Where are some good places to live in D.C.?

Question

My husband and I are considering moving there and want to buy a house/condo for about $350K. We'd probably be working downtown area and hope to drive to work, but the subway is acceptable if traffic/parking is difficult.

We've been looking on realor.com and found some places in Congress Heights, Deanwood, Anacostia, Randle Heights... but do not know anything about crime, proximity to city and subway, cost of housing, etc.

We're looking for a nice, safe neighbor which isn't too far from the city. (Maybe 30 min commute?) Close to conveniences but also not concrete city.

Thanks!

Answer 1

For the price range you mentioned, you won't be able to afford any of the suggestions about DuPont, Adams Morgan or west of Rock Creek Park; a very cheap condo in DuPont is going to run you $600k or more. The three neighborhoods you mentioned are all on the less expensive slope of DC real estate but that's because they are the less desirable neighborhoods...

Anacostia is up-and-coming, which means some blocks are horrid and some are actually pretty nice. This neighborhood has had crime problems for the last 30 years or more but there's a "renewal" effort going on in Anacostia; this part of town is "gentrifying" and there's a lot of new blood moving into the neighborhood, new businesses, and personally I think it's a good place to buy as long as you do your homework. If you choose to live in Anacostia, please visit your perspective new home several times at different hours of the day and night to get a feel for the neighborhood--- remember, this is still a transitional neighborhood! Depending on where you are in Anacostia, you may be in "concrete city" or you may have a good amount of green space. You may be able to afford an entire house here or maybe just a condo but the real estate rush hasn't fully happened in Anacostia yet. Also keep in mind, the new Nationals stadium is going to be built in Anacostia and there will be a lot of development along the river; check with your realtor to see how close to that development you'll be when you look at homes.

Deanwood and Congress Heights are both a little further away from downtown than Anacostia is but still within the city. Personally I would be more inclined to buy in Anacostia than these other two neighborhoods as all the renewal effort is going into Anacostia itself; some of the adjacent neighborhoods are kind of sketchy. There are still some very nice, quiet blocks in both of these neighborhoods so don't rule them out--- just do a lot of homework.

Unless your employer pays for parking, you should plan on taking the subway or a bus to work (some of the crosstown busses actually get you from Anacostia to the K Street area faster than the subway). Parking downtown can be $200/month or even more. The link below contains the Metro map; click on each stop to see a little more about its neighborhood.

All in all... $350k does not go far in real estate in DC. You *may* be able to afford a SMALL condo in one of the more established neighborhoods (ask a realtor to check into the new developments going in along the 14th Street NW corridor near Columbia Heights) but I wouldn't count on it. The suburbs are out of your price range except for a few neighborhoods in Prince George's County, MD and personally I think those neighborhoods are far scarier than anything you see inside the District. You have to be realistic--- you're probably not going to end up in the best neighborhood ever, but you're also probably not going to end up dodging gunfire, too.

For what it's worth... I bought my house in DC about 5 years ago. In that time, my neighborhood has gone from being one of the sleazier ones to being one of the quietest and cleanest. If you pick a house or condo in a neighborhood where a lot of new homeowners and businesses are coming in, you will probably be very happy in a few years--- my property has tripled in value, I love my neighbors, and I've never had any kind of crime happen to me!

Answer 2

Stay the Hell out of Anacostia and Congress Heights. Randle Heights is a predominantly ethnic/minority area which is middle class. Never heard of Deanwood, but from where you mention, ????

Get a realtor. They know these places. We did and he made sure we didn't wind up in the wrong place.

www.longandfoster.com

$350k? For that maybe you can get a one bedroom someplace but probably only a studio anywhere you would want to live. House isn't going to happen. Parking in DC is awful. $20/day.

Learn the Metro (subway) system. Stay away from any area near or on the Anacostia River (Southeast). Northeast Washington is questionable. Nothing east of Capitol Street. And not much near it either.

