Anybody live in the Alexandria, VA area?

[MajorCaptSilly]

My daughter's job is taking here to the Washington DC area and she would like to live in Alexandria, VA. Her initial apartment search with mom didn't go very well today. If anyone has suggestions of good neighborhoods and apartments under $1,300/mo, I'd be very appreciative!

Thanks,

MCS

[WittyUserName]

She might want to look in Shirlington, it is not near a metro but there is a bus hub and inexpensive cab rides into arlington and nearby metro stations. Also talk to the new member Jonser, he lives in alexandria and might be able to give more current advice than myself.

Good luck!! On a side note, I will be moving to alexandria in March :tu

[hotreds]

Try Ballston and Clarendon- closer to Arlington than Alexandria, but close to Metro.

[Sauer Grapes]

Shirlington may be within her budget for a studio. Ballston probably won't be.

Unfortunately, her best bet is to look elsewhere besides the major apartment complexes. Smaller apartment buildings with only a few units are a good bet. They are tougher to find though.

She can probably meet her budget south of the beltway in Alexandria, but the area isn't near as good as the parts of Alexandria that are inside the beltway.

[Joneser172]

I have lived in a couple of apartments in Arlington and it's going to be tough for her to find a place in a desirable neighborhood (i.e. near a metro) for 1300 a month unless she finds a roommate. As an example, I just moved out of a small 1 bed, 1 bath apartment in Shirlington which ran about 2k a month before parking and utilities which was another couple hundo. A few years ago I lived in Ballston with a roommate and we paid 2500 for a 2 bed 2 bath but prices have gone up quite a bit since then (that was around 07-08).

Alexandria can be a little less expensive, but again, anything near a metro gets a lot more pricey. I have a included a link below of an apartment complex right near my house. It appears to be in her price range and the apartments look ok. Not great but pretty good. We are about 2 miles from a metro but there is bus access. I have met many people that live in these apartments and they all seem happy. I have not seen the inside though so that may be a factor.

http://www.foxchaseofalexandriaapts.com/apartments/search.do?lid=en_US&pid=1706&beds=1&acode=1001,1000,1002,1006,1007

I am not sure what her vehicle situation is like or where she will be working but if she is willing to commute, there are loads or places to live within 30-40 miles of DC that offer A LOT more for the money...she just will have to commute.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

[dave]

Some important things to consider before looking at specific units -

As most above have said, think through the commute and what is important: close to metro station? nearest metro station with parking? drive to work? hours? with or against traffic? parking situation at home - street, garage, rented space, etc? hard to overstate that the traffic situation here can take over your life -

Question assumptions and start with 'needs'. Is she alone/sig other/kids/etc. If alone (and even if not) consider some 'alternatives'. Lots of great basements/rooms/shared apts, etc that can be had much more economically than single units. When I moved out here a couple years ago I rented half the basement (south Alexandria) from a nice senior lady in a ritzy neighborhood. Was perfect for me for first year. $900 for place far bigger than a studio with bathroom and off-street parking just ten minutes from my work and no utility bills. Now I'm paying $1300 for 900SF 2BR townhouse in far lesser neighborhood and paying utilities on top of that. Landlord says will raise rent next time lease is up.

If a unit looks too good to be true - rent, amenities, etc -- then take a hard look at safety of the area

Watch Craigslist closely - at least a couple times a day -- good opportunities don't stay on there more than a day

Good luck.

[68TriShield]

Scott,RGD has lived there for two or three decades.
Contact Ron as I'm sure he'll have some good intel.

[MajorCaptSilly]

Thanks for the replies! She is finding that apartments in the city are a little out of reach. She is checking out Herndon and a couple other places today and tomorrow. I'm glad my wife is dealing with it and not me!

MCS

[tsolomon]

There are other options out in Maryland like downtown Silver Spring. It's metro accessible and might be in your price range. If her workplace is close to a Metro station, then you should check the wmata.com site for the commuting options by rail and bus.