I'll know after my last interview tomorrow as long as I don't screw it up. I'll be relocating from CT and need advice with apartment hunting. I'm single, 57 yo professional and a 1 bedroom/studio is what I'm looking for. What are the best/worst commutes? Would like to stay within 30 miles.

Thanks for any help with this!

Lets just get THAT little formality out of the way pronto...



Mclean is gorgeous and correspondingly prohibitive in cost.  And you can't fart without it being on a dozen cameras or so.  Just not my thing.  

Check out the Crystal City area of Arlington if you are looking for young and vibrant, the Old Towne section of Alexandria if you are looking for something more low key.

My .02.

Just an IT job for a small but growing company. Looks like McLean is out. I've seen apts in Chantilly and Bowie, MD which seemed reasonable. Are both good commutes? I'll be checking your recommendations. Thanks

From your email.  Suggest Shirlington, Ballston or Clarendon if you want more hobby friendly and less convervative surroundings.

When you say Mclean, you need to clarify where.  McLean is an area in Fairfax County that is nothing more than a postal address that is used by postal customers over a wide area.

Mclean proper is a small unincorporated village area about 2-3 miles east of Tysons Corner.  Mclean proper has virtually no mass transit and has somewhat of a small town flavor (rich small town).  Expect ot pay top dollar to live there.

The dense urban part of Fairfax County is known as Tysons Corner, an unincorporated area with enough office space to be in the top 10 US cities if it were an incorporated city.  It also has quite a few housein options, and is an area that is growing, mass transit will arive in about a year via the metro system extension, and a lot of new housing (high rise) is under construction.  Until about a year ago, the area now known as Tysons was just a name, and half the area had a "Vienna" postal address, the other half had a "Mclean" postal address.  Many businesses have not changed to match the postal service change (they still allow the use of the old names too), and your place of work is likely in the McLean that's part of Tysons.  If that's the case, you will have lots of options at a variety of rents.  I'd suggest you move down and stay in one of the extended stay places for a month or so and get to know the area before you sign a year or longer lease.   Frankly, with metro coming, you mihgt enjoy living out in Reston and taking metro to Tysons (or, if youlike a younger crowd, Balston, Clarendon or one of the other Virginia areas suggested). At age 57, however, you might also like Bethesda, across the river in MD - its on the metro, and the core urban area has a lot to offer in terms of bars, restaurants, stores, recreation, and is popular with the over 50 crowd.

I'm hoping to find something 1000 a month or less, any chance of that?

... airbnb
there's some nice inexpensive places for short term and long term rentals. perhaps helpfult until you're ready to decide on the best place for you
good luck, hope all works out well for you

I'm pretty new to the DC area too and have been seriously considering making a move out here as well.  Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that 1,000 or less isn't going to happen unless you move pretty far out.  

Maybe do a search on Craigslist - but I'm pretty sure that you would have to start at around $1400 (and that might be a little low) to live in the DC suburbs.

A Studio could possibly be avalaible around  $1000 in the falls church area. However, it will be no where near the metro. You might have to pay a little more in DC and Arlington. You will not find any decent one bedroom for $1000- not even close!

If you want to have lower taxes then find a place in Va.  Your car insurance will also be lower.  Va is more firearms and 2A friendly than MD.  Especially if the just passed legislation on gun control passes muster with the Supremes.

Avoid MD.  

Be careful when if you move to Reston, Clarendon Or Ballston since all have high crime areas and section 8 housing.

There are a lot of new condos being built just east of Chinatown along Mass ave. I don't know what they are going for, but it may be worth an offer, for a great location.

It is expensive there.  Pay no attention though to the posts saying the area has no mass transit.  there are buses and ina year or so there will be several metro stations.


I would suggest though either Vienna (though rush hour traffic is awful), Fairfax or if you want a more fashionable addresstry Old town Alexandria or maybe Shirlington.

BTW lots of us live and/or work in Tyson's and it certainly is acommon destination for traveling providers.


If you do it drop me  aline.  I m familiar with the area and with the hobby.

check out apartments in south arlington, they can be reasonable, near the arlington cinema and draft house, off of Columbia pike, or perhaps around the i-395 exits of 7, there are some affordable places in there if you look around. not a bad commute to tysons either... although tysons in general is just a bad commute. I-66 is horrible and the savings in housing (if any) out on the toll road can be quickly eaten by toll road costs.

Chloe:

You are quite correct.  Finding something for 1000 or less in the city or inner suburbs is probably highly unlikely.

OKI

Since when does Reston have high crime areas and section 8 housing?? What a dumb ass!!

Well actually Reston does have Section 8 houeing but Clarenden and Ballston?..no..Both areas of Arlington very desirable and magnets for aging yuppies.
On the Orang Line, lots of action at night..crime consists mostly of an occasional drunk induced fight at a club or cell phone snatch..
Defintely check out though $1,000 may not get you much..METRO to Tyosns soon.(A big bonus)

If you want decent APT, you gotta deal with hellish traffics unless you are willing to pay very high rent near McLean. Otherwise, you can look for cheapo APT near Falls Church or Merrifield...even Annandale. This area was recently ranked #1 for traffic, beating
LA and NYC. Traffic is everywhere ESPECIALLY around Tysons Corner. I doubt you can get $1k/mo near there unless you find a roomie or ghetto place.

I don't know which is worse.. DEATH!... by snu-snu!!!

-- Modified on 3/1/2013 7:01:14 AM

Check out crime reports, you'll see most of the incidents occurring in South Arlington - street names with South XXXXX are in South Arlington.

http://www.fairlington.org/crimereports.htm

See also:
http://www.arlingtoncrimesolvers.org/

As for section 8 housing, colloquially referred to as "the projects", that doesn't exist at all in Arlington. "There is no public housing in Arlington County. Housing Choice Vouchers may be accepted by any landlord. Properties may include single or multi-unit dwellings. It is the responsibility of the voucher holder to procure his or her own lease. "
https://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/humanservices/services/eid/HumanServicesServicesEidSection8.aspx

The poster is completely mistaken in his statements about those two neighborhoods...