by Joe Makintosh

Created on: April 26, 2009   Last Updated: May 14, 2009

Baltimore, Maryland is a hive of activity for any buyer or seller. With over two-hundred and fifty neighbourhoods there is heaps of choice for the buyer.

Buying a house depends on the type of person you are. If you need a house quickly you'll be wanting to buy a fairly cheap property. Always keep in mind when going cheap that the more you pay the better you get is a general rule. Expect to live in one of the areas with a high crime rate, but there are always diamonds in the rough. Cheaper areas include Patterson Park which is selling for at the cheapest seventy-thousand dollars. Keep on eye of the Foreclosures in the city as well. Previous owners will want to sell the house quickly because of Foreclosures meaning you could get a good deal.

For the buyers that want to live the live of luxury the Suburbs of Baltimore are your best choice. The general opinion is that Greensprings Valley is the most prestigious suburb but Clarksville, Howard Country is one of the most richest places in the US. Areas in the actual city can be the most prestigious (or expensive, depending on how you want to look at it) such as Homeland, and Guilford.

However, there are some areas of Baltimore you'll want to avoid. The crime rate in Baltimore is high and people feel that it is not a good idea to go too far west of the MLK Boulevard in to West Baltimore. In the east of Baltimore and too north and too far east of Patterson Park. Tips are to not travel alone at night and to stay in groups. Hire a cab if possible and stick to the illuminated areas.

Of course there are the good places to live in Baltimore as well, so don't get put off! Downtown, Canton, Ridgley's and Mt. Vernon are amongst the areas that the crime rate is lower than other areas.

Turning that around for the sellers however, if you live in a good area or one of the more expensive suburbs then expect to get a lot for them. Take Greensprings Valley for example. A lot of the properties there are selling for roughly two to four MILLION dollars. Areas in Baltimore City can be selling around one million dollars. That of course depends on the area and the size and type of house.

On the other hand, living in one of the cheaper areas means your house will sell for much, much cheaper. The Patterson Park area can be selling for as low as low as seventy-thousand dollars.

Tips for sellers, no matter where you are, are the same. Appearance, appearance, appearance. Oh, and functionality. The prettier your house looks, the better. Far away from the bus stop? Put in a drive for your buyer's car. Maybe even a garage for the areas with a higher crime rate. Do up your house on the outside AND the inside. Give all the walls a new lick of paint or new wallpaper. Fill up cracks etc.

Areas of interest in Baltimore include the restaurants, the harbour and the many original Museums in the surrounding area include many museums of art, America's first black history wax museum, the Museum of Dentistry and the Maryland Fire Museum. Nightlife in Baltimore is a major aspect of life. Tuscan Restaurants, Greek Restaurants, aComedy Club on East Coast, the Symphony Orchestra and much more. Little Italy is a whole neighbourhood full of family owned Italian Restaurants which will entice anybody.

At first, Baltimore is just a city. A bunch of buildings towering in to the sky. However, once you get involved in life their it opens up a whole world of beauty and fun. Baltimore isn't as scary as people make it out to be if you know what you are doing and have a bit of common sense. A one-of-a-kind City and area that stands for everything that is Maryland.

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