Areas in VA within commuting distance of Univ of MD? PLEASE Help! (Arlington: apartments)

[Amy K]

I'm hoping that someone can suggest any areas within commuting distance of the Univ of MD. I know that there are several states/areas outside of College Park, MD which are nice places to buy a house or rent, but I'm not sure where to begin.

I would be looking for a townhome/condo/single family house around the price range of $135K or rent in the ballpark of no more than $1000 per month for a 2Bedroom (is this possible??!!).

I'm married with 2 large dogs and my interest in UMD is for grad school, so I'm not looking for a "party" area. My husband is a chef, so we would have to be near enough for him to commute to a fine dining restaurant too.

Any suggestions?

[dullnboring]

I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 135K for anything in this area is not really possible, minus some really really rough parts of DC which you would not want to live. I would say you'd be better to rent than to buy if 135K is your cap, as you're unlikely to find anything (condo, townhouse, home), even a one-bedroom, for under 200K. Similarly, you may have to downgrade apartments from a two bedroom to a one bedroom to come up with something at $1000/month. In general, the average one bedroom apartment in the area is around $1100 or so, and these are standard garden-style apartments in the suburbs, not those in the more exclusive or desired areas. My friend lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment that I believe was pet-friendly (well, he had a cat...perhaps two dogs would be different, and truthfully there's not much room for animals to run around and play) in the city of Fairfax that was $950/month (although this was over a year ago and prices may have climbed since then) which is quite the hike from UMD. There may be a handful of two bedroom apartments in your price range but again, they're likely to be in very shady areas, most likely somewhere in DC or PG County. Ignoring the cost aspect for the moment, commuting to UMD from anyplace in Virginia is going to be pretty rough. Your best bets would be Alexandria and Arlington, both of which could run roughly an hour commute via car, or perhaps a similar time via Metro although I don't think Metro goes all the way to UMD so it would necessitate and additional bus trip there. I actually think Maryland would be a wiser choice for both commuting reasons and cost reasons (Maryland has a greater selection of cheaper places).

[DavidS827]

In this area there are a few mobile homes that are under $135k. They are located in Chantilly. The only (single family) rentals in the area under $1000 are located in Alexandria. The biggest problem you will find in renting around here is finding a place that will allow 2 large dogs.

[Mike from back east]

....that's actually a great idea....I know the spot too, used to live in Chantilly and there's a GREAT mom&pop Mexican eatery in the strip mall in front of this mobile home park that is truly authentic and wonderful.

Driving to College Park, MD from Chantilly, VA is at least one hour each way, as I used to do it back around 1980 or so. During normal rush hours, that's a 2-hour drive. I think there may be a way to drive or take the bus to Vienna Metro, then take the subway to UMD, but that's still 2-hours each way.

There are several fine hotels and even a conference center at Westfields that might be in need of a chef, not to mention some decent eateries like the Bonefish Grill in Chantilly (Greenbriar shopping center on Rte 50) or the Sweetwater Grill in Centreville, etc. Living in Chantilly would be great for these locations.

s/Mike

[DavidS827]

Mike - Are you talking about el Picante? Their food is great! My wife and I used to go there a few times a month.

[Amy K]

Thanks so much for the info. I knew the $135K ball park would be difficult at best. We were also looking at MD, but I had read where others had lived in Va, so I decided to search this option. We would only be living there for 2 years, so renting is still an option. I don't think my husband would go the mobile home route, but it's always good to know there are other avenues. I'm looking at other schools in Va, and also another one in GA, but UMD is my top choice.

Is Chantilly a safe area? If I was willing to do a 1 BDRM, would we have many more areas of interest? The dogs have to go--I can't give them up

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by DavidS827

Mike - Are you talking about el Picante? Their food is great! My wife and I used to go there a few times a month.

Yeah man, that's the place. Their food is the real deal. s/mike