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How should my Georgetown-bound friend find a place to live?

heyforfour — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:38:43 -0800

Advice for a Georgetown U. grad student looking for housing in DC! I'm asking for a friend who is looking for an apartment--single or with roommates, but he strongly prefers his own room and is looking to spend no more than $850. Convenience to school is very important, which seems to mean he can't rely on metro (no Georgetown stop) - he's not planning to drive to school, since parking is apparently atrocious. The problem is that he can only actually be in town to look for three days. He's got a few Craigslist appointments set up, but should he be looking into a realtor to show apartments as well? We're hearing mixed answers over whether one is helpful/neccessary, especially if he's looking to live with housemates. If helpful, does anyone know a good one to contact?

Neighborhoods he's considering: either Georgetown/Burleith/Glover Park, Foxhall or Rosslyn/North Arlington. Also Dupont Circle or Foggy Bottom if he could find an affordable place there. Anywhere else with decent bus rides to Georgetown he should be considering?

Affordable, boring housing in DC...yawn

ginagina — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:32:00 -0800

Where do the home-bodies call home in Washington DC? I've gone through all the DC housing threads, but they all talk about "trendy" "hip" places with good bar scenes.

My darling and I don't drink, like to stay home and cook, etc. While we wouldn't mind being in an area that catered to the hip folk, we feel like there must be a "boring" yet affordable area of DC.

We're looking for studio in the $1000 range. Would like there to be easy parking for one car.

Thanks!

Lease question: I don't want no uncompensated burnination!

allen8219 — Mon, 19 May 2008 06:33:32 -0800

I am moving to a new apartment in Washington DC, and in reading over the lease there are a couple things I am not so sure about... Can you please take a look at the clauses and tell me if they seem reasonable? This (12) is the clause that has me a bit worried. To me it looks as though if my upstairs neighbors start a fire, and the building is smoke damaged and uninhabitable (but not a total teardown), then I have to keep paying rent while the landlord goes about getting the place renovated. That seems highly unfair, and admittedly a bit unlikely.

Would it be unreasonable to request a change to this clause? Any suggestions of a way to reword it that would be palatable to both sides?

Thank you very much, and I know you're not my lawyer (or even a lawyer at all)!

*****************
DESTRUCTION
12. If the premises are rendered totally unfit for occupancy or fire, act of God, or rioters or public enemies, or accident, the term of this lease shall immediately cease upon the payment of rent apportioned to the day of such happening. If, however, the premises are only partially destroyed or damaged and Landlord decides to repair the same, such repairs shall be made by Landlord without unreasonable delay, and this lease shall remain in force and effect without any abatement in rent.
*****************

Group lodging in D.C. area in June

caroljean63 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:43:05 -0800

Need group lodging in D.C. area for families with teens and kids in June I'll be traveling with a group of families (with teens and a few younger kids) to College Park, MD in June and we're trying to find somewhere to stay other than a typical hotel. We will have between 7-9 families. It needs to be less than $100/night per family and we wouldn't mind all sharing a house or cabin of some sort. The kids wouldn't mind bunking together (boys and girls separately!), but the parents would want their own rooms.

The easiest way you can help me move!

Navelgazer — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:47:22 -0800

Moving to D.C. for grad school! Need help with the rental market! Okay, so I've read through all of the stuff here, but it doesn't fully help (and I imagine a lot has changed in the last 3 years.)

I'm starting Georgetown Law in late August, and am looking for a place in the city that's close to school (The Law Center is actually in the Chinatown/Capitol Hill area) and big enough so that it'll fit both myself and my girlfriend once she moves down 2nd semester. I imagine this won't be too difficult, but I'm freaking out a little bit because:

1. I've lived in NYC the last eight years, my entire adult life, really. Everything I know about getting an apartment, moving, applications, etc. is specific to New York. Also, it's not easy for me to just keep bobbing down to D.C. as the date gets closer, looking for the perfect place. However, I need a decent place, as I plan to live there for the next three years.

2. I really don't know Washington at all. In total I've spent maybe nine days there, and at no point was I able to go exploring on my own and get a feel for the place. Essentially my entire knowledge of the town comes from West Wing. Where should I be looking, and what should I be looking out for?

3. As I'll be a student while living there, my application will be a little different, I imagine. What should I expect as far as providing guaranteur letters, etc.?

Thank you, hive mind!

subletting an apartment out shortterm?

jare2003 — Fri, 11 May 2007 08:52:10 -0800

Is it feasible to rent an apartment out for a short time? Like 1-3 weeks? I will be traveling during this summer, am in a high rent area (DC) and was pondering if that was a possibility. I see lots of ads on craigslist for shorterm sublets, and I was thinking of it as an option, especially during summer, when people are in need of more short-term leases or a place to stay that's cheaper than a hotel.

I'm in DC (Mount Pleasant), and it's a studio apt. Thoughts? Has anyone done this before? My thought was that people have had luck with it in DC, NYC, and other high rent cities.

If you have done it, how have you ensured security of your things, gotten a deposit, etc?

Where can I find temporary lodging in the D.C. area, quickly?

schoolgirl report — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 16:29:13 -0800

HousingFilter: I'm desperately seeking to sublet/rent a room in the D.C. area, where I'll be interning from June 14th through August 6th. I've hit up Craig's List, Roll Call, The Hill, Roomates.com, Sabbaticalhomes.com, and the Weekly Paper. I've tried the various universities, but I don't relish the idea of sharing a bunk bed. Anyone got any other bright ideas about where I might look on such short notice without actually having to be in D.C.? Barring that, anyone got a room for rent that's even slightly accessible to Dupont Circle? Sabbaticalhomes.com, by the way, is really great. Check out the last line of this listing.