Areas to Live near D.C. - New Job (condo, townhouse)

[IvyIceMan 78]

I am currently commuting to D.C. for work and I am a little flustered with the 2hr each way commute from Havre de Grace, MD.

I am looking for a good place to live in the D.C. Metro area that is somewhat affordable. I am a 28 year old single male. I am a consultant so I travel alot and I like city life, but I have become used to having a townhouse. I know moving closer to the area I might have to give that notion up so I am open to suggestions.

I am trying to keep my budget to under 400K. Any suggestions

Any help would be great.

[dullnboring]

Two hours each way from Havre de Grace?! Yikes. You deserve a medal for putting up with it even as long as you have.

Have you checked out Columbia? It would cut your commute in half, is roughly equidistant to DC and Baltimore, very safe, and somewhat affordable for the area and townhomes can be had within your price range. If you want to move even closer, Laurel has many similarly-priced townhomes and is about 10-15 minutes closer in although some of it is hit and miss in terms of safety. Believe it or not, but 400K is generally a doable price for much of the DC area for a townhouse. It might not buy much in the most exclusive areas like DC proper, Bethesda and McLean, but throughout much of the rest of the area, that can buy you a pretty standard townhome (2-3 bedrooms, 1.5-2.5 bathrooms, some with a garage). You can check out the areas around Metro's Red Line in Montgomery County as well, for a more city-like atmosphere and easy access to DC, although townhomes right by Metro stations tend to be a bit on the pricy side.

[Down Logan]

I think your price range is going to limit you somewhat on areas to choose from unless you're willing to get a smaller space. Unfortunately, condo prices in the city are in the $500's for just a starter condo. If you want a little more style and space, you will be looking at $750K on up. Most people will agree that it's worth the expense if you can live on the metro line and give up the car. You're a single guy and you should live in a great neighborhood where you can walk to some local bars and restaurants or even the grocery store. Your social life will be great and you never know what it will lead to. Think about how you could possibly live with less and you'd be amazed that it can be done. You're young....live in the city for a while and make the most of it. You can always move on but you'll look back on it and be glad you did.