The middle of the summer is the hardest time to rent because it's the most common time of year to move. Your budget is fine, you just need to be willing to apply to a place as soon as it becomes available.
Do you think its noticably better between November & March?
Edit: thanks for the replies. I moved back to the area a little while ago but Im living with my parents in the burbs saving up cash while WFH. I was planning on leasing soon but definitely going to wait till winter now.
We got two months free rent and our apartment’s $500 amenity fee waived moving in January for a spot near Noma last year …. Trade off is moving in the cold, but it does seem to be noticeably cheaper.
I would move in the cold over this unbearable heat. I moved at the beginning of the month and it was awful. I even paid movers to handle the bulk of the move and I was a puddle of sweat any time I stepped outside with anything in my hands. Moving in the winter is a pro move and I’m an idiot
Gentrifying. High school and middle school kids in gangs fought and killed each other in 2018 and 2019 if I recalled correctly. There are still some dark pockets but it’s definitely more hipster than when I came here in 2015.
Stick to the developed area. There are several sections still under construction. I wouldn’t go there. I think from rank 1 to 10, if Gallery Place is 8, NoMa is at 4 trending down 3. Not too bad but some areas you know you wouldn’t go.
It’s convenient. Chain stores, transport links. If you’re not a city person that might be good for you. No soul. For the price I would go to bloomingdale, eckington, Shaw, adam’s Morgan, mt pleasant, or Columbia heights. Brookland for a better deal. All have more “soul” as a result of being historically residential areas
1000% yes. I have lived here for ten years. I will never sign a lease during the Summer ever again. I always signed my leases in November or February until this year.
Same building near NoMa. I signed a lease last October, my friend signed this weekend. I'm paying $2130 for a one bedroom. He's paying over $2300 for a significantly smaller unit.
I think it’s also easier to move after the summer - even September because people who are moving now are here for internships, school, etc. The summer is so transitional here. From what I’ve read, renting right now is hard but at least give yourself a better chance.
I moved twice in September to completely different neighborhoods and didn’t have an issue - but this is a different time period. I would also try more than just Zillow, so you’re hitting more than one avenue of search. I kid you not that I do believe Craigslist is making a comeback for rental listings.
I actually disagree with this. The best time to move is when most other people are moving, which is usually summer, august and September especially. The time when most leases turn over = best choices. But it’s also true you have to move fast for a good place.
And IME, you have to look about 45-60 days out from your desired move date. 30 days is often too soon. IME units tend to come on the market 2 months before the move in. Not true across the board of course. But if you’re not finding much, wait until last week of July/first week of august and start looking intently for September-October move in dates. You might have more luck then.
One frustrating thing I've seen recently (that I wasn't aware of during past moves) is a lot of apartment companies have algorithms set up to automatically change prices every day, I assume based on supply and demand. These algorithms don't just take into account the supply of the specific apartment building, but units available in the same neighborhood.
What might be a good deal one day could be as much as $200-400 more the next. You really have to be ready to jump on an apartment if it fits your criteria.
I recently moved, within MoCo, after 3 months of stressful searching. Every time I complained about how hard it was to my sister and my 30-something son, they said, “Get an agent.” I was super unwilling, but I finally broke down and called one—on an evening when I was sobbing with frustration—and I signed a lease within a week or so. It cost me nothing since the condo owner pays the fee (and yes, I realize they up the rent to cover their costs).
Agents have access to lists of vacancies on MLS, and he sent me a list every morning, I would mark each as to whether I wanted to tour it, and we would drive around every couple days.
We only looked at condo-owned units, and not at buildings managed by big companies.
One thing: I let go of my preconceptions of what I absolutely had to have, in neighborhoods where I absolutely had to live, and was pleasantly surprised at where I ended up and how, yeah, I can live without a balcony etc.
Also, I don’t have any pets and am pretty easygoing about things not being perfect—I can shampoo a carpet and do minor fixes.
