DING
We are about to do something pretty scary. Beyond a haunted house tour, beyond bobbing for apples in a swine flu world, beyond checking for razor blades in goo goo clusters.
We are moving. By the seat of our pants, on a wing and a prayer, totally without a net: moving.
After speaking to a very helpful recruiter our thoughts have been confirmed that if we don’t want a job in Florida we should move to the area where we want a job. And since the job climate in our number one dream location is slim to none (I’ll always love you Monterey), we are moving to another area on our desired list. Hello Mid-Atlantic!
And because this needs to happen fast (as in before December 1st) we are up in a whirlwind of to-do lists. And also a bit nervous about a million and one logistics including wondering just how a couple of gals get a cheap rental when neither one have employment.
But it is the job market catch 22: how do you get a job if you aren’t local and no one is relocating?
I’ve been communicating with a couple of folks that I know in and around the DC/Baltimore area but if you are a reader that lives in that part of the world and you have thoughts/phone numbers of property managers/suggestions about neighborhoods/whatever – I am totally in the “help me please” state of mind.
And so in November a new chapter will begin. Time to turn the page.
HOLY CHAOS GALORE!!!
But since it is October 31st I can’t not share some W with you:
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
Have either of you looked into a temp agency? Might be a good place to start and the job could turn permanent. DC is so fun!
I have someone who might be able to help you. I sent her an email.
Can’t help with Baltimore or DC, but if you come a bit further north to Philly, I might be more helpful!
I don’t live in the area but I’m sending you all the best wishes and prayers I’ve got.
And I LOVE the costume, what a cutie!
Can you shoot me an email with some specifics on what you’re looking for in a neighborhood?
I am in that area, just a little west in Hagerstown, about an hour from DC and Baltimore. Not sure exactly what you are looking for, but another area that is good for job.. is Frederick ( about 30 minutes from dc and Baltimore). I will be thinking and praying for you all… maybe when you get here and get settled, we could meet up for lunch or something
Hey darlin, My dad and his good friends are all still in D.C. Raelinn is just in VA outside of DC (and she is a busybody if ever there were one). Plus, even though they aren’t living there right now, three of my good friends from college (who I keep in regular touch with) are all Baltimore natives. Call me and tell me whatcha need/ want.
I used to live in Baltimore, so I maybe be able to answer any questions about Baltimore/Catonsville/Annapolis area. Please feel free to email if you have any! I loved it in Baltimore!
You know I’m beyond overjoyed to think of you guys up here. Here to cheer you on for the next leg of the journey.
I grew up in the DC suburbs of Virginia. DC might be a good place with lots ‘o’ jobs for your mom. But DC area is wicked expensive cost of living / rents et cetera, one of the highest in the country. Baltimore is not a lot better, but with more crime. If DC area is a definite for you, look at Alexandria (it’s cheaper than Arlington) of the close-in ‘burbs. Maryland might be cheaper and I have heard good things about Rockville. If you aren’t hoping to work in DC proper, and can live farther out, it’ll be cheaper in the VA exurbs like Chantilly or Manassas. If Northern Virginia is it for you I will see who I know back there for housing.
Prices are high in the D.C. suburbs. I am in Montgomery County, Maryland. Of course, I like it here very much, but there are lots of under-employed or unemployed lawyers in this area. I imagine rentals are cheaper in Frederick, as a commenter suggested, and you can get to Washington’s cultural attractions, when you can afford them, pretty easily (or Baltimore for that matter). The Panhandle part of West Virginia probably has a cheaper cost of living and is less than 100 miles from downtown. Very few jobs in West Va. I would think. Wherever you go, factor in the cost of transportion. You don’t get it all around here. I can sing you many praises of Montgomery County but I can’t say it’s economical. There is plenty of rental property available right now, and if the Base Realignment proposal of the military really happens, the rentals will be at much more of a premium–we are close to Naval Medical, which will be expanded as Walter Reed is closed. You could e-mail me with specific questions if you like. Montgomery County has excellent schools, but you could be entirely relocated before that is a factor. Best of luck. You are not in an enviable position, to put it mildly, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess. Look at the Washington Post online for rental properties, and then ask questions about the area that interests you.
