Skyylove

I am a single mom with two kids - 10 and 4 - who loves the DC/MD/VA area. I have visited and am now considering a move to consummate my love affair with the city. I am moving from the south. I need some dirty details on where to move, cost of living, after school care, babysitters, etc. I will be working at Howard Univ. and monthly income close to $8,000. I really (stress, REALLY) don't want to pay over $1600 month in rent for 2/3 bd. and 2 bath...is that realistic for the area? I don't want to commute more than 20 minutes to the train...and then I have to include rail pass costs in my monthly budget (how much?). I can't forget about decent schools. Any ideas, suggestions? Thanks!

Skyylove

Any advice from the metro DC/VA area?

Gretchen

If you are in love with this area then you must have visited often enough to have some contacts who could answer this. I'm not versed in the DC area any more, although we lived in Silver Spring a long time ago. Can the housing office at Howard offer you any advice--on all your questions.
Moving to an area with no knowledge of neighborhoods, costs, etc. is difficult at best. Since you are renting, you can always move. I'd think in terms of a short lease in case you want to move sooner rather than a year, for example.

vjpblovesitaly

Someone asked almost the exact same question last year. Also a so-called single mom

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...hington-dc.cfm

There are no monthly "rail passes." Commuters pay based on distance and time of day.

obxgirl

The City-Data forum will offer you much better, more specific and practical advice.

1JAR

Anyone with 8000.00 can afford to use a Realtor.

artsbabe

If you are working at Howard, I wouldn't consider living in Virginia.

Are you planning to drive to work or take the Metro? If the latter, the closest Metro stop is a bit south of the campus -- certainly walking distance but not right at the campus.

Do you want to live in the city or the suburbs? If in DC, have you investigated schools? Public, charter or private? While there are some good schools in DC, if you want public schools, then look at close-in Montgomery County, like Silver Spring or Takoma Park.

kja

I think you will find it a challenge to meet your rent and maximum commute times simultaneously, and making both of those happen within range of a good school will add to the challenge. It is an expensive area in general, and DC perhaps particularly so.

You've gotten some helpful responses already; I strongly 2nd the recommendation to check the thread mentioned able, which should give you some really good information and ideas.

Good luck!

nytraveler

I agree you first step is to contact a couple of realtors. I fear that your budget is very low for a family home in a convenient neighborhood with decent schools.

But a local realtor can give you much more specific information and a number of options.

edjim

Apartments in DC in a good neighborhood with good schools may exceed that budget.

You may have better luck by renting in Silver Spring or College Park areas in Maryland. SS has good access to Metro and the rents may be more in line with what you are looking for.

sf7307

Change the word "may" in the last post to "will". Renting is DC is VERY expensive.

gail

My daughter and friends rent an apartment that meets all your criteria - except one. they pay $3000+/month for a nice but not luxury apartment - 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, tiny balcony - in Arlington, VA

sky23

The ideal balance sought by many here is commute, schools, rent, affordability, family safety and quality of life. If you speak with many of your co-workers and co-commuters, you will find 90 minutes is a common commute to strike that balance. The fact is that DC itself is not known as a friendly place to raise kids.

Long commutes for the sake of family priorities and good DC jobs is so typical, the local news station runs an annual Commuter Idol contest. Here is the latest winner: http://www.wtop.com/41/3329207/Commu...rough-4-states

That is likely not good news for a single parent wanting to get home promptly to chauffeur and enjoy kids. One answer is to find work in the many nearby communities that have exceptional schools in the top tiers of the US. Then you can visit DC whenever you want.

But, you already have a great job.

Your employer probably has an employee assistance plan (EAP) that includes a referral system for child care with price comparisons. The local public schools may have pre- and after-school care at a price.

Maybe there is some leftover student housing at Howard you could lease. Some universities have schools for kids.

My sister bought a house in Vienna, Va, with a Metro stop and great local resources. Schools in Vienna and nearby Fairfax are good to great.

If you'd consider the regionally usual commute, note that Anne Arundel county in MD has excellent schools. Page through this entire list for Maryland and see which communities are near your commute limit: http://www.schooldigger.com/go/MD/sc...pagetype=top10.

Click on the cities in some of these surveys for more ideas and info:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money...states/MD.html

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money....html?iid=smlr

http://www.washingtonian.com/article...ellers-market/

http://www.baltimoremagazine.net/hom...sive-neighborh

Christina

well, I love DC area, too, and have lived here about 20 years now. I don't know if your rent maximum is possible, but maybe. You just have to forget that 20 minute commute rule, seriously, this is ridiculous in a city when you work basically in the downtown area, so you will have to live elsewhere. Even in some DC areas that are cheaper and not that far frm Howard, it will likely take longer than that. In DC, I'd look at Petworth or Bloomingdale or Brookland neighborhoods. In Maryland, look at Hyattsville. I actually live over that way. Silver Spring would be good, but would be more expensive than the others I named, most likely, and I doubt if you could get something for that price in downtown Silver Spring, but maybe in some other parts of it. Or Wheaton.

For example, here is an apt building in Brookland (which is NE Washington DC, it's where Catholic University is) which does have a 2 BR for about what you want http://www.brooklandridgeapts.com/floorplans.aspx

I don't know about schools in the cheapest areas or Brookland. They should be good in Silver Spring, which is in Montgomery County, MD.

Forget Virginia altogether, that makes no sense for working at Howard.