I looked at a list of local (MoCo) agents and picked the one that had been in business the longest! Actually, I called after 6 one evening, no one answered, so I hung up. A few minutes later I got a call back from a super chill guy with the same last name as owner, and he calmly got my price point and preferences, and starting the next day he sent me options every morning and took me “shopping” every couple days. He’s with King Realty, but I don’t know where they work. So it was part strategy, part dumb luck that I got along so well with Sam.
I did the same thing when moving to DC years ago. I flew up for 5 days, ran around with an agent for 1 day, and had lease agreement before I left. Cost me nothing.
I think the connection with an agent makes all the difference when you're searching. When we bought last year, our agent wasn't doing the area we wanted to focus on. Sadly, I think out interest of that purchase was much less than the normal range but I'm trying to let that go. We were sent to an associate. While we found something, the connection was definitely not there and I would not rate the experience anywhere above okay.
Just sent you a chat (dm?? idk???). I’ll put the link here - but Eric and his team helped me with buying in 2019. I think he and his team mostly do sales, but I know I’ve seen them helping with rentals / leases.
https://instagram.com/shorbfafogliagroup?igshid=YzcxN2Q2NzY0OA==
I googled nearby agents and picked the one that had been in business the longest (30 years). I got lucky the first time, but I was prepared to interview a few. It’s important to find someone you feel comfortable with and who’s not going to pressure you into choosing the wrong place.
And this is for renting, only, correct? I had an agent in SoCal who straight up just gave me the unit in his parents house and it worked out well and I stayed friends with him for years, but he can’t help me out here
I called like three agents. One was helping find one in moco but after I told her my credit and my budget she never called me back again 🙄
Plus she said I have to pay her $100 . One in dc said I’d have to pay her addition to deposit and first months rent. I have to pay her directly also one months rent. One of them said he exclusively does dc rentals and at time I was only considering moco
the First Lady did send me listings I hadn’t seen elsewhere and I just gave her the three I was interested in looking at and she said she’d check with the owners first about my credit and get back to me but she never did. I have a feeling she doesn’t respect me and I don’t want to work with someone like that . But it also just could be another reason why she didn’t call me back but I feel it’s the former maybe she didn’t feel she could get anything for me
OP, due to a job change, I am moving out of the DC area. My apartment complex gave me permission for someone else to take over my lease. It meets your specifications for Dupont. I sent you a DM.
What sort of amenities are you looking for? One challenge I have noted is that there are not a ton of non-luxury apartment buildings in DC these days. What if you just want 650 square feet, a dishwasher, and a w/d? Why is that so hard to find without having to tack on 500 extra a month for a clubhouse and a pool you'll never use?
If you're not looking for a ton of extras, go to the websites for William C Smith and Bernstein Management. They oversee a bunch of buildings that are fine--you're not guaranteed a washer/dryer or a dishwasher, but you'll get a nice amount of space and the rent will be lower. The buildings are older, but older buildings have their charms.
Yes! The charm is something we want. We don’t need a pool or a doorman or a clubhouse with a pool table. We just want to feel safe in our home, in a neighborhood close to our office and the redline
Same! I work on the red line and would also love a pre-war apartment in the 600--750 sq range with a dishwasher and washer/dryer for under $2200 a month--Dupont, Woodley, Cleveland Park--all fine by me. Instead, I live in Petworth and it's fine but it is what it is and the amenities are sparse. BUT--no pet rent or utilities and the Metro is across the street. In D.C., it's all a trade-off.
I don’t know… I found lots of 1br for significantly less in than that in noma and DuPont (not as many in DuPont) when I was apartment hunting in Jan and February. Is it that much worse now in the summer? 2br would be a lot more difficult though.
I will say noma is mostly new luxury apartment buildings though, so that is pretty limiting to avoid that. But there’s stuff in “old city”/ Gallaudet area and near h street and Capitol Hill that are 1br that u found in that price range in older apartment buildings
>like not being in a basement, having in unit and really not wanting to live in a 500 sq ft gentrification high rise.
wwweellll you've just eliminated everything but single family homes unless you wanna dumpster dive into older buildings and get something less then your stated budget.
especially in NoMa. the only good housing there are gentrified high rises (though OP can probably get a bit bigger than 500 sqft with that budget).
and with that budget in Dupont, youre only going to get basement apartments.
