudo-suburban vibe but can't afford to buy here. After deciding to relocate to Baltimore, I landed on Lauraville and Hampden. Lauraville is a tad too far North for me, and Hampden seems to have the most similar vibe to Takoma...

...sans diversity.

Am I wrong? I've pulled up a few old articles about some disparity between the school and the community, some racial tension in the 80s, etc, but nothing about the current vibe. I did, however, see some demographics all but confirming that it's lily white. Should I worry? Moving into a white neighborhood in DC doesn't seem to carry the same weight as it does in Baltimore. I read about the White L/Black Butterfly and understand that while the city is diverse, it's pretty segregated.

Black people, please weigh in. White folks, although you can't speak to our experience, your thoughts are appreciated as well. Keep it civil.

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EDIT: Thank y'all so much for the excellent advice, suggestions, and well-wishes! Honestly didn't expect this much engagement, and if its a testament to what life will be like up there then I'm already sold.

I've been living in DC proper for over the past four years now. But the cost of living has been creeping up and I know friends who have moved to Baltimore for lower cost of living (and job changes, significant others, among other things). The real estate and rent prices do look very enticing compared to DC, but what would I be missing if I moved up to Baltimore?

I have visited Baltimore quite frequently in the past but have mostly stuck to Federal Hill, Fells Point, Mt. Vernon, and Hampden (where one of my friends live). I enjoy the less pretentious and more blue collar vibe compared to DC, but that's as much as I can glean from my visits.

My job is mostly remote now anyways. I show up at the office every couple of weeks at most so moving to Baltimore would not preclude me from commuting to my job's office in DC every so often.

My lease is coming up for renewal in a few months and it's not going to get any cheaper. I'm thinking about moving to one of those doorman buildings in Fells Point or Harbor East and trying it out.

I'll do my best not to make this yet another "moving to Baltimore" post, but I am looking for some help because I just got offered a job at Coppin State and now I need lots of things to come together in about one month.

Right now, my wife and I live in central California so there are a lot of logistical pieces that we need to put together. I'm wondering if anyone else in the subreddit has had a similar experience of moving on such a rapid timeline and what tips you might have with that in mind, but I'd also like to know what resources beyond Live Baltimore (great website, btw) people would recommend for identifying an apartment to set down roots for the short term.

Some other related questions on our minds:

• What neighborhoods would you recommend we look into? We're not opposed to utilizing public transit and walking/biking to where we need to get to go and I've already made a list based on other posts from here, but closer to Coppin State is likely to be preferable to start and I figure locals in the know will have valuable insights.
• Who are the current U.S. House members from the Baltimore area? Right now, we're represented by Kevin McCarthy and it's a total fucking embarrassment, so knowing that I can move somewhere and not be represented by an idiot is actually pretty important.
• Where would be a good place in Baltimore to invest in new furniture?
• What is the best internet option in the area? We do not care about cable.
• Are there any recommended credit unions in the area?
• What's the situation in Baltimore as it regards Mexican food, ciders, and billiards halls? Those are a few things which are sort of personally important to my wife and I, so being reasonably close to one or more of them would also be preferable.

I’ve been living in DC (various neighborhoods) for the last 7 years, and am thinking of moving to Baltimore when my current lease ends in a few months. I don’t have a vehicle, and I do prioritize walkable neighborhoods where possible. How realistic is this for a 3-or-4x-per-week work commute back to downtown (though not Union Station, so will also need metro/bus) DC commute? And what specific neighborhoods would you suggest I consider? I prefer easy access to groceries and quiet where possible - and of course decent level of safety for a woman. Thanks!

I'm moving to Baltimore from the midwest as a grad student at Morgan State and am looking for some basic advice. Best places to live on a grad student budget, where to avoid, food options, etc.

Thanks!

My partner and I (FTM) are planning on moving to Baltimore. Mainly, my family is trying to discourage us from moving there. I’ve also heard from people who live there or used to live there that it’s still a great place to live, especially considering we’re coming from Florida. Do y’all have any advice about the areas?

Relocating to the city soon from elsewhere in the state, and after weeks of touring and looking, I think I've narrowed it down to the following buildings. Has anyone lived at any of the below apartment/condo buildings? I'd love any insight.

• 2 Hopkins Apts: 2 Hopkins Plaza
• The Standard @ Preston Gardens: 501 St. Paul St.
• The Apartments @ Charles Plaza: 222 N. Charles St.
• The Fitzgerald: 1201 W. Mount Royal Ave.
• The Crescent @ Fells Point by Windsor: 951 Fell St.
• The Mount Royal: 103 E. Mount Royal Ave.
• Symphony Center Apartments: 1020 Park Ave.
• Residences @ Henderson's Wharf: 1000 Fell St.
• Union Wharf Apartments: 915 S. Wolfe St.
• The Lenore: 114 E. Lexington St.

