Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Maryland > Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland
 [Register]
Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland Calvert County, Charles County, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 09-14-2011, 06:47 PM
 
4 posts, read 12,344 times
Reputation: 11

Advertisements

I'm a single female and will be moving to the DC area for a job in Silver Spring (located slightly above the Beltway, around the Hillandale/White Oak area).

Are there places in Silver Spring (since I know that the area encompasses a lot of smaller neighborhoods) that are safer than others? If you have suggestions for apartment complexes that I could look into, that would be great too!

Some things that I'm looking for in a place/apartment:
-Safety (I come from Ann Arbor/Midwest so that would be a point of reference)
-Within 20-30 min commute to work
-Relatively close to the DC area or at least close to where the younger crowd are
-In reach of a Metro station if possible
-my budget would be under $1500 (including utilities) if at all possible
-If the apt had it's own W/D, that would be ideal

Any specific areas within Silver Spring that I should look into (like around which roads etc)? Any neighborhoods I should steer clear of?

Appreciate any input!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 09-15-2011, 02:41 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,786,627 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by movingtodc19 View Post
Appreciate any input!
Try searching the forum first. The same question has been asked many times. Here's an example:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/washi...er-spring.html

FWIW, I lived in Wheaton for many years. People bad-mouth it, but I would suggest the high-rises along University Boulevard: Warwick Towers and University Towers. Also try realtor.com, which is also listing rentals.

I would avoid any low-rises in the Hillendale/White Oak area. There is a high-rise at the White Oak intersection of Colesville and New Hampshire, which may be safe but it's an older building. They are also building a high-rise over the Wheaton Metro station which was supposed to be a luxury building. Not sure if it's finished, or what the prices will be.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-15-2011, 02:52 PM
 
4 posts, read 12,344 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenage1 View Post
Try searching the forum first. The same question has been asked many times. Here's an example:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/washi...er-spring.html
Thanks for the response, I actually have been going through the posts in the forum. In most of the cases though, it looks like the places that are mentioned are above the Beltway.

I think I would prefer a place within the Beltway, closer to the DC area. I think that's what most people refer to downtown Silver Spring? I'm not totally sure.

I'm looking for either a studio or a 1 bedroom apt in a safe (or at least safer) area. Are there recommendations of areas (like intersections or areas) that I should steer clear of?

What about the apartments along Georgia Ave or around that area?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-15-2011, 08:31 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,786,627 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by movingtodc19 View Post
I think I would prefer a place within the Beltway, closer to the DC area. I think that's what most people refer to downtown Silver Spring? I'm not totally sure.
Well, since you emphasized safety, as in Ann Arbor, I was pointing you to safer areas. I am skeptical about there being a safe apartment under $1500 in downtown Silver Spring. However, I think you should stick with the high-rises. Georgia Avenue is heavily travelled-- what is your tolerance for noise? The Portico at Silver Spring Metro looks new and nice. In any case, I would check out the buildings in person, preferably after dark to be sure. Downtown Silver Spring has a homeless shelter and a lot of transients, although some people have assured me it is safe. People's tolerance of safety issues can vary, and it isn't Ann Arbor.

Since you would not be using Metro to go to work, you would save money by living further away from the Metro. Proximity to Metro commands top price. If you still want to be at a Metro stop, I would recommend the Archstone Wheaton Station, which advertises that prices start at $1370. It's a brand-new building (with washer & dryers) and it's only a couple of miles, or two Metro stops, from downtown Silver Spring.

Last edited by goldenage1; 09-15-2011 at 08:41 PM.. Reason: clarify
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-15-2011, 09:12 PM
 
Location: Bay Area
281 posts, read 807,886 times
Reputation: 238
There is also Summit Hills in Silver Spring by downtown. The prices were not out of line with what you are looking for. The 1bdr start at 1490 with utilities included.

Here is the link: summithills.net

I looked there when I came out to look for a place and it was one of the better ones I saw overall. There are a few more like The Blairs in Silver Spring but they were pretty expensive.

Good luck!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-15-2011, 09:48 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,786,627 times
Reputation: 6920
I noticed that Summit Hills offers free parking. That's a plus, as I think a place like Archstone Wheaton Station probably charges for garage parking. You would need to factor in the cost of parking at some buildings.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-16-2011, 04:27 PM
 
4 posts, read 12,344 times
Reputation: 11
Thanks so much for the information! I did see Summit Hills and it looks nice so I will have to check it out when I get there.

Thanks goldenage for the info on archstone. That looks pretty nice too, we'll see about my budget etc. Ideally I'm trying to stay at the low end of things since I did realize that a lot of places also charge for parking.

Generally speaking, is it the closer you are to a Metro Stop the less safe it is? How safe is the Takoma or SS metro stops?

Does anyone know anyone who's been at Claridge House? That's a little east of Summit Hills etc.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-17-2011, 07:19 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,786,627 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by movingtodc19 View Post
Generally speaking, is it the closer you are to a Metro Stop the less safe it is? How safe is the Takoma or SS metro stops?

Does anyone know anyone who's been at Claridge House? That's a little east of Summit Hills etc.
There is opportunistic crime at Metro stops- purse-snatching and car break-ins. You just have to be cautious. I suspect (but not sure the statistics prove it) that young thieves ride the Metro. You can google crime zone maps for a specific address.

BTW, Takoma Park is an interesting, funky place with organic food stores, antique shops and music stores. It has a few new apts near Metro but mostly older buildings. I find it interesting enough to over-look any possible crime.

I haven't been to Claridge House, but the setting is attractive.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-18-2011, 09:40 AM
 
770 posts, read 1,128,740 times
Reputation: 343
I just relocated from Columbus, OH. I lived in Grandview, which is quite safe. I live in the following place and I think it's pretty good. The culture is different, and maybe it's a hair less safe statistically (though I haven't had any problems), but I think it was a good fit all things considered. I pay 1220 for a large studio that is functionally equivalent to a one bedroom. I have a small combo W/D in the unit that works fine for small loads. The community also has a laundry room. There's a nice deli and gym down the street. The metro station is about .75 miles away. My neighbor, who is sixty-something math professor at Howard, walks to the metro station every morning. It takes him about fifteen minutes. DC is right around the corner. I also like the proximity to Rock Creek park. I work in Greenbelt, which is pretty far away. It takes me about 30 minutes to get there.


Rock Creek Condominiums - Silver Spring, Maryland - YouTube
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-23-2011, 01:42 PM
 
4 posts, read 12,344 times
Reputation: 11
itinerant, thanks for the suggestion. I tried to find out if they were renting out any of the condos but could not find any listings. Is this one of the places where you would have to wait until you get there to ask?

Would it be worth it for me to find a real estate agent or someone to take me around to places that would be rent worthy for someone like myself? Would I have to pay a fee?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Maryland > Washington, DC suburbs in Maryland
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top