Tradeoffs when purchasing a rowhome

[Anonymous]

I would put location over more space any day, especially if you like the rowhouse, which I assume you do.

I am a little confused though that you "tried" to like Georgetown, but preferred Foggy Bottom. I work in GT and FB, and can't imagine a universe in which this could possibly be true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would put location over more space any day, especially if you like the rowhouse, which I assume you do.

I am a little confused though that you "tried" to like Georgetown, but preferred Foggy Bottom. I work in GT and FB, and can't imagine a universe in which this could possibly be true.

I don’t really have an explanation, just a combination of available housing options, the congestion on M street, and also not wanting to be in a concentrated wealthy area where everyone is sending their kids to private school. Sounds like there’s a good community around Hyde-Addison, but we felt like we’d be the odd people out in most of the Georgetown houses we looked at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put location over more space any day, especially if you like the rowhouse, which I assume you do.

I am a little confused though that you "tried" to like Georgetown, but preferred Foggy Bottom. I work in GT and FB, and can't imagine a universe in which this could possibly be true.

I don’t really have an explanation, just a combination of available housing options, the congestion on M street, and also not wanting to be in a concentrated wealthy area where everyone is sending their kids to private school. Sounds like there’s a good community around Hyde-Addison, but we felt like we’d be the odd people out in most of the Georgetown houses we looked at.

That's fair.

[Anonymous]

Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

Depends on how loud they are. Regular (or even loud) conversations, no. Screaming at top of lungs, yes you can usually hear that, although probably not make out words. Sometimes hear neighbors kids running up/down stairs if it's very fast- just sort of muffled- if stairs are along the party wall, which they often are.

But the party walls are generally thick and quite sold, so not much noise gets through, especially compared to modern apartment buildings.

[Anonymous]

Downsides of row houses might include (depends on construction):
Noise coming thru party wall(s)
Smells like smoke or cooking thru windows or ??
Risk of fire or flooding spreading

[Anonymous]

That is a common trade off in the general population but this forum is not going to agree likely. Id take the Dupont rowhouse and be near Downtown and everything. Sounds amazing and more like you got a deal on the Dupont Place as Id assume it to be a good amount more. normal to second guess yourself.

(Person above has a whole extra kid and was leaving a place at least 400sqft smaller than yours to go to a place 400sqft bigger than yours. So it is not analagous imo, just a description her move not advice on yours other than the acknowledgement that you may only have one kid so could be fine, which you do)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a New Yorker and a 1400 sf rowhouse is a dream. It's a perfect size for a family of 3. What would you want more space for? Location > stuff.

same, same, same

the additional 15k people moving into downtown by 2028 will increase demand relatively faster than cap hill and col heights too

[Anonymous]

I used to live exactly at the south dupont / west end / foggy bottom and agree it is the best area. Super easy to access pretty much the whole city, two subway lines, lots of buses, a tj, wf, library. Its dreamy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

In the three rowhomes I have live in dc (all between 150-110 years old), no.

In a brand new “luxury” building? Absolutely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

In the three rowhomes I have live in dc (all between 150-110 years old), no.

In a brand new “luxury” building? Absolutely.

This is so good to know. I've been attracted to rowhouses, but always ruled them out, even though they seem perfect for me, because of horrible experiences sharing walls in apartment buildings. Noise issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

Depends on how loud they are. Regular (or even loud) conversations, no. Screaming at top of lungs, yes you can usually hear that, although probably not make out words. Sometimes hear neighbors kids running up/down stairs if it's very fast- just sort of muffled- if stairs are along the party wall, which they often are.

But the party walls are generally thick and quite sold, so not much noise gets through, especially compared to modern apartment buildings.

not usually but last there in one 15 years ago. it depends on the house, and if you can, you can make it soundproof

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

In the three rowhomes I have live in dc (all between 150-110 years old), no.

In a brand new “luxury” building? Absolutely.

This is so good to know. I've been attracted to rowhouses, but always ruled them out, even though they seem perfect for me, because of horrible experiences sharing walls in apartment buildings. Noise issues.

Ironically, the ugly, all concrete constructed buildings in DC from the 60s are much better for sound between units than new buildings. Because most of the older buildings have concrete between units. Nothing gets through that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

In the three rowhomes I have live in dc (all between 150-110 years old), no.

In a brand new “luxury” building? Absolutely.

This is so good to know. I've been attracted to rowhouses, but always ruled them out, even though they seem perfect for me, because of horrible experiences sharing walls in apartment buildings. Noise issues.

I live in an 80’s stucco townhouse and never hear my neighbors. Can’t say the same for the newer apartment building we rented in beforehand, you could hear the neighbors sneeze, argue, snore. Doors were hollow too and no heat retention whatsoever in winter. House construction makes a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you typically near neighbors through the walls of a row home in DC?

In the three rowhomes I have live in dc (all between 150-110 years old), no.

In a brand new “luxury” building? Absolutely.

This is so good to know. I've been attracted to rowhouses, but always ruled them out, even though they seem perfect for me, because of horrible experiences sharing walls in apartment buildings. Noise issues.

It all comes down to the rowhouse itself. Rule of thumb is that the more upscale and older the rowhouse, the far more solid they are and the less noise, if any, you will hear. I have a 2k+basement sqft prewar rowhouse and have never heard my neighbors on either side. Walls are too thick and solid. By contrast plenty of SFH houses can hear sounds from neighboring houses. Sound travels in funny ways.