Relocation Recs Pretty Please

Re: Relocation Recs Pretty Please

• mrs. remy

  January 2012

  I really like Columbia/Ellicott City areas. Generally pretty nice, safe, convenient to a lot of stuff. Some of the ladies here live there and could tell you info about specific neighborhoods.
  

  Catonsville is also pretty nice but I think there are some dicey areas and some issues with school districts from what I remember (as in one school district is good, neighboring one not-so-good).

  My coworker lives in Pikesville and I think he likes it but I'm pretty sure his neighborhood is all elderly folk. That is about the limit of my knowledge of Pikesville, but they do have a Trader Joes so that gives them extra points with me.

  Are you determined to stay on the west side of the city?
  

  

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• KeelyK109

  January 2012

  I live in Catonsville and find it very nice and the area I am in is quite safe as are most.  As a teacher I find that the schools are all good, some better than others and it has a real community feel to it.   I find Ellicott City to be more expensive and suburbia.  As for Columbia there are some very dicey areas and the rules of the Columbia association would annoy me.  Pikesville is very Jewish, safe and older, about the same as Catonsville.  Good luck finding a home.

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• madladybride member

  February 2012

  I lived in an apartment in Ellicott City and now live in Catonsville. For the most part, the schools are pretty good and the area fairly safe. It is true that some parts of Catonsville are safer/more desirable than others. From the people in Cville that I have talked to, there seems to be disagreement on whether Arbutus Middle School (where some of Cville middle schoolers go) is a "bad" school or not. There is a magnet Middle school that kids can attend. However, all of the people I talk to seem to think that the Middle Schools (Hillview and Catonsville) and the high school (Catonsville High School) are fine. Also, FWIW, my boss says she lives in "Catonsville", since her plan is called "Catonsville Manor". She's actually in Gwynn Oak. I wouldn't live there if you want to send your kids to public school.
  

  This Baltimore County Public Schools site can tell you which school your child would attend if you lived at a certain address.

  You can also see test results by school for all Maryland Schools at https://www.msp.msde.state.md.us/rschool.aspx?K=03AAAA

   I agree with what pp's have said about Columbia and EC. Both are located in Howard County, so property taxes are more expensive, but there are more services available in terms of classes offered by the Parks and Recreation department. (Non-residents can take advantage of these for a slightly higher fee and you can only register AFTER  HC residents have done so.)Columbia does have some dicey parts as well, but I think you find that anywhere.

  If you want to talk more about it, you can PM me.
  

  

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• mrsbecky07 member

  February 2012

  Columbia, Catonsville, Ellicott City and Pikesville all have some super nice areas and some much sketchier ones.  It can be hard to tell from the outside which is which but I think driving around gives you a clearer idea.

  EC and Columbia in general are going to have better schools but again it will depend on the particular school.

  In Catonsville, Westchester, hillcrest and Catonsville are all great elementary schools.  Some people don't like catonsville elem. that much but I went there and it was fine (albeit 20 years ago...yikes) and people we know who have kids there now really like it.  My parents had some issues recently with Hillcrest - some of the teachers are less good than others, and there is a distinct difference - but overall it's a really good school.  Westchester is considered more desirable mainly bc it goes almost 100% to catonsville middle, which is definitely better than arbutus.  The zoning for Arbutus Middle is an issue bc a lot of people don't want to send their kids there for middle school so it can have an impact on home values.  Catonsville High is a very good high school - I know a lot of people who went there (including my SIL) who loved it and we know teachers there now and substitutes and they all have positive impressions of it.

  To echo MadLadyBride, my big pet peeve about "catonsville" is that a lot of people say they live in Catonsville when they just don't.  Arbutus, Halethorpe, Relay, Woodlawn, and so on - do not equal Catonsville.  I grew up there and the areas I consider "Catonsville" are much more specific than it seems (my mom and her friends would often say things like "but that's not REALLY Catonsville."  21228 is a large zip code, and if you want Catonsville and the catonsville feel, you want certain areas).   But it is a great place to grow up - we had a fabulous time and my mom's best friends all live there and SIL's parents still live there.

  Mount Washington is in the city and it's a really pretty neighborhood and the public elementary school is really good. We would consider buying there but property taxes are very high in the city and that was a big drawback for us.

  

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• mlb277 member

  February 2012

  We don't have to stay on the west side, it's just all I know. THanks for all the info. I really appreciate it. As for Pikesville, we are looking at Avalon if that helps. The area where we saw a house in Cville is in a gorgegous area with really large houses. We are wondering if too large. EC is great but the only house we found that fits our needs right now is in mount joy and I didn't get a great feel from it. i think it has section 8 close by.

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• KathrynMD member

  February 2012

  We live in the Stevens Forest/Village of Oakland Mills section of Columbia.  We love it.  Its older homes (built in the early 70's) but lots of character, trees, etc.  The neighborhood is in transition w/ LOTS of the older original owners moving.  We need more young folks!!

  

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