Take Me Home, Country Roads?

October 21, 2007 5:03 PM

Help me decide if I should pick-up and move from Anne Arundel County, Maryland to Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Details inside.

Here’s the deal:

1. My wife and I own a home in a Leave-It-To-Beaver-esque neighborhood in an idyllic suburban setting in Maryland. If we sell the house, we stand to make a healthy chunk of change and be able to bank a large portion for investment, as well as reduce our mortgage payment significantly.

2. We’d be moving from one of the top school districts in the nation (we have just-about-to-enter-elementary-school-aged kids) to one that is just … OK. However, we’re a bit house poor and we’ll have a hard time saving the money necessary to pay for college if we stay where we are.

3. Our current house is on a street of septugenarians, so there are no kids for our kids to play with. The “new” neighborhood is chocked full of kids, most of whom are the same ages as ours.

4. We’d be moving from a 40-year-old house to a brand-new house during a real estate market in which there’s a real opportunity to take advantage of a builder and make him say, “Who’s your daddy?”

5. Where we live now, there is no possible mass transit option for my commute to work. Where we’d be moving, there’s a train that would take me almost directly to my office. Both commutes are approximately 1.5 hours.

6. We’d be leaving world-class medical care and going to … ???

7. We’d be leaving one of the wealthier counties in the nation (I mean, come on ... Pat Sajak lives here, for Pete's sake) and moving to the poorest state in the union.

8. We have family in both locales.

9. Asking our parents for advice is making our heads swim. My wife’s parents say, “Yee-haw!” while mine say, “What?? Have you gone meshuga?!?”

So, hive mind, I turn to you. Should I stay where I am and just suck it up, or should I sell and take my mountain mama (and our kids) home to the country roads of West Virginia?

posted by chocolate_butch to work & money (16 comments total)

I'll speak to some things, as WV is where I call my home.
1. Horray for you.
2. Lots of the eastern panhandle benefits from being so close to the DC baltimore metroplex. I've got friends who teach over there. Our school system is messed up, but since most people in that area actually communicate to DC, that's a good place to look for schools.
3. Horray, in many senses, this should outweigh much of what you think you're leaving in #2.
4. It's funny to watch DC/VA/MD people come to our state and really feel like they're stealing homes off the market. I mean, houses that would cost $2-3mil in the metroplex cost, eh, $250-300k here. However, if you look past the surface, you'll see that there are excellent homes to be had for way less, and really you're artificially jacking up realestate prices instead of helping them stay down. Furthermore, there are a LOT of developers in that area building SHIT for houses because out-of-staters come in and pay a quarter mil for them. I'd make DAMN sure I was getting the quality house I thought I was getting.
5. Yup, the metro is nice.
6. We've got some very excellent hospitals here, especially childrens hospitals. We've got a top cardiac hospital here, as well as a highly ranked cancer center. I'm not sure what health related concerns you think you might have, but I can assure you that the sludge in your water, dirt, and air in DC is significantly more of a risk than your fear of podunk WV doctors.
7. Actually, Mississippi generally defeats us in every "bad" rating. However, per-capita-wealth is not an indicator of overall wellbeing. I can live perfectly happy where I am on $30k a year, which I do. I couldn't afford an apartment on that in DC. I personally can't fathom WANTING to live in one of the richest counties in the US, but to each his own.
8. So it's a wash.
9. Actually, with WV sandwiched between DC and Pittsburgh, we've got a fairly significant Jewish population here. Who cares what you parents say? You're a big boy, do what you (and your wife) want.

Addendum: The eastern panhandle isn't really "country roads" territory, it's really more of a Maryland extention. You're not going to see the "horribly scary stuff" you might expect, but you will have access to lots of great things like apple fesivals, bluegrass/mountain music, and the opportunity to show your kids that life isn't about sunshine and silver spoons. Of course, maybe that's the image you'd like your kids to harbor. You know...your choice.

Feel free to ask more questions or send me email, it's in my profile.
posted by TomMelee at 6:07 PM on October 21, 2007

I grew up in shepherdstown in the 1980s (my dad commuted to Washington), and it was nice then. Have you visited? It's neither a particularly rural nor an impoverished part of the state. It's also a college town which means that you have college sorts of cultural events if that's your thing.
posted by lgyre at 7:08 PM on October 21, 2007

OT, but

I can assure you that the sludge in your water, dirt, and air in DC

I don't think anyone would refer to Anne Arundel county as "in DC."
posted by puffin at 7:18 PM on October 21, 2007

Well, I think he works there. And I would personally consider anything in the DC/Baltimore metroplex part of DC, but that includes about half the east coast, lol. I'd actually argue that Baltimore's would have to be *worse*, especially right there on the cessp...err..Chesapeake.
posted by TomMelee at 7:35 PM on October 21, 2007

Non-statistically-valid data point: I grew up in Charles Town, WV (stone's throw from Shepherdstown), spent a lot of time in DC as a teenager / young adult, and miss both locales fiercely. YMMV, but if it were my decision to make, I'd have already started packing (providing the house to purchase is quality, per TomMelee's point #4 above.)
posted by ZakDaddy at 7:49 PM on October 21, 2007

