As of April 15th civilian and military employees of the Defense Information Systems Agency, will no longer be reporting to duty in Alexandria, VA but instead they are transferring all of their operations to the new facility at Fort Meade. This transition is another step in the BRAC movement that is consolidating military and government agencies and affecting locations in Maryland.
It seems initially that many of the employees of DISA are opting to commute from VA to Maryland. They may choose to drive or use the public transport that is being provided. Either way there is an added expense. And what about quality of life? An optimistic conclusion of Dave Bullock, an employee of DISA via an article on NetGov is that the round trip commute will take around 2 hours a day. Personally I am guessing that a more realistic time frame from door to door will be closer to 3 hours (on a good day!!!!). Washington DC is renowned for being the number 1 most traffic congested area in the USA.
ALTERNATIVELY, they could elect to move to Maryland, enjoy a relatively short journey to work, spend more time with their family, buy a larger house with more square footage and acreage for less money than they are paying in Virginia and have an excellent quality of living with all the wonderful amenities that the Metro Baltimore area has to offer.
Employees who choose to move to Maryland are entitled to a change of station allowance that is calculated based on the sale price of their homes, purchases of new homes, moving, storage and miscellaneous expenses. Bullock estimates that workers will be given an average of about $65,000.
If you have a home to sell in Virginia, Cindy Jones is a local Realtor in Northern Virginia who specializes in governmental and military relocation. She is well versed in the HAP program.
So where should I live if I am moving to Maryland?
If you are relocating to Maryland you are probably doing your homework about where you want to live. One of the most popular counties in Central Maryland is Howard County and specifically the delightful jurisdiction of Ellicott City.
- Close to Baltimore, Washington DC and Fort Meade.
- Near BWI airport, but not in a general flight path.
- Historic Downtown Ellicott City
- Plenty of Parks and Parkland.
- Community activities in abundance.
If education is important then the schools of Ellicott City are excellent learning facilities. The Elementary Schools, the Middle Schools and High Schools all receive excellent grades from www.GreatSchools.org.
HOW FAR IS IT FROM ELLICOTT CITY TO FORT MEADE?
You can be home in less than 25 minutes.
Compare these two locations with regards to Active Real Estate: Single family homes. 3 or more bedrooms, 2 or more bathrooms with at least a 1 car garage.
Single Family homes for sale in Alexandria Va.
Single family homes for sales in Ellicott City.
Some of the national accolades that Ellicott City proudly boasts are:
An article posted by Kiplinger in August 2010 listed Ellicott City, Maryland: One of the 10 great Cities to raise a family.
Money Magazine Ranks Columbia/Ellicott City #2 "America's Best Places to Live 2010"
Forbes magazine reports Americas Richest Counties- Howard County Maryland in the top 3
If you are planning to move to the Central Maryland area and you want a BUYERS AGENT that really knows the area and all that it has to offer, I can help.
If you are looking to successfully sell your Maryland home with a Realtor who will market your property with multiple resources, call me for an appointment.
These are the areas that I serve Buyers or Sellers in the Metro Baltimore area : Howard County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Harford County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Montgomery County or Prince Georges County . If you would like more information please call me, Ellie McIntire at 443-418-7668 or e-mail Ellie@LNF.com
Ellie McIntire Client Reviews on Zillow.
Want to search for your New Maryland home "When you are out on the Road"?
Ellie McIntire
The McIntire Team
Long & Foster Real Estate
9171 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City. MD 21042
410. 461 1456
410. 750 8781 (FX)
443. 418 7668 (cell)
E-mail: Ellie@LNF.com
We redefine the essence of service
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