"Old Town" rentals (Arlington, Alexandria: real estate, apartments, condos)

[Kate410]

I am relocating to the area and, after reading recommendations on this forum and elsewhere, I have decided that Old Town would be a good fit for me - late 30s, single female (looking for a professional 40s guy), will work in DC, dog lover, casual runner (no marathons but I think I will like the trails in the area). A few questions:

First, are there other locations I should look at? The commute and the opportunity to meet neighbors and others in the community (coffee shop, local hang out) are key for me. I ruled out Clarendon. I love the walkablity but was unimpressed with the hordes of 20-something's I saw at the apartment buildings I looked at during my recent visit. I ruled out Shirlington. The retail center there feels abandoned or at least on a downward spiral and I didn't see other areas that seemed like local hang outs. I read a bit about Del Ray but wasn't clear on what the local center was.

Second, I would really appreciate recommendations regarding specific apartment communities or condo buildings that allow rentals in Old Town or streets I should be looking on. My craigslist searches for "Old Town" are showing results that even I know aren't Old Town As for the type of rental I'm looking for (in case it helps with building recommendations), above all, I prefer location and a well maintained building. Wood flooring is also a must. Modern finishes and amenities are great but I don't need those if the building has charm. I prefer to stay below $2500 for a 1BR. I also have a 25 lb dog.

Third, should I be using a real estate agent? I have relied on Craigslist and professional management companies in the past but I don't want to assume that is the best way to search in Old Town.

Any other advice for my search is welcomed.

Thank you!

[Analyst in Arlington]

I think you should check out Arlington Village in South Arlington, near Columbia Pike. It has some very nice amenities (tennis courts and a very large 25 meter pool), and there's definitely a strong sense of community among the Village residents.

It's within 5 minutes walking distance to restaurants (Bangkok 54, Taqueria Poblano, Lost Dog Pizza, P Brennans Irish Pub), a movie theater (Arlington Draft House Cinema), a pretty cool latin dance club that's popular with 30 and 40 somethings (Salsa Room).

1 Bedroom apartments typically rent for less than $1,700 / month.

Arlington Village - Welcome to Arlington Village!

[NOVACENTRIC]

Kate410, Welcome. I do suggest that you use a real estate agent because, more than most places I have lived, owners do tend to go through realtors to rent out their place and get their homes listed in the multiple listing service. It would most likely be the owner that pays them, not you. However, you need to be careful with signing any representation agreement- as some of them state that you would be liable to pay the agent if the owner is not willing to. I think you would love OT. I have heard there are more dogs in OT than people! Wonderful, really beautiful area!

[Mnseca]

I would not use a real estate agent in OT - too expensive. However, if you want a well-maintained building, then you will probably need to look at the newer part of OT, like along Eisenhower and in the Carlyle buildings. Most central OT rentals are private, the buildings are old - like a hundred years old - and so they aren't maintained very well.

[PK12]

You have a very healthy rental budget, you should consider living in DC itself.
More bars and social venues for folks of all ages, more stuff to do after work and on the weekends (everything from museums, art galleries, brunches), hence more dating opportunities. I’d say look into the Eastern Market/Capitol Hill area, I believe it has a strong 30s-40s presence.

[gomason]

Del Ray's main road is Mount Vernon Avenue. It's not as vibrant as Old Town but it's up and coming and cheaper.

There are a lot of new buildings in north Old Town near the Braddock Metro Station along Patrick, Henry, and Fayette Streets. I definitely don't think you need a professional Realtor.

Be wary of Craigslist ads that say "Old Town" because there are people who are trying to trick you. Many people don't realize how big Alexandria is and that being in "Alexandria" doesn't necessairly mean you're anywhere close to Old Town.

Old Town is roughly anything north of 495 and East of Eisenhower Avenue, King Street, and Braddock Road Metro Stations. If you look at Google Maps, the railroad tracks pretty much encircle Old Town Alexandria.

[queenswake]

I recommend any of the newer buildings near the Braddock Road Metro stop. There are a lot of 30-something singles in this area and tons have dogs. Literally everyone is out walking a dog. Which is a great way to meet others. More of a quiet scene. And there are new restaurants and bars opening up. I recommend The Asher and Belle Pre. Closer to Del Ray that are also good are the Bell Dey Ray and the Del Ray Central. All of these are brand new within the past couple of years.

I really recommend the ones around the Braddock Road Metro station, however, as it puts you in a great spot where you can walk to Trader Joe's, Harris Teeter, Giant, post office, banks, restaurants, bars. Everything. Easy walk to King St shops and restaurants. Easy walk to the running trail that goes along the river. Easy walk or drive over to the restaurants in Del Ray. Easy drive up to the Potomac Yard shopping area for the big boxes (Target, etc). Easy access to the freeways. Easy commute to DC via GW Parkway. One metro stop to the airport. I think it's the sweet spot in this entire region.

[Kate410]

Wow. You guys are amazing! Thank you for the information. Some follow-up thoughts to the posts above:

The Braddock Road Metro area looks nice based on what I am seeing on the web. I will make sure I add it. If anyone has had experiences at specific buildings, please feel free to reply.

I had not considered the Capitol Hill area of DC, thinking it would be mostly junior Hill staffers (not my line of work). I will explore but would love to hear if others have recommendations in that area.

The Carlyle section appears to be outside the "main" part of Old Town. Do people still walk to the shopping and restaurant section of Old Town?

Again, thank you!

[PK12]

There are a lot of other neighborhoods in DC that you could consider. Logan Circle is one that comes to mind too, endless options of bars restaurants and lounges, one of the most hip neighborhoods recently.. neearby U Street corridor also has many spots that cater to the mature crowd.

Living in DC will put you closer to all the action, be it daytime activities or nightlife.

[gomason]

Originally Posted by Kate410

I had not considered the Capitol Hill area of DC, thinking it would be mostly junior Hill staffers (not my line of work). I will explore but would love to hear if others have recommendations in that area.

Actually, Capitol Hill would be a very good fit for you considering your age. Most of the housing is row houses for families so it is definitely one of the older nice neighborhoods in DC. A lot of the row houses have been broken up into condos and apartments though. And rent would be very similar to Alexandria, if not slightly cheaper.

Anything south of East Capitol Street NE, east of the Capitol, north of M Street SE, and west of 11th street SE would be a very good neighborhood. The neighborhood around Eastern Market is gorgeous.

The Carlyle section appears to be outside the "main" part of Old Town. Do people still walk to the shopping and restaurant section of Old Town?

People do walk down there because it is a very leisurely mile and a half with small blocks and tons of things to see. Also, if you don't want to walk all the way to the waterfront, you can walk to the King Street Metro Station and take one of like three buses or the free King Street Trolley to the waterfront.

There's also a bunch of restaurants within a 10 minute walk of Carlyle anyway.