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How do people in DC do it? They do the roommate thing. Unless you're earning $70,000-80,000 per year or your parents are paying for your apartment, that's the only way one could live in DC proper. That or you're married.
I'm from the south were it is way too slow and I hate it. My career situation here has been close to non-existent and I am ready to get the heck out of here. I have relatives in the DC area that have given me an open door invititation to come and stay with them until I get on my feet in the DC area. My concern is that because of my less than stelar job situation I will have to start at the entry-level and won't be able to afford the cost of living there for a while. That wouldn't be a problem if i were young and fresh out of college. But at 30, i'm not feeling the room mate thing at all (been there, done that) and i really don't want to be a burden to my fam there for too long either. More than anything right now I think I'm a bit frustrated and ranting, but I would like to see how others feel about someone who doesn't want a roommate making it on entry-level income.
I feel your pain. You and I are only a year apart. I'm so over the roommate situation myself. I'm in a position where yeah I could get my own place but I don't want to live OTB (Outside the Beltway) and I have become accustomed to a certain lifestyle that includes taking my dates out to nice dinners (steak and a bottle of wine is getting to be kinda standard) and wearing nice clothes (I don't do certain stores sorry). So I think I'm doing the roommate thing for another year myself.
I think it all comes down to deciding what's important to you. If you value living alone then you'll make the sacrifices necessary to make that happen. Also another option that's usually a little cheaper is renting a basement in someone's house that has a seperate entrance. So look at all your options. Look at what you value. Dallas will give you more for the money but you have to ask yourself more of what? You can't live in the DC area without making sacrifices I'm sorry to say.
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Originally Posted by Denton56
If you are Black you might like PG county as it is the richest Black county in the country. But many parts of it are dangerous. I don't know that I would recommend it unless you want to be a part of the Black community there.
I've met plenty of white people that live in PG county.
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Originally Posted by slowlane
Hyattsville, Mount Rainier, Brentwood, Greenbelt, College Park, Beltsville, Laurel, are some neighborhoods in Prince Georges County that are more evenly racially mixed and not overwhelmingly African-American like the rest of PG County is. These communities I named, also have a good mixture of housing types, and they are convenient to Universities (for what it's worth). Rents there will be cheaper than in Montgomery County or Northern Virginia. Cheverly and Bowie also are evenly racially mixed, although they have only single-family homes, if I'm not mistaken.
Thanks for the info everyone. Once again city-data has bee more helpful than the people i actually know that live in the area.
@slowlane you are a lifesaver
@ terrence81 I know exactly what you mean about being accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Its hard for me to even fathom going back to living the way I did 10yrs ago, but to get out of al..... i think i'm willing to try...LOL!
How do people in DC do it? They do the roommate thing. Unless you're earning $70,000-80,000 per year or your parents are paying for your apartment, that's the only way one could live in DC proper. That or you're married.
That's not at all true. Myself and many others I know make significantly less than that, have no outside financial support, and live very comfortably in DC proper. We're not renting full townhomes or anything, but have all the space and access to central neighborhoods we need to be happy.
Marrying or sharing a bed with someone else making an average salary, though, is the ticket to living the good life here if you're not wealthy.
Hi there, I'm originally from the South, too. I love DC, but I would caution you against it-strongly. It is so much more expensive than you could ever imagine. I almost wish I never moved up here and fell in love with the area, because I really could have a better quality of life back in the South. I've got news for you- I'm married, to a lawyer, who clears 6 figures, and we CANNOT afford a decent house here. And DO NOT live in Prince George's county- especially Hyattsville. NOT safe!!! And Charles County would be a HELL of a commute- at least an hour one way. I love DC, and you will, too, but it ain't going to love you back. Too expensive- go elsewhere and you'll be happy there. Good luck!
I have to say that maybe we have different lifestyles and different bills to pay, but what exactly does it make it so unfordable for you especially if you make 6 figures? what are your expectations?
What is so expensive? or what do you consider expensive? we're not looking to buy a mansion there at any point and not because of the prices...I mean how much of everything does one have to consume to not afford DC on 6 figures? I am not trying to insult you, I am just curious...there are 6 of us on 40k in Florida which is considered poverty level number 1! which would be the equivalent of 60k in DC and we don't live in the projects, and we're doing just fine! our only draw back is the fact that we have no outdoors to go too, the closest ones are 10 to 15 hours away that have any real hiking and fresh air!!!!!!!!!
Could you elaborate?
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Originally Posted by novadc
Hi there, I'm originally from the South, too. I love DC, but I would caution you against it-strongly. It is so much more expensive than you could ever imagine. I almost wish I never moved up here and fell in love with the area, because I really could have a better quality of life back in the South. I've got news for you- I'm married, to a lawyer, who clears 6 figures, and we CANNOT afford a decent house here. And DO NOT live in Prince George's county- especially Hyattsville. NOT safe!!! And Charles County would be a HELL of a commute- at least an hour one way. I love DC, and you will, too, but it ain't going to love you back. Too expensive- go elsewhere and you'll be happy there. Good luck!
Well, I want a single family home (i.e. unattached), about 2000 square feet, in a safe neighborhood, with a kitchen that is not from 1980, inside the beltway (or close to it) so the commute into the city is not too terrible. That will cost 700,000- 800,000 in my town (Alexandria), which we cannot afford on a single income. I have no yard (you said you want some outdoors to go to), and would like one. I admit, I don't want a house from 1970 that I have to renovate, and I'm not willing to live in a less-than desirable area (did that in Atlanta and ended up getting robbed). I would move further out but my husband works in downtown DC right now. So, that puts us inside the beltway, unable to afford a house. I grew up modestly, but where I'm from in GA everyone has their own little house and yard, so that's what I would like eventually. Just don't think I'll get it here unless I move about an hour outside the city (if my husband could get a job out that way). Believe me, I'm not one of the DC haters that live here but hate it. I absolutely love it and adore Alexandria and I so wish it wasn't so expensive. Over the years, we've turned down several great job offers in other parts of the country precisely because I don't want to leave DC. It's just getting to the point where we're in our 30s, wanting to start a family and have a real house, and doing those things in DC or inside the Beltway are extremely difficult. It was perfect when we were just out of school and our townhouse was fine. I was just saying, before I moved up here (and lived in Atlanta), I thought Atlanta was the cat's meow and I was perfectly content. Moving up to DC, I fell in love with the city, the area, the weather, the history, the culture, etc. DC made Atlanta look like chopped liver (to me). It's just that you pay a hefty premium to stay in this area. I almost wish sometimes I never experienced how great DC was because I want to stay here but the quality of life is just better and easier in the South.
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