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So here's the deal: I'm 27, married, and will be attending grad school at the U of Maryland College Park. The wife just landed a job with the DC schools, so we don't know yet exactly where she'll be working, but it will be in the District. We're dirt poor right now and won't be able to visit DC before we move, and so just plan on subletting for a few months to get a feel for things. She'll be making about $45k a year.
That being said, I'd like to get a jump on looking at apartments. We think $1000/month will be our budget for a 1 bedroom place. We have one car that she will use, and I'll get to school on the Metro so proximity to a line would be nice.
We would like to live somewhere youthful and fun, with a decent bar/restaurant scene in the near area. We both love the ability to walk to nightlife, farmer's markets, stores etc, if at all possible.
I've noticed some safety talk in the forums. We live in a so-so area in St. Louis, which is on par, if not worse than DC in terms of crime, etc so I'm not terribly worried about living in a "bad" area. I've noticed that some deals can be had around near Catholic University - Brookland or University Heights, or in Trinidad/Truxton/Near Northeast. What's the vibe of those areas? Also the Capitol Hill and Near Southeast areas seem decently priced as well. How about those areas?
We don't have to live in DC, if it's just too expensive. So where else on the Maryland side would be fun for people like us with the kind of criteria I have? I'd like specific names of areas if possible, something to help me narrow down the search. Thanks!
If you live in a so-so area of STL, then the CUA/Brooklands area will feel like home. It's one of the few DC areas that hasn't gentrified out of reach, but is relatively safe (within reason). Waterfront is OK, but the commute to UMD may be a stretch. Trinidad/Truxton is bad: violent crime and rampant theft. Not worth it at any price.
You can get really cheap flights from STL to BWI, then take the MARC train down to DC and spend a day or two looking around. I wouldn't necessarily rule out a recon trip.
Is it possible to stay at UMD in married student or 'college student' housing for a semester? Would give you a stable base from which to conduct your house hunts and learn about areas. Wife could take Metro (though it would *really* help if DC could tell you what area she would be living in).
It may be a stretch with your budget to find exactly what you're looking for without compromises (walking distance to nightlife, markets, etc), but you could possibly check this link, which shows new development around the SE waterfront area. One bonus is that the Green Line metro rail runs from this area directly to the UMD College Park station, and would likely put your wife within a train ride to her school. The Washington Nationals baseballs stadium is in this area, as are planned nightlife and restaurants. I believe 400M Apartments (brand new) have rentals starting at $950. Check it out, you may find something. Good luck!
Thanks for the few tips so far, can anyone else comment on the areas I listed, or help steer me in the direction of decent but more affordable neighborhoods in the DC area? I would appreciate it!
I know this question has been asked many times before, but the only answers I've seen are either generalizations about areas (eg northeast, southwest), or people telling the posters that they should like in Adams Morgan, or by Georgetown, which are way too expensive. I'm looking for fun, close to the action, a little rough around the edges is fine, but affordable (see my first post for what I mean by affordable: $1000-1200/month). I would love specific neighborhood names if possible, or if anyone can tell me about where they live, etc.... Thanks!
Suggest Petworth. You should be able to find a 1bdrm for $1000, it's on the green line (like UMD), and has more and more 20-somethings moving in. A few bars and restaurants, or you can hop down to Columbia Heights for more nightlife. CU/Brookland would work also. Avoid Truxton.
CUA area _could_ work, but it depends on where exactly. Brookland is pretty residential.
I'm not sold on Petworth. It might work but I would never advise someone to rent without seeing it.
at $1100-1200 silver spring comes into play. Downtown would require bus or a walk to metro. You could likely find a 1br close to the Forest Glen station or wheaton for that price. Silver spring is happening-forest glen is pretty residential but close to action in downtown
Takoma Park is also possible. People seem to either like it or hate it- its a funky, liberal enclave. Not too much happening.
College Park is possible at the higher end. Westchester Park has condos and apartments on the UMD shuttle that are nice and in the $1100. Greenbelt might also work-avoid the springhill lake complex and look near the UMD shuttle.
Also not mentioned but out are most of Hyatsvile and a lot of places a bit south of UMD (Blandsburg etc) for crime.
Of course, some of these reccomendations might want to change depending on where your wife teaches.
1100-1200 is fine as long as you don't have to live in georgetown dupont. (and that would be a bad commute to UMD).
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