Moving to DC in less than 3 weeks and need to find a apartment... (Arlington: apartment complexes, lease)

[jm76]

Yeah, I know it sounds impossible but that's the boat my wife and I are in...Oh, and did I mention, we need to do this all over the internet and phone since neither of us can take off and apartment hunt.

She has an offer from a company in Falls Church that we have decided to take but the problem is they really want her out there before June 1st and we have no clue of where to look for apartments. We are going to be on a limited budget since she will be the only one with a salary to begin with and it will probably take me some time to find a job of my own (I'm an attorney and yes, I know, NOVA doesn't really need anymore attorneys but them's the breaks and the area is going to get stuck with another.).

So, as we figure, we don't want to live too far out because I'll probably end up finding work more inwards towards DC and thus don't want terrible commutes. We're looking to stay between $1400-1600/month (want at least 2 BR and don't know if 3 BR is possible) and just don't know what areas to stay away from. For example, we have found some places in Springfield and Alexandria that are in the price range yet don't know if we are asking for a headache living in those areas with her working in Falls Church.

Basically looking for 2-3BR smaller community or townhouse so we don't have to put with loud neighbors, either washer/dryer hookups or washer/dryer supplied in the unit, parking for a car and motorcycle, and access to city living (we are in Tuscaloosa, AL and we have what is effectively island fever -- i.e. this place is too small for us with nothing to do).

On another note, seriously, how bad is the traffic? We lived in Houston, TX in the recent past which has some annoying areas but has been the worst traffic I have experienced...(I've experienced Dallas/Ft Worth, LA, San Fran, Atlanta and a few others and Houston was the worst but it never really bothered me.)

Anyways, enough of the rambling on my part and thanks in advance for any advice.

Jim

[movingtodcfromseattle]

Have you thought of doing a sub-lease for a couple of months (a HUGE possibility given that summer is upon us)? That would let you get a feel for the area before you sign a lease. It's really a personal fit as to where you choose to live. One person might suggest Arlington, another Alexandria, Falls Church, etc. If it were me (who just moved here last summer) I wouldn't sign a 6-12 lease sight unseen! Not sure how helpful that is....

[mlv311]

I agree with the previous poster. We rented a SFH month-to-month for a few months when we first relocated here. In our case, we had kids and dogs so our renting options were limited. If it's just the two of you, you can stay at a hotel or a furnished apartment while you look for a place to rent long-term. Try the commute before it eases during the summer months and perhaps find a place where you have the option of taking public transportation if you end up working in DC.

The traffic here is bad. I've lived in many places where it's bad and the only place I found worse than here was Los Angeles.

[FindingZen]

I would agree with the others that finding short-term housing might be best as you get your feet wet here. A friend of mine who just moved from Houston for a job opportunity had to find a place within a few weeks himself. He ended up living in furnished corporate housing for a month as the lease he signed wouldn't start for another six weeks or so. It might be worth the premium for you to go that route. I'm sure an online search for "Washington DC (or Northern Virginia corporate housing" would turn up something.

Falls Church is certainly a comfortable enough town, perhaps a little more high-density than I would guess would exist in close-in Tuscaloosa suburbs.
It's still a little laid-back by local standards but Arlington is next door and Alexandria and DC are rather close.

Corporate housing aside, your price range will probably get you an okay 2BR apt or a really nice 1BR apt in the Falls Church area or anyplace convenient. Actually it might be good to settle in Falls Church itself as it would be fairly central to the usual job centers where you're likely to commute once you find your own opportunity; that could include outer suburban areas like Tysons Corner and the Dulles (Airport) Tech Corridor.

And yes, based on your experience you'll be well-prepared for Northern Virginia traffic.

[jm76]

Lol, about the idea of Tuscaloosa having suburbs...Tuscaloosa is supposedly a town but I rate it more of a village. We like to have things to do and that is definitely not an option in Alabama where Tuscaloosa is the 3rd largest city in the state and population doubles on University of Alabama's game days (the stadium only holds ~92,000).

Btw, how is Annandale? Is it a good place to live? It would put us halfway between Falls Church and Alexandria which would nice since it will give a reasonable commute to my wife and is central enough for all the patent law firms in the area to make any commute for me reasonable...

Thanks,
Jim

[Claire2900]

Annandale is the burbs, no two ways about that. It's also not terribly convenient to public transportation. I was under the impression that there are a number of patent firms in Crystal City (right by National airport). Where in Falls Church will your wife be working?

[jm76]

My wife will be working right off Leesburg Pike halfway between I495 & I66. As for the burbs, what are your concerns about them? Is it just because it isn't near the nightlife of a big city or is it the inconvenience of getting places?

We are considering looking at larger apartment complexes and I'm aware of many in the NOVA area that will fit our need but thought Annandale would be a good half-way point. I'm not dead set on Annandale and if there are reasons to stay away I'm all ears but I also want a place where we can park a car and motorcycle without major concern. My wife will have parking at her work so she will be driving in daily, as for me, since I'll be starting out in patent law I'm sure I will need to have a vehicle available to run over to the PTO during the day and thus public transportation isn't as big of a concern at the moment (though I could be delusional in that aspect...).

Thanks for any and all insight,
Jim

[movingtodcfromseattle]

The 'burbs here are different. Each area (Falls Church, Arlington, Burke, Springfield, Annandale, Vienna) has a different feel. You really need to drive the area to get the idea of what each entails. I drive through some areas and can't stand them (Annandale comes to mind......). You might try corporate housing at www.vanmetreapartments.com. We stayed in one of their furnished townhouses last summer. It wasn't anything fancy, but they have a NICE pool for the summer. A plus while you are looking for a place. I will add that doing errands on the weekend is a huge factor to consider when looking at where to rent. The traffic is not any worse than the cities that you previously listed (I spent 30+ years in Seattle), but it can really cut into your day if you aren't careful.

[Claire2900]

For some reason I had in my head you were looking for more urban than suburbia. My sister lives in Annandale outside the beltway in a lovely neighborhood of ramblers, split levels, etc mostly built in the 60's. There aren't a lot of TH's in that general vicinity though. Wakefield Chapel/Little River Turnpike. Personally, I don't like the inside the beltway area of Annandale. Just MY personal take on that area. Fairlington could also be a good middle ground area as well Shirlington. I think Springfield is too far and Alexandria could work depending on where in Alexandria.

Traffic is bad. A lot depends on how early your commute is, proximity to public transportation, etc. Arlington is a close in suburb of DC and depending on where in DC you work and where in Arlington you live, it can take 45 minutes to go 6-8 miles.

I agree with the other posters. Get something short term to give yourselves time to get to know the area and most importantly, where you will be working.

[Claire2900]

I did see this on craigslist, its a great location and the neighborhood is better than a lot esthetically

Two story 1br condo by lake and 495 66 50 (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/apa/1726809235.html - broken link)