Arbutus Apartment Renter's Guide
Arbutus Apartment Renter's Guide
Arbutus is the hometown of David Byrne, lead singer of the Talking Heads!
Arbutus is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland
Arbutus is the hometown of David Byrne, lead singer of the Talking Heads!
Arbutus is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland. According to the U.S. Census, it has a population of around 20,483 people spread out over 6.5 square miles of land. It's a pretty dense population and it's no wonder, being so close to Baltimore! It provides a great rental housing alternative for people who don't want to live right in the city but like being close enough to drive in often for work or play. Living in an apartment complex in Arbutus offers the best of both worlds -- an escape from downtown chaos with the convenience of an easy commute!
Moving to Arbutus
Ready to find apartments in Arbutus? You're in luck! You should be able to find all kinds of rental housing, from luxury apartments to serviced apartments to stand-alone townhouses. The area has plenty to offer, and with a little time and patience, you'll be able to score your own pad right outside Baltimore. When you start looking for apartments, it's a good idea to view all kinds of different places. Even if you're not a fan of high-rise apartment buildings, they might end up being the best deal. Alternatively, if you dislike small apartment complexes, you could find one that has everything you need and will change your mind! The idea is to just keep an open mind and explore all of your options -- knowing what is out there will give you an advantage in your hunt.
What You'll Need
When you're ready to start checking out apartments, make a number of appointments with different landlords. Everyone will have different properties to show and you want to make sure you get to see a good smattering of what's out there. When you go to meet your prospective landlord, get all your ducks in a row first. You want to make sure you have all the paperwork you need to get the ball rolling on your deal should you come across a place you really love. Bring a copy of your ID, your credit report, bank statement, pay stubs, letter of employment and references. If you have pets, be sure to ask upfront if the building allows animals and also have a copy of their vet records to prove they are healthy. You don't want to run into trouble halfway through the lease signing, so it's good to talk about stuff like this right up front. You'll also want to bring your checkbook so you can put a deposit down on the apartment right away if you're interested in it. Knowing all of this beforehand can help ensure you get the place you want without any hassle.
Neighborhoods
Arbutus is so small, only 6.5 square miles, that it isn't really broken down into neighborhoods. But here's a look at some of the areas of the town.
West Arbutus: The west side of Arbutus runs along Shelbourne Road. There are a number of complexes near this area, including the Center for Art Design and Visual Culture, the UMBC Stadium Complex, the Research and Technology Park and the Baseball Factory Field. This area is highly popular, so finding a rental here will be tough. You'll find mostly owner-occupied single-unit homes and townhomes here.
East Arbutus: The east side of Arbutus runs along I-695 and Route 1, or Southwestern Blvd. Here, you can find more small apartment buildings and vacancies, and it is also convenient for folks who want to commute into Baltimore for work or play.
Living in Arbutus
Life in Arbutus is pretty typical of a Baltimore suburb. It's a bustling area with a lot of people packed into a small space, but it's still more laid-back than city living in Baltimore proper. There are a few restaurants within the community limits as well as convenient stores and grocery stores for your daily snacks. A couple restaurants to try are Sorrento of Arbutus Restaurant and Gianni's Italian Restaurant. For a slice of pizza pie, mosey on over to Pizza Paradise.
But for entertainment and real shopping options, people head into Baltimore. Baltimore is a city of about 621,342 people and is growing at a rapid rate! It's called "a city of neighborhoods" because it's broken into so many different districts and is also nicknamed Charm City. It's a great place to head into and soak up some of the wonderful culture that the city is known for, as well as the world-class shopping and dining. It's a very eclectic city and you'll find that walking through the different neighborhoods feels like you could be walking through different cities! The Harbor has become a city of boats and is home to several historic ships and other attractions for people to visit. Many books and TV shows have been set in Baltimore and helped propel the city into infamy. The Wire is the most notorious, but House of Cards, although set in Washington D.C., is also filmed in Baltimore.