What Does $3000 Get You In DC (real estate, apartment, rentals)
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My wife and I are hoping to move into dc sometime this spring. My wife will be taking a job in the U Street neighborhood and does not want to commute into the city (currently living in Clarendon). We’ve lived in DC before (NE on the west side of H Street about four years ago). Our budget is around $3,000 a month. I guess my question is … what does $3,000 get you in the city?
There was a recent real estate posting on the Prince of Petworth neighborhood blog that looked perfect. It was a townhome on the west side of Randolph Street NW in Petworth and had everything we are looking for (yard large enough for our two dogs to run a bit, at least two bedrooms, walking distance to amenities and restaurants, renovated, close to her job and within 30 mins of my job on the Navy Yard) but I’m unsure about the area and the price seems high for the neighborhood. Is $3450 for a three bedroom in Petworth on point for the current market?
Any opinions on the listing? Any opinions on where we should be looking? I’ve been scouring craigslist and am just trying to get an idea of where the best values are in the city but it’s overwhelming.
Unfortunately we don't have money to put down for a home so renting is where we will be (and continue to be) for the next three years or so while we save up enough for a down payment.
And it would be $3000 for rent alone not including utilities.
While it's seems like we are the upper 1%, craigslist and other rental database sites seem to indicate otherwise. Rents in neighborhoods that we would want to live in are out of control. We are looking in Columbia heights, shaw, around u street, around Logan circle, around DuPont, and west capital hill. If anyone has any ideas where else we should look please let me know. It needs to be within a 15 drive to u street during rush hours and within a 30 minutes on metro from the navy yard.
Unfortunately we don't have money to put down for a home so renting is where we will be (and continue to be) for the next three years or so while we save up enough for a down payment.
And it would be $3000 for rent alone not including utilities.
While it's seems like we are the upper 1%, craigslist and other rental database sites seem to indicate otherwise. Rents in neighborhoods that we would want to live in are out of control. We are looking in Columbia heights, shaw, around u street, around Logan circle, around DuPont, and west capital hill. If anyone has any ideas where else we should look please let me know. It needs to be within a 15 drive to u street during rush hours and within a 30 minutes on metro from the navy yard.
Dude literally for $3,000 a month you should be able to live in any neighborhood in the city.
Rents are out of control but $3,000 a month you can afford pretty much any neighborhood. You might not get a mansion on embassy row, but easily you should be able to get a nice 2 bedroom unit.
I think they are looking to rent a house, not an apartment. $3000 is going to rule out some of the neighborhoods they listed for a townhouse. Sure they can find a nice apartment, but a house is a different story entirely and rents are out of control for houses in many of those areas. Me and my partner had the same budget, but were a bit less picky in terms of neighborhoods before we bought, so we ended up well below budget before we ultimately bought a home in one of our target neighborhood.
The dogs make this thing tricky, as does your time requirements. I am not sure you will be able to find a house for $3000 in some of those areas. Two years ago that may have been the case, but a number of things have changed.
$3450 is high for petworth for a house even close to the metro, I would pass, there are better options, and your $3000 budget is a good target. It's a hot neighborhood, but the price is out of line. With that being said the rent in some of the areas you listed is somewhat crazy, and it would without question be above $3000 in many of those areas.
You may want to expand your target areas list and maybe go a little outside your areas just to expand your options. Shepard Park/Takoma (DC neighborhood) for example should be on your radar. Houses with yards...close to metro access. Rentals are not out of line yet, and you would probably get something in budget. It may be a few more minutes outside of your times...but considering you may get something in budget it may be worthwhile. Both are close to metro, and safe neighborhoods. However, they have not yet hit the super trendy level yet.
With that being said this may take some time, especially if you are looking for a house.
Last edited by DistrictSonic; 01-11-2014 at 08:56 PM..
Thanks for the information. An apartment for $3000 is an easy enough find. It's finding a town home or stand alone home that's proving difficult. Thanks for the advice. Looks like patience will be our friend. I'll open up the search a little bit and consider the Takoma area. Any other under the radar neighborhoods we should be looking at? We don't want to be too far away from U Street or my wife's commute will be just as long as it is now. Thanks.
Eckington, Brookland, and Bloomingdale are the other three that should be on your radar as well. Bloomingdale especially because it would be a very short commute to U st., but the houses there can get beyond your budget point.
It is getting harder to find a house in budget, which is a big reason me and my partner bit the bullet and ultimately bought one.
You need to rent a whole house for just your wife and you?
Me and my partner own a house in DC, we rented one before. It's just us. Not everybody wants to live in an apartment, or can live in one for that matter.
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