DC firm - where to live? Forum

[Anonymous User]

OP here. First, you all are amazing and I bow down in gratitude. I've been on here for years and this has been the most helpful thread by far.

Second, I'll be working right by the Farragut/McPherson area. I'm getting a great idea of what neighborhoods to focus my search on. If there are any particularly good apartments in these areas, I'd love to hear about them.

[AreJay711]

I live off H Street for $800 a month. If you are trying to save money, it can be done. I have to ride the bus or (when they get it built) the street car thing to Union Station to get places though.

I don't believe you unless you mean this H street https://www.google.com/maps/place/H+Str ... 1e3178ed41

Damn that is cheap.

Lol

I imagine he's somewhere in the scary parts around H St like by Benning

Yeah, sort of lol. The apartment building is nice though. But I live in a den, not a real room

But for the same price, you can get a room in the Columbia Heights area. I just wanted a building with a parking garage or off street parking so I didn't have to change my plates over. I'm doing a second clerkship next year elsewhere and that seemed like a hassle.

[XxSpyKEx]

Not OP.

Does anyone have thoughts on the rent v. buy dilemma? I'm sure I'll stay for at least 4 years and would prefer to remain in the city when/if I were to lateral, so I feel like I'd be better served putting $2k/month towards a mortgage on a ~$400k apartment/condo than dumping as much or more into rent.

HOA/CONDO fees are a bit absurd in the area. As long as you're ok with paying upwards of 500-600 on a Condo fee in addition to a 1.5K a month mortgage and whatever loan servicing you have, then by all means. I'd elect for one of the up and coming areas to increase return on investment though. Maybe South Arlington or....Anacostia.......

And don't forget about property tax and insurance on that half million dollar condo! I have no idea what the property tax rates are in DC, but if they're similar to where I live now, you're looking at paying around $8-10k /year in property tax on a half million dollar condo. (Granted, the property taxed in my county are absurd, but I don't recall DC being very light on other taxes, so it wouldn't shock me if property taxes are ridiculous there.)

[starrydreamz3]

I'm an incoming associate at a DC firm, and I'd like to find a place that's somewhat affordable. I've heard that DC rent is outrageous (as is income tax), but wanted to know:

1) What's the difference in average rent and income tax from DC to VA (places on the orange/blue line)?

2) What are good neighborhoods/apartment complexes to look into?

3) Also, for those working those crazy hours, did you think paying more for a shorter commute was worth it?

Thank you.

I worked around here this summer, and either the orange line or red line would be easy commutes. I came in from Virginia on the orange line and probably had about a 25 minute ride, but rent was so affordable out by the Dunn Loring metro. There are a ton of brand new construction apartments around the metro out there if you're looking for a more affordable/suburban place to live.

Though staying out in the city late at night was usually a pain, so if you're planning on having a DC centric lifestyle, probably wouldn't be my first choice. But there's a ton of restaurants and some bars on the VA side too, you just need to drive/get a cab to them. Worth considering!

[AOT]

Living on H Street sounds like a great way to hate your neighborhood and get murdered.

Don't listen to this. I also live off H, quite near Benning Rd and I love it. I don't feel unsafe at all. It has great restaurants and bars, is very pretty in the summer/fall and close enough to everything that I can bike with ease. There are also very good bus, and pretty good train connections.

If you want to be on the blue and orange I'd echo the people who've said Eastern Market. Really nice area. A bit "young mum", but there's nothing wrong with that. It's also fairly well connected, but further from places you might want to go out to.

If you're looking to buy however, I would suggest the H st corridor. Things are still reasonably priced here, but the prices are going up super fast. They're also building a wholefoods with a fancy new apartment complex above it that will push those prices up even further.

[XxSpyKEx]

Living on H Street sounds like a great way to hate your neighborhood and get murdered.

Don't listen to this. I also live off H, quite near Benning Rd and I love it. I don't feel unsafe at all. It has great restaurants and bars, is very pretty in the summer/fall and close enough to everything that I can bike with ease. There are also very good bus, and pretty good train connections.

If you want to be on the blue and orange I'd echo the people who've said Eastern Market. Really nice area. A bit "young mum", but there's nothing wrong with that. It's also fairly well connected, but further from places you might want to go out to.

If you're looking to buy however, I would suggest the H st corridor. Things are still reasonably priced here, but the prices are going up super fast. They're also building a wholefoods with a fancy new apartment complex above it that will push those prices up even further.

