chaoticyetneurotic t1_j9matv0 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 12:11 AM

Two VERY important questions:

\What school is your SO going to? You should factor in your commute needs.

And are you bringing a car? Driving in the city and parking in the city are two different beasts.

(Starting with an aside - DC proper doesn't have a lot of townhouses, we mostly have rowhomes. This could help tighten/clarify any google searches.)

For MD - I suggest Silver Spring. It has its own lively downtown, and it's really easy to take public transport into DC.

I STRONGLY suggest you stay away from Bethesda. It's congested and completely generic.

For VA - Alexandria has its own cool vibe - And Old Town is great to show visiting family. Also very easy to cross the river into DC from there. Arlington is fine, but in my view it tends to be more of a commuter town instead of holding its own.

DC - This one is hard to answer without knowing the answers to the questions above.

But, just off the top of my head, Tenleytown and Brookland are two neighborhoods with green space and some city life. Petworth could be a good option, but it's bordering Columbia Heights which can get crowded and loud (I love Columbia Heights, but I love the hubbub)

I suggest you avoid Georgetown unless your SO is actually studying at Georgetown University. It's the one neighborhood in DC that does not have a metro stop, so it's a bit isolated from others.

You actually have loads of options! DC has a TON of green space, and loads of young professionals who love their dogs.

Feel free to message me if you have any detailed questions as you move forward! I'm from the area (a rarity) and like paying attention to the real estate scene here.

Edited to add:

DC has strong tenant rights. If you ever have an issue with your rental, look up DC's Office of the Tenant Advocate (or the OTA) and read through the Tenant's Bill of Rights. The OTA has a lot of helpful resources if you ever need it.

greentotoro3 t1_j9mhs4y wrote on February 23, 2023 at 1:01 AM

This. I’d also suggest to consider your SO’s program—I’m in the economic stream program (economics/applied econ/agricultural and resource econ/public policy) and the first two years usually involved very demanding mandatory classes that required me to stay in the department working on problem sets with my cohort friends until past midnight. If her program has this kind of environment, you also want to consider safety on top of commute concerns. Also if she is going to UMD, Arlington is SO far away. Columbia Heights/Petworth area would be ideal since it’s on the Green line (as is UMD campus).

BubblyExpression OP t1_j9mi5lh wrote on February 23, 2023 at 1:03 AM

Thanks! Good questions. The school is Howard, and yes we will be bringing a car. Off street parking would be ideal. Whether it's included in rent or not so long as it's not crazy expensive. I could maybe live with street parking if absolutely necessary but can't give up the car.

When I said townhouse I meant really any smaller apartment building. Just trying to avoid medium and high rise "luxury" buildings. Rowhouses are perfectly acceptable!

Appreciate all the recommendations, we'll start looking through neighborhoods.

chaoticyetneurotic t1_j9ml55m wrote on February 23, 2023 at 1:25 AM

Congrats to your SO - Howard is an excellent school!

Obviously Shaw would be a easy neighborhood for you all, but it's hard for someone who owns a car. Even regular street parking is tight.

Park View is a really cool neighborhood behind Howard, but again, parking is tight. Bloomingdale could be a good option, but also - street parking.

I think you could find what you need in NE DC. Check out Brookland, Stronghold, Eckington and Edgewood. All close to Howard but they have a little more room for a parked car.