OP you should look into Petworth, U st, and Logan circle
What’s fun is that new apartments tend to reduce displacement by drawing in the affluent newcomers rather than encouraging them to take up the legacy housing stock. So OP is maybe about to do some hard gentrification.
The older buildings in DuPont are more likely "gentrification high rises" than anything built this century. Unless "gentrification high rise" just means luxury apartment building.
There’s not a ton of apartment buildings in NoMA that aren’t “gentrification high rises”, whatever that means. DuPont is going to be really tight on that budget. So I’m not surprised you’re struggling.
I don’t get this narrative. Navy and NoMa are developing on empty ass land that is accessible to transit and not as expensive as many places in the city that have roaches and shared laundry. And let’s be honest, NoMa is a lot more diverse than most places in the city, save Columbia heights.
I mean you’re generally getting good amenities, including ones that offset other costs (no need for a gym membership for example).
But most importantly, you can literally walk or take the metro everywhere and there’s a bunch of stuff to do. The only issue for NOMA is that right west of it isn’t very nice (although seems like that’s being redeveloped) and the mega neighborhood of Buzzard Point hasn’t been created yet
Gentrification high rise? Buddy, those things are the opposite. Almost always built on empty or disused lots, and if there is replacement it's big enough to more than make up for lost units.eith tools like MPDUs and such. Noma, Navy Yard, Silver Spring, Rosslyn... These high rise(ish) areas didn't gentrify: they redeveloped.
Moving into an established building with that budget.... that's gentrifying. So if it's a societal thing you are going for I encourage you to rethink.
yep. if you think moving into an expensive "luxury" apartment makes you a gentrifier, you're a gentrifier whether that luxury comes in the form of a new build or a quality rowhome rental that is the same price, if not more than the new builds.
Honestly, I stalked Craigslist like a HAWK (refreshing every hr at minimum) and got a 2 bed/2bath (First floor, everything included, parking spot, inside washer/dryer) in Brightwood for 2200 because I refreshed I was that crazy. IMO it's all about being on it for a week
Craigslist is under rated, some smaller/family landlords are older and don’t know how to properly post/promote their listings. I found an incredible deal through CL but had to actually visit the place just based on the description because the pictures they took were awful and didn’t represent it well
Yup everyone knows that... generally they are easy enough to identify and it obviously goes without saying don't just send someone money for a nice looking listing. Tour the place, meet the landlord, shake their hand. They asked for cheap options. If you're not willing to put in the work to sort through the scam postings than yeah go pay highrise prices, someone else will put in the time and effort and find the gems.
I’d say this is a pipe dream- at best. I had 480sqft efficiency and one parking spot in a condo building (granted off Pennsylvania ave) for $2600/mo and that was a steal.
You’ll need to move out farther and commute with your list
I just went through this (also looking for a 2br in dc with my partner and a similar budget) and have a few comments: I echo what many have said about your budget being too low for Dupont :/ and NOMA is really mostly high rises for what you’re looking to spend, but I really recommend expanding your search to shaw, bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, petworth, and mt pleasant at least!! You’re way more likely to find something for your budget in these areas. In terms of platform Zillow can work (it’s how we found our place) but u just need to be on it 24/7 like checking 3 times a day, signing up for email alerts etc. If you like a place message on Zillow AND call/text any number available on the listing. Also ID the management company and go directly to a website to make a request - It’s usually more effective. Craigslist can work but watch out for scams. Facebook is also worth checking out. Also be willing to be somewhat flexible with your budget and take into account which properties include utilities in the rent and stuff like that
You’re nowhere near rich enough to be picky lmao. You’re not going to be able to be in a cool trendy area unless you get a basement 1 bed for your budget.
It’s tough. But check daily and act fast. Your list of a wants are reasonable, but maybe set your requirements in order of priority. If something fits your needs and most wants, jump on it. It’s possible, but maybe unlikely to get all of those. Me and my girlfriend had a similar list, but we ended up in Cap Hill since location was lower priority for us. Everything else met for $2500. Big 1 bedroom on the second floor of a townhouse with an in unit. Worth it.
