Jamie Mason

A native of Abingdon, in Harford County, Baltimore was a school field trip for Jamie Mason. "Back then [it was] a little bit exotic and scary and compelling, all at the same time," she says.

·Things have clearly changed since then for Jamie who live in Fells Point for six years before she and her husband made the move to Canton.

"We purchased the Fells Point house at foreclosure and although the structure was solid, it needed a complete cosmetic overhaul. The house smelled like raw sewage; there was a master bathroom that had only been roughed in; and there were random appliances sitting in the dining room," Jamie says.

"My husband thought I was crazy when I pronounced that it was our house, but it was three blocks from my office and Broadway Market Square, it had off-street parking, and it was significantly undervalued. So we bought it, renovated it - using various sub-contractors, with me acting as the general contractor - and moved in five weeks after closing. When we sold for a huge profit, my husband promised to never doubt my real estate savvy again," she continues.

Although Jamie says the couple "loved living in Fells Point," when an opportunity arose to purchase a larger, newly constructed, 2-car garage townhome in Canton in 2006, they jumped at it.

"I was representing the developer in the sale of ten new townhomes going up near the Canton Dog Park, and I was so good at selling them, I sold myself. I had been involved in the project since its inception, weighing in on architectural plans and advising the developer on floor plan and structural changes she could make that would increase value. In the end, the homes were customized to my taste as well as what I thought would appeal to our target market. My husband was an easy sell this time around. As soon as he saw the view of the water and Fort McHenry from one of the roof terraces, he was convinced."

Uniquely Canton

Canton -- like many of Charm City's locales -- is real a neighborhood. There is a sense of camaraderie among the residents, Jamie says. "If my windows are open and my dog barks at a passerby, the person will call in, "Hi, Shelby!" Back when I lived in the county, none of my neighbors even knew my name, much less the name of my pet. We are within an easy stroll of the Canton Dog Park, several pools and gyms, O'Donnell Square shops and restaurants, The Can Company, the newer National Brewery redevelopment, and the Canton Waterfront Park, from which we can catch the water taxi to Fells Point and downtown, or walk along the waterfront promenade."

Eating in the 'hood

"Well, I wish I had a more "active" answer, but I have to admit, my favorite thing to do in Canton is EAT -- and drink, of course," she explains.

Canton has so many great restaurants and pubs from which to choose, as well as Baltimore's first wine bar. My favorite, less-discovered restaurant is Jack's Bistro on Elliott Street. (Okay, so it's also the closest to my house, but I assure you, any place that served macaroni and cheese with chocolate would be my favorite, no matter how far I had to walk to get there.)

Shop until you drop

There are some great boutiques, shops, salons and restaurants nestled within renovated historic rowhomes on O'Donnell Square, says Jamie.

"This is the part of Canton I first fell in love with, because it feels like a quaint, old town square. The redevelopment of the National Brewery has allowed some newer shops to come to the area, including Dogma Life With Your Pet, and my current favorite for carry-out or a quick bite, Pasta Mista. If you want the comfort of a known entity, such as Dunkin' Donuts, Five Guys Burgers, or Panera Bread, you can find that at the Brewery Shops as well."

Best of all

The best things about Canton for Jamie are the convenience and the people. "I am close to everything here. If I can't walk to where I want to go, I am a quick taxi or car ride away. For my job, I work all over the city and surrounding counties. I like to say that - because I live centrally in the city - I can be anywhere I need to go for work in 30 minutes or less."

As for the people, Jamie says her neighbors are the best she's ever had.

"We and our neighbors have hosted progressive dinner parties, impromptu deck parties, and holiday decorating parties where none of the attendees had to get into a car. Some of the best evenings we spend are out on our deck or roof terraces, conversing with the eighbors, sharing wine or scotch, or making s'mores over a flaming rooftop firepit."

If you ask this real estate agent why moving to Canton is a good idea, she says "tor people like my Mom who don't think they are "city people," I say, you haven't been to Canton. Canton is a small town within a larger city. You will love its quaint architecture, its friendly residents, and its ineluctable energy. Come for a visit and, sooner or later, you'll live here."