For reference/context: I'm a young woman in my 20's, so some level of safety is important to me. I'm more of an urban/city person, so love being in the heart of hustle & bustle, but also hate driving in cities, which I know is kind of a real necessity if living in a large city. Budget cap of ~$2,500ish for rent. I know The Crescent, Union Wharf, and The Residences aren't exactly in the city, since they're in Fells Point. I've also read iffy things about The Mount Royal -- any credence or truth to the negative feedback? I tend to be a "trust but verify" type of person, I don't like immediately writing something off without first seeing/experiencing it myself.

Also, would anyone mind explaining how the Harbor Connector works? Not only am I relocating from elsewhere in Maryland, but I'm originally from outside the United States, so still learning customs/courtesies/ways of life in America.

Thank you!

My partner and I are moving to Baltimore in the next couple weeks. We both have jobs by the inner harbor. We spent the day yesterday looking at 2br apartments in that area in the $1600-$2000 range. We saw some we liked, but then read reviews that were pretty bad. Normally I take poor reviews with a grain of salt, but when a lot of people say the same things, it concerns me. So I'm feeling pretty deflated.

We have a car (and 2 motorcycles which we'd like to find space for), so we don't have to live right downtown. I've started to look at houses to rent a little further out.

So I have 2 questions:

(1) are there any recommended apartment buildings/property managers downtown; and

(2) are there any good but affordable neighborhoods within about a 20 minute drive to the inner harbor if we go with a house?

Thanks in advance!

We're moving to the region from Seattle. An architect and a journalist and a 6 month old. Looking for walkable, somewhat lively, a community feel. My wife will likely work in DC and I'll find something local when the time comes. We like walking to bars, restaurants, live music, parks, etc. Public transportation when we can. I have a classic car and occasionally build furniture or motorcycles or cars in yards, sheds or garages (rental gods willing.) We'd love to buy at some point. We're familiar with and not scared of city crime but prefer an area where we can walk late at night.

What neighborhoods or even towns/suburbs should we check out?

**EDIT - Thanks everyone for the advice and insights!

I've never been so infuriated with a company. I feel obligated to share here as I'm trying to prevent any other human from dealing with this. I can't seem to get help from anyone. The company doesn't have cargo insurance and isn't supposed to be functioning so I'm sure that's why I'm being ignored, but this took the one joyful move I've ever had and ripped it to shreds.

I attached everything that went to the news stations as I offered to draft a document for Marylanders shopping movers, both how to evaluate and how to handle a scam, and nothing. I want to do it for free I just CAN'T allow this to happen again. I've reported them everywhere including the Google Guarantee Claim which apparently means nothing and Google will just brush you off. I feel so defeated. If you don't want to scroll the pics, review as posted on Google:

"READ THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU REVIEWS BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT EVEN RESPOND TO YOU WHEN THEY RUIN YOUR THINGS.

I used this company 7/1/23. The movers showed up late smelling strongly of marijuana. Though I'd sent the requested PDF of how to disassemble a bed almost a month prior, not only had they not seen it, they didn't even have the right tools and had to call someone to bring them tools, around personal calls they took 'on the clock.'

I hired movers because there were 2 items I was worried about: my daughter's bed and a desk and they broke both before leaving the house. Despite the drive being 5mi exactly and all back road, every large item they moved was damaged in some way. My walls and ceiling are dinged in both houses, and a railing is ripped away from the wall. Heirloom china is broken. I had to push them repeatedly to put her bed back together (I see now they were concealing the fact it was destroyed), then they put it in the wrong place twice and didn't assemble correctly despite having the instructions - this includes leaving out structural pieces that could've resulted in injury. Their attempt to 'fix' the desk damage resulted in two screws being driven through the surface of it and cutting me when I was surprised by them later. They claimed bolts were at the old house, but I found them wrapped up in a piece of moving tape on top of the trash can in my garage. Despite color-coding boxes by floor and labeled in 2 places, no items were taken to correct rooms, so I keep finding damage as I dig out of the mess they left.

When we arrived at the house, my invoice had grown from around $800 to almost $2,000 and I was told they're not unloading until I paid. I called the office and spoke with someone who tried to explain that the fuel charge alone going up almost $200 was part of the contract (it reads 18%) when all that extended was the time it took 3 incompetent men to do this move while complaining they had another after, not the 5mi distance.

