• From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Topic: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

My wife and I decided to pick up stakes and leave our comfort zone down in South Kackalacki.  Back in November I took a job in Charm City and while she's been getting our old house in SC ready to sell, I've been working up here in Baltimore, living with a relative, and looking for a permanent place to call home.

We had a nice setup in SC- 3 acres, a barn, and a 4 car + garage I'd just finished.  There were trees on all sides of the property for complete privacy.  At one point I had 40 cars on the land and no one ever said a thing.

Obviously, I'm looking for a similar setup here in Maryland.  We've been seeking in the Carroll County area, mostly because it's farmland and not as heavily populated.  We've found a few places...which turned out to be either a) absolute dumps, b) insanely overpriced, or c) both.  I know springtime is coming and hopefully some more places will come up for sale soon.  It's slim pickin's now, though. 

Luckily, I do own a rental house just outside of the Baltimore city limits.  While it does't meet our criteria for quiet country living, it does include a nice garage that I've been working out of on nights and weekends.  I have 8 cars stashed inside the garage, and another half-dozen or so sprinkled around.  So it's my temporary garage away from garage until we find something else. 

Anyone else got tales of house hunting and house buying to share?  I'm thinking our little group of folks must all have similar prerequisites for a house, along with similar problems finding decent work spaces.

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

  • From: Rockville, MD
  • Registered: 2010-12-15
  • Posts: 1,155

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

My folks just got a house this fall, right on the intersection of 270 and 495. No garage, just a 2-car car port. Guess who gets to help them fix it... I did put 4 cars in there and it already looks like I have a severe hoarding problem. And they're not even race cars, mind you.

That said, they've seen some houses up in Olney and further out that had like 8-car 16-ft tall garages and two bedrooms.

K Car Stalker
  • From: Columbia, MD
  • Registered: 2010-10-21
  • Posts: 404

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Welcome to the big city! Might look at Anne Arundel county, Millersville, Severn area. Eastern Baltimore county, like Essex, Bowleys Quarters area.

Mind you, I have no direct knowledge of what these areas cost, but am pretty sure the kind of place you are looking for exist in these areas.

Of course, you could always go to Brandywine!

Fritz

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  • From: Doylestown PA
  • Registered: 2011-04-05
  • Posts: 760

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

I can sense that we're going to be happy to have you as a (sort of) neighbor.  Look out near Fairhill - that's all horse people and rednecks!

Rally Baby 87 Audi 4KQ, Audi 90 Quattro Coupe, 1975 Mercedes R107, 87 E30s, E36s, the Whorenet, Rocco...
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  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Anus Rumble county has potential issues with BWI and airplanes.  We're also looking for an area with low crime and good schools...just in case.  ;-) 

Essex..*shudder* 

Both of us grew up in farm country, it's what we like best.  And I don't want a terribly long commute into Bodymore every day.  About an hour tops.  The I-95 corridor sucks- too many tolls, too much congestion, and starting to be less desirabale (recent school shooting in Perry Hall, for example).  We're pretty much set on the little swath of land running clockwise from I70 up to I83, or about 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock outside of I695.  Horse people and rednecks!

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

  • From: Shippensburg, PA
  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,963

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

You could look in York, PA.  The southern end is fairly rural and I-83 takes you straight into downtown B-more.  You should be able to keep your commute to under an hour, depending on what part of B-more you are working in.

"She's a brick house" 57th out of 121 and 5th in Class C, There Goes the Neighborhood 2013
"PA Posse" 21st out of 96 and 2nd in Class C, Capitol Offense 2013.
"PA Posse" 29th out of 133 and Class C WINNER, Halloween Hooptiefest 2013
"PA Posse" 33rd out of 151 and 2nd in Class C, The Real Hoopties 2013
  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

I've looked at some places around Glen Rock, Littlestown, etc.  I83 scares me though- I hear it's often a parking lot between 7 and 9 and 4 and 6.

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

  • From: Palm Beach, Texas
  • Registered: 2012-03-30
  • Posts: 776

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

^^Maybe not. My pop commutes from Hanover, PA to Owings Mills, MD every day and I believe he says it takes him under an hour. IIRC there are lots of open land opportunities around the York/Hanover area...

Head of Estate
/) come monday motorsports /)

Kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.
  • From: Palm Beach, Texas
  • Registered: 2012-03-30
  • Posts: 776

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Actually, he says he takes Pa 94 to Md 30 to 795. Between 45-60 minutes.

Head of Estate
/) come monday motorsports /)

Kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.
  • From: Rockville, MD
  • Registered: 2010-12-15
  • Posts: 1,155

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Mt Airy. Has a junkyard nearby! wink

K Car Stalker
  • From: Lyndeborough, NH
  • Registered: 2011-05-22
  • Posts: 843

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

firegremlin wrote:

Mt Airy. Has a junkyard nearby! wink

A BIG junkyard, but it's not a pick-n-pull. The guys will take you out in the yard in sketchy old trucks, so it's still OK.

