Loch Raven

Loch Raven is a neighborhood located in the northeast region of Baltimore. Loch Raven Boulevard, Woodbourne Avenue, Perring Parkway and East Northern Parkway generally form the borders of the neighborhood. Homes here are typically the attached single-family row style homes found throughout Baltimore.

One of the big attractions for me to the neighborhood is the Mount Pleasant Park and the attached golf course, as well as the Mount Pleasant Ice Arena. Shopping options are available throughout the neighborhood including the Raven Shopping Center. Restaurants, offering a wide variety of dining options, can also be found in Loch Raven. Families with children will find several schools nearby including the Mercy High School, Cardinal Shehan Elementary School, Yorkwood Elementary School and Mount Zion Baptist Christian School. In addition to having several places of worship located within the neighborhood, residents are lucky to have Good Samaritan Hospital of Maryland here.

Like many neighborhoods in large cities, crimes against people and property can occur at any time and crime rates can vary from street to street and day to day. As always, check recent crime statistics to make an informed decision on any neighborhood you are considering living in or visiting.

This is a neighborhood worth checking out. I love to play golf and living near a golf course would be a big plus for me.

Loch Raven is a large residential neighborhood in northeastern Baltimore that caters primarily to middle and lower income African American families. Unlike many less prosperous parts of the city, Loch Raven has no boarded up houses or abandoned homes. However, most of the residents do not own their own homes. Instead, they rent from older owners who have left the area, or from corporations that purchased foreclosed properties as investments.
Loch Raven has a small though significant claim to fame. The members of the popular band, Animal Collective, grew up in Loch Raven and the surrounding area. The even did a tribute to their early lives as a local garage band in their song named, appropriately, “Loch Raven.”
In general, Loch Raven could be a good location for a young single or couple getting their first start in the housing market. While prices are depressed right now, they are likely to increase over the next decade, as the American economy recovers and interest rates fall. On the other hand, there is some crime, such as what one might associate with a lower middle class neighborhood. For the reason, it might not be entirely appropriate for families with young children or retirees.