How much would you spend on rent with $115,000 gross income?

[Anonymous]

Together we make about $115,000 and we have $16,000 in student loan debt and $8,000 of an auto loan (only one car). Minimum payments are about $450/month but we are paying about $1,100 to get it over with. We would like to have kids soon and both need to keep working (forever). How much would you budget for rent? We desperately want to stay in DC because my husband has to drive all over metro DC, MD, and VA for his job, which makes for a lot of driving, and adding a morning commute isn't ideal. Also, I don't think we're ready for the suburbs. I work in SW and expect to be there for a while. We want to be walking distance of a few restaurants and a park, and 1/2 a mile to the Metro (preferably anything but red). I would love to live in Capitol Hill, Eastern Market, Shaw, Columbia Heights, or Mt. Pleasant. Thanks for your thoughts!

The rent is too damn high!

[Anonymous]

If you don't have kids, you have a little more breathing room. I'd say $2,000-$2,250 per month.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I forgot... we have 3 cats, but they are perfect angel and never cause damage or spray or smell or anything. Is it reasonable to email people on Craigslist who said "no pets" and ask them if they'd consider cats?

Also, anywhere else we should be looking besides Craigslist, Padmapper, and Zillow?

[Anonymous]

If I were you, I'd live as cheaply as I could possibly stand to live while you are TTC and the kids are little. Pay down that student loan and car debt and then stash way the rest for a down payment on a house. So, I'd look at 1,500 to 2,000 if you can make it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I forgot... we have 3 cats, but they are perfect angel and never cause damage or spray or smell or anything. Is it reasonable to email people on Craigslist who said "no pets" and ask them if they'd consider cats?

Also, anywhere else we should be looking besides Craigslist, Padmapper, and Zillow?

Yes - I would do that. I just rented our TH and would have considered people on a case by case basis, but still put no pets on CL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were you, I'd live as cheaply as I could possibly stand to live while you are TTC and the kids are little. Pay down that student loan and car debt and then stash way the rest for a down payment on a house. So, I'd look at 1,500 to 2,000 if you can make it happen.

I agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I forgot... we have 3 cats, but they are perfect angel and never cause damage or spray or smell or anything. Is it reasonable to email people on Craigslist who said "no pets" and ask them if they'd consider cats?

Also, anywhere else we should be looking besides Craigslist, Padmapper, and Zillow?

I suppose you have nothing to lose, but expecting someone who says no pets to accept 3 cats might be lot to expect.

You may have some luck driving around the neighborhoods you like and seeing if you see any for rent signs.

[Anonymous]

Go with a company that has apartments. Private owners won't bend on the pet rules. We make about 50K more than you. Our rent is $2300 and we pay $1400 in daycare per month. We are comfortable and put money into savings. Try living one month by putting your 'target' amount of rent & childcare into savings see if it's doable for you.

[Anonymous]

We lived in a cheap building, paid down debt, and saved for a down payment. We paid 1300 for a one bedroom - utils and parking (2 cars in our case) included. But then again we lived in Silver Spring (Summit Hills). 2K for rent would have killed me at that income level, I have to say.

[Anonymous]

Do these guys take pets? http://www.capitolparktowers.com/home_rentals

I rented from them 10 years ago, and they were a little sketchy then (likely different now), and the price looks right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do these guys take pets? http://www.capitolparktowers.com/home_rentals

I rented from them 10 years ago, and they were a little sketchy then (likely different now), and the price looks right.

ACtually I rented from this building (which isn't quite the same): http://www.capitolparkplaza.com/

[Anonymous]

No more than $2000.

[Anonymous]

OP again... now we're thinking we should just save up for a downpayment and buy a place, even if we can only put down 10% instead of 20%. We pay $1700 in rent now, both put 10% into retirement, and are paying about $700 more than we need to on our student loan and car loan.

What do you think is the minimum home price for a 3 BR, 1.5-2 BA place in DC approximately 1/2 a mile from a metro stop? We have excellent credit so could probably get a decent interest rate.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Anonymous]

totally depends on neighborhood. Not to be snarky, but $150K-several million.

Presuming you want a house toward the top of what you can reasonably afford (and not considering schools) these are where I would look:

Petworth
Brookland
Eckington
RFK/Armory (extended Capital Hill)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again... now we're thinking we should just save up for a downpayment and buy a place, even if we can only put down 10% instead of 20%. We pay $1700 in rent now, both put 10% into retirement, and are paying about $700 more than we need to on our student loan and car loan.

What do you think is the minimum home price for a 3 BR, 1.5-2 BA place in DC approximately 1/2 a mile from a metro stop? We have excellent credit so could probably get a decent interest rate.

Thanks so much for your help!

1) you can't afford a home in DC near a metro. 150K PP? Is that near Anacostia?! 2) Besides the affordability concern, if you want to start a family, unless you can afford private school then you should look in MD or VA.