Looking for a house and shop

[WobblyHand]

Probably not helpful, but I know too many people who moved heaven and earth to be near the kids only to have the kids up and move on them shortly thereafter. Life (and work) happens.

I have a vivid memory from around age 45 (while living in Japan) telling my mom that this would be the first Christmas when we just wouldn’t be able to bring the kids to her house. She gave me this odd look and reminded me that it would be the first Christmas I hadn’t spent at my parent’s house!

For what it’s worth, my experience is that 15 minutes away means you get a few minutes with the kids and their’s far less frequently than you’d like. An hour or two away means visits last about as long (an hour or two), with an odd weekend here and there. Farther than that and you get multi day visits, but far too infrequently (sometimes years between).

All this is to say: find someplace that’s affordable enough to get a place that suits your needs and that they’ll want to visit!

Don’t discount Virginia or Pennsylvania, etc., if it gets you someplace they’d relish a visit.

Zoom with my grandkids in Japan (with too infrequent visits in each direction while we remain in the US) has also kept me sane.

Your first paragraph is what worries me. It would stink to find out that the kids needed to move after we expended a lot of energy to be nearby them. Of course, there's no guarantees in life, so one has to play ones cards.

 

[Rex Walters]

FWIW, Frederick county Virginia (where I live) is also pretty awesome.

(Huh. iOS emoji get removed apparently)

 

[rwdenney]

What I've learned so far is Montgomery County is crowded. The area is quite high cost, at least compared to here. The lots are small and the houses fill the lots. Not very big yards, at least nearby to my daughter. I don't need a huge lot, but I got claustrophobic in the neighborhoods nearby. On the other hand, I was looking at less expensive homes. I don't want to be too far away, but man, I don't want to stretch my arms out and hit my neighbors house! I'll start looking a bit further out. I'd consider Virginia or W.Virginia, but that's getting far. I'd like to be under 45 minutes, but 30 minutes would be even better.

Western Monkey County is more rural—look around Poolesville, Dickerson, etc. It still won’t be cheap, but you’ll find older farm houses with outbuildings. That area is south of Frederick.

Northern central MD, as Dave mentioned—Westminster area—is similar.

Frederick is the second-largest city in MD, so built up.

As you go west of Catoctin Mountain, things open up even more. I’m thinking Boonesboro, etc. It’s still within an hour of Gaithersburg, and 20 minutes to Hagerstown where you’ll find all services available. North of Frederick along US-15 is similar, but pricier. Thurmont is an example town up there.

Rick “northern Loudoun County, VA, across the Potomac from these areas” Denney

 

[WobblyHand]

Western Monkey County is more rural—look around Poolesville, Dickerson, etc. It still won’t be cheap, but you’ll find older farm houses with outbuildings. That area is south of Frederick.

Northern central MD, as Dave mentioned—Westminster area—is similar.

Frederick is the second-largest city in MD, so built up.

As you go west of Catoctin Mountain, things open up even more. I’m thinking Boonesboro, etc. It’s still within an hour of Gaithersburg, and 20 minutes to Hagerstown where you’ll find all services available. North of Frederick along US-15 is similar, but pricier. Thurmont is an example town up there.

Rick “northern Loudoun County, VA, across the Potomac from these areas” Denney

Been in Poolesville, some of the neighborhoods have been nice. At least the lot sizes weren't postage stamp dimensions.

Thanks for some additional ideas. Plenty to consider. I spent my college years in Maryland so I'm familiar with some of the areas - but not all. It's a quite varied state. My wife's cousin is in Staunton VA so I've done the backbone drive down there. Very nice too, but a bit further away.

 

[Rex Walters]

Maryland never ceases to amaze me. For such a small state, it’s SO different from one area to another! Tangier Island to Mechanicsville to PG county to Baltimore to Williamsport, and so many more, each more different from the last.