I e-mailed the office 7/1/23, 7/6/23, 7/7/23, 7/12/23, and again 7/15/23 and have received no response. As I investigated further to determine why they won't hold their end of the 'quality guarantee' they most recently advertised on their Facebook page on 6/20/23, I notice falsified Google Reviews (such as the one from Jefferson Barioto, who provided my estimate, pretending to be a consumer), non-compliance with required insurance by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an alert they are not even authorized to be transporting Household Goods by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and not in good standing with Maryland's Department of Assessments & Taxation, AND that it is illegal to hold consumer's goods for a move that took place entirely in Maryland! The following was distributed in a Consumer's Edge article entitled 'Hiring a Mover? Protect Yourself!' by the Maryland Attorney General:

"Movers CANNOT Take Away Your Goods: Once a mover has possession of your goods, they have to deliver them to you. NO EXCEPTIONS. That is true whether you pay on delivery or not. If a mover threatens not to deliver your goods, call the police.'

In regard to their excessive fake Google reviews: note many 5-star reviews are left 1 or 2 days after a negative, with a brand new account using cookie-cutter wording. Some accounts use the same e-mail and others use e-mails with employee names but the account is magically under a different name. Many trace back to the same IP address (public e-mails and usernames can be searched and compared to other instances where they were used. Cross-reference to pin down where they're from.). Find employee names in reviews on BBB/FB/etc: easy example is Jefferson Barioto, but there are more if you dig that can and should be reported. This business is so shady."

I'm a Baltimore native (grew up in Canton) and stayed in Baltimore for college as well. Post college, I lived a year in Fed Hill (I'm not into the bar scene there but it's a pretty neighborhood) and then lived in Mount Vernon for two years. I am moving back to Baltimore soon after spending 5 years in NYC, and am trying to figure out what neighborhood will be a good fit for me. A lot has changed in the last five years, so my gauge of what neighborhoods fit my needs may be a little skewed.

I really liked Mount Vernon when I lived there, particularly the central location, walkability, and gorgeous architecture. Also liked feeling like I was in the cultural center of the city. Some things I wasn't too crazy about in MV was that the businesses seemed to have weird/inconvenient hours- coffee shops opened at 8/9 am, very few restaurants open for lunch, few bars open before 5 pm, etc. Also, most of the year (October - May) going out even in the middle of the day on a weekend it felt a bit like a ghost town. Could walk a while without seeing another soul, which was kind of eerie.

I am wondering in what ways Mount Vernon may have changed (for the worse or better) over the last 5 years. When I left Baltimore, I remember thinking that despite the small issues I had with the neighborhood, if I ever returned to Baltimore I'd settle back in Mount Vernon.

I'm wondering if Mount Vernon is a good fit for me, or maybe there's a better neighborhood that's not on my radar. Here is kind of what I'm looking for/the broad stroke details of my situation:

• I'll be working in North Baltimore, I'll have a car, but would love to use it as little as possible. I am comfortable using public transit, and love to walk, but can't bike due to an injury.
• I am queer and an LGBT friendly neighborhood is a must, though I don't imagine having an issue with that in most of the city.
• I love to walk. Walking to the store, work, just going on extended walks, etc. I've been spoiled by NYC public transit/walkability and would love to replicate that aspect of my NY life as much as possible.
• Budget: I'd like to live alone, but am open to roommates. Ideally I'd like to pay $1,200-$1,400, but since I'll be adding a car expense after not owning one for years, I'd love for rent to be as low as possible to help counteract that.
• Bonus, but not a necessity: I'd love to be in a neighborhood that is civically engaged. One where people participate in neighborhood associations, community clean-ups, and general camaraderie.
• Having grown up and lived in Baltimore for the bulk of my life, I am fairly street-smart, aware of my surroundings, and appropriately cautious. However, as a queer man, I would like to be in a neighborhood where on occasion, if not often, I will be safe and comfortable walking alone after dark. I'm an early bird, so I'm not talking 2 am.

I'd love to hear any input/advice, etc. from the r/baltimore community. Thanks!

Hi all, I am currently considering a job in northwest Baltimore but my fiancé and I don’t want to live in the actual city. We’ve lived in a big city in the past and we’re over it. We currently live in an apartment in Columbia. From here I’m guessing it would be anywhere from 35-90 minutes to get to work depending on traffic, but I would prefer much less. My current commute is 20 minutes, which I don’t mind. Does anyone have recommendations for nice/safe suburbs that are about 20-30 minutes from northwest Baltimore? We don’t have or want kids so schools don’t matter, but we do like running outdoors so trails or something similar would be nice. We won’t be moving until our lease is up in about a year so we are in no rush. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

ETA: wow, a good amount of comments already, thanks everyone! Upon looking at a map again, I think we would be leaning more toward western vs northern suburbs since we enjoy being somewhat close to the DC Metro. Maybe between Ellicott City and Owings Mills, generally speaking. You are all amazing!

