Jade,

If you want to do some serious legwork, here is the full metro system map with links to area maps around each Metro stop. Just click on a station to get the corresponding neighborhood map.

http://www.stationmasters.com/System...ystem_map.html

Then, print each map, EXCEPT:
New Carrolton
Landover
Deanwood
Minnesota Ave.
Largo Town Center
Morgan Blvd.
Addison Rd./Seat Pleasant
Capitol Heights
Benning Rd.
Stadium Armory
Branch Avenue
Suitland
Naylor Road
Southern Avenue
Congress Heights
Anacostia
These 16 Metro stops are not in good areas.

That still leaves 68 area maps to print out (1 page each).

Anyplace on any of those 68 Metro station area maps would be good places with easy commutes and allow easy access to anywhere else. More important, it allows a life after work.

Guys,

I am THRILLED to read all your thoughtful responses!! There is so much wonderful info here, and it is going to take me a while to follow up on researching all this advice!!! Not a bad problem to have.

As an Aussie girl who just lived for two years in the Rocky Mountains, I'm very excited about living on the East Coast!

We are not looking to buy a place, just rent, and we have no children. We could be sharing one car, which means I would most likely drive it to wherever I end up teaching, and my husband would need to take the train/bus. Hence the info I've been given on Metros will be great!

Not spending hours traveling is a major concern of mine, especially seeing as I presently get home in 5 mins. I know...spoiled!

I am most likely not going to get to go to D.C for more than one quick visit/scout before we have to move. My husband will primarily be scouting out areas. This is why I wanted to do some research from here myself, so I can feel I have more imput in what sounds appropriate.

I am still finishing the school year here in Colorado, so no, I have not begun to look for another job. The link provided to me by emd will be invaluable in researching my next job, however. Thank you very much for that! :)

Once again, thanks for all this info guys, it's hugely appreciated!

If not for your beloved beagle, I would suggest renting near Dupont Circle or Adams Morgan to get a real feel for DC life. At Dupont, you are a ten minute walk to most of downtown Washington, close by a subway, and within a fifteen minute walk to over one hundred restaurants, many of them very fine. Maybe some of the more urban posters at this site can clue you in on how you can rent a place at a reasonable rate and keep a dog in the Dupont area. I do not know whether it is possible. Otherwise, I would suggest Arlington, VA and perhaps renting a house.

Jade, if you have further questions about FFX (Fairfax) co. school areas after researching online, just ask. I love West Springfield Hi, as it is sort of a "normal" school a bit like my own high school (about 2300 students) in tone, atmosphere, academics, clubs, diversity, sports, good community feel, and most important for you, good front office, admin staff, teachers, and principal/VP, guidance, etc. Some of the high schools close to us in Fairfax Co. system are very good schools, but they are diff. because they are combined middle and high (eg. Robinson, and Lake Barddock) which makes them very large. And Lake Braddock was designed when that "open classrm." concept was popular so it has that feature going for it still in many classrm. areas. I know some about the other Fairfax high schools because aside from visiting so many in person before we settled on buying in West Springfield, my son plays three sports and we travel a lot to the other high schools, so I have talked w/a lot of parents and teens about those schools. So ask away, and we could even trade emails through the fodors editors if you have specific questions as you research. I'd be glad to help, as I imagine it is not that easy to figure out the ins and outs from a distance.

Hi GeorgeW,

This may seem like a vague thing to ask, but why would a beagle hinder my living in Dupont Circle? Do you question this because you think she needs a yard? She is only a tiny thing, 20 pounds, so if it is a size issue, I have been told it really shouldn't be a problem to have her in an apartment (although we do currently live in a house). I'm curious as to your thoughts?!?

emd,

That is extremely nice of you, and after some further researching I think I will take you up on that offer. :) I wish I had the luxury (a.k.a money) to make a FEW trips to the area prior to moving, but I highly doubt that that will be possible. At most I'll probably get to make ONE! Thank you!

I don't know what rules apartments have on animals. I would imagine many apartment buidlings will not allow pets due to barking, fleas and smells. For instance, what will your dog do while you and your husband are gone for several hours each work day?

GeorgeW,

I appreciate that you are a man who thinks ahead.
You are correct in that I am sure that some places would not allow pets...Nazis...but our dog does not have fleas, beagles do not smell (a little known fact), and she only 'ocassionally' howls to tell us when she needs something, i.e - her water bowl is empty. :)
I imagine our dog would do what any other dog would do when his owners are at work...sleep! She is currently 10 months old, and stays in a crate for her own safety when we are not at home.

In all seriousness, I do appreciate taking all these things into account, and you could be right, it could limit the places that would take us in! I will have to look into that too! Thanks.

I love dogs. I live on two acres in outer exurbia on Maryland's Eastern Shore and have one dog, two chickens, five new chicks and five wild children. Another thing to worry about is that if you train your dog to urinate on newspaper, there is the problem of staining the floor (after all, dogs make mistakes, too) and having it soak through to the room under yours. Furthermore, as for smell, I meant the smell of dog urine and not your dog. I'm sure your dog smells just fine.

GeorgeW,

You're giving me some serious thoughts to ponder...to be honest with you, I think she's pretty toilet trained now. She would be spending the day in her crate - so she should hold her bladder ok, and doggies don't like to mess up their 'house', so I'm not sure that messes would happen too often, and if it did happen, well there's always that amazing American stain remover that I've discovered! But the urine would go on her crate liner, not the floor.

I live in the DC area and think you are going to be really limited in what you can get for that income (although it's not clear what you expect to spend). A dog will seriously limit what you can rent, most places don't take them, as far as I kinow. A cat limits you a lot, also, but far more apt. buildings will take cats than dogs. I don't know if it's considered very healthy to leave a dog in a crate all day (for the dog, mentally). If the dog barks, it will be intolerable to the neighbors. There are some buildings that take dogs, they feature them sporadically in the weekly apt. rental section in the Post, but you really have to search them out. I think there are websites that help with that, though.

emd:
I went to George Marshall HS in Fairfax County back in the 1970's. We moved from Vienna, Va to NJ many years ago. I'm curious, how is Marshall HS these days? I remember it to be a large school with some racial problems back then, but perhaps that was all schools 30 years ago? AS I said, just curious re. the status of my old alma mater...

I assume your DH works for the Fed'l Gov and has high option (taxpayer supported) health care coverage for all(unavailable to most of us).
Otherwise, the move is financially ill-advised, imhpo.
M

Like tax-supported health care isn't also supported by the taxes that thjose workers pay themselves.

IMO you can ignore the "government-bashing" in the previous thread because when that person wants something the government is "giving away" that person will be the FIRST one in line with their had outstretched.

They'll also be screaming the liudest when "the government" didn't provide something they feel they "deserve."

I'm a bit biased as I've spent a lot of time in Bethesda, but I think it's great. It is a pretty robust rental market as well, but I'm not entirely sure what the rental costs look like.

Intrepid1,
No, as I'm retired, live in MX and am several years away from MC benies.
Contributed 35 yrs max to SSC, so I'll take those at 62 shortly, and spent 11 1/2 yrs commissioned in the USN (8 1/2 active) and certainly paid my dues.
Please post your comparison.
Always want to hear personal data from the greedy.
M

We lived in the Cheverly/Landover Estates area of Maryland and liked it. I worked in the District.