Working and living in Washington DC Forum

[paisaaa]

I'm glad! I'm glad!

As far as locations in respect to TJs are concerned, Amsterdam Hall isn't all that far either. It's roughly four blocks away and has the added bonus of also being 2 -3 blocks from Safeway, so you have options. I also felt more isolated living in Amsterdam Hall than I did in Ivory Tower; it's on the periphery of campus near a really nice residential area (behind 24th street - row houses and apartments) and doesn't get a lot of the student hustle and bustle most other dorms do.

Metrorail fares: http://www.wmata.com/fares/metrorail.cfm

And don't forget the Circulator! It's a red bus you can ride with your SmarTrip and only costs 1 dollar! It goes all over the city. Buy a SmarTrip once you get to DC, you can pick them up at Metro Center (but the lines are usually uber long) so you're better off just getting them at a local CVS.

Good points all around. I browsed the Metrorail website and am disappointed to see no unlimited 30 day card for graduate students. Is there no choice but to pay the fare each time? The 7-day pass may be a better deal, but I'd have to do some math. Just wished there was some better deal on the fares.

You and me both. If you can, get a bike.

[nealric]

Second the bike.

DC is really a small town. You can get pretty much anywhere in central DC by bike as fast or faster than metro.

[Anonymous User]

I'm glad! I'm glad!

As far as locations in respect to TJs are concerned, Amsterdam Hall isn't all that far either. It's roughly four blocks away and has the added bonus of also being 2 -3 blocks from Safeway, so you have options. I also felt more isolated living in Amsterdam Hall than I did in Ivory Tower; it's on the periphery of campus near a really nice residential area (behind 24th street - row houses and apartments) and doesn't get a lot of the student hustle and bustle most other dorms do.

Metrorail fares: http://www.wmata.com/fares/metrorail.cfm

And don't forget the Circulator! It's a red bus you can ride with your SmarTrip and only costs 1 dollar! It goes all over the city. Buy a SmarTrip once you get to DC, you can pick them up at Metro Center (but the lines are usually uber long) so you're better off just getting them at a local CVS.

Good points all around. I browsed the Metrorail website and am disappointed to see no unlimited 30 day card for graduate students. Is there no choice but to pay the fare each time? The 7-day pass may be a better deal, but I'd have to do some math. Just wished there was some better deal on the fares.

You and me both. If you can, get a bike.

Actually thinking about doing that just for general exploration. How bike-friendly is Washington DC? I.e., are there safe bike lanes and areas where we can bike around without fear of getting hit by a crazy driver? And any suggestions on getting bikes? Is craig's list the best option?

[Boggs]

In response to OP.

Check Pentagon City. Great location, great metro stop. However, the catch is really going to be the "furnished" part. Look, you don't need furniture. I lived in DC for 4 months with 1 camping chair (which I almost never used), 1 folding table (which I could have easily done without), and 1 cot.

[onetouch]

I am looking to rent 4 bedrooms of my house on 5th and East Capitol St. Beautiful amazing, safe area, and the rooms are big and reasonably priced for the area.

If anyone is interested, I am subletting for the summer (mid May-mid August) or whatever time period works for you. PM me for more info!

[Anonymous User]

I worked at the GWU Summer Housing office for 3 years. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

[Sup Kid]

I am looking to rent 4 bedrooms of my house on 5th and East Capitol St. Beautiful amazing, safe area, and the rooms are big and reasonably priced for the area.

If anyone is interested, I am subletting for the summer (mid May-mid August) or whatever time period works for you. PM me for more info!

On that note, I have a large studio in Dupont that I'm subletting. $5500 for 3 months, utilities/cable/tv included. PM me if you're interested.

[koalatriste]

question about gwu summer housing:

is there any way to specify/demand/request a specific building within a "group"? i.e. I think that the Aston is probably worth "group 4" prices, but I-house definitely isn't. thoughts?

[Anonymous User]

I worked at the GWU Summer Housing office for 3 years. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

How early must my friend and I apply for a spot at Amsterdam to guarantee we'll be room mates? We're still exploring options.

[xcountryjunkie]

Just live in the GW dorms.

I don't know, dude. I took this option one summer in undergrad, and the room I had was pretty gross, and basic. Would not recommend.

+1. My GW dorm was terrible and overpriced the summer I stayed there. If you do enough research, you can find something nicer and cheaper.

Oh, and to those talking about biking, a bike commute won't be as easy as you think. 1. Crazy drivers (I've biked lots in the city and consider myself very lucky to not have been seriously injured). 2. Summer heatwave makes exercise-intensive method of transportation quite uncomfortable (particularly if you're wearing a suit on your way to work).

