The DC area rental market

Is it just me or is it almost impossible to find an affordable place in this area without moving to the freaking ghetto? The rent of my tiny apartment is about to shoot up to $1215 from $1045 so I was doing some scouting for a new place and it seems like every studio in a decent area starts at like $1350.

I would just stay in the place now, but I don't think it's worth it at all. Sorry about the complaining, but this whole process is extremely annoying :mad:

I was looking for stuff too just to see how much money I would have to make to move out...its way too expensive around here

I was looking for stuff too just to see how much money I would have to make to move out...its way too expensive around here

If you're not weird like me getting a roommate might be a good option for you to cut some costs. I hate people so I know that would not work very well for me

Where exactly are you looking? Stay away from the big highrises and such and stick with smaller buildings w/ landlords. Much cheaper in my experience.

If you're not weird like me getting a roommate might be a good option for you to cut some costs. I hate people so I know that would not work very well for me

I hate people too. I prefer to live alone :pfft:

Oh well, guess I'll have to wait a year or two after graduation in the summer before I choose anything.

Roomate is the only way to go. My gf and I just rented a place in Falls Church, 3 bedroom house with a yard for $1975 a month. Definitely couldn't afford it by myself. This area is very difficult to live in if you make less than 100k per year. Imho, the real estate market has been so overinflated for so long and they're still trying to find ways to prop it up, home values are still probably 30% higher than they should be even after what they've already lost. It'll come down eventually and everyone will be shocked. The market is still acting like a recovery is actually happening or actually will happen. One day they'll wake up and realize our economy has been based on smoke and mirrors for decades and the rest of the world produces goods for cheaper than we do and we have very few avenues left. But that conversation is for another day I suppose, people just won't realize that we're only at the tip of the iceberg until it's too late.

I hate people too. I prefer to live alone :pfft:

Oh well, guess I'll have to wait a year or two after graduation in the summer before I choose anything.

IF said graduation nets you a job which is far from guaranteed. I hope you picked a good major.

Good luck bro. I pay 2k+ for a 2 bedroom. I own in Germantown but the commute to the city was taking my wife way to long so we decided to rent our place in germantown and move to Bethesda as to cut half the commute. Rent is too expensive when you get close to the city.

I'll rent you my studio in Rosslyn for $1600 w/utilities included

IF said graduation nets you a job which is far from guaranteed. I hope you picked a good major.

I've already got the job, I'm just working part time with it right now being paid hourly...when I graduate I get a salary that should allow me to rent something in the 1k a month range...or I'll just suck it up and get used to the 45 minute - 1 hour commute to McLean and bank all that extra money and buy a house...hmmm

I've already got the job, I'm just working part time with it right now being paid hourly...when I graduate I get a salary that should allow me to rent something in the 1k a month range...or I'll just suck it up and get used to the 45 minute - 1 hour commute to McLean and bank all that extra money and buy a house...hmmm

Before this move I had been commuting 60 miles a day (usually 2-2.5 hours a day) for almost three years. It's not worth it. I feel like a new person living 8.5 miles from work. Gotta do what you gotta do, though, and maybe it's worth it if you can buy a place at the end of it. I just think it's crazy how impossible it to afford a place to live around here.

I pay a **** ton in Arlington and I have a very nice paying job. My rent is $1350 with everything included for a really awesome studio. It's really close to the metro and I can get to DC in less than 10 minutes. Hate the rent but you gotta do it if you want easy access. The rent is high but I save on not having to pay for car expenses.

I looked at places near Foggy Bottom but the area is just really really expensive and a lot of the buildings are really old. At least in Arlington I feel like the quality of my apartment is worth the price I'm paying. Didn't get that vibe in DC. I like the Dupont Circle area. I found a decent sized well kept studio for $900 a month but it was available starting October 1st and I needed a place a month before that.

Where exactly are you looking? Stay away from the big highrises and such and stick with smaller buildings w/ landlords. Much cheaper in my experience.

As long as the place is on the metro line I'm good. I have my eye on a place in Silver Spring, but I'm a little nervous about going there since I'm not familiar with that area.

This is the place I'm thinking about and it has some great reviews on apartmentratings.com I'm just a little afraid that it's TGTBT.

http://www.southernmanagement.com/communities/index.cfm?id=SS

EDIT: I would fight to the death for that $900 place in Dupont

Check out basements as well - though some are dungeons there are some nice ones out there. This summer I found a few places in the Tenleytown/Van Ness area w/ 1 bedroom or studio basements for reasonable prices. The same with Arlington (Clarendon) when I lived there. Of course, I lived in a 3 unit building - 2 2-bedrooms + a studio in the basement. When I moved in the 2 bedrooms were $1700 each and the studio was $900. By the time I left 2 years later, each had gone up by like $100.

