Do studio apartments exist in Northern VA? (Arlington, Dale City: affordable apartments, rental)

[Megadell]

I just need a room to sleep in, a bathroom with a sink, toiler, and shower, and a small kitchen with a stove, sink, fridge, and a little counter space.

Are there such a thing as studio apartments in Nova? I need to move outta my moms place but damn if I can't one. Everywhere I look I see condos and town houses sprouting up. 200k here, 200k there.

Nova is one giant suburb. Sure, you've got plenty of people making huge money from the federal government, but at the same time, Nova is also for the most part, one giant freaking strip mall. Full of people making 9 bucks an hour.

I make about 30k a year, not a lot, but for a single person, above the poverty line. But all the housing here is 1200 minimum for one bedrooms.

But as I said, I neither need, nor really want a one bedroom. Not if I can get a studio, a freaking....500square food studio, for 7-800 a month.

[HokieFan]

What part of NoVA?

[fisharmor]

Yeah, they're all in other people's basements.
Everyone I know who is living inexpensively here is living with someone else.

[ChristineVA]

A coworker of mine, several years ago, was making about $45,000 and she was renting an efficiency in the Columbia Pike area. At one point, she also rented an efficiency in DC on that salary. This was probably about 7 years ago. I think her rent was running about $800 so I'm sure it's much more than that now.

I doubt you will find studios or efficiencies in any of the farther out suburbs. Your best bet would be to rent a room or a small in-home apartment from someone. At $30,000, that might be tough.

Also, I'm sure anything seems a lot of money to you; however, people who work for the federal government do not make HUGE amounts of money. Please, tell that to my bank account. Some people make a comfortable living and usually they have put their time in and have educational accomplishments to back up that salary. Young people, just starting out, are coming into the government at salary levels that do not allow them to live alone. You are not alone in this.

[Megadell]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

What part of NoVA?

I figure woodbridge and manassas would be cheapest, but least urban. More houses than apartments. I see there is a.place in dale city with efficiency apartments as low as 500 a month. 5-800. A possibility. Beats squatting in someones basement.

[Megadell]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

A coworker of mine, several years ago, was making about $45,000 and she was renting an efficiency in the Columbia Pike area. At one point, she also rented an efficiency in DC on that salary. This was probably about 7 years ago. I think her rent was running about $800 so I'm sure it's much more than that now.

I doubt you will find studios or efficiencies in any of the farther out suburbs. Your best bet would be to rent a room or a small in-home apartment from someone. At $30,000, that might be tough.

Also, I'm sure anything seems a lot of money to you; however, people who work for the federal government do not make HUGE amounts of money. Please, tell that to my bank account. Some people make a comfortable living and usually they have put their time in and have educational accomplishments to back up that salary. Young people, just starting out, are coming into the government at salary levels that do not allow them to live alone. You are not alone in this.

I just don't see how this area can keep building more and more condos and townhouses, left right and center. I mean it's getting ridiculous. I saw some McMansions with 3-4 car garages, where the houses are like, 8 feet away from each other. They are just packing in more and more homes, but there are no apartments. No cheap apartments. You'd think someone would see the explosion of people renting bedrooms and basements and say, maybe we should build some studio apartments.


I dunno.

[brava4]

I totally agree with you. The entire NOVa area is one big condo/apt building. It's pretty gross...and expensive.

[CaliTerp07]

There are plenty of studio apartments inside the beltway. You'll pay for location though, which it doesn't sound like you need. To be honest, I'd be leery about the neighborhoods around any place renting for <$800/month.

"Squatting in someone's basement" is an odd way of looking at it. These apartments generally have separate entrances, their own kitchen/bath, and a lot more space than a regular apartment. My friends who went this route have very nice places.

Do you have an upward trajectory on your salary? Is this $30k/year a year or two thing before you can get the experience to switch to another job or get a promotion, or is this your permanent outlook?

[oneasterisk]

.

Originally Posted by Megadell

I figure woodbridge and manassas would be cheapest, but least urban. More houses than apartments. I see there is a.place in dale city with efficiency apartments as low as 500 a month. 5-800. A possibility. Beats squatting in someones basement.

Apartment Rental Company, Affordable Apartments | Dale City, VA

I'm not sure the prices these days but they do efficiencies. Just be warned that it's not the nicest place

[ACWhite]

The reason you don't see building of that type of unit is that no builder believes s/he can turn a profit on it. The land and construction costs are so high that builders have to build what will bring in the highest rents.

Some communities such as Arlington require a certain number if "affordable" units, but these still aren't cheap and may require more than one income. But you might want to research some county websites.