OT: I'll be needing an apartment in Arlington, VA

[saab2000]

OK Kids, the news is now official. I will be coming to Washington. At least for now.

I spent 2 days looking at apartments in Crystal City, right near my future place of work: Washington's Reagan National Airport. I am stunned at the prices. My salary will not go up as a result of having to move. The prices out there for a decent 1-bedroom place approach 1/2 of my salary. Can't do it. I knew it would be expensive, but $1,400+ for an average 1-bedroom apartment?

For those of you familiar with the area, I would be looking for a 1-bedroom apartment, preferably on the Blue or Yellow Metro lines. That would allow me to get to work easily on the Metro without having to drive. Crystal City is appealling because I could literally walk to work much of the time. That Mount Vernon trail connects to the airport parking lot. Pretty neato. If I live in Crystal City I may sell the car. No parking fees. No gas. No insurance. No maintainance. But the rent is still a killer.

But the prices cause me to reel. Any suggestions? And no, I don't really want to live 20 miles out to save a hundred bucks in rent.

Why is it so expensive? I am not kidding when I say that living near Zuerich, Switzerland was significantly less expensive than Washington DC. What is going on here? How can a dude who earns in the mid-30s afford to live there? Seriously???

[Dekonick]

It is sick (the cost of living here)

Can you live in Anne Arundel County and fly from BWI to National? It is alot less expensive, and some nice areas to ride, plus Annapolis to boot!

Other options are the train (From Howard/baltimore/AA county) to DC - metro to National.

Anything around DC within 30 min is obnoxious cost wise.

[flydhest]

alas, I don't think somebody who earns in the mid-30s can live too terribly comfortably here. My research assistants, with just BAs earn in the upper 40s. The escalation in housing has taken place over the past 6 years. I could not afford to buy my house now if I was starting fresh. Not even close.

I'd be shocked if there weren't a decent one bedroom for around $1200, though. A new colleague has just moved here and I've been helping her with neighborhood geography and such.

Good luck and feel free to contact me if you think I can be of any other help.

[sn69]

That area is wickedly expensive, as you've noted. Unfortunately, my closest friend who's looking for a roomie is further south in Richmond, flying to Transstates.

Lemme ask around with some of our reservists...they might know some people.
Scott

[djg]

OK Kids, the news is now official. I will be coming to Washington. At least for now.

I spent 2 days looking at apartments in Crystal City, right near my future place of work: Washington's Reagan National Airport. I am stunned at the prices. My salary will not go up as a result of having to move. The prices out there for a decent 1-bedroom place approach 1/2 of my salary. Can't do it. I knew it would be expensive, but $1,400+ for an average 1-bedroom apartment?

For those of you familiar with the area, I would be looking for a 1-bedroom apartment, preferably on the Blue or Yellow Metro lines. That would allow me to get to work easily on the Metro without having to drive. Crystal City is appealling because I could literally walk to work much of the time. That Mount Vernon trail connects to the airport parking lot. Pretty neato. If I live in Crystal City I may sell the car. No parking fees. No gas. No insurance. No maintainance. But the rent is still a killer.

But the prices cause me to reel. Any suggestions? And no, I don't really want to live 20 miles out to save a hundred bucks in rent.

Why is it so expensive? I am not kidding when I say that living near Zuerich, Switzerland was significantly less expensive than Washington DC. What is going on here? How can a dude who earns in the mid-30s afford to live there? Seriously???

SAAB

This area is expensive, there's no doubt about it, and things have really escalated in the past few years, but I believe that you can spend less without venturing 20 miles outside of town. You may be able to spend less in Crystal City, with a little leg work. I wish I had a line on somthing in particular for you, but failing that I'll toss out a few general suggestions.

I'm assuming you've used the Washington Post search engine and maybe a couple of the realtor search engines to look for apartments. I'd suggest that, in doing so, you look throughout Arlington. Inexpensive housing in Arlington may be dwindling, but it's still there. Columbia Pike, for instance, has all sorts of apartment buildings--most of them garner rents below those found in Crystal City, many of them are fairly nice, and many of them are really pretty darn close to Crystal City and the airport. There's also the neighborhood just west of Crystal City--not cheap at all, and subject to gentrification, but it still has diverse offerings. Rosslyn is expensive, but still has some smaller and older apartments, which doesn't necessarily mean bad. If you can manage to spend a few days around here before the move, you'll find quite a few more sources of information on the ground--these range from local newspapers (not the post, but Arlington papers, like the connection), realty and rental publications, and, honestly, bulletin boards. I've known students and Peace Corps folks to rent fairly nice things in Arlington, recently, but some of them have chosen to live in shared or group houses, which may not be your thing. Smaller apartment buildings, and separate apartments attached to private homes, may be available along the orange line (near Court House, Clarendon, and so forth) without showing up in the larger listings. Ballston is expensive, but the area in beteen Ballston and Columbia Pike has all sorts of things. "Arlandria" is also worth a look--south Arlington, north Alexandria.

Good luck--I bet you find something.

[saab2000]

SN69,

I don't want a crashpad because I would prefer to live in my domicile. I don't want to commute. Too much time lost. I may end up doing something like that though simply because I cannot afford to live here.