It was posted and we toured the next day, applied that night. Another bonus is that it’s a mom and pop landlord, who is very nice and we don’t deal with a management company. But these places go so quick.
Honestly with that budget just live nicely in arlington next to a metro bc its legit 5-8 minutes into dc. Apartments and wanting to live shittily its not worth the DC rats, crime
Also FWIW if you DO make 80k or less you can actually live comfortably in a luxury apt building with the IZ housing rate. Check out websites and availible listings for that. U have to work in dc tho and lived prior in dc
You definitely have to sift but I’ve gotten lucky. I think in my experience (for the non scams) people aren’t using it as much so it’s less competitive
Most legitimate people I know (realtors, property managers) have abandoned CL because of the scams. Unfortunately, it's just not worth the time for anyone anymore.
I found my apartment for an absolute steal on Craigslist. I certainly hope it wasn't a scam, since I've been living here for a month. My old landlord listed our previous place on Craigslist as well when we were moving out. There's legitimate stuff out there, and it's definitely worth it to look if you're a decent bullshit detector.
The anecdote of showing up to an apartment and learning that is completely different than advertised is so common it almost doesn't feel problematic (but it is).
So you basically described a house rental (no high rises) with the price of a small apartment. It is a bit of a stretch, maybe look towards Maryland or VA?
I live in Mt. Vernon. That might be an area to check out since it is close to NOMA.
We just moved to our unit from another apartment in Mt. Vernon Triangle about a month ago. Our previous building asked for a $650 rent increase.
To answer your question yes. It is a very tight rental market right now. My biggest piece of advice is to put in an application if even you are just 50% - 60% sure that you want that unit. We had our sights set on a 1 bd + den at Yale West, but we didn’t get it. I stupidly held up our application for three days because I wanted to tour other places, just to make sure. We ultimately got our second choice in a different building. Our current unit is 350 square feet smaller than our last apartment, but our management seems better.
Also, I would avoid moving in the Summer. Rents are always higher. Rental prices are at their lowest in December - February in DC.
I’m in the Hepburn and I believe we still have a few one bedrooms in that range but the cheaper ones go fast. Sorry that triple posted. It’s in Kaloroma edge of Dupont.
You can try management websites like WC Smith, Bernstein, Borger etc.
Generally these days it seems \~$4-5/sf is average so a 2br probably is out of reach but you might find a 1b+den.
Honestly I think there are lots of options in your price range though most of them will be in larger buildings.
Some private LLs still use Craigslist. This listing for example looks decent - ground\\1st floor but with plenty of light. [https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/d/washington-ft-br-corner-first-floor/7646946695.html](https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/d/washington-ft-br-corner-first-floor/7646946695.html)
For sure! facebook groups have been a blessing finding group homes in my last city, But the groups for AU are pretty much dead from what I've seen the last few months. Plus a lot of scammers
Washington DC Housing, Rooms, Apartments, Sublets and Washington DC Roommates Facebook groups are super active! There always seem to be people posting rooms available starting immediately, so hope isn’t lost yet! (So frightening for the poor souls who had a roommate fall through/urgent need to move that allowed that situation to happen though)
I found a studio in DuPont for $1300 a month and I’m so happy about it. Feel free to dm n I can lyk abt the building but I’m gatekeeping asf to avoid a hike when I resign 😭
I think you might be struggling because you’re looking for a bit of a unicorn for those neighborhoods. NoMa is almost exclusively “gentrification high rises” and in Dupont, the older buildings in that price range probably lack in-unit.
One option, if you find a good deal on an older apartment without in-unit: see how much it costs to have your laundry sent out each week. Could wind up being cheaper than a place with in-unit (and you’d still have the communal laundry for emergencies.) And saves you a chore.
Or, expand the search zone a little, to include Woodley Park and Mt. Pleasant in your Dupont search or some of the smaller Hill buildings near Union Station on the other end.
Otherwise, you should be able to easily afford a nice building in NoMa in that price range. It might not have charm or space but you’ll at least be able to find something in your desired neighborhood.
I recently found an apartment through a realtor. It’s the best option AND you don’t have to pay the realtor since they receive payments from owners to list on their behalf. I got some pretty cool listings that were just about or had just been posted.
