OT: Finding housing in DC area

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Hey all, Bulls board member here.

I'm moving to the DC area in September, and struggling to find an apartment for reasonable (shocker).

Is anyone aware of another good apartment-hunting service aside from Craig's List? I've checked out the rent.com's and the apartmentfinder.com's, but they've only got high rise listings, which I'm not interested in.

Oh, and in case it helps to mention it, I have to live outside the city in order to qualify for in-state tuition when I start school in a year's time. I'm thinking Court House, Clarendon, Rosslyn, Ballston, Old Town or Del Ray, and welcome opinions on any of these neighborhoods.

Thanks in advance.
Ashy

[closg00]

No hi-rises? well then you have certainly narrowed your pool of available apartments considerably. Are you open to roommates? Split a condo with someone (Craigslist)

[ZonkertheBrainless]

I wouldn't use the internet. How well do you know the area? The best way to search for an apartment is door to door... focus in on a neighborhood you want to live at and start visiting the leasing offices of the apartment complexes.

Are you trying to find apartments close to the metro? You really have to overpay for that. Most apartment complexes have a bus stop right in front of them that go straight to the metro and they're much, much cheaper.

You'll also find in some neighborhoods that buying is cheaper than renting, if you can afford it. That's what I ended up doing, but my situation is a little unique. There were some two bedroom condos for sale in Takoma park that were super cheap, but then we found out the whole building is infested with cockroaches. I don't know what your cockroach tolerance is. The Fort Totten neighborhood is pretty dull but I think there's lots of housing there, you should be able to find something cheap.

Rhode Island and Catholic U metro areas have nice little pockets in them. I'm trying to get a nice little place there that's walking distance to the Fur and Ibiza nightclubs, and on a bus stop that'll take me to the metro.

Of course, if you really want cheap go on the green line and find a place close to Maryland U. Students can't afford preposterous rent so as long as you're not *too* close to the U you should find something.

So I guess it all depends on where you want to end up.

[verbal8]

Oh, and in case it helps to mention it, I have to live outside the city in order to qualify for in-state tuition when I start school in a year's time. I'm thinking Court House, Clarendon, Rosslyn, Ballston, Old Town or Del Ray, and welcome opinions on any of these neighborhoods.

Thanks in advance.
Ashy

You might try realtor.com for rentals that are owned by private landlords listed through a real estate agent.

In terms of neighborhoods, getting somewhere on a bus line is a lot more affordable than somewhere near the metro. You also might try near either the Ballston(although mainly high rises) or Vienna Metros if being metro accessible is important.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Thanks for the suggestions.

More details, before I run off to look at apartmnets (I'm in town for the weekend).

I'm living with my girlfriend, and we're prepared to pay $2000/month, tops.

I know eliminiating high rises narrows our choices, but it's a strong personal preference that we'd only set aside out of desperation.

Realtor.com -- I'll have to look at that.

Again, thanks for the suggestions so far. Any additional ones would be much appreciated.

[closg00]

I wouldn't use the internet. How well do you know the area? The best way to search for an apartment is door to door... focus in on a neighborhood you want to live at and start visiting the leasing offices of the apartment complexes.

Are you trying to find apartments close to the metro? You really have to overpay for that. Most apartment complexes have a bus stop right in front of them that go straight to the metro and they're much, much cheaper.

You'll also find in some neighborhoods that buying is cheaper than renting, if you can afford it. That's what I ended up doing, but my situation is a little unique. There were some two bedroom condos for sale in Takoma park that were super cheap, but then we found out the whole building is infested with cockroaches. I don't know what your cockroach tolerance is. The Fort Totten neighborhood is pretty dull but I think there's lots of housing there, you should be able to find something cheap.

Rhode Island and Catholic U metro areas have nice little pockets in them. I'm trying to get a nice little place there that's walking distance to the Fur and Ibiza nightclubs, and on a bus stop that'll take me to the metro.

Of course, if you really want cheap go on the green line and find a place close to Maryland U. Students can't afford preposterous rent so as long as you're not *too* close to the U you should find something.

So I guess it all depends on where you want to end up.

He's has to live in VA to qualify for in-state tuition.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Your going to have a tough time finding low rise apartments in Rosslyn and Ballston. Though I think if you go further down into Arlington from Ballston, their are a couple of places. Me and my friends use to skate in this neighborhood of three story apartment complexes that were a 10 minute drive from Ballston. Can't remember the name, I'll ask one of my buddies.

