Tysons Corner vs Arlington for young single guy (Reston, Leesburg: 2013, apartments)

[mako789]

Hi guys,

I'm relocating from Canada to Northern Virginia to start a job in Tysons Corner. My work is near the intersection of Route 7/Leesburg Pike and Capital Beltway, across from the Tysons Corner mall. I'm a 25 year old single guy who just finished graduate school, and I'm looking to live in a house or apartment with roommates to save money. I've had recommendations to look at Arlington or Vienna for housing but I'm torn between them. Living in the Tysons Corner/Vienna area would be great for shortening my commute as I've heard it can be 25-40 minutes at peak times (my job is 8-5). However, I might have to drive or take the bus/metro to Arlington to go out at nights. I don't usually drink so there are no worries about drunk driving, but would driving to Arlington to go out at nights (maybe 3 nights a week) be almost as good as living there? Or would living in Arlington be more fun, enough to outweigh the hassle of the longer commute?

Budget is not really an issue as rental prices seem similar, but I would prefer to pay no more than $800/month for a single bedroom. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

[Natthapol]

For a 25-year-old single guy, I would recommend staying in Arlington especially around Clarendon area. It's a very fun place for young professionals. Honestly, $800 is a little low even for a shared apartment as a nice 1BR apartment in that area is pushing $2000 and beyond. I think Tysons is slightly cheaper but not much.

[CaliTerp07]

I'd live in Arlington for a year to get the lay of the land and figure out how often you're really going to go out. There are a lot of young professional activities in Arlington that it's easier to take advantage of if you live there (bar crawls, kickball teams, volunteer opportunities, etc). Not that you can't enjoy Arlington's offerings if you live elsewhere, but it takes a more concerted effort. Tysons is pretty dead at night, save for the 16 year olds (and their parents) flocking to the mall.

Both are safe, convenient options. Neither is a horrible choice. I'd be tempted to pick whatever place I found the better apartment/roommate.

[mako789]

So if I wanted to live in a house with say 3 roommates, how much should I expect to pay somewhere like Clarendon? My last apartment was $425/month student housing so I'm not that picky.

I read elsewhere that the commute to Tysons Corner would be 25 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes after work, although it's only 7 miles. Is there any way around that, or am I misunderstanding something?

Thanks

[CaliTerp07]

The commute would depend where in Arlington you are. If you're in Ballston, right near the 66 on ramp, it will be shorter than if you're in Clarendon and have to navigate to the highway. I think 40 minutes is a little steep, but 30 is probably fairly accurate. 66 backs up into a parking lot where 267 hits it in the afternoon--lanes are lost and traffic is heavy.

I would expect about $1000-1300 to share one of the more desirable apartments. Houses are rarer to come by in Arlington. 4 years ago, I paid $700-ish to share a house with 5 people (everyone had their own bedroom) in Crystal City. Clarendon is significantly more expensive than CC though. I'd start browsing craigslist to see what you find. I've had a lot of success posting "housing wanted" ads in the past too, and letting roommates or landlords contact me within my parameters.

[yolli71]

I also recommend Arlington for a young single guy. Make sure you only look at North Arlington (near 66) and not South Arlington (near 395). As another poster said, it depends on where in Arlington you live regarding your commute. I used to live in Arlington, but it was more on the outskirts (near East Falls Church metro). I worked in Tysons at the time (next to the Tiffany Bldg) and I'd get to work in 10 min. Remember that you will be going against traffic, so you'll have that going for you. A close friend of mine owns a home in North Arlington behind the Cowboy Cafe (near intersection of Glebe Rd and Lee Hwy) and commutes to his office in Tysons on Boone Blvd (right around where your office is) and said his commute is a breeze. I really don't think your commute will be an issue.

The urban or "fun" places in Arlington would probably be Clarendon, Ballston, and Courthouse (probably in that order too...though they're all good). Proximity to Tysons would be in this order: Ballston, Clarendon, Courthouse. You can also do what I did, which is live in the suburban part of Arlington near East Falls Church metro (in a rental home or townhouse) and be very close to Tysons and a short drive or metro stop to Ballston/Clarendon. You'll find more reasonable rental options this way...at least that was the case w/ me in the late 90's. I shared a house with three of my buddies and we had a blast living there. If you're flexible, you'll find something in your price range.

[beth98]

Originally Posted by mako789

I read elsewhere that the commute to Tysons Corner would be 25 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes after work, although it's only 7 miles. Is there any way around that, or am I misunderstanding something?

Thanks

It's going to depend on where in Arlington and where in Tysons you are but it could easily be 25 minutes/40minutes. Traffic in Tysons is pretty awful, and I'd imagine there is a good amount of construction in the area right now too. You can always work late or go to the gym or happy hour to avoid after work traffic. If you are lucky enough to have flexible hours getting there early and leaving just before traffic starts to get terrible might work. A few minutes can make a big difference. At one point when I lived in Tysons and worked in Tysons my commute home if I tried during rush hour could easily be 20 minutes, which isn't bad for a commute but is frustrating if you are only going a mile and a half.

And I agree live in Arlington. You'll have a much better experience.

[stpickrell]

Ballston or Falls Church City. If you live east of Ballston your reverse commute is not going to be as much fun as it does get tied up on I-66 westbound during the morning.

As a PP mentioned, figure out how much you're really going to socialize, if you're a huge butterfly, you might even want to consider places in DC; if not, you may consider Reston (which will be Metro-accessible in 2013), Tysons itself, or Falls Church.

[mako789]

Thanks to everyone that responded.

Originally Posted by stpickrell

Ballston or Falls Church City. If you live east of Ballston your reverse commute is not going to be as much fun as it does get tied up on I-66 westbound during the morning.

As a PP mentioned, figure out how much you're really going to socialize, if you're a huge butterfly, you might even want to consider places in DC; if not, you may consider Reston (which will be Metro-accessible in 2013), Tysons itself, or Falls Church.

Not really a huge butterfly - I'm slightly introverted actually - but I'm trying to go out more now that I'm done school and have some free time.

Originally Posted by yolli71

I used to live in Arlington, but it was more on the outskirts (near East Falls Church metro). I worked in Tysons at the time (next to the Tiffany Bldg) and I'd get to work in 10 min.

The urban or "fun" places in Arlington would probably be Clarendon, Ballston, and Courthouse (probably in that order too...though they're all good). Proximity to Tysons would be in this order: Ballston, Clarendon, Courthouse.

I'll actually be working next to the Tiffany building as well (in the middle pink building, sixth floor). Your neighborhood ranking is very helpful.

Based on all the responses, I'm leaning towards Ballston because it has the best mix of proximity, fun and affordability. I'll go look at the apartment listings and come back.

[icbintern]

Hi Mako,
I am in the same situation you were some months back.
I would appreciate if you could share your findings so that I may use your findings.
Thanks!