kakalena

Here's another good website for Arlington Virginia's Urban Villages and a good map that covers a lot of the places people have referred to here.

http://www.commuterpage.com/ART/villages/index.htm

Fedgirl are you going to be working downtown in DC or in another office? That would be important to know before you start looking. There are tons of Fed offices in the Metro area that aren't in DC.

Saraho said that someone rode a bike from Shirlington to their office near the Pentagon but that would be on the same side of the Potomac river. You'd have to take a bus or a bus to a Metro from Shirlington to get to DC.

npurpleh2

My recommendation is Arlington, near the Clarendon or Ballston metro stations. You will be able to get downtown easily and should be able to walk to the grocery, etc. You mentioned Oakton/Vienna locations... while those are nice areas to live, I think it could be a bit of a challenge to live there without a car. Regarding Foggy Bottom, I think you might find a lot of college students in that area living in the most affordable housing range in that area due to its proximity to GWU & Georgetown.

fedgirl

Stephanie: That would be very nice of you, I would like that, my email is:
[email protected]

Others- I may be working for the US Deparment of State or the FBI, waiting on final offer and placement. Bureau I believe is in the federal triangle and the US Dept of State is in L'Enfant Plaza (not sure on this one).

I know one thing thats for sure, if I am going to be looking at condos in the $500,000 range, this move of mine just might not be the best one afterall. I do have a lot of looking around and visiting of DC/VA. I won't do the trip until I get a final job offer.

You all have such wonderful suggestions/ideas along with valuabe info. When you think you have done all the research there is to do in this area until more terrific information is presented to you.

Thank you all once again for such great finds!

fedgirl

Saraho-I would be happy if you put me in touch w/ your daughter-my email: [email protected]

fedgirl

I do like Shirlington but, do not know how far it would be from my two possible job opportunities. Sorry all new to me.

fedgirl

Park Fairfax condo is very nice as well! Something worth looking into. We have a possibility here.

copperplum

From what I've read & heard from several sources, the real estate market in D.C. area is suffering right now. Some say flat, others paint it as more dire.
Perhaps you should rent for a while and keep an eye on price fluctuations.
Blogs that report on the apparent D.C. Housing market woes would be: http://www.thehousingbubbleblog.com/
http://www.dcbubble.blogspot.com/

sprin2

Park Fairfax and Shirlington are both very nice but I would suggest you'd want a car in either. I think no car works best when you are in walking distance to the metro. While both these locations are excellent, you'll have to rely on the bus and metro. Neither is very close to a grocery either. Pentagon City, Ballston, Rosslyn, Courthouse and Clarendon are better choices.

fedgirl

Now with all the information I have acquired on this forum I can do a more targeted search. I'd rather buy a condo/townhome than rent... to start building equity, etc. I just don't like putting $ in someone else's pocket. But then there is the idea that the housing bubble will burst, and prop values will fall... who knows... it's all a gamble. Maybe darned if you do buy... definitely darned if you don't.

I just need to find the closest condo/townhomes to the potential government agencies I may be working out of.

Thanks all!

fedgirl

Spinn2: Thanks in regards to these areas, Pentagon City, Ballston, Rosslyn, Courthouse and Clarendon are better choices.

I am checking into those areas as we speak.

The closer to where I may be working the better, if it costs more then I have to pay and get a loan. We can't get everything we want now without a cost right?

Since I won't have a vehicle I have to find areas close to a metro that won't be such a distance from the office.
I hope the ones you recommended do just that!

MikeT

The other area is on Columbia Pike near the Pentagon. While you need a bus to get to the Metro, buses are very very frequent unlike in Parkfairfax or Shirlington. This is going to be more affordable then most of the areas mentioned, yet is perfectly safe and you could easily live without a car. It has buses going to both the Pentagon and Pentagon City Metro stations.

Saraho

I emailed my daughter to get in touch with you. She actually bought a house not far from Columbia Pike a couple of years ago, after she had rented long enough to save up for it.

GeorgeW

fedgirl, after reading your replies and the suggestions of other people, you may want to reconsider moving to Washington. It is a staggeringly expensive place to live. I don't know how young people manage to buy homes in good areas in the Washington metro area. I bought my home at a reasonable price way, way out in Washington DC exurbia (the Eastern Shore) but have a commute I wouldn't recommend to a young lady. Furthermore, Washington tends not to be a great place for singles, especially for those who have moved from out of town. As a young lady, I am sure you will eventually want to have a romantic life so you might want to keep that in mind, too. For instance, a former customer of mine visited my office last Friday. A strikingly good-looking woman of 32 who attended the JFK School of Government and now works for a prominent Democratic senator, she complains of the poor dating scene in Washington. Just something for you to think about.

kaudrey

George - I beg to differ on the singles scene in DC. I came to DC six years ago at the age of 31, and met TONS of single men and women - I still meet many today. There are so many groups and events in DC, if you are not meeting people, you are not trying.

