What would you do? Urban vs Burbs...

[Anonymous]

Background: my husband, 2 year old and 2 9lb dogs are looking for a rental. We are moving from the Columbia area where we are renting after just selling our Baltimore row home.

My husband and I both work in Chinatown. I work for a large company and travel 1 week a month to HQ. my husband quit his 9 to 5 when baby came and went back to bartending and stays home with baby. We currently have a part time nanny that comes 2-3 half days a week. We both have family in MoCo who help out when I travel. With that background would you choose a 2 bed apartment in Chinatown/NoMa or a townhouse in King Farm?

Chinatown: Pros-no commute, lots to do, my gym is there, prob easy to find a college aged sitter since we would only need a few hours a week. Cons - not as many kids if any. No community amenities for baby, more expensive. Further from families. not a lot of space to walk pups. Smaller place.

King Farm: Pros- lovely child and pup friendly with loads of amenities for both. Townhouse with garage. 15 min from my parents, 10 to his sister. There are some great nursery schools in area Cons - so far away. 38 min on red line, and who are we kidding it's the red line. Would need a part time nanny/sitter in addition to nursery school to accommodate schedules.

Sorry for any errors. Typing on iPad.

[Anonymous]

Where is King Farm?

[Anonymous]

City definitely. There are lots of families with very young kids all over the city. Maybe consider Petworth or Columbia Heights both on the Green Line and a five minute ride from Chinatown.

[Anonymous]

Is there a reason you're not considering options in-between these two? They are on different ends of the continuum. What about other sections of DC, or even closer in MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Columbia Heights. We love living here with our 2 kids. We walk most places or ride the metro. The metro, Target, my gym and coffee are all a block away. We're in a great babysitting co-op with 25 other families.

[Anonymous]

I would do King Farm (actually I would look at Kentlands because of the schools).

I would ask my boss if I could telecommute 1 day a week also.

[Anonymous]

I think it comes down to if you and DH like the city living better. I can't picture myself with two dogs and a toddler, navigating city streets etc. For me having more space, a car with guaranteed parking space, and calm (atleast as far as outside noise) at the end of the day is worth the commute time. I'm guessing you enjoy the city more or you wouldn't even be thinking about moving back into a city with husband, kid, dogs etc.

The only thing I would say is if you are moving further away from your family that is helping out, you have to be prepared to do more on your own. Maybe look for that tight knit community with a babysitting co-op. When your family is helping out, be prepared to bring your kid out to family so it is convenient for them. You may want to also discuss with them how things would change if you moved further away into the city so you can factor that in.

[Anonymous]

If there were two yappy dogs and a baby in the apartment next to ours, I would not be thrilled. Are the dogs well behaved?

[Anonymous]

I think with family close, I would pick king farm.
Space is what you need.
How long does your man want to bar tend?

[Anonymous]

Could you rent in Bethesda? Right on the metro, urbanish, child friendly and still close to family?

[Anonymous]

I think you need a place that has at least a small yard to let the dogs out. Otherwise, how is your DH going to let the dogs out when you are out of town and your toddler is sleeping at night? Also, I'd look at what sort of kid-friendly stuff is near each - parks, play areas, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think with family close, I would pick king farm.
Space is what you need.
How long does your man want to bar tend?

If family help is really important, pick this. But if you are renting, not buying and you want to live an urban lifestyle for a few years before you have to worry about schools, go to Penn Quarter. You can move out to King Farm later. A lot depends on the kind of lifestyle that is important to you. Good luck on your decision!

[Anonymous]

9:52 raises a good point. If hubby is out traveling, you can't leave your kid alone in the 7th story (or whatever) apartment ... not to take the dog out.

I'd take something between Bethesda and Rockville, as your budget and taste permits.

[Anonymous]

This is tough. I would not do Chinatown. It sounds like you need something more kid/pet friendly. I would do something on the way like Bethesda. Or something else in DC like Columbia Heights. I lived there before the gentrification and it was fine. I'm sure it's much better now, especially with the new apartments and Target that went up.