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My wife and I may be moving to the DC area where I'll be working in the vicinity of the Capitol. We're looking for a 1 bedroom apartment in a safe neighborhood that is very close to a Metro station. Having access to city amenities is a big plus -- we're late-twenty-somethigns -- as we're moving from a very boring suburb where we need to drive to get anywhere.
We've lived in cities before, so we've got some street smarts -- the usual rules of thumb of being on-guard after dark, and not making unnecessary eye contact, and avoiding certain streets, are ones we'd follow. But it would be nice to live someplace we feel safe.
How likely is it to find a place for $1,400/mth (max) with a less than 30 minute to the Capitol South / Union Station area? We like our privacy so we're not looking to share rooms or recruit roommates.
Areas we're looking at: Dupont Circle, Clarendon/Courthouse, downtown Silver Spring, Old Town Alexandria, Tenleytown, Foggy Bottom, Adams Morgan/Woodley Park, and Takoma Park/Takoma.
Those are all nice to really nice areas -- each different in its own way. But why not live where you work? There are a lot of recently renovated rowhouse apartments on the south side of Eastern Market for instance (8th Street SE is the main drag there, Metro is at 7th and D), and if your tastes run more to new and modern, there are always places in the Penn Quarter and Gallery Place areas just west of Union Station. I don't think there are too many places that can top the latter for amenities.
My wife and I may be moving to the DC area where I'll be working in the vicinity of the Capitol. We're looking for a 1 bedroom apartment in a safe neighborhood that is very close to a Metro station. Having access to city amenities is a big plus -- we're late-twenty-somethigns -- as we're moving from a very boring suburb where we need to drive to get anywhere.
We've lived in cities before, so we've got some street smarts -- the usual rules of thumb of being on-guard after dark, and not making unnecessary eye contact, and avoiding certain streets, are ones we'd follow. But it would be nice to live someplace we feel safe.
How likely is it to find a place for $1,400/mth (max) with a less than 30 minute to the Capitol South / Union Station area? We like our privacy so we're not looking to share rooms or recruit roommates.
Areas we're looking at: Dupont Circle, Clarendon/Courthouse, downtown Silver Spring, Old Town Alexandria, Tenleytown, Foggy Bottom, Adams Morgan/Woodley Park, and Takoma Park/Takoma.
Thanks!
You sound like you need either Woodley Park, Alexandria, Tenleytown or like Sagnista said the Eastern Market area. Everything else is pretty expensive especailly foggy bottom....Oh Arlington would be a great area and you can hit Wilson Blvd or metro into the city to hang out..
Those are all nice to really nice areas -- each different in its own way. But why not live where you work? There are a lot of recently renovated rowhouse apartments on the south side of Eastern Market for instance (8th Street SE is the main drag there, Metro is at 7th and D), and if your tastes run more to new and modern, there are always places in the Penn Quarter and Gallery Place areas just west of Union Station. I don't think there are too many places that can top the latter for amenities.
Thanks, Sag. I assumed that the areas near the Capitol would be either too expensive or less safe, but that's not a safe assumption for an outsider to make.
Some friends and I stayed not far from the Capitol during a weekend trip a couple years ago, and the neighborhood was very bad. This was south of the Capitol below 295. I guess the relative proximity to this neighborhood gave me pause, as well as a bad impression of the SE area.
I'll take a look at the Eastern Market, Penn Quarter, and Gallery Place areas, for sure. Hopefully they will have some affordable apartments. Which place are you saying can't be beat for amenities?
You sound like you need either Woodley Park, Alexandria, Tenleytown or like Sagnista said the Eastern Market area. Everything else is pretty expensive especailly foggy bottom....Oh Arlington would be a great area and you can hit Wilson Blvd or metro into the city to hang out..
Thanks, Zippy. Glad to hear I'm on the right track.
Thanks, Sag. I assumed that the areas near the Capitol would be either too expensive or less safe, but that's not a safe assumption for an outsider to make.
Certainly some of Capitol Hill and Penn Quarter are quite expensive, and safety would have been some sort of issue in either area in times gone by, but A LOT has changed and changed pretty quickly. There are still good bargains to be had in the areas for those who appreciate urban dwelling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftwing
Some friends and I stayed not far from the Capitol during a weekend trip a couple years ago, and the neighborhood was very bad. This was south of the Capitol below 295. I guess the relative proximity to this neighborhood gave me pause, as well as a bad impression of the SE area.
Well, the area south of 295 would have been pretty shady indeed only a few years ago, and it would still not be up to par, but I doubt that it has very long to wait. What you have in there is serious-money upscale development spreading south down (and therefore around) 8th Street SE (so far to the Marine Barracks), while the same sort of thing is spreading eastward along M Street SE from South Capitol. Toss in the extra nouveau-dollars of investment that the Nats new ballpark will bring about, and that whole south-of-295 area should really blossom into something pretty quickly. Between gas and housing prices, there are increasing disincentives to living in the outer suburbs unless your job is out there, and that leaves a lot of folks looking for housing and amenities in town. That demand will be met, and it's mostly SE and SW that will meet it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftwing
Which place are you saying can't be beat for amenities?
Gallery Place, which is actually the main Metro stop in Penn Quarter. The Verizon Center and Chinatown are also in the vicinity, along with theaters, museums, clubs, shopping, galleries, restaurants, you name it. It's all there.
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