If it were me, I would take my mountain mama, papa, grandma, grandpa, brothers, sisters and my kids home to the country roads of WV in a heartbeat. Pat Sajak????? Are you kidding? Have you investigated the crime rate? Not to mention that you can be as wealthy in WV as you can be in Maryland. Is there a reason you need "world class medical care"? Is there a reason you need to live in one of the wealthier counties in the country? You sound like a yankee snob to me. By the way, WV is not the poorest state in the union, and even if it was SO WHAT. I don't mean to sound like a "horribly scary" redneck, but really, get the facts straight. It hurts me to read these "factoids" based on preconceived notions from the 1950's, that weren't even true then. I apologize in advance for my rant. The bottom line is, you will be better off in WV. Just don't gripe about not having world class medical care or not living in the wealthiest county in the country. Geez.
posted by wv kay in ga at 9:22 PM on October 21, 2007

Just to clarify, we never said that WV was "horribly scary"; we live in a wealthy area, *we* are not. We were just in Shepherdstown on 10/19 and the guide at the visitor's center there is the one who told us that WV was the poorest state in the union. We are not disparaging West Virginia in any way, shape or form. We're just trying to figure out the best decision for our family.
posted by chocolate_butch at 9:39 PM on October 21, 2007

The difference between high quality public schools and the national average is *HUGE*. The difference between colleges rolling out the red carpet for your kids & helping you out with the finances of it and having the colleges laugh and tell you to sign over your house 'cause the re-education costs are gonna hurt.

If you didn't have kids, I'd say move to the friendly place where you won't feel so poor. But with kids, that changes the equation.
posted by TeatimeGrommit at 9:57 PM on October 21, 2007

I sincerely apologize. I acknowldge that I am overly defensive when it comes to WV. After I reread my post I thought I sounded like a southern snob.
posted by wv kay in ga at 10:27 PM on October 21, 2007

It sounds to me like you're leaning toward moving. Plan your investment strategy with a 'way out.' If you hate WV after five years, you can always move someplace else.

Do some more homework to assuage your concerns about medical care. Do some planning to incorporate some regular cultural events and reading with your kids into your routine to help address any gaps in school system quality. And the opportunity for your kids to play freely with other kids is invaluable.

I'm also really biased, as I grew up probably pretty close to where you live. Looking back, I thought the schools were overrated. (Granted, I graduated from high school 16 years ago.) Being surrounded by kids who were that well off was really irritating to me, even as a little kid, with the entitlement and the me me me (granted it was the 80s.)
posted by desuetude at 6:47 AM on October 22, 2007

If we sell the house, we stand to make a healthy chunk of change and be able to bank a large portion for investment, as well as reduce our mortgage payment significantly.

Well, sorta. Have you done the numbers on the tax implications of this? You'll need to pay capital gains on those profits you don't reinvest in the new house.
posted by phearlez at 1:26 PM on October 22, 2007

phearlez: Thanks for the heads up, I'll sharpen the ol' pencil on that one. I'm not sure that my "healthy chunk of change" is sizable enough to qualify.

wv kay: It's cool. I should get checked on my snob factor anyway. Fierce pride in one's roots is admirable!

TomMelee: Thanks for the great info...As far as the medical care goes. I don't need anything special, it's just that Johns Hopkins is my "go-to" and I had no idea what is available to me in WV. My friends in Harpers Ferry say they go to Frederick, MD for medical care; birthin' babies, etc... Your remarks were helpful!

Overall, in other checking around the sentiment is similar to an underlying current in this thread... The eastern panhandle is a great place to raise your family (so long as you "suburban flight" people would just stay away and not ruin the place)

Mrs. Butch and I are well and truly smitten with the beauty, demeanor and qualities of Shepherdstown and are trying to get a handle on the downside if there is one. This would be the first time we'd leave the area I grew up in. That is, if 100 miles or so is really moving away.
posted by chocolate_butch at 2:00 PM on October 22, 2007

Being a grad of Anne Arundel High School, I wonder why you'd want to leave uh, civilization for West Virginia. This is the callous teen in me speaking, not the older would-like-to-own-as-much-property-as-possible me I now am.

I guess it comes down to how long you plan to stay in WV. I was made to spend an unfortunate amount of teenage time in Wheeling growing up and I would trade that experience for some moderate burn or slight scars in a heartbeat. Your kids (and you and mom!) may be able to handle the sights and sounds of WV for a few years, but after awhile, you all may go stir crazy.

Education-wise, I'd consider the benefit I got from my elementary-thru-high school career (Go Crofton Wildcats!) to be a huge asset to me today. I dunno where you're located exactly now (hope it's not Severna Park, as they suck as a genetic trait. I'm sorry you have to hear this now, but it's true. Good schools, tho.), but the legs up I got from Arundel schooling were a big help in getting me into college and beyond.

If your mind is made up, that's fine. Arundel is a nice place to come back to. But make a plan to return at some time, or maybe look at houses in some of the ever-still growing areas of the county.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:17 PM on October 22, 2007

I live in Shepherdstown. While I can't speak to the economic issues of your move, I'll vouch for S-town as a wonderfully funky and cultural little town that a leagues away from most people's concepts of rural West Virginia. There are terrific places to eat, good music and theater, and fun small-town festivals. What I love best is there is an engaged community with tremendous civic pride. Shepherdstown isn't very close to where I work but I stalwartly refuse to leave it because I like it so much.

Feel free to contact me through my profile if you'd like to follow up and get any more local info.
posted by itstheclamsname at 8:36 PM on October 22, 2007

robocop: Go Falcons!

But I know what you mean, SP was a totally clique-y place (with a fake "sorority" and all) when I was there lo, these two decades ago.

itstheclamsname: Thanks, 'preciate the offer.
posted by chocolate_butch at 11:22 AM on October 23, 2007

Uhhh, chocolate_butch...do we know each other?
posted by desuetude at 1:00 PM on October 23, 2007