Friend relocating to MD; help his future living situation!
June 5, 2017 6:29 PM Subscribe
Asking for a friend: moving to Odenton, MD. Need help finding safe and affordable housing; qualifiers within.
Asking for a friend: educated 23 year old male relocating for work to Odenton, MD. Trying to judge the rental market in surrounding areas. Biggest concerns are for short commute times to work (less than 40 minutes) and a safe neighborhood. Isn't opposed to a family area, but would prefer an area where he could have semblance of a social life (not a party guy, but appreciates food and day trips and some culture). Walkable neighborhood is a plus, but driving is okay. Wanting a one bedroom apartment where rent and utilities will be less than $1300 per month. Willing to have one roommate in a two bedroom if more financially feasible.
Asking for a friend: educated 23 year old male relocating for work to Odenton, MD. Trying to judge the rental market in surrounding areas. Biggest concerns are for short commute times to work (less than 40 minutes) and a safe neighborhood. Isn't opposed to a family area, but would prefer an area where he could have semblance of a social life (not a party guy, but appreciates food and day trips and some culture). Walkable neighborhood is a plus, but driving is okay. Wanting a one bedroom apartment where rent and utilities will be less than $1300 per month. Willing to have one roommate in a two bedroom if more financially feasible.
I would also suggest that your friend consider Crofton.
I'm a Crofton native (inside the Parkway, yo, OG) and keep an eye on house prices and rents whenever we go back to visit. At your budget, you'll be wanting a roommate - the area has been booming for the past 10 years. There are a lot of apartment complexes, so many so that they are pretty cookie cutter. With a little more cash and a roommate, you could get into somewhere that's a bit less generic. You can walk around Crofton, but it's a suburb so there's not a lot to walk to. Most of the development has occurred along the highway, so you'd drive to get to the shop.
The location, though, is awesome. You'd be under 20 minutes from work, about the same from Annapolis, and if traffic is on your side, 40-ish from DC and Baltimore.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:39 AM on June 6, 2017
I'm a Crofton native (inside the Parkway, yo, OG) and keep an eye on house prices and rents whenever we go back to visit. At your budget, you'll be wanting a roommate - the area has been booming for the past 10 years. There are a lot of apartment complexes, so many so that they are pretty cookie cutter. With a little more cash and a roommate, you could get into somewhere that's a bit less generic. You can walk around Crofton, but it's a suburb so there's not a lot to walk to. Most of the development has occurred along the highway, so you'd drive to get to the shop.
The location, though, is awesome. You'd be under 20 minutes from work, about the same from Annapolis, and if traffic is on your side, 40-ish from DC and Baltimore.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:39 AM on June 6, 2017
A reverse commute from Federal Hill or Locust point in Baltimore would probably be under 40 minutes as you can get right on 95 to 295. Fed Hill is one of the popular post-grad neighborhoods so they'll be among other 23 year-olds for sure. They'll also be near awesome stuff like The Visionary Art Museum and O's games and the Aquarium and city parks and about a hundred restaurants.
And okay fine, full disclosure it's something of a party district - but unless your friend is like, deeply offended by seeing some drunk people on weekends, the trade off is probably worth it. It's not like the only thing to do is party at bars. They'd have easy access to the rest of Baltimore on nights and weekends. And I can't think of an area that would be better for his social life and walkability as it's extremely dense and young-skewing. I feel like being 23 and new to the area and living in the burbs near Odenton is a recipe for loneliness.
posted by windbox at 5:31 AM on June 6, 2017
And okay fine, full disclosure it's something of a party district - but unless your friend is like, deeply offended by seeing some drunk people on weekends, the trade off is probably worth it. It's not like the only thing to do is party at bars. They'd have easy access to the rest of Baltimore on nights and weekends. And I can't think of an area that would be better for his social life and walkability as it's extremely dense and young-skewing. I feel like being 23 and new to the area and living in the burbs near Odenton is a recipe for loneliness.
posted by windbox at 5:31 AM on June 6, 2017
I came here to second Fed Hill / Locust Point in Baltimore City. Of the two, Locust Point will be a little quieter. It's near Fort McHenry, one of Baltimore's most beautiful spot. There's grocery, eats, the harbor, bike lines, a dog park, crabs.... it's a great spot.
I strongly agree with windbox. He should not live in Odenton, Crofton, Columbia, Ellicott City, etc. That will absolutely be very isolating and lonely for a 23-year old. He'll always be in the car, there's always traffic, and the shopping and eating is family oriented.
Baltimore City has many good, safe neighborhoods that are full of mid-20's people having fun in all kinds of ways - city sports, pro sports, sailing clubs, dragon boats, bike rides, lovely city parks, opportunities to enjoy art and music.
posted by everythings_interrelated at 6:21 AM on June 6, 2017
I strongly agree with windbox. He should not live in Odenton, Crofton, Columbia, Ellicott City, etc. That will absolutely be very isolating and lonely for a 23-year old. He'll always be in the car, there's always traffic, and the shopping and eating is family oriented.
Baltimore City has many good, safe neighborhoods that are full of mid-20's people having fun in all kinds of ways - city sports, pro sports, sailing clubs, dragon boats, bike rides, lovely city parks, opportunities to enjoy art and music.
posted by everythings_interrelated at 6:21 AM on June 6, 2017
Response by poster: Just dropping in to say that all of the responses are very much appreciated, and he is glad Baltimore is an option (I've been talking the city up to him for a long time, as it is the one place I wish *I* could relocate to - BFD is my dream job). He's quite excited to start looking in that area as well.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 6:52 AM on June 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by sara is disenchanted at 6:52 AM on June 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
> He should not live in Odenton, Crofton, Columbia, Ellicott City, etc. That will absolutely be very isolating and lonely for a 23-year old. He'll always be in the car, there's always traffic, and the shopping and eating is family oriented.
Columbia and Ellicott City are a tiny bit better in this regard than Odenton and Crofton, but yeah, I totally agree with this. These are suburban bedroom communities focused on family living. Odenton is about the last place I'd recommend for a single 23 year old.
/Anne Arundel County native
posted by desuetude at 7:05 AM on June 6, 2017
Columbia and Ellicott City are a tiny bit better in this regard than Odenton and Crofton, but yeah, I totally agree with this. These are suburban bedroom communities focused on family living. Odenton is about the last place I'd recommend for a single 23 year old.
/Anne Arundel County native
posted by desuetude at 7:05 AM on June 6, 2017
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IMHO most areas of Odenton are safe, but if had to live in Odenton my preference would be south of 175, maybe someplace near Piney Orchard Parkway and Strawberry Lake Way. I would also suggest that your friend consider Crofton. Both Odenton and Crofton are family areas, and I think you'll find most places in Anne Arundel County are like that.
He'll definitely have plenty of opportunities for day trips living in Odenton, there are many food options, but I wouldn't exactly call it a foodie paradise. I'm a Philistine, so I'm not really sure what culture is, but maybe Annapolis would have cultural things he might enjoy.
I think that you'll find most 1BR apartments in that area starting around $1400 not including utilities, so your friend might want to consider a roommate.
posted by Rob Rockets at 7:57 PM on June 5, 2017