NE is definitely is definitely gentrifying quickly (not that this is a good thing), since people are realizing that they can save so much time commuting and find so much more affordable property in the NE. Buying near a metro station is probably going to result in doubling your investment within a few years of time (and continued large increases after that). I'd say parts of SE will probably blow up all the same in probably 10-15 years, after NE starts looking more like the nicer neighborhoods in NW DC (which weren't nearly as nice 15 years ago, and this includes a lot of what is now considered a part of downtown DC).

But, yeah, you're taking some risks by living in an area that rents for $800 /month now. There are a LOT of murders in NE DC.

[los blancos]

i just looked at padmapper. i don't understand how y'all do it.

[Desert Fox]

i just looked at padmapper. i don't understand how y'all do it.

I'm not even sure, seeing as how like 70% of the city is GS-6 chumps.

[AreJay711]

But, yeah, you're taking some risks by living in an area that rents for $800 /month now. There are a LOT of murders in NE DC.

You might get harassed a bit if you aren't black and move into the middle of Trinidad or something, but you probably aren't getting shot. It's not the 80's anymore.

[FSK]

i just looked at padmapper. i don't understand how y'all do it.

I'm not even sure, seeing as how like 70% of the city is GS-6 chumps.

Between mine and my SO's income, we make about GS-6 level salary. We're both frugal by choice, so its not that hard.

[seizmaar]

wait combined or individually?

[XxSpyKEx]

But, yeah, you're taking some risks by living in an area that rents for $800 /month now. There are a LOT of murders in NE DC.

You might get harassed a bit if you aren't black and move into the middle of Trinidad or something, but you probably aren't getting shot. It's not the 80's anymore.

You might get robbed and shot if you resist. Home invasions are pretty common also. Imagine you're definitely going to have some attention if you're Caucasian and wearing a suit to work in the morning. Most of the gang warfare isn't aimed at regular people, but there are a lot of shootings, and innocent people do get hit with stray bullets. Just a few years ago there was a huge federal indictment where these gang members were doing a drive-by on 14th St NW (but pretty far north), and they managed to kill something like 2 or 3 innocent people who were in their homes. You'd be surprised by just how many bodies have popped up in rock creek park (also in the NW). And these are neighborhoods that are safer than the $800 /month NE DC apartment neighborhoods. IMO, the risk is not worth the monthly savings on rent (buying/renting near a metro station in NE DC is a different story--these areas are gentrifying quickly, but they also aren't renting for anywhere near $800 /month).

[GOATlawman]

But, yeah, you're taking some risks by living in an area that rents for $800 /month now. There are a LOT of murders in NE DC.

You might get harassed a bit if you aren't black and move into the middle of Trinidad or something, but you probably aren't getting shot. It's not the 80's anymore.

fucking LMAO at a white ultra preppy lawyer making $160k living anywhere close to this

lol

[Anonymous User]

i just looked at padmapper. i don't understand how y'all do it.

I'm not even sure, seeing as how like 70% of the city is GS-6 chumps.

As someone who happens to work at a Chapter 7/Chapter 13 Boutique in the area, I can tell you how they do it; debt.

[los blancos]

i just looked at padmapper. i don't understand how y'all do it.

I'm not even sure, seeing as how like 70% of the city is GS-6 chumps.

Yeah like I may have a good shot at a job that interests me but it seems completely unworkable for the following reasons:
1) I'd be taking a huge pay cut
2) It's in Tysons Corner
3) My wife's work means she would have to be within a predictable 20-minute commute of gtown and that area

So like looking at cl/padmapper it looks like most of the listings can be summarized as "HOLE IN THE WALL (shared) - $1450"

I'm interested in this job but I'm not willing to go from living pretty easily in a low COL area to basically financial ruin for it.

[FSK]

i just looked at padmapper. i don't understand how y'all do it.

I'm not even sure, seeing as how like 70% of the city is GS-6 chumps.

Yeah like I may have a good shot at a job that interests me but it seems completely unworkable for the following reasons:
1) I'd be taking a huge pay cut
2) It's in Tysons Corner
3) My wife's work means she would have to be within a predictable 20-minute commute of gtown and that area

So like looking at cl/padmapper it looks like most of the listings can be summarized as "HOLE IN THE WALL (shared) - $1450"

I'm interested in this job but I'm not willing to go from living pretty easily in a low COL area to basically financial ruin for it.

Tysons is on the silver line now, can't you just metro from wherever you are now?

[vandalvideo]

Tysons is on the silver line now, can't you just metro from wherever you are now?

