If you’re looking for unique architecture, old-world charm, and the perfect smaller home for enjoying your retirement, Baltimore’s historic neighborhoods offer all of the above.
From the hillside homes of Ellicott City to the harborside row houses in Fells Point to the charming apartments of Charlestown’s Historic District, you’re bound to find a home that suits your personality.
But while today’s real estate market has made many houses more affordable for buyers, it hasn’t dropped prices in many of these desirable historic neighborhoods.
Perfect for personality, not pricing
A year ago, The Washington Post reported that homes in Historic Ellicott City sold for between $360,000 and $605,000. Almost a year later, the Baltimore Sun reported that row homes along Ellicott City’s Main Street ran from $300,000 to $450,000—and some were going for up to $750,000.
You might find a home in Fells Point or other historic neighborhoods in Baltimore for $100,000, but it will require thousands of dollars in rehab, not to mention a lot of time and elbow grease. Larger restored houses in Fells Point go for around $850,000, according to Live Baltimore Home Center, a resource for city living.
If you want to spend your retirement money on your house instead of traveling or doing other things you’ve always wanted to do, these historic homes may be the option for you. But Baltimore has a few more historic neighborhoods— that are affordable.
Affordable historic homes
A one bedroom home in Charlestown’s Historic District costs between $145,000 and $158,000. The people who live there have all the same conveniences as people who live in the city—and a few more. “Charlestown has all the things people move to the city, or small town, to find— restaurants, a medical center, pharmacy, college-level classes, top-quality entertainment, a stunning historic chapel, you name it,” says Steffany Byers, the community’s retirement counselor. “But it’s all situated in a more convenient way.