Gay Man to Work in New Carrollton -- Where to Live? (Bethesda: apartment, rental)

[Heading2DC]

Looking for some guidance... I'll be moving to the DC area to work in New Carrollton within a few weeks. I live in the Boston area and wish to keep my home since I may return after several years. My partner will remain in Boston so I'll be commuting back to the area on most weekends. I'm not looking for any gay nightlife (way too old for that at 45), but I'll need to find a home in a community where I'll feel comfortable.

Some observations after two exploratory visits...
I find the New Carrollton area depressing. I'm used to elegant older homes with lots of charm and character, and quaint little downtowns with gourmet reastaurants and upscale markets. Doesn't look like I'll be getting any of that in the New Carrollton area.

New Carrollton, Lanham, etc. all look pretty dismal. The area of Bowie north of Route 50 seemed to be the best option for a short commute. Couldn't find a restaurant or a store that wasn't of the national chain/"big box" variety. And some of the new developments are OK, though kind of "Stepfordish." The brick facades are nice, but the gross vinyl siding slathering the backsides of these homes makes the landscape look like it's dotted with gigantic Rubbermaid sheds from the backyard. Are there any charming SFH/condo developments in the area or am I just too much of a snob?

There seems to be a glut of RE on the market in the area too. I have a few months to take advantage of the relocation program but I'm concerned that whatever I buy will be another investment loss. I'd like to minimize the loss as much as possible.

What I'm looking for...
I'd consider living in DC, but you sure don't get much for the money and I'm not sure if the reverse commute would be safe later in the evening via rail. Any thoughts on this?

Safety and comfort are a big concern. I'm a quiet gay man that will have a weekend guest (partner) once a month, and occassional visits (3-4 times a year) from other family members/friends. I'll be a great neighbor! Looking for a place where gay people are welcomed. Are there an areas that may meet my needs? Thanks!

[typical guy]

I assume you're working at the IRS across the street from the New Carolton Metro stop? If that's the case, you could live anywhere in Metro travel range since it's walkable to the Metro stop. If you want good atmosphere, you could always look in DC proper. You can get a (really expensive) apartment in Adams Morgan or Dupont Circle. Dupont is the part of DC where most of the gay individuals in the region gravitate towards. There is plenty to eat/do there as well. You could look further north on the red (metro) line such as Rockville, Bethesda, etc.

Most of Prince George's County (PG County) is a disaster area. I wouldn't recommend living there as it has fairly high crime. Another option is Northern Virginia although that's more of WASP country although you could look in the Arlington area.

[Heading2DC]

How long would the commute be from Dupont Circle, Rockville and Bethesda? Thanks!

[typical guy]

The red line from rockville is a good 1hr 15 min because it's the far end of the red line and goes through DC, transfer to the orange line, and go to the far end there. Bethesda is slightly shorter. Dupont is signifcantly shorter because it's only the 2nd stop after the transfer at Metro Center (Rockville is the 13th).
If you drive from Rockville, you can actually make it to New Carolton in the morning in about 35min and the drive home would definately be about 1 hour or so (driving from New Carlton to Rockville takes about the same amount of time as the Metro on the way home). You save time in the morning, just not in the afternoon (unless you work the extreme early schedule and leave very early).

Keep in mind though, rental prices in Dupont are going to be crazy high but you get the ultimate walkable lifestyle. If you go outside the beltway, prices come down substantially.

[lscalder]

Check out Fort Washington in PG county here is the website National Harbor

[typical guy]

The National Harbor has been "about to be the next big thing" for a while now. It's really just never happened. It's not in an area that's generally considered good but they're trying to redevelop it. I know they're building some expensive condos there but it's hardly what I would consider a "safe neighborhood". It wouldn't hurt to look at the area though (you would definitely want to look at that one during the night).

[Heading2DC]

Thanks -- this is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping to encourage -- great information!

[lscalder]

The condos are selling for close to 1 million.

[waccamatt]

Takoma Park is known as a gay friendly area, but it is less expensive (a little less, anyway) than the Dupont Circle area. I would rather live in Dupont if I lived in DC and could afford it, but Takoma Park is a nice alternative and pretty safe. It would be a bit of a trip by the Metro since you would have to transfer from the red line to the orange line to get to work, but at least both home and work would be close to Metro stations. As far as safety is concerned, unless you'll be commuting late at night you should be ok. I've never felt uncomfortable on the DC Metro and since you live in Boston now you should have good instincts for being safe.