Please Help! Need to know if Condo is in a good location! (Washington: sales)

[hjensen11]

Hi Everyone,

I recently got a job in DC and am looking to move to the Capitol Hill area from Texas. I have found two prospective places to live. However, I am not sure how safe and decent each part of the hill is. Can you Help?

The first place is located at 11th Street NE at East Capitol Street a block from Lincoln Park. It looks nice, but I know nothing about this area.

The second is located on the 1500 block of PENNSYLVANIA AVE SE. I spoke with a realtor who said the neighborhood is "relatively safe". I'm not sure what that means.

I would like to live somewhere that is a close walk to a nice pub, and safe to get there...and close enough that I won't have to cook everynight. So any help would be much appreciated.

I will take any and all suggestions.

Thank you!

[mettler]

This has a good crime link:

Crime, Home Sales and Schools in DC, Maryland and Virginia - Local Explorer (washingtonpost.com)

[juniperbleu]

I'd go with the 11th & East Capitol condo. They're both in decent areas, but 11th Street is closer to Eastern Market, Union Station, and the bars/restaurants on Barracks Row (8th Street). 15th & Pennsylvania, while not bad, is still a little transitional.

[hjensen11]

Thank you so much for the help. I appreciate all the information I can get.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by juniperbleu

I'd go with the 11th & East Capitol condo. They're both in decent areas, but 11th Street is closer to Eastern Market, Union Station, and the bars/restaurants on Barracks Row (8th Street). 15th & Pennsylvania, while not bad, is still a little transitional.

I'd agree on the 11th & East Capitol choice. The park is actually very nice and it's an easy walk down N Carolina to the Metro and the various eating and meeting places along 8th Street. Tunnicliff's is on 7th just north of Pennsylvania Ave...I like that place too. Montmartre is a little more bistro-ish, but nice if it's not too crowded. Also on 7th, just a little further along.

The 15th and Penn spot I'd kind of want to think twice about. That's Potomac Avenue as against Eastern Market, and while some nice new stuff has definitely gone up there over there in past few years, you'd still have some residual questionableness floating around. Transitional...relatively safe...yeah, but the west side of Lincoln Park is well beyond that, I'd say...

[AeroGuyDC]

To give you a brief background on why the previous replies suggested the 11th/Capitol Hill place....Southeast DC historically has been a really rough area of town. However, gentrification is now taking place, buildings are being torn down, and the level of riff-raff hanging out has declined greatly.

The pluses are the new US Department of Transportation headquarters recently opened with about 6,000 employees and the new Washington Nationals major league baseball stadium is there, so you can imagine the retail/restaurant options that are or will be available in the coming months and years. Not to mention, the Potomac waterfront is just a few steps away. Personally, I see alot of potential in this area.

There absolutely are better parts of town, no doubt. But to me, "safe" is relative. DC is not that big of a town, so you're literally only a stones throw away from rougher parts of town no matter where you live in DC proper. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

No matter where you live, just be cognizant of your surroundings when your out and about, don't leave valuables on the front seat of your car, and lock your doors at night.

Good luck in your search!