got a job offer to relocate to DC! where should w stay for a weekend to get a taste of living here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Half of a mixed race couple here. We lived in Shaw/U Street until 2012 when we moved to the Calvert Hills neighborhood of College Park to start our family. We wanted to stay in the city for a few more years but couldn't afford to buy where there was green space and everything we wanted. Very happy to have landed here. I'd also check out Hyattsville on the MD side and Brookland/Woodridge/Ft. Totten/Michigan Park on the DC side. What's your budget?

OP here. Thanks, that's good perspective. TBH we haven't determined a budget and probably will rent for a year first while we sort that out. As I was mentioning earlier we have good incomes now but were poor med students for a long time so haven't gotten a good handle on what we can now afford.
One thing this very informative thread has made me think about, I know we would prefer a yard, and ultimately a SFH down the line. To the extent that's possible in DC while still meeting our other criteria -- DH definitely hates to live in a classic suburb -- that's another thing we'd need to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP where is your job?

near Howard University

OP, check out Shepherd Park/Colonial Village off of 16th St. Not to stay here when visiting--it's completely sleepy, residential, and quiet--but to drive up and check out. Pretty much all SFHs. Not super walkable, but it's near downtown Silver Spring and about a mile walk to the metro there. However, it's a good location to buy in for physicians who work near Howard (like my spouse), so there are many health professionals here. Also very diverse, with lots of black, white, and a pretty high concentration of interracial families. Lots of rainbow flags and signs in yards. Overall--sleepy neighborhood, good schools, good people.

P.S. There are 5% down physicians' loans. That's a good option worth considering for those within 10 years of completing their training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hi! we are mid 30s, i haven't visited DC in something like 10 years but have family in the burbs, and i hear DC has changed a lot. looking for specific neighborhood/hotel recs for a weekend late spring to check out what it's all about. our priorities are, in no particular order: vibrant groceries/markets/restaurant options, down to earth people, green space (we'll have a car so it doesn't have to be everything walking distance), some ethnic diversity (we're both mixed), and we do want to have kids soon. i'd have to convince DH as well, so welcome really good suggestions!

I'd consider staying at The Line in Adams Morgan. New hotel, and one of the few that's in a real residential neighborhood (other than the stuff in West End, but that's all basically high rise apartment buildings). Super diverse, maybe a little more nightlife than you may want - but good to feel some real city buzz. Then I'd recommend from there going up towards Petworth and Columbia heights - both of which have close proximity to Rock Creek Park - the most amazing green space in the city. Both have farmers markets, an anchor grocery store or two.

If you're looking to rent or looking to buy, I'd make different suggestions - so its important to understand which. Also - do you want to have your own house/townhouse? Or is an condo/apt doable?

I think that this is a great recommendation but (I was the Bloomingdale/LeDroit PP) I STRONGLY recommend that you at least spend a day walking around the areas closer to Howard.

If you get good weather, what I would recommend is a walk down 18th Street, turn left on U Street and walk down to 7th (wander around the side streets as you go so you can get a sense of the area - especially around 14th because it's so dense with retail, and around 9th & V because that's near Howard), then walk through LeDroit on T Street and end at 1st & Rhode Island which is the middle of the Bloomingdale neighborhood. I'd walk up 1st Street to check out Bloomingdale then loop back over on Bryant to 7th St which will take you right through the Howard campus. Then you'll be exhausted so you can Uber back or to another part of the city to check it out.

OP print out this advice and follow it to a tee

[Anonymous]

Stay at the Kimpton in Glover Park. That neighborhood will have what you are looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP where is your job?

near Howard University

try 16street heights or petwoth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Half of a mixed race couple here. We lived in Shaw/U Street until 2012 when we moved to the Calvert Hills neighborhood of College Park to start our family. We wanted to stay in the city for a few more years but couldn't afford to buy where there was green space and everything we wanted. Very happy to have landed here. I'd also check out Hyattsville on the MD side and Brookland/Woodridge/Ft. Totten/Michigan Park on the DC side. What's your budget?

OP here. Thanks, that's good perspective. TBH we haven't determined a budget and probably will rent for a year first while we sort that out. As I was mentioning earlier we have good incomes now but were poor med students for a long time so haven't gotten a good handle on what we can now afford.
One thing this very informative thread has made me think about, I know we would prefer a yard, and ultimately a SFH down the line. To the extent that's possible in DC while still meeting our other criteria -- DH definitely hates to live in a classic suburb -- that's another thing we'd need to consider.