[Anonymous User]

Just live in the GW dorms.

I don't know, dude. I took this option one summer in undergrad, and the room I had was pretty gross, and basic. Would not recommend.

+1. My GW dorm was terrible and overpriced the summer I stayed there. If you do enough research, you can find something nicer and cheaper.

Oh, and to those talking about biking, a bike commute won't be as easy as you think. 1. Crazy drivers (I've biked lots in the city and consider myself very lucky to not have been seriously injured). 2. Summer heatwave makes exercise-intensive method of transportation quite uncomfortable (particularly if you're wearing a suit on your way to work).

How hot does it get at 8:30am in the morning?

[xcountryjunkie]

Just live in the GW dorms.

I don't know, dude. I took this option one summer in undergrad, and the room I had was pretty gross, and basic. Would not recommend.

+1. My GW dorm was terrible and overpriced the summer I stayed there. If you do enough research, you can find something nicer and cheaper.

Oh, and to those talking about biking, a bike commute won't be as easy as you think. 1. Crazy drivers (I've biked lots in the city and consider myself very lucky to not have been seriously injured). 2. Summer heatwave makes exercise-intensive method of transportation quite uncomfortable (particularly if you're wearing a suit on your way to work).

How hot does it get at 8:30am in the morning?

It's a very humid city. The heat stays and builds as the summer progresses. The summer I lived at GW and worked in town there was a 3 week period when it was mid 90s and very high humidity by my morning commute.

[Anonymous User]

question about gwu summer housing:

is there any way to specify/demand/request a specific building within a "group"? i.e. I think that the Aston is probably worth "group 4" prices, but I-house definitely isn't. thoughts?

No. At least with the system that we used last year. There does tend to be some variation within the building groups, but they are largely pretty similar. Location is the only thing that will be something you could argue is worth the difference.

The way the online system worked last year is that it you run through it, enter your information, and submit your request on where you want to live. The system will then assign you a building and room number before you put your credit card in and confirm the reservation. So you could try it one day and get the Aston, and maybe if availability changed, you could get something else the next day. If you don't get one, that could also mean it is sold out.

How early must my friend and I apply for a spot at Amsterdam to guarantee we'll be room mates? We're still exploring options.

I worked at the GWU Summer Housing office for 3 years. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

How early must my friend and I apply for a spot at Amsterdam to guarantee we'll be room mates? We're still exploring options.

There's no hard and fast rule, you should be ok with 2 people till about mid-April, I'd guess. Maybe later. 2 is pretty easy to accommodate. 4 is hard by the time summer rolls around. The staff spends like March - May reassigning people so they can be roommates with their friends. It's all fluid at that point. It gets harder once you get closer, and impossible once people move in.

+1. My GW dorm was terrible and overpriced the summer I stayed there.

You have to realize that the services provided are very basic at best. And for DC, it's actually pretty inexpensive for the convenience. Sure, if you want to bargain hunt on craigslist for months, visit tons of places, and put in tons of legwork, you could definitely find something for way cheaper. GW is good for 1) people that don't know the area, 2) people that want some guarantee of living conditions, even though it may not be free of issues, 3) people that are only here for a couple weeks/months.

DC's housing market is beyond ridiculous. As previously stated, there's way too many young people looking for places in up and coming areas. I spent 2 months trying to find a place to live. No one would take my app if I wasn't going to stay at least 1 year. Some places preferred two. I remember I went to one open house that began at 5:30PM (I got off work early) with my application and check in hand without even seeing the place, but the person had already closed it because someone showed up at 4:45, waited for the real estate guy and bought it.

The only way I eventually found a place was because I had a friend who was moving out and he recommended me to the landlord.

Who would have thought getting a job was easier than finding a place to live...

[Anonymous User]

One other thing re GWU housing: I hate saying this about my fellow employees... but if you really want to put up a huge stink about something, they'll go pretty soft. Persistence is key, but you can probably get what you want if its not ridiculous. There are a lot of places to move people on campus. You won't get a "yes, right away" when you call and ask for it, but if you keep on pestering/etc, you should be able to get moved. Keep in mind it's almost all student staff that runs the office.

Refunds are out of the question, though. With VERY, VERY few exceptions. But people get moved around all the time.

