That's why if parking is an option, I take it. Rode Metro the first 7 years down here. After the cluster fuck following the Red line crash, I quit. No more wet dog smells on rainy days for me.
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USN Looking for a House in DC area!! 1 Feb or later
- Thread starter FlyFastNow
- Start date
Again, anyone with any leads to a nice rental in the DC area, please let me know. Thanks!
Since it hasn't been mentioned, if you're in a DINK situation, consider living in DC proper. If you're interested in walking everywhere and an endless supply of bars/restaurants/shops/museums/culture/etc, look at some of the DC neighborhoods. I lived in the Logan Circle area during my Pentagon tour, Metro'd to work every day (10 minute ride) and absolutely loved living in the city. 10 minute walk to just about anything, great system of bike paths, plus you're in DC - an amazing city. Recommend Dupont, Logan, Shaw, Penn Quarter, Capitol Hill/Eastern Market/U Street/Columbia Heights neighborhoods. Most rentals are done via craigslist in DC (even for the professional property managers) and the timeline is typically pretty tight (2-3 weeks lead time), and things go fast. If you find something good, jump on it. There will be lots of turnover happening from now through Feb because of the election, so that could work in your favor if you're quick.
PM me for more info if interested on a single person's take to living in DC.
PM me for more info if interested on a single person's take to living in DC.
Brett, The reason we aren't really looking in DC proper (though I'd LOVE to give in a cute rowhouse in Georgetown) is because of the garage requirement. It is not enough to have parking garage like below our condo building. My husband needs like a garage garage for a Corvette and two motorcycles (sigh). I don't think we can get that anywhere in the places you mentioned, right?
You're very unlikely to get that anywhere within the Beltway. You could certainly find it in the outer 'burbs, say, the College Park, Silver Spring, Bethesda area. NOVA is full of McMansions, if that's your speed. But the trade-off is commute. Commuting in the DMV sucks, even on a good day. Throw in bad weather (i.e., any sort of water falling from the sky in any amount) or Metro mess, and your day sucks.
If you haven't already you might want to google "safe track". And don't trust the google traffic filters. Google routinely says it should take Mrs Pags 1+20 to get to work and it actually takes between 1+45 to 2+00 to get there. And she goes from 4 o clock on the beltway to 11 o'clock on the outer loop (counter clockwise) and doesn't have to deal with the NOVA 66 madness. A friend of ours lives 15mi to the west of her job in Arlington and it takes her 1+30 to get to work. One way.
Any ability to negotiate the garage requirement or rent an off site garage if the vehicles aren't daily drivers?
Any ability to negotiate the garage requirement or rent an off site garage if the vehicles aren't daily drivers?
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I rented a garage adjacent to my house. It's not the kind of garage that you would have in a suburban home, but it was fine to keep my Jeep and motorcycle. Like Pags stated, you're unlikely to find that kind of garage unless you're more in the periphery, though there are some townhouses I've been to in Alexandria/Shirlington that have smaller but private garages. While I lived there, I got a storage until where I kept the majority of my garage stuff and excess furniture.
For ~$3000 you likely aren't going to find all of what you want in this area unfortunately. For walkability, commute and garage I would look in the Fairfax City (make sure it is the city, not the county as they are different) and Reston Towne Centre/Herndon areas. They are the burbs but reasonable commutes and prices. Of the two I would lean towards Reston because of the proximity to the new Metro line but that is just my preference. Montgomery County is too much of a quagmire for me, at least in Virginia they are trying to improve commutes while they seem to be gridlocked on more solutions in MD.
Take the garage out or add some flexibility with that requirement like Brett mentioned you open up a whole lot of other possibilities that fit the rest of your criteria.
Nope, I've tried to negotiate. Garage is a must. What about two-story townhouse/rowhouse with a garage in Old Town Alexandria?
That's a 1.2 to 1.4 property.
I think at this point you all ought to start searching the web in earnest and engaging a rental agent.
Do you drive to the Pentagon from there? That sounds horrific... Is there an easier option?
Yes, route 50 each way. Good quality of life when not at work and the morning commute isn't too bad, but absolutely god awful commute in the afternoon :-(