Here is another vote for somewhere around the Capitol - SW, NoMa, Capitol Hill. We live in SW and I drive to the Baltimore suburbs 4 or 5 times per week. Getting out of DC is very fast to MD or VA. Getting to Baltimore (695 and I-70 ) takes me 1 hour, leaving early in the morning. I also think you should look into SW. There are good things happening if you have some patience for the build out.

If school will come to an end, presumably you will be getting a job. I wouldn't be buying until you find a career-track job.

If you're just renting, you can always bail out to other areas with good schools when your kid hits kindergarten. If you're a city person, enjoy the city.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, all. OP here. We actually have a 2 year old, so having a bit more space would be preferred to an apartment. But I do like the idea of living near Union Station, though a row house would be more ideal than an apt. Our rental budget is probably about $3k - will that be enough for a 3BR in a safe area?

I'm also going to investigate the other MD areas mentioned. Thanks to everyone!

Just know that driving to VA from MD in rush hour is a nightmare. I'm the PP who said to do Chinatown if you can afford it, or someplace else in DC by the redline metro. Personally, I would not consider anything in the immediate Union Station vicinity. Also, I haven't been through the whole DC public charter school process (i think it's not so simple), but there are tons of threads about it - you may want to familiarize yourself with how that application process works and/or the school test scores. If schools are important to you, I wouldn't even consider PG county MD personally.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since the MARC train and the Metro have stops at Union Station, I'd say look in DC for a place in walking distance to the Metro. Could be Brookland, SW, Capitol Hill. What's your budget?

Keep in mind that taking the MARC train adds up and can be a fairly long ride.

+1

And this is from a Washingtonian in VA who could not otherwise imagine having to live in DC (yuck). But, this is definitely the best solution. And move near a Redline stop (e.g., Chinatown!) - that way you can be at Union Station in no time to hop on the MARC train. And the MARC train ride isn't any longer than most local driving commutes into downtown, so it won't be bad.

I don't think you can call yourself a washingtonian after having a made a statement like that

You are the joke - but you don't even know it because you aren't from here. You probably know nothing about what went down in DC years ago or the history of many families like mine. But I care not to tell you - your ignorance is your bliss. See, you even laugh in it. It's funny to me actually.

You might want to have a look at SW - there are fairly spacious apartments in the older buildings and it's right by both 295 and 395. So, if you sometimes have to drive, it's an option and if he sometimes has to drive it's really easy to get on the 14th street bridge. Or it's just a couple metro stops for him. If you guys want to rent, I lived in the Waterside Towers for several years and liked the fact that it has generously sized units and rent control. I think there's an Apple Tree charter nursery school next door, too, although someone on another board mentioned it might be moving. I adore Capitol Hill but sometimes think SW is a bit easier from the point of view of quieter streets, ease of getting off street parking, good grocery shopping nearby and so forth. And there are two new playgrounds going in, which would be nice for someone with a little kid.

Thanks, all. OP here. We actually have a 2 year old, so having a bit more space would be preferred to an apartment. But I do like the idea of living near Union Station, though a row house would be more ideal than an apt. Our rental budget is probably about $3k - will that be enough for a 3BR in a safe area?

I'm also going to investigate the other MD areas mentioned. Thanks to everyone!

You're a young couple , and would appreciate living in the city. Stay close to Union Station. The NoMa neighborhood has lots of new apartments and it is very close to downtown for shopping and restaurants. Union Station is a couple Metro stops away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since the MARC train and the Metro have stops at Union Station, I'd say look in DC for a place in walking distance to the Metro. Could be Brookland, SW, Capitol Hill. What's your budget?

Keep in mind that taking the MARC train adds up and can be a fairly long ride.

+1

And this is from a Washingtonian in VA who could not otherwise imagine having to live in DC (yuck). But, this is definitely the best solution. And move near a Redline stop (e.g., Chinatown!) - that way you can be at Union Station in no time to hop on the MARC train. And the MARC train ride isn't any longer than most local driving commutes into downtown, so it won't be bad.

I don't think you can call yourself a washingtonian after having a made a statement like that

What's your rent budget?

If no or younger kids? Maybe something in the better parts of PGC (Cheverly comes to mind).

Can your spouse take the metro? You could do Capitol Hill near the blue line - then you could walk/bus/bike to union station for Marc. I think Capitol Hill might also be good for driving to Arlington, but other posters would know better.

If your budget won't stretch to make DC a possibility, try Old Greenbelt. (In the town of Greenbelt but a part that was a planned community in the 30s, so less suburban sprawl.) It has easy access to the MARC train in New Carrolton, is close to the Green line (but not walking distance) and is right where 295 meets the Beltway, so either are a possibility for driving to VA.

Anonymous wrote:Since the MARC train and the Metro have stops at Union Station, I'd say look in DC for a place in walking distance to the Metro. Could be Brookland, SW, Capitol Hill. What's your budget?

Keep in mind that taking the MARC train adds up and can be a fairly long ride.

+1

And this is from a Washingtonian in VA who could not otherwise imagine having to live in DC (yuck). But, this is definitely the best solution. And move near a Redline stop (e.g., Chinatown!) - that way you can be at Union Station in no time to hop on the MARC train. And the MARC train ride isn't any longer than most local driving commutes into downtown, so it won't be bad.

New Carrollton, Lanham or Greenbelt. You can get the Marc to Baltimore and easy access to the BWI Parkway south to the SE/SW Freeway down to Arlington.

Since the MARC train and the Metro have stops at Union Station, I'd say look in DC for a place in walking distance to the Metro. Could be Brookland, SW, Capitol Hill. What's your budget?

Keep in mind that taking the MARC train adds up and can be a fairly long ride.

Where would be a good place to live, keeping in mind that I'd like the commute to Arlington (by car) to be as easy as possible for my spouse, as he'll be working full-time (whereas I'll have a more flexible student schedule). I will be going to school in Baltimore and would like to live close to a MARC stop and do not plan to drive. I'd like to live closer to Arlington so my spouse can have an easy commute. I don't mind spending about an hour on the MARC.

So, what makes the most sense? Certain parts of DC (near Union Station)? What parts of Maryland, such as Silver Spring? Any parts of VA at all, or will that not work for getting to Baltimore?

Thank you for any suggestions.