<p>My son will be moving to the DC area this summer to start his post-college career. While he will be working in the Tysons Corner, Virginia area, he wants to live closer to DC to take advantage of what the city has to offer. His ideal situation would be walking distance to a Metro station (up to approx. 15 minute walk - safe late at night/early morning) and a reasonable commute by car to his job in Tysons Corner (maybe 30 - 45 minutes).</p>
<p>Does anyone have any recommendations on where to look for a (relatively) inexpensive apartment and how much a one or two-bedroom apartment would cost in that area? (Since he is still used to college-chic, the apartment need not be fancy … just a reasonably good/safe neighborhood.) Thanks for any suggestions.</p>
<p>That’s why I included the “relatively”. What would the commute time be from the Dupont Circle area to Tysons Corner? He was assuming that it would take too long to do on a daily basis. Instead he was thinking along the lines of Arlington or some other area on a Metro line.</p>
<p>My son lives in the Van Ness area about 1 block from the Red Metro line. The building he lives in (called The Consulate Apartments) is nice but not fancy, reasonably priced for the DC area, and the leases are very flexible. The neighborhood is very convenient and has a lot going on. It’s easy to get to DuPont and other areas as well as the Metro is so convenient.</p>
<p>I’m a realtor in the area…not trying to gain a customer (I specialize in sales, not rentals), look into Spring Gate. It is located next to Tysons Mall and across from Boeing…great location. I have a cousin who owns a condo there and I can ask if you want about any vacancies through their community board. She puirchased in 04, it is a gated community, has a pool, tennis courts, bb, gym and a community clubhouse. She lived in Dupont prior to moving out there. If you want I will be more than happy to send you the MLS (no binding contract or papers to sign, but at least you can see properties and get a feel), just PM me.</p>
<p>I have a rental home in Arlington and love it. I can literally walk to the Pentagon, or, be in downtown DC in minutes via Metro. If that doesn’t work various taxis etc. get me anywhere, and they’re fast, too. Arlington is very clean, fun, and interesting. </p>
<p>I am in the process of deciding if I want to move my car there so that I can do some exploring of the more rural areas outside the beltway on weekends.</p>
<p>Eastern Market is not far out and not funky. It’s fairly close in on the Hill, right off Independence and Pennsylvania Aves. We owned a house on the 600 block of North Carolina Ave. in the 80s, and the market was around the corner from us. Subway is two or three blocks away. Not sure if it goes to Tyson’s though. </p>
<p>Arlington area, around Ballston, might be a good bet; lots of young people.</p>
<p>Adams Morgan. Look on Craigslist. My guess is a one bedroom, one bath is almost as much as a two bedroom, two bath, so it pays to have a roommate.</p>
<p>I would anticipate a livable 2/2 will be about $2000.</p>
<p>Definitely better off living in VA and hopping the metro to DC for fun. (And even that is relatively speaking in terms of cost.) Living in Georgetown (which is fairly close to Dupont Circle) generally entails a group house situation if one is young and not raking in serious $$. Hope your S negotiated well on salary – COL is significant. Car insurance will also be cheaper in VA vs. DC.</p>
<p>DS sublet an efficiency for a summer associate position while in law school near 24th and M – this was 20 years ago ($550/mo. – and was more than we paid for a two-bedroom apt. near Penn at the time), and one could buy an efficiency for not a lot of $$. Between GWU buying up many of the apartment buildings in that area for campus apartments and parents buying the remaining condos as investments while their kids are in college, there is not much in the way of apartments over that way these days.</p>
<p>Problem with those areas…Tysons has no metro and a heck of a commute. Ballston/Clarendon are great …personally I am a Shirlington fan. Tysons is not a metro rail area and thus you need a bus or car…if so I go back and say Spring Gate, McClean! Arlington is a haul at 8 am, Alexandria is worse. You can try to find something on the Dunn Loring line or E/W Falls Church and transfer to a bus, but as a parent I would look closer in…remember Ballston/Claredon are 395, Tysons is 66…Arlington/Alexandria are 395/495/95 again not 66. FairLakes has buses to Tysons might work also. DC is at least 25 min metro to Falls Church/DunnLoring and you still have to connect to a bus…
My opinion throw it in the circular filing cabinet</p>
<p>A loft at pentagon city is over 1300 a month now. (@650 sqft)</p>
<p>It is a lot easier to get into DC from Maryland – the Red Line is a straight shot to Dupont Circle. Doesn’t help the Tyson’s office, though, as that commute is a real pain.</p>
<p>I suggest your S get online and read the WashPost and get a sense of communities, etc.</p>
<p>I was going to suggest the East Falls Church metro area/ northwest Arlington.