Wow, how exciting! I think this is a great idea, and I’m sure will lead to some great opportunities! And might I add, love W in his costume! So adorable!
I live 4 blocks outside DC close to a metro in a very friendly neighborhood with tons of smart people. Kinda crunchy and known as the Berkley of the East. E-mail if you want the details, and I might also be able to help with temp housing when you arrive as I have a three bedroom and we are a family of two.
I’m not sure how far you want to get from DC/Baltimore, but I’m in St Mary’s county in southern MD. We’re about 1 1/2 – 2 hours from both cities. http://www.somd.com is a good website to get a feel for the area. Let me know if you have any questions. I’ve followed your journey since I was a lurker on the FF single TTC w/donor sperm board some 4+ years ago (my daughter is almost 3). I would love to be able to help in any way I can.
Wow. Big change. Sometimes though you just have to go with it. I am sending man hopes that this turns out to be a hugely successful move for all of you and that it all goes relatively smoothly.
What a cutie W is!
I’ll be moving soon after you – maybe you will motivate me to get some crap together for this move.
That little outfit fits W perfectly!
Sending you all the extra hugs and good luck vibes I can.
Exciting news! How bold of you to make the leap! Stirring it up might just be what you need! Only been to Balt. once but loved it–so glad to hear you have plenty of readers w/contacts and info! Awesome.
Happy Halloween! Love your little skeleton. I used to think they were scary, not anymore!
Sending major good vibes and kudos for making the move.
Love and hugs from AZ.
I did what your about to do a year ago.It hasn’t been easy and I am still adjusting as they say.The plus for you is you have your mom.
What helped for me was having a place to stay for free until I found a job and could get a place of my own.They want a lot of money up front in NYC to rent.
Check your email Calli, help is on its way!
I can’t help with DC or Baltimore either, but like someone else said, if you decide to go a little further north and head to the Philly area, I can be lots of help. Good luck!
I wish you the best of luck with your move. Housemoving is on my personal list of hellish occupations,
g
I’m in Silver Spring, MD (close in suburb) and use to live in DC for almost 20 years – I also have my real estate license for extra pocket change.
I would suggest looking on Craigslist for the cheapest options – Springfield, VA which is about 45 minutes outside DC (past Alexandria, VA) has seen drastic price drops so rentals are probably pretty reasonable. Someone told me they were renting a townhouse for $1500 in Springfield. In DC that will get you a studio apartment. Closer to the metro is more expensive. I think that from Springfield you can take the VRE to union station and get on the metro.
If you send me your budget and requirements (transportation, pets, house, townhouse or condo) I can send you some leads.
AAAhh! Scary is right! Sending you all my best love and wishes though.
I’ve spent a lot of time in DC area and have family there, but am not intimately associated so won’t have as expert an opinion on housing prices etc. I know Northern VA just below DC is fabulous for schools, services etc, but that it has a MUCH higher cost of living and the traffic is absolutely absurd. Fairfax may be one of the better places to choose in that case??? Giant suburb. Oakton or Vienna or any of those.. pricey and trafficky.
Southern MD/Baltimore area is not nearly as rich as No. VA and doesn’t have as good schools and whatnot, but is definitely much more affordable and livable for us poorer folk.
And the schools are still MUCH better than down here. Laurel is a suburb with some really good and some crappy areas, so you can find a more in between place that isn’t so expensive but also isn’t dumpy. It’s also a metro ride from DC just like parts of No. Va. It’s pricier to be near the metro housing wise, but make sure you aren’t TOO far.. (maybe even a bus ride? The buses are good) from the Metro if you’re going to work in DC itself. You do NOT want to have to commute by car. AWWWWWWWWWWFUL traffic.