[Raz14]

If anyone currently living in DC is looking to sublet a 1BR/Studio for the summer (including August), please PM me. I'd prefer Dupont/Logan Circle/U St, but am open to other locations as well. Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

GWU summer housing is out. They only have City Hall available, and it's shared bedrooms for $350/week. No thanks.

Looking at studio apartments at $1500-$1700/mo around Dupont and Foggy Bottom. Is this a fair price? I don't mind paying an additional $100 over discounted prices because I want to secure a place before April 15 (my refund deadline for GWU housing).

[NancyBotwin]

Tagged. Very helpful stuff guys.

[gradesmatter]

Just live in the GW dorms.

I don't know, dude. I took this option one summer in undergrad, and the room I had was pretty gross, and basic. Would not recommend.

+1. My GW dorm was terrible and overpriced the summer I stayed there. If you do enough research, you can find something nicer and cheaper.

Oh, and to those talking about biking, a bike commute won't be as easy as you think. 1. Crazy drivers (I've biked lots in the city and consider myself very lucky to not have been seriously injured). 2. Summer heatwave makes exercise-intensive method of transportation quite uncomfortable (particularly if you're wearing a suit on your way to work).

How hot does it get at 8:30am in the morning?

In summer time, DC is hot as hell. If you're biking to work, you are gonna be sweating big time. Also, DC's had a big stink bug problem recently.

[Sup Kid]

Looking at studio apartments at $1500-$1700/mo around Dupont and Foggy Bottom. Is this a fair price? I don't mind paying an additional $100 over discounted prices because I want to secure a place before April 15 (my refund deadline for GWU housing).

For furnished apartments near Dupont Metro (red line) or Foggy Bottom/Farruget West (blue/orange lines), expect to pay up to $1700 for a studio, $2200 for a 1BR, and $3400 for a 2BR. Also expect to have to sign a 12-week lease. Utilities/Cable/Internet are normally included (but if they are not, DC is HOT and HUMID in the summer, and you'll be paying at least $150 in electricity, so factor that in).

[Cavalier]

tag

[ArthurDigbySellers]

OP: housing like wat u want exists in DC, but u must be super quick to get it. shit that goes on craigslist gets rented within 24 hours, a lot of times less.

i had to do ALOT of searching, but i live in adams morgan (see the upper red star) and pay $2300 for a NICE 2 bd (hardwood floors, marble counters, SS appliances, all utilities included). i have friends who live near the white house (see the lower red star) and pay approx. $2000 for a decent 2BD.

my advice:
1. go on craiglist every morning at 8-9AM, call when possible, send out emails otherwise - make a spreadsheet with links/phone #s, names, address, etc
2. search in the area i outlined for u (without going into details, it is objectively the best)
3. make it clear that u want to look at a place the same day and willing to sign a lease on the same day if all looks well
4. PROFIT
5. if ur too lazy to find nice housing in central DC, just move to arlington, MD, etc.

--ImageRemoved--

dood you are always credited my main man. speaking of working and living in DC, how is GW treating you?

[ArthurDigbySellers]

Also, dood et al, are you going furnished or unfurnished? A friend of mine is swearing that unfurnished is cheaper in the long run (rent savings) and is getting all her crap from IKEA. Dunno what everyone else's experience is-I've thus far only done/considered furnished.

[fatduck]

Also, dood et al, are you going furnished or unfurnished? A friend of mine is swearing that unfurnished is cheaper in the long run (rent savings) and is getting all her crap from IKEA. Dunno what everyone else's experience is-I've thus far only done/considered furnished.

i'm going with unfurnished because i already have a ton of shit.

from ikea.

[ArthurDigbySellers]

One last question--best place to buy groceries for reasonable cost? Safeway? No Wegmans in the area is there? Any other grocers standard to the area/super cheap places like Aldi?

[ArthurDigbySellers]

Also, dood et al, are you going furnished or unfurnished? A friend of mine is swearing that unfurnished is cheaper in the long run (rent savings) and is getting all her crap from IKEA. Dunno what everyone else's experience is-I've thus far only done/considered furnished.

i'm going with unfurnished because i already have a ton of shit.

from ikea.

Yeah. I would never, ever go rent a center obvi, but I'm trying to make a spreadsheet (shamefully lazy though) breaking down what I need/costs of moving vs furnished. Bed, desk, some chairs, kitchen table unless theres a counter...maybe a nightstand...small bookshelf...yeah. Maybe a couch. Before a year ago, when I had a bad case of bedbugs I would've gotten an old couch, but now I'll nut up and buy a new one.

I like stark, empty space. Makes my mind feel clear.


Yeah yeah blatant Apple trolling.