Apartment hunting (Arlington, Alexandria, Reston: cul-de-sac, middle-class, apartments)

[citymiddle]

Like many others on this forum I am looking around for an apartment and I could use some help.

I will be working in Centreville in the fall, and I am looking for an apartment with more of the city feel rather than the burbs that seem to be all over. I'm looking to spend around 1000 a month or maybe a bit more if necessary, but I'm just looking for a few general areas that would be good for someone in their mid-20's.

Thanks.

[normie]

Closest place with a city feel to Centreville is Reston. It's still stretching it quite a bit to say Reston has a city feel, but that's probably your best bet. You might also consider the area around the government center (Fair Oaks). Ballston, Alexandria, and the like have more of a city feel, but would have nasty commutes to Centreville.

[SteelCityRising]

Sadly you're in the same boat I was in when I moved to Virginia from PA in late-May. My original workplace was in Herndon, and while I wanted to live near work to minimize the commuting hassle I also wanted a more "urban" environment than the subdivisions that DOMINATE this part of NoVA. For me Reston Town Center was the nearest "compromise," but it most certainly isn't perfect. If you're just starting out with a relatively low salary by NoVA's standards (i.e. $40,000-$50,000), then you won't really be able to appreciate all that the town center has to offer anyways because with a few exceptions most of the restaurants/stores there are on the expensive side (I still can't figure out why Cosi charges more than Panera for sub-par food?)

I couldn't afford the "trendy" prices of Reston Town Center, so I moved about 1/4-mile away along North Shore Drive, where you'll find Parc Reston, The Sycamores, or Archstone Charter Oak in the same neighborhood along North Shore Drive (no, not the fancy one in Chicago! LOL!) I love walking there for the occasional festivals and other activities, but if you do enough "people-watching," you'll see that late-20s/early-30s is the predominant demographic there because generally speaking someone making $70,000-$100,000 can AFFORD to "enjoy" the town center whereas those in their early-to-mid-20s with $40,000-$60,000 salaries have to be much more fiscally conservative. You'll see the largest concentrations of mid-20s types in Arlington, but there you'll NEED at least one roommate to split the rent in order to live comfortably, and a commute to Centreville would be HELL.

There's a SERIOUS "void" outside the Beltway for any semblance of "urbanity," and this has been noted not only by me, the forum's annoying wind-bag, but by many others as well, including folks in "real life." Reston Town Center is the closest thing the entire NoVA "outside the Beltway" area has to "the city," and as I said it's geared towards the upper-middle-class---those who like to show off their new Audis and BMWs to their friends while sharing a bottle of Chianti at a place like Jackson's or Clyde's on Friday nights. If you're younger and poorer, there's NOTHING here for us.

In any event I wish you the best of luck and would be more than happy to offer you any guidance I can to steer you in the right direction. You're going to have to compromise though. If you crave "the city," then you will HAVE to move inside the Beltway, pay high rent prices, and have a nasty commute. I don't even think Centreville or Chantilly are well-planned out enough to even have their own downtowns.

[stuntmonkey123]

Your budget is a bit low for the area. You can find a 1 bedroom for this price, but it's not going to have the hip, urban feel you are looking for.

Two Ideas for a more "urban" feel:
Fairfax Corner
Reston Town Center

[citymiddle]

Thank you very much... Luckily I still have a bit of time before I need to move down so I can look around a bit more. I'm also looking into the Fairfax City area and a little in Manassas though reviews of that area aren't all that promising.

From what I've read it seems I'll have to make concessions on the night life experience for an easier commute and affordable living. Thanks again, and if you have any more suggestions please let me know.

[TheseGoTo11]

If you like urban places, you won't be happy outside the beltway, it's like a cartoon with a repetitive backdrop of strip malls, cheap looking subdivisions, and chain restaurants. I'd look for a group house in Arlington or Falls Church City.

[novahousehunter]

I did the reverse commute from Arlington to Fair Lakes for a year and it wasn't really that bad--30 min in the am, up to 45 in the p.m. Centreville wouldn't be too much worse.

For 1K/month you might find something in a less trendy part of Arlington, for the more young/urban/chic definitely would need a roommate.

[v2009]

I agree with novahousehunter - I'd find a roommate in Arlington. Commute to Centerville won't be bad as you will be going away from DC against the traffic.

[athousandlogins]

There are some apartments in the Fairfax Corner and Fair Lakes areas that would give you a short commute. I wouldn't call these areas exactly "urban" but they're more urban than a house on a wooded cul-de-sac. There's at least some shopping and dining.

But if you're willing to suck up a longer commute (and in your situation, I would be) you can do well in the Ballston or Clarendon areas of Arlington. Ballston is a little closer to Centreville. You will just need a roommate or to find a group house, as others have mentioned.