so me and the girlfriend have been contemplating moving out of dayton ohio, as it just really doesnt have anything to offer in any aspect.

we've been doing our homework via the internet with city-data.com and alot of google searches. and i was wondering if anyone would be willing to give me personal pros and cons that i wont find online. from anything to due with the nature of the people to job and home/apartment searching.

i also see that the mini community is a bit stronger than it is here and that would put a smile on my face because i can not wait to hit some autocross events next season.


-shawn

Columbia, Md.

Good school system, safe, great community, lots of parks and recreation, etc. and lots of MINIs.

http://www.bestplaces.net/city/Colum...419125000.aspx

well, I will just throw in that when searching for housing, be prepared to pay a pretty penny. Even places that are pretty much the sticks (I live in southern MD, Calvert County) you will be seeing housing that is very expensive. Renting doesn't seem to be much better either. I just moved out of my apartment in Annapolis, while it was a great place, I was also paying what could be considered a house payment just for rent on a 788 sq. foot 2 bed 1 bath 45+ year old apartment (well kept, great character, but overpriced IMO $1,221.00 plus gas/electric and cable/phone/internet.)

All I have to say that MD isn't too cheap, but then again, it is much better than Virginia or the District.

-Chase

While $1,221 might seem a bit high for a 788 sq. ft. apartment, it is not expensive, generally speaking, for a two bed 1 bath. I live in Alexandria, VA and two bedroom apartment will start at $1,500 and go up to $2,000.

Do you have any idea as to where you might be working?

Hi Shawn-
I've lived in Edgewater (a bit south of Annapolis, MD) for 24 years. Close enough (under an hour's drive) to the bigger cities (DC and Baltimore), lots of tourist attractions, and out in the country enough so that it's quiet at night. And three MINI dealers in the area In some respects it's no different than anywhere else... good/bad neighbors and neighborhoods, more/less traffic. Overall a great place to live. Maybe this is a good reason for a road trip (as though MINI owners need a reason). The cost of living out here might be a bit higher than elsewhere, but we have a lot to offer. And lots of great roads to explore! Feel free to PM me for more detailed info.
Ed

Columbia is nice, Maxicooper, but that cost of living there will eat you alive.

Instead of Howard county, we went up to Carroll County and got a LOT more house for our money. It'll shock you to see what passes for a half million dollar home in Howard County. Especially someone coming from Dayton, OH, where the cost of living is quite reasonable.

And we're still just 15 minutes from Baltimore and 40 minutes from DC. Not directly in the hussle and bussle of city living but close enough to get there quickly when we get the itch.

Not that the cost of living is low up here. But comparatively speaking...

Both Howard County and Montgomery County are in the top ten counties in the COUNTRY for most expensive living. Yes both areas offer very nice places to live, but you will be paying through your MINI's nose for it Carrol and Frederick Counties are both good areas. Frederick County is really starting to develop very nice homes/townhomes for decent pricings. The housing market is still dropping and if you want in, now is the time.
Northern Va is also very nice, but even more expensive due to the fact that you are so close to DC.

What do you guys do for a living? That may make it easier to find a place to live.

There are LOTS of MINI/Mini's in this area and DCMM is a large and very active club. Where ever you find a place in this area, we will welcome you with open arms. Good luck!

Other people have touched on cost of living... It's high.

There are in my opinion also less people in this metro area that are open, friendly & kind than in OH or PA. (Probably true of most major metro areas) Don't get me wrong there are people just as nice here as there... But it's not as common (except in the MINI clubs where everyones nice!)

I have family in PA and have had occasion to spend a LOT of time in Ohio in the past, and it's very refreshing to spend time in either.

If you live in the Metro area you are very close to both mountains and the shore, and there's a rich variety of entertainment as well.

Random things,
If you're into biking, the trail network in VA is enormous. Which is good because metro area traffic is not especially kind to cyclists. VA roads do not typically have paved shoulders, MD ones sometimes do. OH is much more cycling friendly.
Good area if you're into boating. Several rivers plus the Chesepeake bay. Named one of the 7 best boat cruising areas in the WORLD.

I live in Montgomery County. There is a a lot to offer, but, traffic is nuts, weather is ehhh, and garages are not that common, for some reason. Sadly, I must agree people are not that outgoing, especially in downtown DC.

If you are serious about moving to MD, I would recommend looking at staying west of the metro areas. Less traffic and life style may be closer to what you are familiar with.

Personally if I were in your shoes, I would look to move south. NC, GA, SC, TN etc.

+1

spoken like a true sailor, matey!

