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Posted over 8 years ago

My B'more research trip Pt1

Well I finally got around to visiting Baltimore for a longer visit than a day-trip. I had two goals, 1) familiarize myself with some neighborhoods by walking around and 2) attend an auction by an auction house who does a fair amount of business in the neighborhoods I am looking into.

Before I go any further I think I have to state a few things. First, I work in the history field and live in an "historic" (read 'old') 140 yr old home. I've only lived in two places that weren't over 50 years in my adult life. I also own a rental that is about 80 years old. So old houses do not scare me. Second, I live in a "transitional"/gentrifieding urban neighborhood, and have done so for over a decade. So urban economically diverse neighborhoods, don't necessarily frighten me either. Lastly, I'm an aging Tom-boy. When I was younger I retiled my bathroom, did a whole bunch of DIY around the house, helped a friend demo her investment property. Now, I just pay someone, because I'm older and tire easily.

To familiarize ourselves (I brought my husband along), we used AirB&B to stay in one of the neighborhoods I'm looking at. I picked a place with several positive reviews, so I could get a sense of the location. Though there was this one place with no reviews where the owner described it as a great location to safely observe Baltimore drug dealing culture from the window. Tempting, but no.

Plate Dish Diva in Baltimore

So I spent about 2 days walking the neighborhoods between trips to museums.  Yes, driving is the preferred method but there is a lot that you don't see at 25MPH. Walking I can spot some small details. Something else I should mention about myself, I find money on the ground (best find $60). Mainly because of my observational skills, looking for danger, like dog poop or a gaggle of teenagers, but also finding opportunity. Walking I can interact with people, find quirky things like this lovely pie plate dressed mannequin (see photo) and spot little tells or clues about a neighborhood or more precisely a block.

I had printed out a bunch of Google maps on letter sized paper, where the out line of buildings were shown. Then I walked around with my maps and something to write on. I after passing a block or taking a quick look down a street, I'd write my impressions. My first day was in the land of "no" or more precisely, "Aw Hells No!" Sometimes it was the number of vacant buildings and amount of recent looking damage that made it a no. Sometimes it was the people, not just how they looked, but how they carried themselves, that made a block a no, and sometimes it was both. Thankfully, my beloved spouse was off at a museum, as he sticks out like a sore thumb (being the whitest white guy who was ever white) and walks too slow. 

I did manage to find a few impressive enclaves among the "No" on that first day. Those places reminded me of what Washington, DC's Capitol Hill neighborhood was like in the 1990s. It was a block by block and sometimes one side of the street was a no go, while the other side was desirable.

Second day, a few more streets that looked like there was some possibility for opportunity along with places I marked as "No." I was also able to attend an auction, but I'll write about that in Pt2. Walking around I was able get a better sense of value. As in why some houses, even though less than 1000 sq ft and as-is condition command a better price than some places with 2x or thrice the square footage. Location. Location. Location. And some locations are better than others.

I didn't get around to all the streets and parts of the neighborhoods I wanted to so I will plan another trip. Yes, I will use AirB&B again, because there are no hotels in the neighborhoods I'm looking at. Also when the owner/host lives there I have the opportunity to talk with them about their neighborhood. Yes, they will be cheerleaders for where they live, but it is a prospective I want to hear.

Yeah, it is a lot of work, but I'm looking for something special.


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