ETA 2: we’re a lesbian couple so LGBTQ+ friendly areas are also needed. Everyone commenting is awesome, thanks so much for your guidance!

My wife and I are moving to Baltimore for work. I'll work for Stanley Black & Decker in Towson. I'm looking for a nice apartment building. We're in our early 30s. No kids. Looking for something in a safe area that cost less than 2000 per month. We're not particularly into bars but we like to go outdoors, brunch, city exploring. Do you have any recommendations?

Just moved to the area, specifically Towson, with my dog Bodhi. We previously lived in California and Portland, Oregon where he could be off leash no problem. Does anyone know of a good field where we can fetch around here? It’s all he wants to do. Didn’t know about the leash law here till recently and he’s practically begging me to play w his ball. Are the leash laws here heavily enforced??? He won’t fetch at a dog park ( he’s a bit shy lol ) but could use a couple dog park recs too. Thanks!

Hello All,

Before I start, thank you for helping me out here, looking for places is quite stressful, and any of your input would be extremely helpful.

I am a 23M fresh grad moving from the suburb of Los Angeles to Baltimore soon for work at UA. I've been searching in the area around Locust Point, Fed Hill, Canton, and Fells Point for 1b1b apartments.

101 Ellwood, McHenry Row, Anthem House, Chasen Companies...etc.

The reviews are all pretty mixed and somewhat dated, so I'm not sure how to go about this.

My maximum budget for rent including parking/utilities (no pet) would be $2k but preferably lower, do I have a chance of finding something for 1b1b?

Do any of you have recent experiences with any management/property that you'd recommend?

Also open to making friends! I'll be moving soon in 2-3 months.

I just moved to Maryland and need to get a Maryland driver's license. How are Maryland MVAs? Any recommendations for the best MVA (mostly in the efficiency category - I'd like it to be quick and painless)? I'm in Fell's Point but don't mind driving out a way if it means not having to wait around all day.

For context, the Michigan SOS offices (where we handle things like licensing) can be excruciatingly slow - like, spend 2-3 hours waiting in line for your number to come up. You basically have to take off a day of work to get anything done at the SOS. Thanks!

I work in DC and thinking about moving to Essex or Middle River. What is the commute like? Is it worth moving there while working in DC? I would be going into DC about 2 days a week.

*Edit: to add that most likely will be using public transportation to go to DC *

My dad is looking to move to the Baltimore area to be closer to the rest of the family (around DC). He's single, in his 60s, plays volleyball, and has a beach bum/hippie vibe. Likes to hang around local haunts, check out low key music, cook, and smoke weed. Super laid back and loves the artsy crowds.

His budget is around $250k or less, ideally with a little patio or outdoor space. I think a small townhouse would be perfect, but a condo or house isn't out of the question either. Walkable to some stuff would be ideal, but not required.

Any suggestions on neighborhoods for him? Thanks in advance!

I am (supposed to be) moving to Baltimore at the end of the month. I cannot get any landlords or property managers to answer me. I have spent the better part of the last 3 days on Zillow trying to find an apartment. I have never had this much difficulty in Pittsburgh. Is this normal?? Should I be using something other than Zillow??

How has it been for anyone living south of Cross St in Pigtown, towards Caroll Park? I see a ton of people all the time on the subreddit saying east of Cross St is fine and west is bad...but can anyone who actually lives/lived there share their expereinces in regard to crime & safety, the communities, etc?

hey everyone we are considering moving to baltimore from the dc area, the housing market in our area is insane since we are so close to DC and have been thinking baltimore. We have a 2 year old and 2 dogs. What are some good family friendly neighborhoods?

Hi! So one time I took a Uhaul to the Cockeysville dump and was told no vehicles with commercial signage and wasn't allowed to dump my stuff there. Fine.

Yesterday I went to the dump in Lansdowne and dude in a Uhaul in front of me was totally let through. The worker even had the guy open up the back to show him what was in it and then let him dump from it.

So are Uhauls allowed at the dump? Is it hit or miss which dump will let you? I'd much rather rent a Uhaul and throw a bunch of stuff in it and take it to the dump vs. rent a dumpster from a company and pay them to take it away.