Try Columbia Heights. Observatory Circle/Cathedral area, American University area, Dupont Circle. Adams Morgan, Connecticut Avenue anywhere, Wisconsin Avenue to Bethesda, Silver Springs, Virginia is fine and a lot cheaper. You can still take the Metro in VA. See the Yellow, Blue and Orange Lines.

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

Good luck and welcome to the Nation's Capital.

Answer 3

The first thing you need to know about living in the DC area is that if you want a truly easy commute, you have to live EXTREMELY close to work. Five miles tops, in my opinion, but that's for the surrounding DC area (Northern Virginia in particular). It may be closer if you're actually in the city. That's from immediate, personal experience. I live in NoVa now, and it's very hard to get anywhere until I'm driving at very off-peak hours (11 pm, 5 am, ect).

If you work in the city and you want a short commute, definitely live IN the city. Getting into and out of DC proper is a nightmare. The metro is great, but even that takes a lot of time. If you're not living in the concrete city, do expect to be sitting in your car, the bus, and/or the metro for an hour or more.

I'd recommend renting for two to six months to get an idea about where in the city you're most comfortable and where your favorite places are.

Unfortunately, I do not live or work in DC - I just go into the city for the occasional event, dinner, or museum - so I can't give you any good recommendations on neighborhoods. Everybody has different tastes, though, so renting for a short period of time might be a very good idea.

I wish you good luck with your search and hope that you enjoy your time in DC if and when you come to stay! :)

Answer 4

STAY AWAY FROM ANACOSTIA! Even if you find a nice quiet neighborhood crime is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Montgomery County is suburban Maryland and has beautiful homes, and a great school system. Very close to downtown DC and not a bad trip on the metrorail (subway) check out NW quad in DC upper 16th Street area is nice and cultured. Takoma Park is an HIstorical District. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Parking downtown is impossible. There are waiting lists for parking garages, so you will have to either take a limo (not at all uncommon in DC) or the metro (and you will sometimes see famous people on the metro). DuPont Circle is artsy and Adams Morgan would be another place downtown to consider - none of the places you mentioned. Maryland had more ways to get in and out of the city than VA - you have to cross the bridges and they get bottle necked. However, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria in (and more than a 30 minute commute - everywhere is more than a 30 minute commute - in rush hour on the beltway it has taken me 2 hours to go 8 miles) VA are possibilities and in Maryland, I agree Silver Spring, Takoma Park (coming back now) or Chevy Chase, Bethesda. You will not find anything for $350 in Chevy Chase and Bethesda. Good Luck - DC is one of the most wonderful beautiful cities in the world!

Answer 6

As far as crime, you don't want to go to any of the the neighborhoods you mentioned, at least Deanwood (everytime I park at the metro station there, something happens to my car, broken windshield, stolen radio, also high drug district), Anacostia, high crime. Don't know much about Congress Heights or Randle Heights, but they are in close proximity to the others, I wouldn't go there. As for PG county, there are some bad hoods and some good ones. Try Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Greenbelt, Laurel, further out try Arundel County - Odenton and Glen Burnie.

Answer 7

Definitely West of Rock Creek park. I grew up in Anacostia in the '50s & '60s. Left in the early '70s. They say it's starting to "come back" but it's going to be quite a while before that statement makes any real sense. Then again, you may have an appreciation for the vibe that dominates the other neighborhoods you mentioned. Some folks have that pioneer spirit about them.
Just don't be nieve and let your guard down. Good luck!

Answer 8

Within the district, Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan are lovely--there are some reasonable properties in the Eastern Market area as well. More affordable housing can be found in northern Virginia (Arlington or Alexandria)--many people live in northern Virginia and commute via metro to the city. Good luck in your search!

Answer 9

You should really check out Chinatown area. I love living in this area. Close to downtown and within walking distance of alot of sites. Great metro access and new condos like crazy in your price range. Chinatown is DC greatest hidden secret and you will not be able to afford it in 5 to 7 years...

Answer 10

go a little futher out and you can find nice places to live in the shenandoah valley.