Are you familiar with the Baltimore area?

[bem684]

I'm looking for the names of neighborhoods and suburbs of Baltimore where frum people live so I can check them out on www.zillow.com to compare with other areas of the country.  I do not want to be a pioneer with exactly 10 men in our minyan so let's limit it to established communities.

[plane.love]

Green Spring, Park Heights are the two major ones. There a few people that live near the yeshiva as well.
I do not know what you mean by suburbs but like half hour out there are smaller communities that more associated with DC.

[Laguna]

Owings mills is very jewish too, but not really so orthodox.

[joeniss89]

Pikesville is also a kind-of-Jewish area.
If you are looking for other places too, there is Silver Spring, but that is over a half hour out of Baltimore

[bem684]

I am looking for anything within about 45 minutes of Baltimore.  I am a little familiar with Silver Springs, having spent a Shabbos there, but the area that I saw was a lot more modern orthodox than what I'm used to (I live in  Monsey currently).  What other orthodox communities are there within 45 minutes of Baltimore?

[MarkS]

Possibly Olney MD- not sure if it's a 10 men situation or bigger.

It sounds like you specifically don't want to be in Baltimore proper - yet don't want to be in a tiny or MO community.

Aside from the specific neighborhoods in Baltimore, Silver Spring and DC, there isn't much else of significant size.

[bem684]

Allow me to be a little more specific. 

It's not that I don't want to be in Baltimore proper, but I very strongly want to one day buy a home on at least an acre of land, within a manageable drive from a large Jewish community. 

This is possible where I live now (the areas surrounding Monsey - Wesley Hills, Chestnut Ridge, Airmont), but the cost is ridiculous - at least $450k for the house plus $10-15k in taxes every year (and that's generally for a piece of junk that needs work....a decent home would be closer to $600k).

So my problem is really that in most large Jewish communities it's hard to come by an acre at all, and if it is possible, the cost is prohibitive.  I have more or less ruled out all of NY and NJ as they are some of the most expensive states in the nation when it comes to real estate and taxes.  However, my parents and inlaws both live in NJ and therefore I would like to stay within about 4 hours drive of northern NJ.

Several of my friends from yeshiva ended up in Baltimore, and so my search has brought me to the greater Baltimore area.

[ez1985]

If you want to buy a house with an acre of land here, it might be relatively close to the jewish community but it will not be within walking distance. 

[skyguy918]

It's not that I don't want to be in Baltimore proper, but I very strongly want to one day buy a home on at least an acre of land, within a manageable drive from a large Jewish community. 

Can I ask why you'd want so much land? An acre is a whole lot of space.

[bem684]

I intend to plant a small orchard (between 8 and 20 trees), a large vegetable garden (think 12-16 beds, each measuring 12x4ft), and quite possibly raise some animals.  I'd also like room for expansion of the house, garden, orchard, or all of these things.  And I'd like to have space for the kids to run around as well

[skyguy918]

I intend to plant a small orchard (between 8 and 20 trees), a large vegetable garden (think 12-16 beds, each measuring 12x4ft), and quite possibly raise some animals.  I'd also like room for expansion of the house, garden, orchard, or all of these things.  And I'd like to have space for the kids to run around as well

If you thought Silver Spring was too MO, I'd say there's little to no chance of finding a house on an acre within a half hour's walk of an acceptable shul. What do you think your price limit is?

[bem684]

Upper range would be in the mid $400ks....but for that kind of price I want a house that doesn't need any work.  I'd be much more comfortable in the high 200s to mid 300s.

Also, I was told that there are more "yeshivish" parts of Silver Spring but I didn't see those areas. 
Is this really true or is it like a token presence of 10 families?

[skyguy918]

Upper range would be in the mid $400ks....but for that kind of price I want a house that doesn't need any work.  I'd be much more comfortable in the high 200s to mid 300s.

Also, I was told that there are more "yeshivish" parts of Silver Spring but I didn't see those areas. 
Is this really true or is it like a token presence of 10 families?

Well, good luck, you might have a hard time finding something like that.

As far as Silver Spring, I don't know which area you stayed, but when I was there I davened at YI Shomrei Emunah. The place was packed for Mincha/Maariv (albeit on a Sunday/Monday of President's weekend). The shul itself probably leans toward MO, but there seemed to be a significant yeshivish presence. If you're interested in the area, first check out the eruv map. Besides giving you a better idea of where the Jews in the community are likely to live, it also shows the Jewish institutions. The yellow dot is the Yeshiva, where the boys school and the Yeshiva Gedolah/Kollel are located.

But even Silver Spring is not likely to have a home that fits your needs at your price range, though I did find this place. Only a 25 min walk to the Kemp Mill Synagague, or 35 to the Young Israel/Yeshiva area.

[mercaz1]

for that amount of money with an acre and more yeshivish neighbors i wish you good luck finding a place within 4-5 hours of nj

[Dan]

Buy a house in CLE for $100K.  Buy 3 neighbors houses for $300K.  Have the fire department demolish the other 3 houses.
Enjoy 1 acre lot.

[skyguy918]

Buy a house in CLE for $100K.  Buy 3 neighbors houses for $300K.  Have the fire department demolish the other 3 houses.
Enjoy 1 acre lot.

8 hours away is already flying distance, not driving distance. Plus, how easy is it to find 4 neighboring lots for sale? And if you have to convince people to sell to you, you'll be paying a premium.

[bem684]

Buy a house in CLE for $100K.  Buy 3 neighbors houses for $300K.  Have the fire department demolish the other 3 houses.
Enjoy 1 acre lot.

Now there's an idea I like lol....I bet that's doable in one of the eastern Pennsylvania communities.

[bem684]

Are there any suburbs of Philly or any other PA towns that would meet my requirements?

[Dan]

Are there any suburbs of Philly or any other PA towns that would meet my requirements?

Find a minyan to move with you?

[MarkS]

Are there any suburbs of Philly or any other PA towns that would meet my requirements?

There is a small community in Bensalem (20 min north of Philly) but it's probably too small for you although there is actually a kollel there.
Yardly is another 20 min north of Bensalem - I think it's pretty small too. (Used to have a Yeshiva there).
Harrisburg is farther west and is probably larger than the other 2 but still on the small side.