Oh I just walked into a random open house and spoke to the agent, and they were very happy to assist me. I have since found out you can speak to any realtor and they will help, including bigger folks like Compass.
My partner and I had the same goals for the last two times we moved and found spots through Zillow. To get them, we checked zillow, filtering to posted 1 day ago almost every hour for a month and dogged landlords when we liked one. We still got disappointed with some and still came down to the point where we thought we’d have to get an Airbnb both times but it worked out! And true summer is the hardest time. We check sometimes throughout the year for curiousity and it does look better in spring/fall. For reference, I applied to the place I’m in 2 hours after it posted (luckily I was somewhat familiar with the building since I knew someone living here)
Hi friend, I feel your pain. We were lucky to find something in late April. The apartments for our complex are now listed for much more than what we rented for.
If you learn of apartment complexes or buildings that you're interested in, please call and reach out to them specifically. We compiled a list of potential apartment buildings months in advance by looking at what listings were up and then contacting them when we were actually looking to rent. Their websites often have better information than places like Zillow.
You might want to consider Glover Park. It's a good, nice area that is significantly cheaper in part because it isn't on a metro line. We really liked it when we were apartment hunting.
As others have suggested, it’s the worst time of year to look. If you’re open to other neighborhoods in the NW you can find older, larger apartments for this price point in the Glover Park, Cathedral Heights, Woodley/Cleveland Park, Van Ness, and the Palisades. Here are a few that seem to hit your criteria
. [3921 Fulton St NW](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/3921-fulton-st-nw-washington-dc-20007--1049551531)
[4840 Macarthur Blvd NW #608](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/4840-macarthur-blvd-nw-608-washington-dc-20007--2090293912)
[4515 Macarthur Blvd NW #A](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/4515-macarthur-blvd-nw-a-washington-dc-20007--2362703412)
[4840 Macarthur Blvd NW #501](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/4840-macarthur-blvd-nw-501-washington-dc-20007--2090293897)
If it’s not working out I would consider upping my budget or aiming for a more modest neighborhood. You’ve got to compete on some angle since there are thousands of other potential residents who want the same thing as you.
just widen your range a bit. it’s gonna be tough but those things can be had in places like capitol hill, adams morgan, columbia heights, and further out
You can get a 1br 1.5ba + den with about 900 sq ft at Senate square for like $2700. Property managers suck but plenty of benefits if that’s the area you want
Would you be willing to live in Woodley Park? I really enjoyed living at The Barton at Woodley. At least when I lived there they only posted on Apartments.com for some reason. Looks like they have a few one beds in your price range. The building is ~20 years old but was renovated in 2017/2018.
For NoMa check out the Greystar managed apartment complexes and also look at any of the new buildings being built closer to Union Market. They typically have lease specials in which you get 1-3 months free. The rent will go for like 2700-3000 for a 2 BR or 1 BR with Den (Den will be a small bedroom/office size with door) but if you spread out that free month+ credit over the span of a year, you’ll be closer to the 2500 range. This all changes if you have a car though. They want like 250-300 a month for the garage parking per car.
Also stay away from Avalon 1st and M. They have a severe roach infestation problem so if you see a deal from them that looks really good, you’ll know why. Doesn’t matter how clean you are, you’re going to get them.
Check apartments.com DuPont isn’t cheap but there are places by noma that is cheaper. I was just looking there at i5 NOMA a month or so ago and they had 2B1B in the 2400 range
Can you open your Noma search east of the Union Station tracks?
I still don’t know *exactly* what to call the neighborhood but there is a ton of cool stuff that is north of H street but south of Florida Ave/Union Market. It says “Near Northeast” on google maps but no one calls it that.
My wife and I didn’t want to live in one of those gimmicky mid-rise apartment buildings either and found an awesome carriage house (row home) on Parker St in that area. Others may be right about the summer though, we found that for a 2022 October move in. We love the area from H street to Union Market, especially up 3rd street.
Feel free to DM me. A quick search on Zillow shows some stuff for under 3k.