Shawn, it completely depends on what you do for a living. Yes col (cost of living) is higher than in Ohio, but the payscale, in certain fields, is higher as well.
Here's a few suggestions:
1.Get your resume in tip top shape. Be ready to mail out lots of copies.
2.If you feel it's necessary, work out a budget..so you know what you have to spend on col.
3.Google job opportunities in your field.
4.Google real estate (rent or buy) in areas you think you might want to live in. Factor in distances to and from possible work sites and budget, @ 3 bucks a gallon for gas.

Good luck.

If you are thinking of moving to MD, consider Baltimore. It all isn't what you see on The Wire. Lots of attractive neighborhoods, many are still very affordable by MD standards. There are also lots of incentives still available if and when you choose to purchase a house in the city. Lots of folks make the commute to DC via the trains.

You can check out specifics about various neighborhoods in the city by going to http://www.livebaltimore.com. They have an orientation center downtown on Charles Street and you can request an information package be sent to you.

If you have any specific questions about city life, do not hesitate to PM me!

I'd have to second this one. My company is building a hotel in Baltimore. There are tons of people in the high up management positions in the company interested in moving to Baltimore. Lower cost of living. Smaller secondary city, very close to DC and Philly and Delaware beaches. It still has its problems.....but may have some advantages.

My Dad was born in Dayton (grew up in Beavercreek), so I am somewhat familiar with the area. I would also second folks who have mentioned NC. Look at Asheville!

Hey b_b,
Another vote for Baltimore. There are some nice, revitalized areas in the city and the surrounding counties(Baltimore,Anne Arundel,Carroll,Harford)offer a selection of old fashioned towns and new developments. Plus, as already mentioned, it's still a short drive to Philly and DC.

Gotta agree here. For a young person moving into MD, I would avoid Columbia.

Columbia is ranked #4 in the country by Money as the best place to live http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money...PL2419125.html
but it also has like the fourth highest income in the nation. That is reflected in all the prices. Just buying gas costs more than if you get gas just outside of town like on Rte. 1. Buying stuff in the mall ... expensive. As to housing, there are many bedroom communities to look at to get going and establishing yourself.

Here is a calculator to help comparing costs for the OP. It might help.

if your looking to live on the "fun side of the potomac" our house is coming up for rental in october. it is a 2 bedroom townhouse on a culdesac. Interesting neighborhood, but no crime, and decently quiet. 1500 bucks is the rent.

it is in alexandria though. A more "desirable" area than maryland

Hey NOW !!! Depends on which part of MD you're talking about there, MISTER !!

I agree. I have lived in DC, in MD and in VA. They each have had their pluses & minuses... and there are definitely some parts of MD I'd rather live in than Alexandria!

wow! thanks for all the responses! its alot to digest so im going to reread and make notes.

from what i read online i knew cost of living was going to be higher but im glad your pointing out the more pricey parts of the state as that would take me a while to sort out. so far the southern part of MD is catching my eye if i can find reasonable housing.

if all goes well we could both transfer our jobs out to MD and we would both be making more which would balance the extra costs. not that i have anything against living in the city (we live downtown currently), but i would think a house on the outside of town nearing the sticks would e better for us. i could see us getting settled in and finding ourselves worn out from city living. in size, baltimore is a whole country compared to dayton. a 2bed 1bath even detached garage would be perfect. were simple and decently handy so alittle work wont scare us away.

and all of that is even circumstantial due to that we dont know were my transfer is located other than that it resides in baltimore.... somewhere... i have to wait for the information to trickle down to me.

we are also thinking nov. 8th-11th as dates to drive out. we would be picking up a friend of mine on the way who grew up in baltimore. he'll be a good AND free tour guide for some of our time out there.

so theres alittle more info on us. and thanks again for the input. keep it coming if you can think of anything that might help. any local sites with reality listed would help too.

bodymore-murder capital (baltimore) is definitly NOT a desireable location unless you are in the very heart of downtown in the inner harbour. take a quick spin around the area and you will know what i am talking about. i would visit b-more before you commit (or get committed).

if you get a chance check out pimlico horse track. they hold the preakness there. it is located directly smack dab in the ghett-o.

if you need a place to stay, and aren't allergic to cats..our home is always open. We have 2 guest rooms, so no worries. I live just north of Annapolis...25 mins. to Balto. and 40 mins to downtown DC. We're close to all the major routes...just a thought...

The sad thing is that was the cheapest thing that we could find that wasn't in the "ghetto" known as hilltop lane... (for those of you that are familiar with the Eastport area :D)

-Chase

Why do you keep slamming MD and Baltimore ? Did somebody from Baltimore steal your girl in college or something ?

Baltimore is a nice city, as large cities go. I should know, I've been to 43 of the 50 states and 19 countries. I've seen many cities in many places. Any city with more than 200,000 people is going to have it's "bad" part of town. But Baltimore also has it's fair share of culture, upscale neighborhoods, fine dining, etc.

Federal Hill seems nice..I dunno much about the neighborhoods within Baltimore itself.