So I took a field trip today to 417 E. Fayette St, Baltimore MD.  For those not familiar, this is where all of your permit/plans/housing trials and tribulations (lol) are housed for Baltimore City.  Having Baltimore as a keyword alert, I see people, daily, asking where the best place to invest in the city is.  I have my opinions, but I will tell you, if you take a trip to the planning office on the 8th floor, you can get a better idea. 

Today I sat down with the office's Senior Historic Preservation Planner.  My intention was to get information on a current project I'm working on, but I walked away with so much more.  After I got my "business" questions out of the way, I took a shot and started to ask more about what he's seen as far as potential in certain areas of the city.  To my surprise, he gave me SPECIFICS!  From his standpoint, he can see the areas where there have been investor upticks versus other areas that need a lot more help.  He also has the "inside" on what areas are undergoing major rehabilitation, and was able to give some foresight in areas that are up and coming.  Needless to say, if you're ever wondering where to invest, the Plans Department is probably a great place to start.  I'm sure if I made an appointment, he would've accommodated a lot more specific questions, but what I walked away with was enough to fill my cup for the day.