Although I don't work on Capitol Hill, I know that there are lots of young people working there as staffers. They are from all over the country.

Nobody I know is actually from this area originally (OK, maybe a few), so none of us ever felt like outsiders.

JMHO.

Karen

kakalena

George,

Please treat yourself to a trip downtown some warm summer Saturday night. Hang out at the Potomac Waterfront, PennQuarter, U Street, Georgetown or Clarendon area and I'm sure other people have their own favorites. The city is much better than it was years ago.

fedgirl. Absolutely do not buy a place at first. Rent one for a year and get your bearings. The year will go faster than you think. It may actually save you lots of money in the long run if you don't jump into something.

kgh8m

I want to echo the sentiment about renting vs. buying. Ordinarily, I'd say buy. However, the condo market in the DC Metro is softening if not at an outright downturn - with condos and townhouses experiencing far more softening than houses. You do not want to buy right before the market really turns downward. There is a huge amount of inventory now, and all of the speculators and landlords are selling even now, just to make sure they're getting as much out as they can.

Also, best to see where you want to live based on experience.

I work next door to the FBI and commute by car from the Herndon area. From your original list, you should eliminate Tysons Corner and McLean (unworkable without a car). Most areas of Falls Church and Fairfax wouldn't work either.

The rental market is still good, and you really should look for something that is available with a walk to the Metro. However, I have coworkers who live off the buslines in the District (NorthWest), and they have really quick and safe commutes. My coworker lives off of U Street at 16th, and has a terrific (acc. to him - terrific for the District) rent of $1300 for a one bedroom condo. According to him, the condos in his neighborhood that are for sale are up to $350-375k -- not the outrageous $500k+ units in new buildings that are languishing on the market.

GeorgeW

kakalena and kgh8m's advice to fedgirl is right on the money. I have a big hunch that DC condo prices will be dropping quite soon if they haven't dropped already. DC is overbuilt at present. However, kakalena's advice to me to visit some of the DC metro area watering holes is not good advice- I am married with several children. Availing myself to the thrills of Georgetown would make my wife very angry!

tusion

I live in Courthouse and pay 1,000 / month for a great building with a pool. There are a ton of wonderful buildings out there - however you need to get away from the large corporate owned places and broaden your search.

There's a condo in my building FSBO right now for $200,000.

kakalena

George, Point well taken. You could always take your wife along. : D

I had to be over by Pentagon City this evening and happened to notice Lofts 590. It looks like a newer building but the neighborhood is more of an intersection of highways than anything.

I also hope we didn't confuse you with the multiple neighborhoods in North Arlington. It's all the same neighborhood really along the Metro line. It's just different stops along the way from Ballston to Rosslyn. I walk into DC from there many times across the Key Bridge.

If you really intend to not use a car but still want to live somewhere with some character I'd still suggest North Arlington, Foggy Bottom and Bethesda as the 3 primary neighborhoods if you can afford them.

I would confirm with the Feds that I was truly going to be assigned to a downtown office before I started looking for an apartment. They may surprise you.

Christina

I live in DC and also think you have very unrealistic ideas about the cost of living here, and the advantages of buying. You don't even have a regular job offer, and even if you do, I don't think you should ever buy a place before you've even been in a city. There is no reason to. The financial mistakes you could make would be astronomical, as well as ending up in a place you don't like. At least live here a year before you get a feel for which areas you like.

Even $1200 for a one-bedroom is pretty average and nothing special, in the city. Studios in a decent area are probably around $1000. I like the Dupont Circle area and think it's great, but not cheap.

I find Shirlington a big snooze, but I know it is cheaper and others like it. But I think you'd want a car there, although you wouldn't have to have one.

The State Dept. has various buildings, and some aren't even in the District, but in Arlington or Rosslyn or somewhere over there. I like Arlington a lot myself and think that would be a good idea. Bethesda is okay but pretty pricey, and lots of it is not within walking distance of the metro stop. I hate Tysons Corner, it's nothing but one big traffic jam. It has no character, either.