Even in the relatively low rent areas of the Silver Line (Reston for instance) the rent for a typical 2.5bed townhouse is going to be upwards of 2K a month. (Without utilities) Not to mention that is a bit of a commute. Cheap and easy commute do not go hand in hand unless you are wililng to rent something like an income property from another couple.

[chuckbass]

Tysons is on the silver line now, can't you just metro from wherever you are now?

Even in the relatively low rent areas of the Silver Line (Reston for instance) the rent for a typical 2.5bed townhouse is going to be upwards of 2K a month. (Without utilities) Not to mention that is a bit of a commute. Cheap and easy commute do not go hand in hand unless you are wililng to rent something like an income property from another couple.

Not to mention I wouldn't move just for the chance to live in Tysons/Reston, bleh

[AreJay711]

But, yeah, you're taking some risks by living in an area that rents for $800 /month now. There are a LOT of murders in NE DC.

You might get harassed a bit if you aren't black and move into the middle of Trinidad or something, but you probably aren't getting shot. It's not the 80's anymore.

fucking LMAO at a white ultra preppy lawyer making $160k living anywhere close to this

lol

Eh, I grew up in PG county so being the only white dude at a grocery store doesn't bother me. Also, my building has a pool, a billiards lounge, a sports lounge with one of those golf simulator things, and a zen garden. I like that shit, which isn't common in DC proper, so I'm willing to walk past a shady liquor store or two on my way to H Street. Those kinds of buildings are mostly in NE for space reasons.

[c98b89]

Does anyone have any thoughts on living in campus housing (GW, Georgetown, American or Catholic) for the summer? I'll be working by Metro Center.

[jess]

.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

As a 0L living in DC for 3 years, I recommend looking into Georgetown. It has a deserved reputation as being incredibly expensive, but you can find some good deals on English basements. You can find a 1br for ~$1,500 if you prowl CL every day. And getting to K St./Farragut is very easy by bus -- a 15 minute commute. Georgetown's nightlife/restaurants are very good, the neighborhood's history is incredible, and, having lived in four different neighborhoods, I think Georgetown is by far the most aesthetically pleasing and safe neighborhood in DC.

[FSK]

There's a lot of caveat emptor with English basements though - my SO and I gave up on them early for fear of mold complications with her asthma. The high rise we live in isn't much more expensive and for that increase we get a TON of peace of mind.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. First, you all are amazing and I bow down in gratitude. I've been on here for years and this has been the most helpful thread by far.

Second, I'll be working right by the Farragut/McPherson area. I'm getting a great idea of what neighborhoods to focus my search on. If there are any particularly good apartments in these areas, I'd love to hear about them.

I work near where you're working and live in Dupont. It's a 15 minute walk, door to desk, for me, and I pay around 2k for a jr. 1 bedroom. It's incredibly nice to have such a chill commute, Dupont has plenty of things to keep me entertained, and I'm enjoying it a fair amount. Some random thoughts: unless you have very little in the way of student debt, you probably won't be able to have a car here - it's like 250 for parking, 150 for insurance, so 5k a year without even driving once - and not having a car is surprisingly shitty in DC; the downside of being in a trendy area is that most things are pretty expensive, every time I order out I'm blowing a hole in my wallet; and 2k is actually a pretty decent deal for a jr 1 bdroom in my area - I've seen studios with less floor space go for the same amount - that said, I've also seen jr 1 bdrooms go for as little as 1500.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

OP here. First, you all are amazing and I bow down in gratitude. I've been on here for years and this has been the most helpful thread by far.

Second, I'll be working right by the Farragut/McPherson area. I'm getting a great idea of what neighborhoods to focus my search on. If there are any particularly good apartments in these areas, I'd love to hear about them.

I work near where you're working and live in Dupont. It's a 15 minute walk, door to desk, for me, and I pay around 2k for a jr. 1 bedroom. It's incredibly nice to have such a chill commute, Dupont has plenty of things to keep me entertained, and I'm enjoying it a fair amount. Some random thoughts: unless you have very little in the way of student debt, you probably won't be able to have a car here - it's like 250 for parking, 150 for insurance, so 5k a year without even driving once - and not having a car is surprisingly shitty in DC; the downside of being in a trendy area is that most things are pretty expensive, every time I order out I'm blowing a hole in my wallet; and 2k is actually a pretty decent deal for a jr 1 bdroom in my area - I've seen studios with less floor space go for the same amount - that said, I've also seen jr 1 bdrooms go for as little as 1500.

Seconded on Dupont. Solid place. Great area. Close to everything.