If you're going to rent for a year, I would absolutely recommend doing it in DC somewhere like Shaw/U street/Logan Circle. You can have fun now and reconsider neighborhoods and schools, etc. when you get serious about that whole kids thing.

[ikornika]

I am OP from a different thread (Sticker Shock Advice) and would love to network with you. We're also mid-30s though we have two mixed kids. Could I PM you?

ETA: You would have to PM me, it looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hi! we are mid 30s, i haven't visited DC in something like 10 years but have family in the burbs, and i hear DC has changed a lot. looking for specific neighborhood/hotel recs for a weekend late spring to check out what it's all about. our priorities are, in no particular order: vibrant groceries/markets/restaurant options, down to earth people, green space (we'll have a car so it doesn't have to be everything walking distance), some ethnic diversity (we're both mixed), and we do want to have kids soon. i'd have to convince DH as well, so welcome really good suggestions!

Good luck with that one.

The problem is that the most down to earth people live in working class neighborhoods where you are not likely to find the vibrant groceries/markets/restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hi! we are mid 30s, i haven't visited DC in something like 10 years but have family in the burbs, and i hear DC has changed a lot. looking for specific neighborhood/hotel recs for a weekend late spring to check out what it's all about. our priorities are, in no particular order: vibrant groceries/markets/restaurant options, down to earth people, green space (we'll have a car so it doesn't have to be everything walking distance), some ethnic diversity (we're both mixed), and we do want to have kids soon. i'd have to convince DH as well, so welcome really good suggestions!

Good luck with that one.

np Still looking for those people! Op is looking for a unicorn. It's not what you want but, what you can afford.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to rent for a year, I would absolutely recommend doing it in DC somewhere like Shaw/U street/Logan Circle. You can have fun now and reconsider neighborhoods and schools, etc. when you get serious about that whole kids thing.

This.

[Anonymous]

I agree to rent near HUH or in Mt. Pleasant, Southwest, or Navy Yard for a while. Enjoy the city now and either leave when you have a baby and want more space, or take advantage of free PK and move if 5-7 years from now you have a kindergartner and are willing to do a longer commute in exchange for a yard. When you're ready to buy, look at places like Shirlington, South Arlington, Springfield, Silver Spring, and Rockville. You can get pretty good schools with a lot of diversity (these areas have many immigrants in addition to other forms of diversity) and a decent commute. By then you'll also be settled at work and have an idea of where your spouse works too.

[Anonymous]

One thing to know about DC is that the close-in suburbs are not at all "classic suburbs."

I live in Silver Spring now, but used to live in the city and my house (with a little yard and one parking spot) is substantially more walkable and urban than my old place in DC. I can walk to two grocery stores, a brand new library, elementary and middle schools, roughly a thousand restaurants, and a bunch of parks.

I'm not going to give you the hard sell, but I honestly think you should include close-in Takoma Park and Silver Spring in your search given your stated needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay somewhere fun in DC proper and rent a car to look at close-in suburbs. Staying at a hotel in the suburbs is depressing. Look at Hotel Monaco (right in the middle of Penn Quarter and near tons of great restaurants); the Graham in Georgetown; or the Hotel Carlyle off Dupont Circle.

Thanks! Are those also residential neighborhoods? Of course, I know them as touristy areas.

Dupont and Georgetown are residential, but expensive. I was thinking you could stay somewhere nice and get a sense of how much DC has changed and then explore residential areas.

They are fun to stay at and vibrant, which is what OP wants. There is not much vibrancy in the suburbs where she might be looking to buy, but DC is so small driving from the nearby burb into these areas that are more vibrant is not a big deal on weekends. On weekdays her life is likely going to revolve around her house and job, they are going to be busy and should live near jobs if possible.

[Anonymous]

I randomly remembered this thread.

Any chance the OP is around? How was your visit? Are you relocating?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay in DC for sure! Why not? There are tons of nice AirBnBs in my neighborhood (Capitol Hill) and staying in someone’s house will give you a good sense of what a neighborhood feels like.

Just looked at Capitol Hill on a map. It doesn't seem like there's much green or park space on first glance? Just trying to learn more about it.

DC doesn't really have green space or park space.

I'm guessing the National Mall is just what....a sandbox in your eye?