There are some older garden apartment complexes within walking distance to the Metro. It would be pretty much against the traffic to get toward Tysons by car, but the immediate area will be congested from any direction at any time.</p>
<p>The problem with the Shirlington area is the recent Shirlington Village expansion has eliminated ALL of the affordable housing and the once affordable apartments are now upper end converted condos or just new upscale towers replaced old run down units.
There might be some affordable group houses on Craig’s list in Arlington.
Both my D and S have friends in those type of situations in walk-to-metro distance. My S’s friend wanted him to take a room in the house but rent and utilities were >$800/month for his share. He is opting to pay a more reasonable rent to us for a bit to save money, even though we are not in a walk to Metro location.
I am not sure what D’s friend is paying in Roslyn.</p>
<p>FF - your S may want to look into a group of apartment buildings known collectively as “Crystal City” in Arlington, VA. The complex looks like a collection of big concrete blocks from the street, but all the buildings are connected underground with stores, restaurants, etc. The metro stop is down there also (red line). About 20-30 minutes into DC. It’s full of yuppies, college students, and grad students. Most of the apartment complexes have pools and nice garden areas.</p>
<p>Our S likes the fact that he goes from his apartment to the metro without going outside. And because the Pentagon is nearby, and some of the army offices are in the apartment complex, the place is absolutely filled with soldiers walking around, so you really get a sense it’s safe. It’s on the Jefferson Davis Parkway.</p>
<p>You can check things out by going onto Craigslist and putting in “Crystal City”. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions so far. Just to clear the requirements up just a bit:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>he plans to drive to work in Tysons Corner every day</p></li>
<li><p>he wants to live as close to DC as economically possible within walking distance of a Metro line for night and weekend activities. He does not want to live anywhere that he has to drive into DC. Drive/Park/Ride may be an option, but I suspect that he doesn’t want to be concerned with driving at all if he does any drinking at DC bars - hence the desire to be within walking distance of a Metro stop.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m guessing that if he can find a roommate that a per person share of $900 per month may be a reasonable target, but perhaps could go a bit higher (and would obviously prefer to go lower).</p></li>
<li><p>he doesn’t need (or rather, he would be unwilling to pay for) amenities like swimming pools and tennis courts.</p></li>
<li><p>his hours will be somewhat flexible so that he can come into work after 9 AM if that makes a big difference in commute times.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Based on mominva’s post, it sounds like traffic flows are generally directed at the city so if he commutes out to Tysons Corner, the traffic should be a bit easier to deal with. That’s good news.</p>
<p>As a general question: is it possible to find furnished apartments or is it best to rent unfurnished and then buy used furniture off Craigs list to furnish the place?</p>
<p>Thanks. Yes, I am somewhat familiar with Crystal City. I attended a business conference at a hotel in that complex. If the cost and daily commute were reasonable that would probably be perfect. However, I suspect that the cost is out of his range based on what I hear about DC prices.</p>
<p>There are lots of apts. and condos in the Tysons area, and all are an easy bus ride away from the West Falls Church metro station. There are also plenty of apts. and condos near the Ballston and Rosslyn stations, and again you can metro to West Falls and take a bus to Tysons. Those areas have lots of restaurants, shops, etc. H loves taking the bus and metro after YEARS of commuting by car!!! Living in DC is more expensive, and a pain to commute out from there to Tysons. We love living in Virginia (I also preferred VA when I was young and single!)</p>
<p>So, you are suggesting that he may be able to use public transportation from the Arlington area near DC out to Tysons? That’s an interesting concept - especially if it makes for a shorter commute. I believe that he said that where his office will be is right near two very large malls so it actually may be conceivable that the bus routes would include these malls. I’ll suggest that to him to check out this weekend when he does his exploration.</p>
<p>And, Hayden, I was a bit premature in assuming that Crystal City may be too expensive. I quick search on Craigs list showed a couple of apartments that are in the general ballpark of what he may be willing to pay if he can find a roommate who has the same ability to pay.</p>
<p>Going in and out of Tysons is difficult in rush hours - which extend well into 10 AM and begin by 4 PM, no matter what direction - there is no against flow there. Crystal City or Fairlington to and from Tysons by car during those hours would not be fun. 66 gets congested no matter which direction you are heading. However, that is the closest corridor with metro unless you go out further to Dunn Loring/Merrifiled or Vienna. If you stay around the Orange line you get some good choices with fair commute to Tysons. Check out the metro maps.</p>
<p>Ballston and Clarendon are right off 66, not 395. I live inside the beltway(495) work in Ballston area often and have commuted to Tysons for previous jobs. North Arlington areas are probably best bet to get to city easily and commute to Tysons. I lived there when I was single some (many) years ago, too.</p>