I am still going to look around Crystal City. It is quite convenient to the airport. Pentagon City too.

Thanks for the tips. I'll keep looking.

[billrick]

One more area to check out would be near the Huntington Metro station, at the end of the Yellow Line, in Alexandria. There are a number of big apartment complexes in the area, including Riverside Towers.

If you can stand the Wilson Bridge contruction (not so bad now that they are not pile driving!), definetely check out the Hunting Towers on Washington Blvd, southern end of Old Town Alexandria. I am sure they have vacancies and decent studio apartments for approx. $700-$800. It is a good temp base while you are looking for a more permanent place. I lived there for two years before I bought my house. A big advantage for you is that the Mt. Vernon bike trail runs outside your door so you could ride your bike to DCA in about 15 minutes. And there is a bus stop for public transit to the airport. Also has river views and near Old Town for food and bars. Looks like heck but not bad at all.

I'll keep my eyes open for more. Good luck!

[saab2000]

Billrick,

Thanks. I may do just that - go to the end of the line. There probably won't be a permanent place though. I expect this to be temporary - 1 year or so. But in the meantime I would like a 1-bedroom place in a safe, quiet building and I would like to pay not more than $1200 rent. Parking is likely to be more and utilities will be on top of that.

Next time I have a few days off I will go down there to look around.

[BigDaddySmooth]

I'm amazed at the housing/apartment/rental property prices in this area. It's unbelievable and frankly I don't know how alot of people get by. We are DOIKS (dual income, one kid) so my basic costs are 1) mortgage, 2) daycare, 3) utilities, 4) food and fuel, 5) investments and 6) car pymt. According to the national mean, me and the missus are doing okay but I certainly don't feel like it...my "nut" to live here is over $90K. In other words, w/o buying/saving anything, I would need $90K just to make ends meet. Oh, and we live like college students (ex. car pymt of $237 for a 2000 Camry). I hear neighbors say they could not afford their house if they had to purchase it now. I think alot of people are relying on these interest-only loans and are 1 months budget away from ending up in the poor house, should some unseen emergency arise.

Saab 2000...good luck dude.

[ajhoop]

Another thing to consider might be a basement apartment in Capitol Hill. Lots of the rowhouses have basements with separate entrances, utilities, etc. You can catch the Blue Line metro and be at Reagan in short order. Lots of young folks (Hill staffers, etc) live in these basement apartments.

It's also only a couple of miles away from the local lap spot, Hains Point.

I've lived there for about a year and a half and really like it (although having to drive across the bridges for the commute is a real pain).

Just another idea...good luck.

[zap]

One good thing (relative I know) is that rental prices in the D.C. metro area have not escalated anywhere near what houses have. Considering the incredible job market in the DC area, I'm surprised rents haven't gone up that much on an annual basis since I last looked some 16 years ago.

Sorry Saab, I know that doesn't help you one bit.

But.

Back then, I ended up renting part of a townhouse. Slept in one room, bikes and other stuff in another, use of the kitchen and family room. Parking right in front of the door. Saved about $400/mo. compared to renting a 1 bedroom apartment in a comparable area. I was lucky that the owner wasn't the smartest guy on the block, but he did appreciate having that rental check handed to him on the 1st of every month without asking. So renting part of a house might be another option.

[zap]

.

[BURCH]

My sister-in-law who just found out her rent will go up $300 a year in New York City just sent me this today. I was surprised by Stamford, CT and Chicago. In my head, I had them swapped before today.


The 20 most expensive places to rent
Rank City $/sq. ft
1 New York $26.04
2 Boston $24.33
3 Honolulu $23.27
4 San Francisco $22.48
5 N. New Jersey $22.35
6 Stamford, Conn. $21.76
7 Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y. $21.05
8 Los Angeles $20.34
9 San Jose, Calif. $20.23
10 Orange County, Calif. $19.54
11 San Diego $19.19
12 Oakland, Calif. $17.66
13 Washington, D.C. $17.54
14 Central New Jersey $16.54
15 Philadelphia $15.40
16 Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. $14.81
17 Baltimore $13.91
18 Chicago $13.57
19 Miami $13.49
20 Sacramento, Calif. $13.16

[Dekonick]

Another possible place to look - College Park. Its a college town and therefore lots of rent potential. You would make a much better tenant than a college student...

Metro stop right there as well.

Maryland is just a little cheaper than NOVA - from what I have seen.

You can also go to Frederick and take the train in - I know several guys who do that. Its easy, just like metro. Good cycling too as long as you dont ride during hunting season... the rednecks around there shoot anything that moves!

[saab2000]

I don't wish to live too far away from the airport or else I will simply decide to not live in the area and commute in. By commuting I mean I could live a thousand miles away. But I would rather live a block away.

Anyway, I'll find something.

[Dekonick]

I can totally understand. Commutes suck.

I am sick sick sick of being at work!!!!! ARGH!!!

ever notice how I post in cycles??? I spend waaaaay too mych time here when I am supposed to be at work...

Slow say too - only 4 calls in 15 hours out of a 24 hour shift... I am going nuts!

[Needs Help]

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