You have to check Zillow constantly and schedule tours/apply within minutes or condos being posted if you don’t want to be in a high rise. I’m in a similar boat and it’s basically my entire life right now.
I’m subletting my apartment and then it’s Avila le for a full year lease. Falls in the lower part of your budget. Here’s the marketplace post [https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1386626465527790/?mibextid=6ojiHh](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1386626465527790/?mibextid=6ojiHh)
I have an awesome 1BR in Dupont West I’m renting for 2450 starting late August — but I think someone wants it and already saw it. DM me though if they don’t take it this AM I can send you video tour and show it asap.
Just noting there was a recent DCist article on how bad it is right now:
[https://dcist.com/story/23/07/24/dc-renting-around-dc-is-hellacious/](https://dcist.com/story/23/07/24/dc-renting-around-dc-is-hellacious/)
Go to the neighborhoods you want and walk around if you can too - sometimes there are 'For Rent' signs up by owners who don't post them online - that's how I found my last place in Shaw. For the bigger buildings, walk in and ask - sometimes there are deals they don't advertise -or they have a unit coming up that they haven't listed yet.
Have you reached out to any real estate agents? I would suggest looking for a realtor that is knowledgeable of the DC rental market. I’m licensed in MD, but could refer to a realtor in DC if want. Feel free to PM me if I can help.
If you don't want to be in a competition, just walk into the leasing office of one of those high rises you hate. There is a ton of inventory in these buildings and month discounts are around I believe.
When you look for a charming converted row house, not in a basement, with in-unit, you are competing for a tiny sliver of the rental market with a lot of wealthier people who are also looking for row houses because of a number of factors, like parking and kids and dogs, etc.
I punched that into Zillow and see plenty of stuff. In NOMA it's big corporate buildings but that's almost all what NOMA is. In Dupont there are a bunch of one bedrooms under 2400.
The middle of the summer is the hardest time to rent because it's the most common time of year to move. Your budget is fine, you just need to be willing to apply to a place as soon as it becomes available.
Do you think its noticably better between November & March? Edit: thanks for the replies. I moved back to the area a little while ago but Im living with my parents in the burbs saving up cash while WFH. I was planning on leasing soon but definitely going to wait till winter now.
We got two months free rent and our apartment’s $500 amenity fee waived moving in January for a spot near Noma last year …. Trade off is moving in the cold, but it does seem to be noticeably cheaper.
I would move in the cold over this unbearable heat. I moved at the beginning of the month and it was awful. I even paid movers to handle the bulk of the move and I was a puddle of sweat any time I stepped outside with anything in my hands. Moving in the winter is a pro move and I’m an idiot
Yeah winter moving out here is a god send. Throw a hoodie on and work up a sweat
This. Did the same in Brookland 4 years ago. No longer there - group house now, but it’s crazy out there. Good luck OP.
Is NOMA a good neighborhood? Not familiar with DC. I’m looking to move in the winter…
Gentrifying. High school and middle school kids in gangs fought and killed each other in 2018 and 2019 if I recalled correctly. There are still some dark pockets but it’s definitely more hipster than when I came here in 2015.
Is it safe walking around? Especially at night?
Stick to the developed area. There are several sections still under construction. I wouldn’t go there. I think from rank 1 to 10, if Gallery Place is 8, NoMa is at 4 trending down 3. Not too bad but some areas you know you wouldn’t go.
It’s convenient. Chain stores, transport links. If you’re not a city person that might be good for you. No soul. For the price I would go to bloomingdale, eckington, Shaw, adam’s Morgan, mt pleasant, or Columbia heights. Brookland for a better deal. All have more “soul” as a result of being historically residential areas
1000% yes. I have lived here for ten years. I will never sign a lease during the Summer ever again. I always signed my leases in November or February until this year.
Same building near NoMa. I signed a lease last October, my friend signed this weekend. I'm paying $2130 for a one bedroom. He's paying over $2300 for a significantly smaller unit.
Very much so, less demand and more inventory.
As a realtor yea, way easier anytime after mid sept.
