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I'll be relocating to the DC area in a month and I'd like some feedback about best places to look for housing.
I've been down the Trulia-GoogleMaps-Hotpads rabbit hole for the past few days and would like some perspective.
About me/job: 30-year old gay male, new job will be right off Rosslyn metro stop. I'm more of an arts/culture/recreation type of guy (not a bar-hopper by any means); I like having access to parks, libraries, move theater/grocery store, and recreation centers. I will also have my car as well.
Walkability is the most important for me. Coming from car-centric GA, I'd like to be able to walk around my neighborhood, to a local restaurant, local park.
And of course, I'm ready to be disabused of what exactly I could do and how I could live based on my budget.
1. Do I need to be by a metro rail? Would I be okay if I were on a bus line?
I can be on a bus line that travels to a metro rail stop.
2. How long of a commute to work am I willing to have? Would I be okay driving?
I think 75-80 minutes would be my limit for commuting. I'd be okay driving.
3. Would I be willing to live with a roommate or multiple roommates?
Yes, regrettably. :/ But my first choice would be living by myself.
4. What amenities do I absolutely need in an apartment -- pets? gym? a/c? washer/dryer?
Central air, greenspace in walking distance to the apartment, parking space (paid or free).
Preferences: in-unit washer/dryer.
5. What is the absolute maximum, with utilities and any fees, I can afford?
$1400, with rent + utilities/fees.
6. What is my definition of safe?
Feeling safe walking around the neighborhood and getting to/from work, and to not have my home broken into or car stolen.
7. How important is nightlife? family community? schools?
Community/recreation is the most important. I want to get more into tennis, dance, leisure classes, along with physical fitness, and getting connected to the people I live around. Having access to trendy/cool restaurants to try once in a while would be nice. I'd also like to start dating as well.
Very very open to ideas, questions, suggestions, and advice.
I'll be relocating to the DC area in a month and I'd like some feedback about best places to look for housing.
I've been down the Trulia-GoogleMaps-Hotpads rabbit hole for the past few days and would like some perspective.
About me/job: 30-year old gay male, new job will be right off Rosslyn metro stop. I'm more of an arts/culture/recreation type of guy (not a bar-hopper by any means); I like having access to parks, libraries, move theater/grocery store, and recreation centers. I will also have my car as well.
Walkability is the most important for me. Coming from car-centric GA, I'd like to be able to walk around my neighborhood, to a local restaurant, local park.
And of course, I'm ready to be disabused of what exactly I could do and how I could live based on my budget.
1. Do I need to be by a metro rail? Would I be okay if I were on a bus line?
I can be on a bus line that travels to a metro rail stop.
2. How long of a commute to work am I willing to have? Would I be okay driving?
I think 75-80 minutes would be my limit for commuting. I'd be okay driving.
3. Would I be willing to live with a roommate or multiple roommates?
Yes, regrettably. :/ But my first choice would be living by myself.
4. What amenities do I absolutely need in an apartment -- pets? gym? a/c? washer/dryer?
Central air, greenspace in walking distance to the apartment, parking space (paid or free).
Preferences: in-unit washer/dryer.
5. What is the absolute maximum, with utilities and any fees, I can afford?
$1400, with rent + utilities/fees.
6. What is my definition of safe?
Feeling safe walking around the neighborhood and getting to/from work, and to not have my home broken into or car stolen.
7. How important is nightlife? family community? schools?
Community/recreation is the most important. I want to get more into tennis, dance, leisure classes, along with physical fitness, and getting connected to the people I live around. Having access to trendy/cool restaurants to try once in a while would be nice. I'd also like to start dating as well.
Very very open to ideas, questions, suggestions, and advice.
Thanks!
Welcome! Do you know anybody that could be your roommate? For $1,400, you aren’t going to be able to live in the city alone, but with a roommate splitting the cost, you would have plenty of options. You won’t find many neighborhoods with art and culture outside of DC proper.
Not sure where you are coming from in Georgia, but DC is incredibly walkable and full of amenities you are looking for. Only a few neighborhoods in Atlanta are comparable to most of the DC and Arlington walkability. It sounds like you are pretty flexible and realistic about what you are willing to sacrifice on, I'd agree with MDAllstar though, if you are willing to live with people, you can live somewhere nice in the city with the amenities you are looking for and have easy Metro commute to Rosslyn -- probably 20 minutes a day.
Lots of Georgians here too, I meet them all the time.
I moved to DC from GA back in 2012 (was in ATL and Macon). I chose Navy Yard as it was an up and coming area and more affordable at the time than downtown and other established neighborhoods. That's no longer the case though. Rosslyn isn't far from Georgetown at all but I wouldn't choose to live in Georgetown if I were you. I'd stick with Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, and Logan Circle. Since you're a young gay male I'd go with Logan Circle. The rents aren't cheap but the rents aren't cheap anymore in DC for the most part unless you want to live in a bad area. At your price point, you'd need a roommate. What about Arlington? Do you really want to live directly in DC? I chose to as I like the vibe of DC proper more than Arlington but Clarendon, Ballston, Rosslyn, Pentagon City, etc. are all nice places depending on what you're looking for. If I were in your shoes, I would get a roommate and live on 14th Street in Logan Circle area.
If you care more about not needing a roommate than living in the coolest area you might consider Columbia Pike in Arlington- it has a lot of restaurants as well as bus lines and a reasonable bike ride to Rosslyn. I've lived here for 8 years and love that it is more diverse, unpretentious, and a lower cost of living. My boyfriend lived at Fillmore Garden apartments for many years ( https://www.apartments.com/fillmore-...on-va/dgffwqj/ )- they're old but comfortable and in a very walkable location (my boyfriend lived without a car for years, though it is just suburban enough to easily find free parking). Not to dissuade you from DC- a lot of people living there wouldn't dream of crossing the river to the suburbs- but there are cheaper walkable areas in the region ��
Not to dissuade you from DC- a lot of people living there wouldn't dream of crossing the river to the suburbs
There are, but something to keep in mind is that the social scenes you may want to plug into aren't as widely dispersed. You should certainly make commute and price your highest priorities, but the good news is that Rosslyn is pretty easy to get to from large parts of the region, and your budget is fine for a shared space.
I know a fair number of gay men who put up with considerable reverse commutes into the suburbs so that they can live closer to the action. It's telling that there's just one gay bar in all of NoVa (i.e., Freddie's in Crystal City), an area of 3+ million people. And with some notable exceptions where suburban governments have splashed out on infrastructure, arts venues tend to be from downtown DC to the northeast. (As in Atlanta, the rich side of town and the artsy side of town don't overlap.)
There are LOTS of classes around, so many that I hardly know where to begin with them. (People here really like academic stuff.) Park districts have many, but so do adult-ed institutions like the Smithsonian Associates, Glen Echo Park, Hill Center, etc. Many museums have extensive education and volunteer opportunities.
For $1400 a month you can live alone in a nice apartment close to the Metro in DC which includes all utilities (washer/dryer in common laundry room though). Check out the The Brandywine which is 2 blocks from the Van Ness Station on Connecticut Avenue NW. It's a beautiful area right off of Rock Creek Park loaded with trees/greenspace. It's very safe and convenient to shopping (Giant Foods supermarket and CVS 2 blocks away). It's a few metro stops north of the Dupont Circle area where most of the nightlife/gay community resides and an easy commute to Rosslyn (with a connection to the Blue or Orange Line at Metro Center), door to door in about 30 minutes or less. The same management company (Borger Management) has several other buildings nearby along the Connecticut Avenue corridor that would fit your budget as well.
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