Relocating to Southern MD and seeking advice

[JCampbell]

I'll be taking a job in the near future at the Naval Base in Indian Head Maryland and will be relocating from the Syracuse, NY area. I have a 19 month old daughter with plans for more children in the very near future. I'm needing advice on areas to consider moving to, schools, and housing. My wife likes the country and I'm a city person. My wife also likes to run so a safe neighborhood is desired. We currently own a home valued around $140,000 and pay shy of $4,000 in taxes, I'll be making close to what I make in New York and with current rates estimate I could afford a house in the low $200,000 range. I've already looked over other similar topics but haven't found all the information I need yet. What help can anyone give? Thank you.

[iceeyes9]

DON'T DO IT!!!!
RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!

Just kidding!
We'll be glad to have you.

Most of St. Mary's is semi- country, but not backwoods country, Most of the schools could use improvement, but theres alot worse elsewhere. I would suggest you come down for a long weekend and tour the area...I'm sure you'll be quite happy and just about everyone on the street is happy to answer any question you may have.

[jaievans]

I am actually the one who posted the next relocation post, but I saw you're "off subject" post and thought that you could give me some good advice.

We now live in western, rural NY and my husband has been interveiwing for the PG county PD. Where we are from is extremely safe. There are about 9,000 people, the last murder happened ten eyars after the previous, and you can walk wherever and not worry about being safe.

Another huge issue is the rent we pay. Right now we pay $340 a month for a 3 bedroom, double living, 1 1/2 baths, walk in closet, sun porch, fenced yard, off street parking, etc. I know that we will be paying more, but is there anywhere to live under $1000 and in a more rural setting. We are not really concerned where as long as it is not more than one hours drive to PG county (Upper Marlboro for training and then ??? in the county).

I would really appreciate it if you could give me some help.

Thanks so much

Jamie

[T.Rally]

Smallwood Estates in Marbury is great. Its about 15 miles from the base. Check it out.

[Dymphna]

The Prince George's Co. School system has been all over the news for the last year or more. The State Board of Ed actually dissolved the school board and appointed their own. For the sake of your children avoid it. Calvert County has the best reputation for schools in the area but that is probably further than you want to commute to Indian Head but northern Calvert is close to Upper Marlboro.
There is an elementary school in northern Charles Co. which has been rated a "Blue Ribbon School." That school is Malcolm Elem. I went there about 25 yrs ago and at that time there was an open air drug market about a mile away, but they stayed away from the school, we never had needles on the playground or any of that, I guess because the dealers sent their kids there too. The police have pretty much shut down that market now and when I was looking at houses last year, everything I heard was that Malcolm was the best. There are even teachers there that were there 25 years ago. I think that says a lot about the commitment of the teachers to the students and of the school to supporting the teachers. The middle school which they go to leaves something to be desired though. Benjamin Stoddart Middle used to be the best, but I don't know about recently.
We ended up moving to Mechanicsville, in northern St. Mary's Co. The school my kids will go to, Lettie Dent, is one of the few in St.M's that isn't overcrowded (a big deal here) and it has a great rep. The schools in the southern part of St.M's have more overcrowding.

The problem is, all these places with good schools also have the most expensive houses, except for the area closest to Malcolm, where the drug market used to be, which has some really run down houses. In St. M's, houses of any sort are hard to come by unless you are prepared to pay. We paid in the low 160's for our house last year and a similar size house down the street just sold for $203. Someone I know in Calvert bought a very tiny, kind of remote house 2 yrs ago for $98,000 and sold last summer for $138k

Hope this helps.

[angelphish]

I'm glad we didn't relocate to Syracuse