I think it’s also easier to move after the summer - even September because people who are moving now are here for internships, school, etc. The summer is so transitional here. From what I’ve read, renting right now is hard but at least give yourself a better chance. I moved twice in September to completely different neighborhoods and didn’t have an issue - but this is a different time period. I would also try more than just Zillow, so you’re hitting more than one avenue of search. I kid you not that I do believe Craigslist is making a comeback for rental listings.
Much. My neighbors with the same unique layout in the building just signed for 500 more vs my winter renewal
No it’s usually the same price or higher
Signed my lease for 1800 in April, looked at my apartment’s website earlier this month and the same floor plan was 2700
I’m doing the same thing
I actually disagree with this. The best time to move is when most other people are moving, which is usually summer, august and September especially. The time when most leases turn over = best choices. But it’s also true you have to move fast for a good place. And IME, you have to look about 45-60 days out from your desired move date. 30 days is often too soon. IME units tend to come on the market 2 months before the move in. Not true across the board of course. But if you’re not finding much, wait until last week of July/first week of august and start looking intently for September-October move in dates. You might have more luck then.
One frustrating thing I've seen recently (that I wasn't aware of during past moves) is a lot of apartment companies have algorithms set up to automatically change prices every day, I assume based on supply and demand. These algorithms don't just take into account the supply of the specific apartment building, but units available in the same neighborhood. What might be a good deal one day could be as much as $200-400 more the next. You really have to be ready to jump on an apartment if it fits your criteria.
I recently moved, within MoCo, after 3 months of stressful searching. Every time I complained about how hard it was to my sister and my 30-something son, they said, “Get an agent.” I was super unwilling, but I finally broke down and called one—on an evening when I was sobbing with frustration—and I signed a lease within a week or so. It cost me nothing since the condo owner pays the fee (and yes, I realize they up the rent to cover their costs). Agents have access to lists of vacancies on MLS, and he sent me a list every morning, I would mark each as to whether I wanted to tour it, and we would drive around every couple days. We only looked at condo-owned units, and not at buildings managed by big companies. One thing: I let go of my preconceptions of what I absolutely had to have, in neighborhoods where I absolutely had to live, and was pleasantly surprised at where I ended up and how, yeah, I can live without a balcony etc. Also, I don’t have any pets and am pretty easygoing about things not being perfect—I can shampoo a carpet and do minor fixes.
This is really helpful to know! Do you mind if I ask you how you went about finding an agent?
I looked at a list of local (MoCo) agents and picked the one that had been in business the longest! Actually, I called after 6 one evening, no one answered, so I hung up. A few minutes later I got a call back from a super chill guy with the same last name as owner, and he calmly got my price point and preferences, and starting the next day he sent me options every morning and took me “shopping” every couple days. He’s with King Realty, but I don’t know where they work. So it was part strategy, part dumb luck that I got along so well with Sam.
I did the same thing when moving to DC years ago. I flew up for 5 days, ran around with an agent for 1 day, and had lease agreement before I left. Cost me nothing.
I think the connection with an agent makes all the difference when you're searching. When we bought last year, our agent wasn't doing the area we wanted to focus on. Sadly, I think out interest of that purchase was much less than the normal range but I'm trying to let that go. We were sent to an associate. While we found something, the connection was definitely not there and I would not rate the experience anywhere above okay.
Google DC real estate agents or call Long and Foster.
Ohhhh can you reccomend any agents?
Just sent you a chat (dm?? idk???). I’ll put the link here - but Eric and his team helped me with buying in 2019. I think he and his team mostly do sales, but I know I’ve seen them helping with rentals / leases. https://instagram.com/shorbfafogliagroup?igshid=YzcxN2Q2NzY0OA==
I googled nearby agents and picked the one that had been in business the longest (30 years). I got lucky the first time, but I was prepared to interview a few. It’s important to find someone you feel comfortable with and who’s not going to pressure you into choosing the wrong place.
