Baltimore County - Real Estate & Information

With its easy distance to the cities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Baltimore County boasts many vibrant communities and outstanding real estate, including Owings Mills, one of CNNMoney.com’s “100 Best Places to Live and Launch,” 2008. From the Chesapeake Bay to the Maryland and Pennsylvania state lines, Baltimore County wraps around, but does not include, Baltimore City and is home to nearly 800,000 residents. Notables Tom Clancy, Mo’Nique, and Michael Phelps all got their start here!

Shopping and Dining
Baltimore County is a shopping and dining paradise. Over 3,000 locally-owned businesses provide you with personalized shopping tailored to every need, taste and budget. Try the historic charm of centrally-located Reisterstown for Main Street’s antiques and unique gifts. Continue south to Pikesville, sampling cuisines ranging from Russian to Szechwan to Italian at local eateries.

Bargain hunters will love fashionable Arundel Mills for outlet shopping including Off 5th (Saks 5th Avenue Outlet,) Kenneth Cole, Banana Republic and many others. Big-box favorite IKEA is found at White Marsh Mall, on Baltimore County’s eastern side. After a fun day shopping, join locals who flock to Essex for crab at Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn. Just north of Baltimore, Towson Town Center offers four levels of shopping including Nordstrom and Macy’s, and you can dine at the ever-popular Rainforest Café.

Parks and Recreation
Baltimore County offers excellent access to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Boasting 30 waterfront parks providing boat ramps, walking trails, and picnic areas as well as bathing beaches, the area is a water-enthusiast’s playground. Explore wetlands and woodlands at Robert E. Lee Park (reopens Fall 2011) or Marshy Point Nature Center which offers guided canoe trips as well as nature trails.

History enthusiasts can step back into the 18th century at Benjamin Banneker Museum and Park which focuses on the contributions of Banneker, the first African-American man of science, and also offers a Summer Jazz Festival and a winter Kwanzaa Celebration. The Department of Recreation and Parks coordinates 45 local Councils to provide a range of activities, programs and events for residents.

Living
Baltimore County offers a wide spectrum of housing ranging from starter homes available at 100K to multi-million dollar properties. Every style of home is available in over a dozen unique suburban communities.

Baltimore County enjoys a diverse employment base, with headquarters or major operations for corporations such as McCormick, Lockheed-Martin, Black and Decker, and T. Rowe Price. Other large employers include Baltimore County Public Schools, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the Social Security Administration and several medical services centers.

Schools, Health, Transportation
The outstanding educational opportunities in the area attract buyers to Baltimore County real estate. Baltimore County Public Schools is the administrative entity in charge of serving over 100,000 students annually, making BCPS one of the nation’s largest school systems and which boasts fifteen schools recognized as Maryland Blue Ribbon schools of excellence. Year after year, BCPS is recognized by the NAMM Foundation as one of the Best Communities for Music Education in America. An impressive 85% of high school graduates immediately pursue higher education.

In addition, private school opportunities abound, whether you are seeking religious-based instruction (Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, and Jewish, to name a few), an education focused on the arts, or a preparatory school environment.

Nearby health care facilities include the renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital (rated #1 in the nation by US News and World Report) and the University of Maryland Medical Center. Baltimore County has sixteen community-based hospitals, many with regionally important programs and services.

Local transportation including bus, rail, light-rail and subway is administered by the Maryland Transportation Administration, and Amtrak can be found in nearby Baltimore. The area is served by numerous freeways and tollways conveniently connecting Baltimore County residents to the nation’s capital and other destinations. Air travelers may use the Baltimore Washington International Airport.