Relocating to Maryland/DC Metro area - help! Young couple with dogs (Silver Spring: apartment)

[jenEvans86]

Hello,

My husband and I have lived in NYC for 2 years (we're in our mid-20's). We just got married and are going to be moving to DC in the Fall and I could use some advice about some areas in Maryland that would be convenient for us to live, as I really know nothing about the area. My office will be near Farragut North/Dupont area and his will be near Foggy Bottom.

What will $1800-$2200 a month get us? We have two small dogs (both under 15 lbs) and like peace and quiet and a decent amount of space. We both like good food (both eating out and cooking at home), so if there is a nice grocery store, green market or an interesting restaurant scene, that's a plus. Also a gym in the area would be nice. Dishwasher/washer/dryer would be AMAZING.

I think we'd be willing to trade off a prime location for a nicer, bigger apartment with a doable commute time (in NYC we commute 40 minutes and it's a bit of a pain). If we can cut our commute down to 40 minutes or less, I'd be in heaven. Safety is important, as I'd like to feel comfortable walking home from the metro at night (we live in Queens right now if that helps, so we're not snobs/hipsters). We could bring a car/bike with us, if needed.

Of course the dogs would love a yard or a patio to run around on (wishful thinking probably). I miss having green space/trees living here in NYC.

What neighborhoods should we focus our apartment search on? What do you recommend?


Thanks everyone!
Best, Jen

[njdevilsch]

Hi Jen,

I'm in the same boat as you (and don't mean to hijack your post!!!), but I am also moving this summer to the MD/DC area for a new job together with my fiancee (by then wife). We're both late 20s/early 30s, and also looking for the same things as you in a place to live. Currently I live in a really nice and upcoming part of Brooklyn, a bit south of Park Slope almost in Sunset Park (and am neither a snob or hipster either).

I'll be working in downtown DC, and she is an elementary school teacher, so she might be working at a private school in DC or within a local school district in MD. Metro access for me would be great.

I've checked out Silver Spring, the area around the Grosvenor station, and also Cheverly, in Prince George's County (northeast of the city). We both went to college in rural areas of the northeast and are originally from southern NJ and eastern LI, outside of the city's pull, so all you Marylanders don't need to worry about more mean and nasty NY/NJsers. We're actually pretty nice people.

Well, Jen... Good luck to you. Hopefully we'll get some suggestions, or at least info on the ups and downs of life in MD.

Adam

[jenEvans86]

Sounds like we have a lot in common! We're both originally from Ohio and went to school in rural SE Ohio. And, My husband and I used to live in Park Slope (well VERY south park slope, Prospect Ave at 5th Avenue). We live in Sunnyside Queens now and like it much better. We both work in the city.

Hopefully people can help us! Are you dead set on Maryland or would you be open to living in NW DC as well?

I'm also looking into Takoma Park, Maryland, which people have described as "granola" to me ha.

Not sure how helpful this is, but I found it amusing:
DC Neighborhood Guide - Washington City Paper

[beilart]

Before deciding on an area in Maryland, please read any posts concerning Prince George County. I would not personally live there but others seems to be happy there. I live in AA County and would not live any where else but others have different ideas.

[Mom21]

Don't let beilart hijack you into moving way out in AA with a horrendous commute. There are many areas that you can live in with the needs/wants that you describe that would be a much better commute. AA County is nice but you can do much better commute wise and still be safe and sound! Search the Northen VA boards as well as the D.C. boards. You will have to be careful with D.C.; you might have to up you your budget $100 or so to get top notch area with low crime, but its certainly doable in parts of Northern VA and Montgomery County. Although there are many nice areas in PG, it doesn't look like you're necessarily looking for a suburban lifestyle, and the shopping/restaurant choices can't compete either, so I wouldn't recoommend PG for that reason. The National Harbor is up and coming with all types of amenities, but I think housing might be quite a bit above your budget.