Is it worth it to buy at the Watergate?

[Anonymous]

Is it true that coops won't let you rent out your unit, unlike condos? I've heard that, but am not sure it's correct. That would be a negative for me, because life plans can always change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that coops won't let you rent out your unit, unlike condos? I've heard that, but am not sure it's correct. That would be a negative for me, because life plans can always change.

That depends on coop. My Coop
Allowed it but rental units had to pay 13 months of maint fees. But you had to buy it and live in it one year as a primary residence before renting.

Condos can also have rental rules. Some condos ban revting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about the Westbridge Condos? close to the kennedy center, but way closer to amenities/metro/georgetown etc

https://www.dccondoboutique.com/the-westbridge/

The building was built in 1978 so I would check carefully on reserves and projects that may be needed down the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you're younger than 70 you may feel out of place there. You won't escape condo associations or co-ops in DC for the most part, but this one is a real "gem" to deal with. Imagine a bunch of retired people with nothing to do except maintain their "power" on the co-op board. It's going to be miserable.

I had a friend in her 20s who lived in the Watergate and committed suicide. Not that the Watergate was the main cause (obviously) but it didn't help that she was isolated and living in a place where most people were retirement age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you're younger than 70 you may feel out of place there. You won't escape condo associations or co-ops in DC for the most part, but this one is a real "gem" to deal with. Imagine a bunch of retired people with nothing to do except maintain their "power" on the co-op board. It's going to be miserable.

I had a friend in her 20s who lived in the Watergate and committed suicide. Not that the Watergate was the main cause (obviously) but it didn't help that she was isolated and living in a place where most people were retirement age.

Do people really get to know their neighbors in other apartment buildings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you're younger than 70 you may feel out of place there. You won't escape condo associations or co-ops in DC for the most part, but this one is a real "gem" to deal with. Imagine a bunch of retired people with nothing to do except maintain their "power" on the co-op board. It's going to be miserable.

I had a friend in her 20s who lived in the Watergate and committed suicide. Not that the Watergate was the main cause (obviously) but it didn't help that she was isolated and living in a place where most people were retirement age.

Do people really get to know their neighbors in other apartment buildings?

Young people with kids who are stay at home parents do. Yes.

[Anonymous]

Can you rent first? Co-op renters often need to get approved by the board so it takes longer but when I owned a co-op in New. York we rented out our unit (could only do it for a certain number of years but building rules differ).

[Anonymous]

Oof OP are you an 80 year old who took a trip back to 1986? Wanting to live in the watergate seems like a really weird want for a first time (presumably young) homebuyer. All old people, and the only thing within walking distance is the KC? Dc is so much more interesting than this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about the Westbridge Condos? close to the kennedy center, but way closer to amenities/metro/georgetown etc

https://www.dccondoboutique.com/the-westbridge/

we used to live in The Columbia. I'd recommend that over The Westbridge. Tons of units at The Columbia have great outdoor space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a coop building in NWDC and I'm ... familiar with the challenges (and don't mind them).

The thing that I can't get over about the Watergate is that it's not particularly walkable. One of the trade-offs for some of those challenges is that I can walk to a dozen easy amenities within 2-5 minutes, including numerous transit options. The Watergate is cut off by that huge traffic circle and not integrated into a walkable neighborhood.

yup - this was a HUGE turnoff for me. You have to cross a multi-lane road to go anywhere!

[Anonymous]

Did OP just see a trailer for HBOs the "White House Plumbers?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a coop building in NWDC and I'm ... familiar with the challenges (and don't mind them).

The thing that I can't get over about the Watergate is that it's not particularly walkable. One of the trade-offs for some of those challenges is that I can walk to a dozen easy amenities within 2-5 minutes, including numerous transit options. The Watergate is cut off by that huge traffic circle and not integrated into a walkable neighborhood.

yup - this was a HUGE turnoff for me. You have to cross a multi-lane road to go anywhere!

NP. I worked at the Watergate for years. It seemed like it should be a great location, but aside from the views it really sucked. It felt so isolated. The Saudi Embassy and the KC add to that feeling because they are so quiet most of the time—except for when there are shows at KC, when it gets absolutely insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a coop building in NWDC and I'm ... familiar with the challenges (and don't mind them).

The thing that I can't get over about the Watergate is that it's not particularly walkable. One of the trade-offs for some of those challenges is that I can walk to a dozen easy amenities within 2-5 minutes, including numerous transit options. The Watergate is cut off by that huge traffic circle and not integrated into a walkable neighborhood.

yup - this was a HUGE turnoff for me. You have to cross a multi-lane road to go anywhere!

Plus, have you seen the huge homeless encampment next to the Watergate??? Why would you want to pay so much to live somewhere with that nearby?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a coop building in NWDC and I'm ... familiar with the challenges (and don't mind them).

The thing that I can't get over about the Watergate is that it's not particularly walkable. One of the trade-offs for some of those challenges is that I can walk to a dozen easy amenities within 2-5 minutes, including numerous transit options. The Watergate is cut off by that huge traffic circle and not integrated into a walkable neighborhood.

yup - this was a HUGE turnoff for me. You have to cross a multi-lane road to go anywhere!

NP. I worked at the Watergate for years. It seemed like it should be a great location, but aside from the views it really sucked. It felt so isolated. The Saudi Embassy and the KC add to that feeling because they are so quiet most of the time—except for when there are shows at KC, when it gets absolutely insane.

I also worked nearby and it is a weird island.

Also know someone who raised kids there in recent years, which seemed pretty odd to me, but to hear them explain it, they had lots of built-in grandparents. Certainly a different choice....

[Anonymous]

Because units go as low as 400k in a super fancy place is why young people are interested