Suggestions for buildings/neighborhoods in Arlington? (Alexandria, Reston: extended stay, apartments, rentals)

[montgomery212]

I’m moving from Manhattan for a job in DC. I am really DONE with city life and was considering living in Arlington. Does that make sense from a commute perspective – if commuting to an office building near Union Station?

I’m noticing that there are lots of neighborhoods in Arlington (Ballston; Courthouse etc) – are there 1-2 that would be better for someone like me given the specs below?

Looking for:
A mid-rise/high risetype of apartment building with a doorman/some kind of desk controlling entrance;
Newish building;
Walkable to the metro –preferably a metro that will directly go to Union Station;
1 bedroom;
Full kitchen – full stove; dishwasher; ample counter space (you don’t always get this in Manhattan);
Washer/dryer in unit –preferably full size, though I could live with the small one;
1 parking spot – would I pay for that or does it come with the apartment?
Balcony – would be nice but not a must have;

Neighborhood– I’m a female professional in my 30s, so I’d like a place that’s safe and popular for young professionals; maybe someplace where I can walk to a Starbucks or something on a weekend – though I don’t mind having to drive everywhere on weekends. I tend not to like “hip” neighborhoods that have a music scene or a hipster scene, BUT I also don’t have kids so it’s not like I need/want to be surrounded by families or playgrounds.

Rent– would love to be in the $1800-2000 range. Is that doable or do I plan on going higher?

Would appreciate any pointers as I’m not sure where to even start looking, yet I need to find a place pretty soon.

[rmm0484]

Can you stay in an extended stay hotel for just a little while, until you can see the lay of the land for yourself? Also, most places in DC, VA or MD do not have/need doormen (unless they are very high end), but some residences have concierges and or offices/front desks that help out.

Check out Zillow.

Arlington VA Apartments For Rent - 317 Rentals | Zillow

Clarendon, Pentagon Row, Court House or Ballston is what you want, they are right on the Metro, and non-hipster, but "happening" for younger people.

[gomason]

Arlington has most of those things but there's no direct transit connection to Union Station. You have to switch at Metro center for the red line. Unfortunately, Arlington is about as hip as the Upper East Side in NYC. There is a great bar though called Galaxy Hut if you're into that scene. You would be paying for parking which I think is usually about $100 a month.

[ACWhite]

I agree with the advice about staying in a hotel or short term rental until you become familiar with the area, though renting for a year in a nice neighborhood that you decide later isn't your favorite is not a problem as long as you don't mind moving twice.

The reason is that you have a lot of alternatives with tradeoffs that you don't have in Manhattan. Many of the neighborhoods with some attributes you want have mostly 20 somethings rather than 30 somethings, because many of the latter decide to buy a house, which is still more affordable and available than it would be in NYC.

You may want to consider Shirlington and Old Town too. You may also like some neighborhoods in DC (such as around American U, if you want to avoid the city crowd). That would enable you to avoid the gridlock crossing the bridges daily.

[boyd888]

Yes with your budget you will not have any issues finding a place.

Given that you are looking to go to Union Station I would look along the blue to avoid changing trains. This would include Rosslyn, Pentagon/Crystal City, maybe some stops in Alexandria (a little far perhaps).

Dittmar, Meridian, and Equity Apartments are some of the big companies that own/rent the high rises in these areas. Parking is likely going to be an extra $50 a month, but it depends on the building.

Honestly they are all clones of each other so check some out and go with the one in the location you want: desk concierge (some are 24 hours), keycard entry, maybe a small balcony or roof deck, washer/Dryers will be the smaller stackable ones.

[JfromReston]

Originally Posted by montgomery212

[color=black]
Walkable to the metro –preferably a metro that will directly go to Union Station;

I recommend looking in Bethesda, MD -- you should be able to find something that meets your needs within walking distance of the Bethesda Metro station. This will be on the Red line with no need to change trains to get to Union Station.

This is a very useful tool.
Metro - Rider Tools - Trip Planner

[JfromReston]

Originally Posted by boyd888

Given that you are looking to go to Union Station I would look along the blue to avoid changing trains. This would include Rosslyn, Pentagon/Crystal City, maybe some stops in Alexandria (a little far perhaps).

The Blue line does not go to Union Station. Only the Red line goes to Union Station.

Metro - Rail - Maps - Rail/Google Map

[Nate_VA]

I lived in the Gallery at Virginia Square for a couple of years. It has everything you're looking for, including a Starbucks on the first floor. The building sits directly on top of the Virginia Square Metro Station.

Virginia Square Apartments - 901 North Nelson Street - Arlington, VA

[boyd888]

Originally Posted by JfromReston

The Blue line does not go to Union Station. Only the Red line goes to Union Station.

Metro - Rail - Maps - Rail/Google Map

Of course Note sure what I was thinking there. I'll leave my post up anyway in case someone looking for something along the blue line comes across it

[Zack]

I would also suggest looking at spots along the red line such as Tenleytown, Bethesda, or Silver Spring so you can avoid changing trains. Even in DC places such as Capitol Hill or NoMa are pretty quiet compared to Manhattan, even though they are in the city.