FWIW, I’m really happy to have done the old (1921) farm house with an outbuilding for a shop. I got lucky and found one at a reasonable price that had a major renovation just a few years ago (and is only 8 minutes from major shopping areas while still remaining in quiet, rural country). Even so, there are still … quirks (e.g. several unknown circuits in the panel).

I like quirks, and I like having my own well and septic (vs. another utility bill). And I don’t mind hauling my own trash, two hours to mow the yard, nor a never ending stream of gotta-fix-thats. But I can understand that not being for everyone.

One thing I think we here can all agree on: the shop is IMPORTANT. Mine is 106 steps from my back door (yes, I counted after a particularly frustrating day of fetching yet another tool!). My wife thought we were crazy buying a place with such a large outbuilding, but it’s literally been life-changing.

Don’t tell my wife, but I don’t remember the layouts of each of the houses we’ve lived in. Boy do I remember every inch of the workspaces I’ve had to share with cars, water heaters, and the like, though. I also remember the joy of finally getting a dedicated shed at my last house! I’m in heaven with this place (the house seems nice, too — laugh).

 

[mmcmdl]

There's nothing " cheap " in any of these areas . The closer to DC you get , the more expensive . Va. roads have tolls also , more than Md . Hagerstown and Frederick are on I70 so 270 is a straight shot to MC . That intersection is a disaster at rush hour . Westminster is 20-30 minutes away on 97 . Big college town , daughter lived there for 7 years . I'm 45 minutes east of Westminster by the back roads , so maybe a 70 minute drive to MC . If I travel around 695 . it's a crapshoot . Sometimes an hour , sometimes 2 1/2 hours .

 

[WobblyHand]

I'm mixed on water and sewer, having experienced some of the fun when things go awry, but everything else, I'd rather be more rural than in the city. But my wife is more of a city girl. There's advantages to both, as well as down sides. We've lived a life that's more citified than rural, and quite honestly, I want to hear more crickets than vehicles these days. I want to be able to see more stars than street lights. Going to be interesting convincing my wife to consider these options... She let me pick the current home last time, so I hope it will work out the same this time.

 

[WobblyHand]

There's nothing " cheap " in any of these areas . The closer to DC you get , the more expensive . Va. roads have tolls also , more than Md . Hagerstown and Frederick are on I70 so 270 is a straight shot to MC . That intersection is a disaster at rush hour . Westminster is 20-30 minutes away on 97 . Big college town , daughter lived there for 7 years . I'm 45 minutes east of Westminster by the back roads , so maybe a 70 minute drive to MC . If I travel around 695 . it's a crapshoot . Sometimes an hour , sometimes 2 1/2 hours .

Oh, I understand the price of real estate in the area. And I've certainly experienced the area's traffic, which was an eye opener when we went there 4 years ago. I wouldn't want to commute there at all. Fortunately, we wouldn't have to commute during peak time (I hope).

Both beltway's are pretty busy nearly all the time. My first experience with the Capital beltway during rush hour was a tough initiation. Even 40 years ago, people were doing 70mph, with a single car length or less between them. Very little time to react. It was uncomfortable for me then and now. But if you leave a space in front of you, people fill it. I've had people tailgate and can't see their headlights, or the light from the headlights, which is too darned close.

 

[WobblyHand]

Have a little more impetus to get moving on this. My new granddaughter was born yesterday.

 

[mmcmdl]

Wobbly , be aware of the HOAs and their rules also . That would be my #1 consideration . Outside fires , machine shops , trucks in driveway , mailbox colors , etc etc etc . As far as wells vs city water , do you like chlorine ? My guy said city water is cleaned and treated **** and **** water and he would never drink it . Not sure if that's true or not , but not having a monthly water bill is nice . The daughter's place does have a small yard behind and on the side of her EOG townhouse . She has 20 acres fields , streams and woods surrounding her which is why we picked this place . I sit on the deck and watch the small planes from the MC airpark take off and land . We looked at a lot of places where if you looked out the back window or sat on the decks , you were staring at your neighbors junk stashed in their yard . Ugh . $486,000 doesn't get you much these days but she's close to her new job now .