Oh.. and Baltimore itself is largely poor.
DC is one of my favorite cities despite some of the things I dislike. I miss it very much. You should expect a visitor.
If you haven’t been there, you will adore many parts of that city.
I have friends living in Laurel and family living in Vienna, so I can always have them scope something or ask an opinion if you want.
I went to college in Baltimore (Towson to be exact, but not Towson State), and for me, now living in CA, the rents are mind bogglingly cheap! I loved living near the Hopkins Campus (Charles Villiage). It was a slightly sketch area at the time, but is now quite gentrified. I would be careful about living too far from either DC or Baltimore–it is really quite spread out.
But the best news of all for you is SWEATERS!
I’m a Seattle transplant now in Maine, so I’m not much help with mid-Atlantic tips but I am sending lots of good wishes.
W is adorable, also.
We live in the 20902 zip code of the maryland suburbs. (Wheaton area). It’s a very reasonably priced neighborhood, comparatively. Lots of duplexes and postwar bungalows. Very convenient, just outside the beltway. Other people have given good info too. Good luck!
My dad lives in an hour west of DC and commutes into the city every day for the last 30 plus years when he was not overseas. I grew up in Fredericksburg, Va ( which is an hour south of DC) which has now become a suburb but was then a small town an hour outside of DC. It is a wonderful place to live, but not sure what kind of law your mom does, one of dad’s friends have been laid off this year from a government job after many years and is still looking without much success, but it may be their field. Email me and I can call my dad and get more info if you like.
It is a wonderful place to grow up or live and we would move back if we could but for now are here.
West of DC on Highway 66 if you go out far enough is still very small town, and very reasonable to live, with rolling hills and horse country. It is just beautiful.
This is so exciting! I love all of these comments and advice. What an awesome online community.
Ohhhhhh! I’m very, very excited! I might get to meet W in real life someday!
I’m out in Germantown, MD. I love it here, but it is not cheap. I don’t have any contacts for you. Frederick, MD is more affordable, but also a longer commute into DC. Someone else suggested looking west out on 66 in VA and I agre that would make financital sense.
I don’t have any good contacts about anything, but if I hear anything I will let you know.
Don’t have any contacts, but I got a lot of good vibes going your way!
Yowzers. That is jarring. I will miss you!
I’ve followed your blog before but don’t know if I’ve ever actually posted any comments before. We live in the DC area and my partner is actually a real estate agent. I couldn’t find your email published but if you want some more info my email address is mgregory421@gmail.com.
We live in Falls Church and love the area. How exciting that you guys are thinking of making the move here:)
Our time is limited now, so we have to, HAVE to squeeze in a visit this month.
(I’m a bit sad that you’re moving so far away.)
(Because it is sooo about me, right?)
Seriously, though – I hope and pray that the move will bring with it a welcome change, brighter days, and wider opportunities. One thing you know you’ll get – SWEATER WEATHER! SNOW! NO FLAMIN’ HOT FLORIDA STIFLING HUMIDITY SWEAT YOUR FACE OFF MELT YOUR HAIR DAYS!
Oh and W – I just want to squeeze his bones.
That sounded very creepy.
aweeeeeeee W is soo adorable
much hugs and lots of awesome thoughts..
temp agencies help and look in craigs list i found my job through them
much hugs!!!
you talk to Jen and Cait, right? You know, and their spare room and all…
My father lived in the DC/VA area for a good while; I’ll see what he might be able to offer. And please let me know how I can help. I’m pretty good with the wrapping things in newspaper/bubble wrap and placing them in boxes detail, and will come down to do so. Just so you know. Love to you all.
I live in the dc area. Hey, we have a house just outside DC, in Maryland, that is unoccupied and avail for a few months if you are interested. Email me if you want to discuss it.
DC offers fairly good quality of life compared to the cultural excellence. You get almost everything NY offers but one can actually afford a house, a car, a parking space. Most major international music and art shows come here.