They also have Bob's Welding (sold power equipment and had a metal shop out back)! And Black Ankle Road is fun to do beat runs on!

My parents lived in Mt. Airy for a year, big house with a 3 car garage just off 26 on Unionville Road about 12 years ago.

That's all I've got. I think the "horse people and rednecks" bit is fairly accurate, although I think there's a growing contingent of city commuters who don't want to live a Generica development with 0.33 acres and a strict homeowners' association.

fiasco's Website

  • From: Shippensburg, PA
  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,963

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

doctordel wrote:

Actually, he says he takes Pa 94 to Md 30 to 795. Between 45-60 minutes.

Depending on where you work, Adams county might be a good spot too.  PA 15 runs right down from the center of the county.

You get into south-central PA and you are in my territory.  I'd be happy to help you when I can with what I can.

"She's a brick house" 57th out of 121 and 5th in Class C, There Goes the Neighborhood 2013
"PA Posse" 21st out of 96 and 2nd in Class C, Capitol Offense 2013.
"PA Posse" 29th out of 133 and Class C WINNER, Halloween Hooptiefest 2013
"PA Posse" 33rd out of 151 and 2nd in Class C, The Real Hoopties 2013
  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

I'm thinking more and more about PA.  Maryland's looking like it may follow NY with Draconian firearm laws, which is a bit of a turn-off to me. 

Unfortunately my work is on the south side of B-more, so I'd be looking at either:

a) dealing with the western half of I695 every day
b) slogging through D/T on the Harrisburg, or
c) hopping light rail in Hunt Valley

Any thoughts on those options?

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

  • From: Elburn, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-16
  • Posts: 3,425

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

mechimike wrote:

I'm thinking more and more about PA.  Maryland's looking like it may follow NY with Draconian firearm laws, which is a bit of a turn-off to me. 

Unfortunately my work is on the south side of B-more, so I'd be looking at either:

a) dealing with the western half of I695 every day
b) slogging through D/T on the Harrisburg, or
c) hopping light rail in Hunt Valley

Any thoughts on those options?

You're probably safe in Pennsylvania as far as firearms.  There's a reason it's nicknamed Pennsyltucky.  As a former Harriburg, PA Metropolitan Area resident (for my first 18 years of life), I have nothing but good things to say about the area.

York has some sketchy areas.  Be careful.  Look out for mobile homes with broken bottles lined up on top of the fence.  If the fence is facing some other direction, your house won't get hit.

Ask me how I know that the reverse is also true...

A&D: 2011 Autobahn, 2012 Gingerman, 2012 Road America, 2012 Autobahn II, 2013 Gator-O-Rama (True 24!)
Sir Jackie Stewart's Coin Purse Racing
2013 Chubba Cheddar Enduro - Organizer's Choice, 2014 Doing Time in Joliet
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  • From: Shippensburg, PA
  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,963

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Racin_G73 wrote:
mechimike wrote:

I'm thinking more and more about PA.  Maryland's looking like it may follow NY with Draconian firearm laws, which is a bit of a turn-off to me. 

Unfortunately my work is on the south side of B-more, so I'd be looking at either:

a) dealing with the western half of I695 every day
b) slogging through D/T on the Harrisburg, or
c) hopping light rail in Hunt Valley

Any thoughts on those options?

You're probably safe in Pennsylvania as far as firearms.  There's a reason it's nicknamed Pennsyltucky.  As a former Harriburg, PA Metropolitan Area resident (for my first 18 years of life), I have nothing but good things to say about the area.

York has some sketchy areas.  Be careful.  Look out for mobile homes with broken bottles lined up on top of the fence.  If the fence is facing some other direction, your house won't get hit.

Ask me how I know that the reverse is also true...


Yea, we have enough hunters in the mid-state that enacting gun laws could be hazardous to their health.

Mike, I used to take the light rail from Timonium down to Camden Yards to watch the O's play.  Not a bad deal, but it can also have traffic issues (where northbound and southbound use the same rail).

PA also has the 2nd most race tracks of any state (CA is 1st) and the most dirt tracks of any state.  So you would be around lots of other people that understand one of the best ways to spend your kid's inheritance.

G, where did you go to school in PA?

"She's a brick house" 57th out of 121 and 5th in Class C, There Goes the Neighborhood 2013
"PA Posse" 21st out of 96 and 2nd in Class C, Capitol Offense 2013.
"PA Posse" 29th out of 133 and Class C WINNER, Halloween Hooptiefest 2013
"PA Posse" 33rd out of 151 and 2nd in Class C, The Real Hoopties 2013
  • From: Elburn, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-16
  • Posts: 3,425

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Cumberland Valley.  The big school district that surrounds Mechanicsburg.

