Relocating from NYC to the DC area. Where should I Live? (Arlington: best neighborhoods, apartment complexes) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

VA-relocation · 01-09-2009, 11:46 AM

Possibly relocating from NYC for a job with Capital One in Mclean. what areas should i look for a 1 BR apt, price up to 1700, not to long of a commute, other late 20's proffesionals, and some restaurants and nightlife within walking distance?

have been told Arlington, Alexandria, Georgetown, and Fairfax

Any help appreciated.

VA-relocation · 01-10-2009, 08:07 AM

i did some more research and it seems like the ballston or clarendon area seems would fit the requirements.

Any opininons on these areas?
How long to commute to Mclean from here?

Thanks

JD984 · 01-10-2009, 09:12 AM

Most of the traffic is heading in the other direction, so that's a plus. There's no metro station (yet) near Capital One, so assuming you drive I think you're looking at 20-25 minute commute.

Balston and Clarendon are the neighborhoods that I would pick if I were in your situation. Ballston is a bit closer to Tysons/McLean than Clarendon.

You should be able to find other posts on this forum that discuss their advantages and disadvantages.

In short, neither will provide a "NYC experience in NoVa" (I know you didn't say that's what you were looking for, but we might as well get that out of the way now, as there's no such thing in the DC area), but:

- there are a lot of apartment buildings filled with professionals in their late 20s and early 30s (many of whom are new arrivals to the area)

- they are clean and safe neighborhoods with restaurants and some bars (many are chains - better restaurants can be found elsewhere in the area).

- each has a Metro station, so it's easy to travel into DC when you want to do so, and

- the general consensus seems to be that they are the best neighborhoods in the area to meet and hang out with other young professionals.

VA-relocation · 01-10-2009, 10:09 AM

thanks for the reply.

Another area that seems like it would have late 20's demographic and everything in walking distance would be Old Town Alexandria?

Any thoughts on this area, and how much longer would that make the commute to Mclean?

Thanks in advance

gresan1 · 01-10-2009, 10:46 AM

Ballston/Clarendon Area (Arlington): Very expensive. Rents will be high. You could get lucky and land something decent but if you're looking @ Ballston or Clarendon, expect high $ rent. I lived in Arlington, not Ballston or Clarendon though. Most places are walking distance. Your commute to McLean is going to be an ok one. prob. around 30mins. Nightlife is great. People are up and about. Georgetown is right across. And downtown DC is a 10min cab ride at most. You have metro at both places (not towards where you are going) Bottom line, Arlington is prime area. Close to everything you need but very expensive. There are cheaper places in Arlington and I can list them but I might be wasting time.

Old Town Alexandria: Also very very expensive. Something about the parking here that I hate, LOL. You extended your commute by 15mins. Oldtown is a great place to be. It will be expensive. Nightlife is good. DC is across the water and Arlington is 5-10mins away. Lots of good restaurants. Although most of the nightlife revolves around Irish bars. If you wanted a lounge or so then you have to head out to Arlington or DC. Clubs are in DC mostly. I find Oldtown is a little more relaxed than Arlington.

JD984 · 01-10-2009, 11:00 AM

Others will have better information on this area, but:

- there are a lot of apartment complexes with young professionals that have Alexandria mailing addresses, around the metro stations such as Eisenhower Avenue, but I don't really think of them as part of Old Town Alexandria.

- Old Town is a bit of an acquired taste. It's fun to visit, and there are definitely more compact, walkable blocks full of restaurants and shops than you'd find in Clarendon/Ballston (which is walkable, but you still end up driving a lot) It's a bit like Georgetown, but on a smaller scale and without all the college students. I never really wanted to live there, though. It just seemed a bit too precious for me when I was in my mid and late 20s. I just associated it with suburban couples in their 40s having a dinner, drink and stroll away from the kids. The other poster is right - there are also a bunch of Irish bars (not to mention Scottish parades every now and then). You could have a completely different reaction.

- You're probably adding at least another 15-20 minutes to a commute to Capitol One. The easiest way to get there from Old Town is to get on the Beltway (495) which is slightly south of Old Town, but then you'd have to deal with all the traffic. In general, Old Town is a much better commute for folks working in Alexandria, the Crystal City area of Arlington (which has a lot of defense contractors), or DC itself.

VA-relocation · 01-12-2009, 07:43 AM

than you for all of the responses. I think i will look first in the clarendon area. Alexandria sounds nice but i don't really want to add 20 min to the commute.

Hopefully if i take the job, they can give me corporate housing first, and they i will have some time to get to know the area better before i sign a lease.

I have seen a lot of buildings that advertise short term and month to month leases. Is that common down here? I never see that in manhattan