commute to sw dc (12st) from alexandria or close? (Richmond: apartments, rentals)

[whirledpease]

considering moving to the DC area, to work in SW DC< near the Smithsonian.
Looking for rentals, round 1100 sq feet, no hi rises, townhomes preferred.
or single family homes. Considered Silver spring, but commute seems discouraging. ARe there affordable and safe areas in Alexandria, with a decent commute to the area mentioned in the city?(affordable would be less than 2000 with heat. 2 bed, 1.5 baths, basement)
if driving, when would be 'rush hour' and what woudl be the worst case commute?
thanks,
W

[CAVA1990]

Why aren't you looking for something in DC? I'm sure you can get a 2br condo in a low-rise building there for that.

[FindingZen]

Lots of options in Alexandria for 2BR apts in your preferred budget range, not so much THs or SFHs. I would say that the low-rise apartments in Alexandria proper are "okay" but generally not as nice as many of the high-rises.

Unless you are averse to mass transit - or the Smithsonian is providing a rather generous parking subsidy - then it would probably be easier to take the Metrorail, especially if you decide to live in Alexandria. From the King Street-Old Town station to the Smithsonian station would be 22 minutes, per Metro's website wmata.com.

Depending on where in the area you are - as there are a number of job centers in VA as well - rush hour can last as long as four hours: 6:00-10:00am and 3:00-7:00pm. Many people have "flex-time" which allows them to come in earlier or later than the "traditional" 9-to-5 or 8-to-4.

[kevbros]

Worst case driving is impossible to judge because there are so many potential worst cases. It will not take long to get to the Smithsonian from Alexandria via the GW Parkway. From the light at Slater's Lane it's only 10-15 minutes to the 14th St bridge, rush hour or not. Now getting to and through that light depends on where you are in Alexandria. And things slow down getting across the bridge and into SW. The good news is the mall isn't far, but it does crawl from there. Total time should be less than 30 minutes in rush from Slater's lane.

Townhouses for that price point in the City are going to be really hard to find, though. There are low rise apartments right there at Slater's Lane, though and if the commute is your primary concern that might be a good choice. Mason Hall or something like that is the name. I have no idea what they are like, definitely an older build, but the price might be doable for you.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by kevbros

Townhouses for that price point in the City are going to be really hard to find, though. There are low rise apartments right there at Slater's Lane, though and if the commute is your primary concern that might be a good choice. Mason Hall or something like that is the name. I have no idea what they are like, definitely an older build, but the price might be doable for you.

Mason Hall isn't that great IMO. For one, you'll be required to bring in your own A/C unit. And yes, it doesn't appear to have aged well.

There are other low-rise apartments due south on Washington St. approaching the county line...but don't expect newer construction or amenities. You may be able to find a 2BR condo rental but those are primarily high-rises.

[whirledpease]

Thank you all, seem to have missed notifications that there were replies.
One listing that crops up is Brookville, on Taney av., Alexandria which if I believe Google maps is about 20 mins away from Slater's presumably without traffic ..any info on that?
Huntington/belleview/Bellehaven rentals seem more in the over 2000$ range from what I have found so far on net.
thanks,
W.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by whirledpease

Thank you all, seem to have missed notifications that there were replies.
One listing that crops up is Brookville, on Taney av., Alexandria which if I believe Google maps is about 20 mins away from Slater's presumably without traffic ..any info on that?
Huntington/belleview/Bellehaven rentals seem more in the over 2000$ range from what I have found so far on net.
thanks,
W.

The Belle View neighborhood is pretty nice. There are some low-rise condos in that area that you might like. Not new but convenient to the Belle View shopping center (which is in a bit of flux at the moment as the Safeway supermarket is closed for renovations). You'll also be less than ten minutes away from charming Old Town Alexandria.

Huntington, while still convenient, is more utilitarian than charming. Most of the apartments and condos there are good to great. Depending on the property, you could even catch a proprietary shuttle bus to the Huntington Metro station. (FWIW, there is a local bus route that runs through Belle View to Huntington.) I would recommend against the low-rise Huntington Club condos because, as evidence from my walk-through of a rental I was considering a few years ago, the property has seen better days. The retail and restaurant options are severely lacking in the immediate area; however, your typical midscale needs can be found further south among the various strip malls lining Richmond Highway/Route 1.

I'm afraid I don't have any knowledge of Brookville.