A&D: 2011 Autobahn, 2012 Gingerman, 2012 Road America, 2012 Autobahn II, 2013 Gator-O-Rama (True 24!)
Sir Jackie Stewart's Coin Purse Racing
2013 Chubba Cheddar Enduro - Organizer's Choice, 2014 Doing Time in Joliet
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SirJackieSte … urseRacing

17 Reply by tywebb (edited by tywebb 2013-01-16 01:58 PM)

  • From: Crofton, MD
  • Registered: 2010-10-18
  • Posts: 59

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

I’ve been looking for a house in Anne Arundel County that both has a big garage and goes to good schools.   The problem is I can’t afford anything that fits both those requirement.  Also anything that has a 3 car+ garage is also going to have 6+ bedrooms and 5000+sq ft. I don’t want or need that.
I relate my housing search to the project management triangle where you are told to pick any two from Fast/Cheap/Good.  My triangle is Good Neighborhood/Reasonably Priced/ 3+ Car Garage.  I’m pretty sure the Garage is the part I’m going to have to do without.

Maybe I’ll just get a workshop later.
This looks interesting
http://www.redfin.com/MD/Severn/8521-Br … e/10322328

  • From: Elburn, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-16
  • Posts: 3,425

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Land + steel outbuilding?  Last time I checked, a decent sized 'garage' could be had for about $25K.

Probably less if you do it yourself.

A&D: 2011 Autobahn, 2012 Gingerman, 2012 Road America, 2012 Autobahn II, 2013 Gator-O-Rama (True 24!)
Sir Jackie Stewart's Coin Purse Racing
2013 Chubba Cheddar Enduro - Organizer's Choice, 2014 Doing Time in Joliet
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SirJackieSte … urseRacing
  • From: Lyndeborough, NH
  • Registered: 2011-05-22
  • Posts: 843

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

mechimike wrote:

I'm thinking more and more about PA.  Maryland's looking like it may follow NY with Draconian firearm laws, which is a bit of a turn-off to me.

Uhhhh, Maryland is already draconian on the firearms laws....if that's a big deal to you, I'd be looking at Pennsylbama or West Virginny.

hmm

fiasco's Website

  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

@tywebb,

Yeah, that's the problem I'm having.  What we _really_ want is some old farmhouse around 1500 sq ft, at least 2 acres, and a 4+ car-sized outbuilding, preferably with a ceiling high enough for a lift.  And yeah, you can build a garage like that for around 25k, but I'd rather find one already assembled. 

That place in Severn seems nice...  ;-)

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

  • From: Shippensburg, PA
  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,963

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Racin_G73 wrote:

Cumberland Valley.  The big school district that surrounds Mechanicsburg.

G, I am quite familiar with it.  I was in the CV school district until my parents got a divorce and then I was in the West Shore SD, eventually going to Red Land HS.

Mike, you could get something near Speedycop, and then you could form a SUPER TEAM.

"She's a brick house" 57th out of 121 and 5th in Class C, There Goes the Neighborhood 2013
"PA Posse" 21st out of 96 and 2nd in Class C, Capitol Offense 2013.
"PA Posse" 29th out of 133 and Class C WINNER, Halloween Hooptiefest 2013
"PA Posse" 33rd out of 151 and 2nd in Class C, The Real Hoopties 2013
  • From: Elburn, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-16
  • Posts: 3,425

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

I still think he could probably move onto Speedycop's back 40 and not be discovered for months.

What year did you graduate, racinrob?

A&D: 2011 Autobahn, 2012 Gingerman, 2012 Road America, 2012 Autobahn II, 2013 Gator-O-Rama (True 24!)
Sir Jackie Stewart's Coin Purse Racing
2013 Chubba Cheddar Enduro - Organizer's Choice, 2014 Doing Time in Joliet
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SirJackieSte … urseRacing
  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

The wife didn't actually threaten divorce over the 2 garages in Severn.  Hmm..2.5 acres....

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

  • From: Crofton, MD
  • Registered: 2010-10-18
  • Posts: 59

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

mechimike wrote:

The wife didn't actually threaten divorce over the 2 garages in Severn.  Hmm..2.5 acres....

You do realize it is listed with zero bedrooms?  I see a RV being stored on the property but I doubt anyone lives in it.

http://binged.it/YbVvnA

If you do end up there and want some extra revenue I'd be interested in renting a garage space.

Also since it only assessed for $150k and its been on the market for 100 days there may be some bargaining to be done.

  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Searching for a New Home/ Race HQ in Maryland

Yeah but it is listed as having 1.5 baths, so it must already have water and sewer.  We have an RV already...and the wife mentioned something about building a cob home. 

Hmmm.

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website