Moving to DC area..any suggestions on where to live? (Silver Spring: apartment, to rent)

[Carolyn38]

My husband and I are moving to the DC area. He will be working in downtown DC. We would like to rent for a year first and get to know the area before buying a house. We're looking for something affordable, in a safe neighborhood (we have 1 child, so safety is a big must), and something that's about a 30 minute commute (or less). We would like something in Maryland. Any suggestions on where to look?

[PropertyMan]

Originally Posted by Carolyn38

My husband and I are moving to the DC area. He will be working in downtown DC. We would like to rent for a year first and get to know the area before buying a house. We're looking for something affordable, in a safe neighborhood (we have 1 child, so safety is a big must), and something that's about a 30 minute commute (or less). We would like something in Maryland. Any suggestions on where to look?

My experience with this forum is that you will get all sorts of crazy responses and eventually your thread will be hijacked by posters voicing more ire for each other than responding to your inquiry.

To get some useful responses you need to add way more detail to your inquiry. What are you looking for in terms of price, demographics, schools district, community feel, etc? Please bear in mind that unless money is no object you will have to make compromises. The most reasonably priced areas have the worst performing schools.

For now, since you are thinking of starting out renting, you can find a decent 2+ apartment for $1600 and up anywhere around town.

[Kensington]

30 minutes or less to downtown DC is going to be difficult even from the closest suburbs in MD. To truly be at your desk in 30 minutes or less during rush hour, you are going to need to be within a 5-10 minute walk to the metro. I would just start looking around the close-in metro stops on the red line. You can see a map of the metro system at www . wmata . com . Friendship Heights, Bethesda, Grovesnor may all be possibilities. I don't know if you can make it in 30 minutes or less from Takoma Park or Silver Spring. The above poster offered great advice. If you provide the absolute most you want to spend on rent, people can help point you in the right direction. If $ is no object, I would live in the district and send your child to private school for the shortest possible commute.

I would love to read others' comments on the idea of a 30 minute or less commute from MD (during rush hour of course). Is it possible? I had a 30 minute commute to downtown when I lived in the Cathedral area and when I lived briefly in Chevy Chase, DC. I'm not sure there is anywhere in MD you could make it downtown in less than 30 minutes.

[Joykins]

I don't think you could go out any farther than Bethesda or Chevy Chase or maybe Silver Spring or Takoma Park and get downtown in half an hour in rush hour, but I guess it depends also on what part of DC you are working in.

[Carolyn38]

Thanks for your replies! I had no idea it was that congested during rush hour! Anyway, to be more specific as to what we're looking for, anything in the 1400-1800 range for a 2 bedroom. We need something that is pet friendly, also (which is going to be hard, I know!), i.e. allows a small dog and two cats. My son isn't old enough to go to school yet, but we would like something in a safe neighborhood. As for distance, I guess 30 minutes is a bit unrealistic, now knowing what a pain rush hour is there. What about 1 hour? Say near a red line Metro stop? My husband will be working near the Judicial Square area in DC on 4th Street. We would like to live somewhere that is not too big, but yet not too small that it doesn't offer much in the way of shopping, restaurants, etc. Is the Rockville/Gaithersburg area too far? Not knowing the area at all, I'm totally out of my league! HELP!

[dakwilk]

We love our town. It is small but so convenient. There is a free town shuttle to the metro. My husband takes about 30 minutes to get to work. Don't let people fool you into thinking there isn't anything good about PG county. I've lived here all my life and the people who have a problem don't live in the nice areas or are racist. It is a diverse area. The town elementary school is one of the best in the state. When I had my baby, neighbors brought me food for a month. Email me if you want to know more, as I won't be checking this link much. dakwilk@netzero.com. I might have a house for you too, because we just got a job offer in Detroit.

[1973 Forced Busing]

I believe this is called bait and switch. Home prices in the Wash DC area are dropping like a rock. It's a great time to make a lowball offer.

[lscalder]

Rockville area is one of the most congest areas in Maryland. People who live in Rockville are always in traffic no matter the time of day. Gaithersburg traffic is worst then Rockville traffic. Bethesda traffic is horrible as well. I think Chevy Chase,Down Town Silver Spring and NW DC.

[carolina_guy]

Originally Posted by lscalder

Rockville area is one of the most congest areas in Maryland. People who live in Rockville are always in traffic no matter the time of day. Gaithersburg traffic is worst then Rockville traffic. Bethesda traffic is horrible as well. I think Chevy Chase,Down Town Silver Spring and NW DC.

People must have stayed home the day I was driving through Gaithersburg last Friday. It was between 2:30pm and 5pm and no congestion whatsoever.

[vivo]

here's one result from a quick craigslist search. i don't know the nitty gritty of the area as some others might. this seems to also be a good scchool district so perhaps morfe expensive than something better in an area with a worse school district. this is a condo so condo fees. but do a search on craigslist.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/apa/513697684.html (broken link)