[Erakad]

Getting a bit desperate. Moving to DC - next week! I thought I had this figured out until about MN tonight. Here's the deal, my oldest daughter (25 yrs) is a flight attendent at Dulles, I'll be working at Bolling AFB. Would like an apartment convienent to both of us. Was recommended Arlington and Alexandria...great! However, looking through the apartment reviews tonight, I'm seeing a lot of comments about gang activity in those areas. With a "reasonable" commute for both, where is a good area to live, not overly expensive (I still own a home in SAT that my wife is staying behind to sell...in the next 6-8 months). My #1 concern is the safety of my daughter. Sigh....any recommendations from the locals??? I'd be eternally grateful to get some solid intel.

Since I wrote the above thread on another board (and was recommeded to here) I've been looking at a place on-line called the Dorchester Towers on Columbia Pike (near Washington Blvd and 395). My daughter was aggreable to this as she goes to Dulles at non-peak times (0500 or 2000)...but I guess I'm in for a slow ride? The places pushed by housing on Bolling had horrible reviews on line (put mildly)...price was good, but bad management, roaches, facilities, has caused me to look elsewhere.

As above, I'm totally lost on good/affordable areas to live. San Antonio was easy, I'm finding this more challenging.

thanks

Rob

[VaSteve]

Rob,

You have a PM.

Steve

[Charlie Stylianos]

Rob,

Any places in Clarendon, Rosslyn or Ballston are quite safe. Those areas are busy (and rapidly growing) business districts populated with mostly professionals, etc. It’s a good part of town. It also helps that the police station and courthouse are right down the road. There are a few places in Arlington that are a bit sketchy, but you'll find those mostly in South Arlington. Stay north and you’ll be fine.

[Parenn911]

Welcome to the DC area Rob, and welcome to Dorkiphus.

I'll second what Charlie said about Arlington. Old town Alexandria is also a nice area to live, there are some bad parts of Alexandria. There are also some bad spots along I395.

This link has reviews of apartments in Arlington.
http://www.apartmentreviews.net/find/va-arlington.htm


Here's a list of apartments in the NoVA area:

http://www.4wallsindc.com/directorie...apartments.htm

Come out to a fun run or monthly gathering, and when you get a chance post some photos of your black SC coupe.
Good luck with the housing search.

[Rick Lee]

I don't know when you'll be going to Bolling AFB, but I can't imagine it's ever an easy drive. There is a new bridge going up that connects VA/MD/DC right next to Bolling. Even when commuter traffic is light, the construction or bridge span openings can slow things down a lot. I don't know how else one gets to Bolling, but it can't be real easy from anywhere in VA. Dulles is easy, especially in off-peak hours, since employees can use the airport access road.

[Trak Ratt]

Best advice might be to look into “temporary quarters”. Several large apartment complexes in area are set up for this type of lease. Looks like regular apartments, has same facilities. Usually monthly leases, easy in easy out, lets you look around for a while.

[aubreym]

Rob,

As in all generalizations this one will contain exceptions. In general, North Arlington is good, the Potomac River side of Old Town is good inside the beltway. In general, 395 is bad - traffic, traffic, and traffic. The reality is that there are no really easy commutes in the DC area. Your going to have to cross from VA into DC to get to Bolling and your daughter is going to have to get in line on I66 or the beltway to get to Dulles. She'll probably have an easier time because her schedule will not necessarily coincide with our rush hours.

[Sofast]

Darn,

This is a tough one. All the good areas cost some serious bling. A good friend of mine is in ICE, the gang task force. There is more gangs than people know about. There are nice places to be had, just be catious. Generally, it will cost you, especially the way housing prices have skyrocketed as of lately.

[brianr]

I think David Riley has a good idea about temp quarters.
FWIW I moved from Ballston to next door to RFK Stadium in SE DC because I could afford it. Only heard gun shots once or twice in two years. The neighborhood is now out of control, prices I mean. It is turning over rapidly, but generations of neglect need to be corrected. I now live in PG county just above NE DC, Hyattsville/Cheverly MD. Bolling is 20 minutes down 295. Dulles at 0500 would be 45 minutes. I know, I used to pass it every day on my 50 mile jaunt to Leesburg VA until my new job in Alexandria started 3 weeks ago. My $.02

[Dvb0415]

me .02 worth.

We live near 395 and Edsall Road. The subdivision is called the Overlook. Very nice but you will definitely have to wrestle with 395. Another alternative to get to Bolling is take the Beltway towards MD, cross the Wilson Bridge to 295 and go north. All this depends on what time you get on 295, but the Beltway going towards MD from VA is usually doable. I commuted to MD near US 50 for about a year.

If crossing the Wilson Bridge to get to Bolling is an option for you, then there are lots of places south of the Beltway off of Van Dorn. The area is called Kingstowne. Lots of apartments, townhomes, rent or buy. Access to Dulles is still OK as your daughter can take the Beltway to the Dulles Tollway. Not quite as direct as from Arlington, but very doable. The prices may be less expensive than Arlington/Alexandria since this is Springfield.

Another alternative off 395 is near Shirlington which is 395 and Quaker. There are some real nice apartments near Shirlington.

Another alternative is Crystal City/Pentagon City, near the Pentagon and Jeff Davis Highway (US 1). Good access to 395 and to either George Washinton Pkwy or I66 to get to Dulles. THere are lots of places for sale or rent in that area.

The Courthouse Plaza area of Arlington is nice as well as Ballston and the jdacent areas. But renting and buying are expensive. A studio condo, not yet completed, was about 375K.

There are some other areas off of 395 and King Street East, towards Alexandria that have a lot of places. Some are fairly old, but there are a lot of professional people that live in the area.

We have lived in this area for over five years. If you have any questions, give me a call at 571-226-9612.


Tuffy von Briesen