Baltimore is a weird but nice city too. It is large and offers many different types of neighborhoods.
All in all this area seems highly livable.
Yowsers! I would faint. Moving! Job hunt! With a bitty baby oh my! I would browse city data for your intended city. I’ve recently discovered that there is one -it’s a chat room-basically-for every major area. And the people who answer relocator[s questions are people who live there and tell the truth about schools-etc. (if you’re not buying that doesn’t matter)
Good luck!
Not that this is helpful at all, but just throwing it out there. I don’t know what job market you are looking in, and it is definitely relevant, but I live in Richmond, VA. We are 1 hr 45 minutes south from D.C. straight down I95. The job market here is so-so, like everywhere else right now, but housing is pretty affordable, compared to the d.c. area. You could rent a little house for 1000ish, and a several bedroom apartment for 750ish. Obviously, I don’t have exact figures and it depends very much on neighborhood. But it’s something to consider. Nobody really commutes from here to D.C., but if you go a little bit north I know people do. Richmond is certainly no metropolis, but it has some nice features and amenities, and you aren’t too far from the big city.
good luck! I live in DC now and I agree that rents here are pricey. I don’t mind paying extra, though, because I save on not owning a car. Since you already have a car and you’ll be looking for jobs in a broader area, I’ll echo what everyone has said about living further out–Germantown, Gaithersburg, Suitland, Annandale, Vienna, Lorton, Woodridge, etc. Those are futher-out DC suburbs. I don’t know much about Baltimore except that rents in the city are a LOT cheaper than rents in DC. Also that the city as a whole has higher crime. But there are safer and less-safe neighborhoods everywhere, so I wouldn’t let that bother you too much.
If you’re interested in pursuing census jobs (I know they’re hiring a lot of short-term staff because of the 2010 census), the headquarters are in Suitland and there’s a call center in Hagerstown (both Maryland) so you might want to look for places near there.
Finally, have you checked out http://www.usajobs.gov/? It’s the federal job clearinghouse–basically everything is listed there. Since you’re moving to the epicenter of government jobs, maybe there’s one that’s a good fit. Or a crappy fit, but something that’ll pay the bills until something else comes along.
Oh, that is so exciting!
Don’t know if also in English, but in Hebrew we have a saying about – change of place = change of luck, so I am sure that in no time you mother will find a job in the new place!
And how cute is W!!
I don’t know squat about the area, but I hope this hail mary play does it for you.
I’m here in that area – I can pretty much second/third/whatever the replies above. Do I remember correctly that your mom is a lawyer? I am too, although I left the field. The legal job market has been pretty lean here. I will keep you guys in mind if I hear of anything – and feel free to get in touch if you have questions or need info on anything specific.
I agree with all of the suggestions, there are some really pricey areas in the Baltimore/DC vicinity. There are also some nice (albeit farther out)rural, not so pricey areas. Carroll county (in Central Maryland) has grown since I first moved here but it is still relatively inexpensive and close (45 min to either city, without traffic. There are some nice areas in downtown Baltimore with moderately low rental rates, someone mentioned Charles Village, Mount Vernon is also quite nice (and the center of the “Cultural” & “Historical” district, lots of theater and concerts & art galleries.) Like any city there is crime but these areas are comparatively lower crime than other sections. As for schools, just about any school in this area far surpasses most of Florida, however the more affluent areas have better schools (generally) than Baltimore City or DC. One big shortfall (Baltimore more so than DC) is the (almost) non-existent public transportation.
One small note on the job market, things are not great here. I have a really good friend who is a paralegal and has been unemployed since February. She has been on interviews but they are few and far between. Having said that, there are far more opportunities is this area (I would think) for an experienced lawyer than in Florida.
Hope this helps, best of luck!
Goooooood luck! I hope wonderful things are headed your way very soon, you deserve it!
And he’s the cutest skeleton ever, obviously!
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