Places to live in DC?

No guys I am not moving or dropping out of school(st. joe's). My sister just passed the secret service test and has been offered a job in the secret service she will have to live in DC for at least the next two years. She has no clue where to live. She has a very good salary offer considering she just got out of college (50k) a year. Where should she live?
Erik

 

Thats friggin awesome, i would say Georgetown its right outside the city or does she have to live in the DC city limits?

 

She will just be working in DC no specific living area.
Erik

 

Our friends live in Crystal City, seemed nice and hip and urban

 

Georgetown is part of DC but it is pretty expensive. If I was 20 something the coolest places to live would be Adams Morgan or North Arlington Clarendon Area) with the nod going to Arlington because it is safer, cleaner, convenient to mass transit and cheaper. Fun bars, great stores and a terrific music scene

 

Thanks guys!! I am making a list and will email it to her.
Erik

 

It's been many, many, many moons... though Georgetown throws a hellacious Halloween party (at least when I lived in Arlington), for it's lovely couch-width townhouses (miniscule compared to townhouse I previously had in Loudoun County), it is too expensive to attain, maintain, sustain savings so they can be socked away for rainy days or brick houses.

Have her find out what areas to stay away from first. There's a reason. She should touch base with S.S. for recommendations. May be able to network right off the bat.
That said, I can vouch for the region's fantastic Metro System - Here's a map:
http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

And here's a Washington Post favorite for apt. finders.
http://www.apartmentshowcase.com/

Make sure she doesn't poo-poo the idea of subway transit, as it's no fun driving on black ice, let alone being stuck in traffic on sweltering, hot days. This gives her plan A, B, etc.

Most importantly - congratulations.

 

I live in Georgetown and love it. I think its nice and perfect location.

Antony

 

Thanks Guys I really appreciate all the help and I know she does to.
Erik

 

I would say Arlington,Old town Alexandria, Bethesda or Gtown. Can't go wrong with any of those.

 

On $50k/year, I'd try Adam's Morgan...although for a female, Bethesda and Arlington are good choices. Metro access, decent bars/restos, and plentiful housing opps.

All the cute girls take the Orange Line towards Arlington and the Red Line towards Bethesda in the evening. I know, I've followed them sometimes...



LS

 

Depends whether she wants to live in or out side the city, and whether she will drive or ride the metro to work.

Locations in DC: Georgetown and Woodely Park / Cleveland Park / Van Ness (on the red line). Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle could be an option if she cares for that type of area.
Locations out side DC: Arlington (VA), Alexandria (VA), and Bethesda (MD).

If you ask me, the best value is Arlington in the Courthouse, Clarendon and Ballston areas (on the orange line).

 

Heck, she'll be spending her time running alongside of cars.

I'd say first stop would be a bookstore for a decent map book of the area. Nobody else around here seems to know where anything is (transient population), but Treasury Dept. (secret service) should know their way around.

The other suggestion would be to check online resources like realtor.com as the DC area is a fast turnover market. (Like I said: transient population.)

There are tons of options, from houses to condos to apartments to rooms for rent in private homes.

One caveat would be to check the basic functions on any place you're looking to rent. Some of these buildings are old, and the electrical outlets, plumbing, etc., reflect the age. (And many don't have much insulation -- you might ask to see utility history if you're paying for heat/cooling.)

 

Thanks everyone you guys are the best!!!
Erik

 

i really like alot of the older neighborhoods in the arlington/falls church areas right out side of DC.

i myself live about 50 minutes west of DC in fauquier. my advice, stay as close to DC as you can. my dad and i both work in downtown and our commutes average an 1hr 30min or more one way.

thankfully i now work in sterling, so i get the pleasure of driving by FOW every day during the summer

 

Any time there is a bridge involved in DC, add 30+ to your commute. Inside the district, I wouldn't discount upper northwest along the Wisconsin corridor. One thing to think about, there actually is a bit of crime in the Georgetown area. There is alot of nightlife and a crime culture that equates that area with money.

Upper northwest include the Tenley Park area and Friendship heights around American University. With the metro system, getting downtown is a breeze.

With all that said, Dc is an expensive place to live. One way to look for housing for a single person, is at Georgetown and American University Student life centers.

For the city feel, Georgetown and Adams Morgan are fun areas, but think about the crime aspects with Adams Morgan being more dangerous. Someone once told me to check out the local 7/11 late at night to see what a neighborhood is like.

I have lived in DC since 1980 and would be happy to talk to her you like.

Someone mentioned the Halloween Parade in Georgetown. I wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft pole anymore. Its an unmanagable crowd being forced down cordoned off street by leagues of police. Its not any fun unless you like not being able to control where you are walking. Now the drag races at 17th and P, that's a whole lot of fun!

good luck

ken visser

 

Thanks Ken I will email her a copy of your post.
Erik

 

TeenFF, Gtown is very inconvenient for public transport when compared to Adam's Morgan which has better Metro access. There are plenty of cool places to live in DC...Capitol Hill is getting better by the hour. Some of the areas are still semi-ghetto, but it's not what I'd call dangerous.

Also, DC roads are generally in terrible shape. It's not the place for a Vector W8 or a 250LM if your sis has either.



LS