Anonymous wrote:8:27 here
when I came to DC I rented an apt and had not problem beign a foreignerjust with an offer of a job in DC and no real credit history in the USA. however, I remember paying the deposit with a check. I doubt you can pay with credit card (I guess you could cancel the card or contest the payment), my experience is that the deposit must be in some kind of equivalent to money (so check, money order, cash or similar stuff). tons of people like you live in DC so you should not have any problems in finding a house. my neighborn across the street until recently was a family from CH with two little girls, rented for 4 years.
I live in Chevy Chase DC and love it. very walkable, close to the metro at Friendship Heights and the shopping area, close to the Avalon theater on Connecticut avenue - an out of the mainstream movie theater, look at the web site - lots of playgrounds, lots of families, really a great place for a family with little kids. I have two kids 3 and 6 and we have only one car. I would never go to the suburbs if I were you, try one day in rush hour traffic and you will see yourself. even in Bethesda you may need a car per adult in some areas, or you are stuck. anyway, good luck in your house hunting, with your budget you should not have any problem
We rent out our Georgetown rowhouse on craigslist. We mostly get Europeans looking for long-term leases. We do not take credit cards--but will take echecks. We do rent to the individuals---unlike some neighbors that have deals with the embassy and the embassy rents out their home. We like the control and prefer to do the screening and background/financial checks ourselves. References are a must. Our last two tenants were both multi-year.
Georgetown has loads of Europeans and it is a lifestyle much like the one we had when living in Europe. My son was one of the few 'americans' at his preschool there.