Moving to Maryland, work in Germantown, where to live? (Silver Spring: apartments, rent)

[loto]

Hi gang,

I'm a recent grad and will be working in Germantown, MD very soon. As such, I need to find a place to live but I really have no clue about the 270 corridor and all that.

What areas would be good for someone who doesn't mind a commute (30 minutes, roughly) to work, but wants to either be able to walk or have a short (very short) drive to stores, bars, entertainment, etc. ? Silver Spring, Bethesda, and Takoma Park seem like they fit the bill, but I'm worried about the commute since I hear the traffic situation is terrible.

I'd really rather avoid suburban areas, if at all possible.

Any advice?

[psychofan]

The I-270 commute northbound will present absolutely no problem at all. For downtown Bethesda, the only problem would be 355 northbound towards I-270 because you'll see high traffic going that way as people try to get onto 495. Silver Spring and Takoma Park would likely present a nightmare because of traffic on 495 heading towards 270.

What exactly is your price range? Downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring will likely be quite expensive since it's near everything. Just to give you an idea, I live in Germantown at Kingsview Village and my 1 BR apt is $1300/month and that's in the suburb, so prices will be much higher in downtown areas. Unless you're going to be making alot of money in your entry level position (since you're a recent grad), you'll burn through your money in rent and gas living that far away from work.

[Joykins]

Try Kentlands?

[lind1550]

Another idea might be to live close to a metro stop like Shady Grove or Rockville (there is housing very close to both those stops) so that more urban areas like Bethesda are a short metro ride away and your rent is lower than what you'd find downtown. The newly built Rockville Town Square by the Rockville metro stop has some nice restaurants, a brewery, and a movie theatre nearby. A reverse commute from Rockville to Germantown shouldn't be too bad.

[DragonFly757]

Shady Grove area...get as close to Germantown as possible and use the Metro. Otherwise, live in Germantown as they have plenty to offer within walking distance.

[hinata70]

I would agree with the other posts that you likely would not find an affordable place to live in the areas that you are looking. And with high gas prices you'd be better off living as close to your work as possible, then take the Metro into the urban areas for socializing. The closest Metro stop to Germantown is the Shady Grove station. Montgomery County also has a social sports club that is good for meeting people your age. Visit their website here Welcome to MOCO Social Sports.

[Germantown_girl]

Im a recent grad, work in Germantown, MD and live here.
You can get a decent 1bd apt for $1150-1200.
Altho people consider Germantown a family neighborhood, it is a short commute to DC proper and there are lots to do within walking distance.
There are lots of young professionals here and making friends wont be difficult.
Rockville is also good place to be. I would keep rockville as my second option.

[GJHJ]

Originally Posted by Germantown_girl

Im a recent grad, work in Germantown, MD and live here.
You can get a decent 1bd apt for $1150-1200.
Altho people consider Germantown a family neighborhood, it is a short commute to DC proper and there are lots to do within walking distance.
There are lots of young professionals here and making friends wont be difficult.
Rockville is also good place to be. I would keep rockville as my second option.

Germantown is considered a "family neighborhood" in the sense that there isn't a nightlife per se, unlike downtown Rockville or Bethesda.

A commute north in the morning, say from Rockville, up 270 wouldn't be bad at all, but coming down south, say from Frederick, can be a hassle.

My family and I just moved from Germantown, having spent almost 9 years there. We grew very disenchanted with how it changed, from a moderately rural/very suburban area to an extremely conjested area. There seems to be a never ending building cycle (house, condos, apartments, office buildings, etc.) but no much is being done with the roads, which makes getting anywhere quickly a pain in the neck.

Good luck with your search. If you're thinking about renting, take a look at apartmentratings.com, but read each posting with a grain of salt. If you're looking to purchase, do your research, and if you need a Realtor, send me a message and I can refer the one who sold our townhouse.