How much does a family of 4 need to make to be comfortable in dc area.

[Anonymous]

OP, since you are currently living in the area - you are making it somehow, right? What is your housing/daycare arrangements now?

[Anonymous]

It's going to be tough. When we moved here we had one in daycare and paid $1200 a month for her with a household income of $110k. We found a single family home very close to DC in a great area to rent for $1475 which was a Godsend. We were lucky because the landlord was from another state and admitted he didn't realize he could have gotten much more but we were good tenants so he never raised rent.

We have two in child care now/ one in pre-school and one infant and are paying a little over $2k a month which is only possible due to my DH receiving a substantial raise.

[Anonymous]

OP, it's doable. Here's how I would do it:

Net $5300.00

2BR Rental in Rockville/Gaithersburg :$1600.00
Daycare for 2 kids at somebody's home :$1600.00 (not all families can afford super expensive daycare and nannies)
Funds left for bills, groceries, emergencies: $2100.00

Not everybody lives close to Arlington or DC, we make 450k, I work in Arlington and live in Rockville/Potomac. I have a 45 min commute in the morning and a 1 hr commute in the evening (after flexible schedule negotiation with my boss). If you thing this opportunity is once in a lifetime, then go for it. If not, I would say stay where you are.

[Anonymous]

think*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it's doable. Here's how I would do it:

Net $5300.00

2BR Rental in Rockville/Gaithersburg :$1600.00
Daycare for 2 kids at somebody's home :$1600.00 (not all families can afford super expensive daycare and nannies)
Funds left for bills, groceries, emergencies: $2100.00

Not everybody lives close to Arlington or DC, we make 450k, I work in Arlington and live in Rockville/Potomac. I have a 45 min commute in the morning and a 1 hr commute in the evening (after flexible schedule negotiation with my boss). If you thing this opportunity is once in a lifetime, then go for it. If not, I would say stay where you are.

This is plausible, but the commute to Arlington would be killer. They'd be better off to find a $1600 rental in Arlington.

Also, OP should really heed the advice about free preschool in DC. It is NO JOKE. If you rent from a management company, you could move when you figure out which preschool you're placed at.

I'd previously advised that Glover Park has a lot of affordable 2 br rentals (small, older buildings, but sub-2K).
There are newer/nicer apartment complexes in Fort Totten (right at the metro) that would be about 2K with specials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, it's doable. Here's how I would do it:

Net $5300.00

2BR Rental in Rockville/Gaithersburg :$1600.00
Daycare for 2 kids at somebody's home :$1600.00 (not all families can afford super expensive daycare and nannies)
Funds left for bills, groceries, emergencies: $2100.00

Not everybody lives close to Arlington or DC, we make 450k, I work in Arlington and live in Rockville/Potomac. I have a 45 min commute in the morning and a 1 hr commute in the evening (after flexible schedule negotiation with my boss). If you thing this opportunity is once in a lifetime, then go for it. If not, I would say stay where you are.

This is plausible, but the commute to Arlington would be killer. They'd be better off to find a $1600 rental in Arlington.

Also, OP should really heed the advice about free preschool in DC. It is NO JOKE. If you rent from a management company, you could move when you figure out which preschool you're placed at.

I'd previously advised that Glover Park has a lot of affordable 2 br rentals (small, older buildings, but sub-2K).
There are newer/nicer apartment complexes in Fort Totten (right at the metro) that would be about 2K with specials.

Rockville poster here. You are right, I don't know enough about Arlington to suggest what sort area can be afforded (if at all) in $1600/month. In Rockville/Gaithersburg, they can rent in a nice, safe community in that much amount. I agree about the free preschool, that in itself is worth living in an okay sort of place in the city.