As long as you stay away from Falls Church and Annandale, you should be fine.

[Rafael122]

Well since you want to live in VA, I can't help you here as I highly recommend the Adams Morgan/Columbia Heights area. Metro, restaurants, a mini-mall, has just about everything you need to start off.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Virginia is expensive because the high schools are really good, you have to pay a premium to live inside the beltway and outside is still pretty pricey. Don't look for places close to the metro for sure.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Loudon areas are good. It's the same pricing as the metro access areas but the living is so much nicer. Also, less people, more open spaces and a lot more peaceful here. I hated living in the metro areas of NoVA. Loudon is a breath of fresh air when I come home from school.

[tkunit]

why not look at the lake ridge area. Its a little ways down 95 but nothing horrible.

[WashWiz54]

Your going to have a tough time finding low rise apartments in Rosslyn and Ballston. Though I think if you go further down into Arlington from Ballston, their are a couple of places. Me and my friends use to skate in this neighborhood of three story apartment complexes that were a 10 minute drive from Ballston. Can't remember the name, I'll ask one of my buddies.

As long as you stay away from Falls Church and Annandale, you should be fine.

Why would you want to stay away from those areas? I live there and it's alright.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Your going to have a tough time finding low rise apartments in Rosslyn and Ballston. Though I think if you go further down into Arlington from Ballston, their are a couple of places. Me and my friends use to skate in this neighborhood of three story apartment complexes that were a 10 minute drive from Ballston. Can't remember the name, I'll ask one of my buddies.

As long as you stay away from Falls Church and Annandale, you should be fine.

Why would you want to stay away from those areas? I live there and it's alright.

Congestion mainly. Seven Corners (especially the Baileys Crossroads and Culmore area) and Little River Turnpike basically connect every major place in Annandale and Falls Church. They aren't the safest places to begin with and the traffic during peak hours is a nighmare, especially when it takes you 30 minutes to cover a span that would usually take 5.

[FreeBalling]

This is the market I'm in, use this site http://www.homesdatabase.com/ (select rent)

I use the MRIS this is the 2nd best thing.

A condo and a apartment are different and have different laws.

[bulletproof_32]

I used to live right off of Lee Highway (Route 29) in a garden style apartment complex that was walking distance to the Courthouse metro. The apartment was small and old and looked a little "sketchy" from the outside but it was cheap, safe and a great area to live in right out of college. There are bunch of little older garden style buildings/ mid rise apartment complexes in and around that area (Courthouse/ Clarendon metros).

There's an exit from the Courthouse Metro that dumps you right into the Colonial Village apartments (which is a really large garden style complex). I would take Zonker's suggestion and just drive around that area to see if anything jumps out at you. Basically head either direction (to Lee Highway (Route 29) or Route 50) in between the Courthouse and Clarendon metro stations.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Good stuff, guys

We may have found a place in Ballston this afternoon. Low rise, about 10 minutes walk from the Metro. All things being equal, I would have rather landed in Old Town, Del Ray, or Court House, but it's a nice unit, and I feel lucky to have grabbed it with just 1 more day in town.

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions. I'll hit up a few Wizards games next season so I may come back here to chew the fat with y'all.

[WashWiz54]

Your going to have a tough time finding low rise apartments in Rosslyn and Ballston. Though I think if you go further down into Arlington from Ballston, their are a couple of places. Me and my friends use to skate in this neighborhood of three story apartment complexes that were a 10 minute drive from Ballston. Can't remember the name, I'll ask one of my buddies.

As long as you stay away from Falls Church and Annandale, you should be fine.

Why would you want to stay away from those areas? I live there and it's alright.

Congestion mainly. Seven Corners (especially the Baileys Crossroads and Culmore area) and Little River Turnpike basically connect every major place in Annandale and Falls Church. They aren't the safest places to begin with and the traffic during peak hours is a nighmare, especially when it takes you 30 minutes to cover a span that would usually take 5.

Yeah the traffic is pretty terrible. I dread rolling to my boy's crib in South Arlington during rush hour just because how long it takes (I'm over in Falls Church). If you haven't lived in such a congested area before be ready for a rude awakening. We have some of the worst traffic I've seen minus the obvious big cities.

As for the safety it isn't too bad but always keep an eye out. IDK I guess if you've grown up here it isn't anything but if you're coming from a small happy town.... Rude awakening number two haha.