Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Horrible idea unless you have money to burn.

I do have a small amount of money to burn, hence the bad idea.

I’d buy the cheapest studio possible closest to your office. This is not an investment - it’s something you are doing to make your life a little easier. (I won’t get into how your wife feels about it …) A rowhouse that you have to take a 20 min metro ride to makes very little sense. Unless you are actually trying to separate from your wife on the DL or won’t admit it to yourself. In that case you ought to consider the legal ramifications of moving out.


I would go for something like this: https://redf.in/qYEGul

Actually not a terrible investment if you pay cash and hold onto for a long time and rent to GW students when you don’t need it any more.

Anonymous wrote:Genuinely confused why you wouldn’t want the ease of a condo in this situation? You’ll have fewer maintenance costs and headaches, it’s more secure for your kids when they stay and the fact that you’ll only be there a few nights a week. For 1m or under you can get a nice condo in neighborhoods you actually will want to be in for restaurants, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

I know many families with rowhomes in Capitol Hill and Georgetown. The maintenance and upkeep isn't all that substantial...especially with a brick exterior that never needs to be painted.

Just curious what you are referring specifically, especially if you buy one with modern heating/cooling, modern plumbing, modern electrical (i.e., it's been upgraded at least in the last 20 years).

roof, gutters, hvac, water heater, extermination, exterior lights, cleaning the dryer vent, landscaping/masonry, snow removal (including shoveling sidewalk), scheduling bulk trash removal or dealing with missing/broken trash cans...it's not constant, but it's all stuff that many condo associations would hire pros for.

and a lot of cheaper rowhomes have not been flipped well, so you have that to deal with too.

Well, ok...but those have nothing really to do with OP buying a rowhome vs. any home. Again, if the roof has somewhat recently been replaced, then that's a non-issue, and landscaping could easily be a complete non-issue with a Capitol Hill rowhome with little outdoor space.

Snow removal is also usually like next to nothing given it snows so infrequently these days and a rowhome has a tiny postage-stamp amount of shoveling that needs done. Work out a deal with a neighborhood kid to spend 15 minutes to shovel if needed.

Bulk trash removal is very rarely needed and it's free in DC...so not really an expense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

I know many families with rowhomes in Capitol Hill and Georgetown. The maintenance and upkeep isn't all that substantial...especially with a brick exterior that never needs to be painted.

Just curious what you are referring specifically, especially if you buy one with modern heating/cooling, modern plumbing, modern electrical (i.e., it's been upgraded at least in the last 20 years).

roof, gutters, hvac, water heater, extermination, exterior lights, cleaning the dryer vent, landscaping/masonry, snow removal (including shoveling sidewalk), scheduling bulk trash removal or dealing with missing/broken trash cans...it's not constant, but it's all stuff that many condo associations would hire pros for.

and a lot of cheaper rowhomes have not been flipped well, so you have that to deal with too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

I wouldn't mind getting a small rowhouse like this in this area. How is the mouse/rat/roach situation given shared walls, proximity to restaurants, etc?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

I know many families with rowhomes in Capitol Hill and Georgetown. The maintenance and upkeep isn't all that substantial...especially with a brick exterior that never needs to be painted.

Just curious what you are referring specifically, especially if you buy one with modern heating/cooling, modern plumbing, modern electrical (i.e., it's been upgraded at least in the last 20 years).

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

Anonymous wrote:We have had issues, and hired exterminators over the years.

When I talk to the exterminators, they've always said essentially the same thing. No matter where you live, rodents are always nearby, and will get in eventually if there is an infiltration point. There are always more if there is an abundant food source nearby, such as food waste from restaurants. The key to eliminating them from your home is to close off the infiltration point, and kill or trap the rodents that are inside. If you don't find and close the infiltration point, the problem will persist, no matter how many you trap or kill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

I wouldn't mind getting a small rowhouse like this in this area. How is the mouse/rat/roach situation given shared walls, proximity to restaurants, etc?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.

I wouldn't mind getting a small rowhouse like this in this area. How is the mouse/rat/roach situation given shared walls, proximity to restaurants, etc?

Anonymous wrote:You can buy small rowhouses in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill at that price point.

Having lived in one, I'd question whether that's the right move given your needs/proposed use.

Older rowhomes require a lot of maintenance and upkeep. Given that you're only going to be there occasionally, it doesn't seem worth it to me. Condos do not require nearly that level of effort, and would seem like a better fit your needs.

While I think you're correct that there will not be substantial price appreciation for condos, (a) the appreciation of rowhomes is offset somewhat by the cost in money and time for maintenance, (b) I don't think we are going to see significant price appreciation in rowhomes over the next few years either, and (c) you'll benefit from a lower purchase price for a condo.