I live in Ballston and share a two-bedroom apt. and pay $1,187 each. I grew up in Woodbridge and could never in a millions years sit in traffic and promised myself that I would always live close in. I am a block from the metro and get to work in 10-mins. I get to sleep until 8 in the morning for a normal 9 to 5 job. Money is made to be spent and trust me if you sit down and do the calculations it all evens out. I have no transportation cost either, because the job covers all my metro cost with a little lift over for the weekends. I love the city so it makes sense for me (want to buy a house in DC one day), but some don't and I can understand that.

Plus all the girls I see walking around Arlington and DC everyday makes it worth it.

Check out basements as well - though some are dungeons there are some nice ones out there. This summer I found a few places in the Tenleytown/Van Ness area w/ 1 bedroom or studio basements for reasonable prices. The same with Arlington (Clarendon) when I lived there. Of course, I lived in a 3 unit building - 2 2-bedrooms + a studio in the basement. When I moved in the 2 bedrooms were $1700 each and the studio was $900. By the time I left 2 years later, each had gone up by like $100.

There are a lot of reasonable English basements out there. Tenleytown and the Cathedral area seems to have a bunch of them, as does Adams Morgan.

Man! My mortgage payments on my first home - a three bedroom in a beautiful subdivision, 15 minutes outside of Cincy was only $950 per month.

I loved DC when I lived there but the cost is living is just so out of whack with the rest of the world... I guess NY is worse.

Good luck

Man! My mortgage payments on my first home - a three bedroom in a beautiful subdivision, 15 minutes outside of Cincy was only $950 per month.

I loved DC when I lived there but the cost is living is just so out of whack with the rest of the world... I guess NY is worse.

Good luck

I agree, but hopefully whatever career you take on will have a cost of living adjustment. Most do in DC and NY compared to other cities.

I had half a floor for $600 in Petworth about 6-7 years ago, I heard even that area is more expensive now. If it makes you feel any better, the apartment I just got here in Tokyo ends up being about $1,000 plus ults a month and it's just barely 200sqft...

Plus all the girls I see walking around Arlington and DC everyday makes it worth it.

Watch it!! My daughter is one of those women.

It is interesting that as condo and housing prices have fallen, rents have gone up. It seems to be because more people are renting because they fear housing prices will fall farther. Nothing you can do about it but move way way out.

BTW, to the guy who is looking in Silver Spring. Up until about 10 years ago that was a no mans land. But the politicians in Montgomery County got it right. The renewal of the area has been amazing. Great new restaurants, with the AFI taking over the old Silver Theatre where I used to go watch a Saturday double feature monster movie. I would seriously consider it.

I live in Ballston and share a two-bedroom apt. and pay $1,187 each. I grew up in Woodbridge and could never in a millions years sit in traffic and promised myself that I would always live close in. I am a block from the metro and get to work in 10-mins. I get to sleep until 8 in the morning for a normal 9 to 5 job. Money is made to be spent and trust me if you sit down and do the calculations it all evens out. I have no transportation cost either, because the job covers all my metro cost with a little lift over for the weekends. I love the city so it makes sense for me (want to buy a house in DC one day), but some don't and I can understand that.

Plus all the girls I see walking around Arlington and DC everyday makes it worth it.

i really don't understand rental markets.. at all.

you can rent a 4 bed 3 bath house in McLean for that amount

http://www.rentalhouses.com/search/Mclean-VA/4-beds-1z141tc

One of the reasons I didn't go back to the DC area after I got out of the Air Force LOL.

Watch it!! My daughter is one of those women.

It is interesting that as condo and housing prices have fallen, rents have gone up. It seems to be because more people are renting because they fear housing prices will fall farther. Nothing you can do about it but move way way out.

Excuse me, I actually meant to say I respect all the women walking around Arlington and DC like a gentleman.

i really don't understand rental markets.. at all.

you can rent a 4 bed 3 bath house in McLean for that amount

http://www.rentalhouses.com/search/Mclean-VA/4-beds-1z141tc

Well I am kinda confused by what you mean, but McLean is further from the city and Ballston is 5 miles. Also that is a house and I live in an apartment high-raise. My place is 2 br/ 2bths. I am also I hop and a skip from the metro and across the street from the Ballston Mall. McLean is a nice area and people are trying to rent places because either they can't sale or trying to make some extra cash.

Have you ever heard the business phrase: "Location, Location, Location" Keep that in mind when looking, but sometimes it is about other stuff the area has to offer besides the cost of rent.

Well I am kinda confused by what you mean, but McLean is further from the city and Ballston is 5 miles. Also that is a house and I live in an apartment high-raise. My place is 2 br/ 2bths. I am also I hop and a skip from the metro and across the street from the Ballston Mall. McLean is a nice area and people are trying to rent places because either they can't sale or trying to make some extra cash.

Have you ever heard the business phrase: "Location, Location, Location" Keep that in mind when looking, but sometimes it is about other stuff the area has to offer besides the cost of rent.

My first apartment was at Richmond Square in Ballston, I loved that place *sigh*

Oh and to the people who recommend looking for a basement is Craigslist the best resource for searching for that?