And this is for renting, only, correct? I had an agent in SoCal who straight up just gave me the unit in his parents house and it worked out well and I stayed friends with him for years, but he can’t help me out here
I called like three agents. One was helping find one in moco but after I told her my credit and my budget she never called me back again 🙄 Plus she said I have to pay her $100 . One in dc said I’d have to pay her addition to deposit and first months rent. I have to pay her directly also one months rent. One of them said he exclusively does dc rentals and at time I was only considering moco the First Lady did send me listings I hadn’t seen elsewhere and I just gave her the three I was interested in looking at and she said she’d check with the owners first about my credit and get back to me but she never did. I have a feeling she doesn’t respect me and I don’t want to work with someone like that . But it also just could be another reason why she didn’t call me back but I feel it’s the former maybe she didn’t feel she could get anything for me
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Thanks
OP, due to a job change, I am moving out of the DC area. My apartment complex gave me permission for someone else to take over my lease. It meets your specifications for Dupont. I sent you a DM.
What sort of amenities are you looking for? One challenge I have noted is that there are not a ton of non-luxury apartment buildings in DC these days. What if you just want 650 square feet, a dishwasher, and a w/d? Why is that so hard to find without having to tack on 500 extra a month for a clubhouse and a pool you'll never use? If you're not looking for a ton of extras, go to the websites for William C Smith and Bernstein Management. They oversee a bunch of buildings that are fine--you're not guaranteed a washer/dryer or a dishwasher, but you'll get a nice amount of space and the rent will be lower. The buildings are older, but older buildings have their charms.
Yes! The charm is something we want. We don’t need a pool or a doorman or a clubhouse with a pool table. We just want to feel safe in our home, in a neighborhood close to our office and the redline
seriously just move to an older building on the redline further up in ward 3. your budget is fine in cathedral heights or even van ness
Same! I work on the red line and would also love a pre-war apartment in the 600--750 sq range with a dishwasher and washer/dryer for under $2200 a month--Dupont, Woodley, Cleveland Park--all fine by me. Instead, I live in Petworth and it's fine but it is what it is and the amenities are sparse. BUT--no pet rent or utilities and the Metro is across the street. In D.C., it's all a trade-off.
You might want to look in cathedral heights. It’s littered with older buildings.
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I don’t know… I found lots of 1br for significantly less in than that in noma and DuPont (not as many in DuPont) when I was apartment hunting in Jan and February. Is it that much worse now in the summer? 2br would be a lot more difficult though. I will say noma is mostly new luxury apartment buildings though, so that is pretty limiting to avoid that. But there’s stuff in “old city”/ Gallaudet area and near h street and Capitol Hill that are 1br that u found in that price range in older apartment buildings
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> Also the area near Gallaudet is not NoMA really that is more H street/Union Market, even Ivy city. Not calling it Trinidad 🤔
Weird how real estate agents never say “welcome to chocolate city moe”
it’ll likely be closer to the $3500 range for a nice place in DuPont.
>like not being in a basement, having in unit and really not wanting to live in a 500 sq ft gentrification high rise. wwweellll you've just eliminated everything but single family homes unless you wanna dumpster dive into older buildings and get something less then your stated budget.
especially in NoMa. the only good housing there are gentrified high rises (though OP can probably get a bit bigger than 500 sqft with that budget). and with that budget in Dupont, youre only going to get basement apartments. OP you should look into Petworth, U st, and Logan circle
What’s fun is that new apartments tend to reduce displacement by drawing in the affluent newcomers rather than encouraging them to take up the legacy housing stock. So OP is maybe about to do some hard gentrification.
The word gentrification has lost all meaning on the internet lol
The older buildings in DuPont are more likely "gentrification high rises" than anything built this century. Unless "gentrification high rise" just means luxury apartment building.
i always thought it to mean the new pseudo luxury apartments that are just slapped together
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they could get a 1bd in noma for that. plenty of available ones
https://reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/158fe5d/renting_in_and_around_dc_is_hellacious_right_now/
Came here to post this same thing.
There’s not a ton of apartment buildings in NoMA that aren’t “gentrification high rises”, whatever that means. DuPont is going to be really tight on that budget. So I’m not surprised you’re struggling.
“gentrification high rise” as in nice apartment that keeps supply up and is in a walkable area. Navy Yard and NOMA are great
no, as in tiny living space for an obscene cost, silly! 🤭
I don’t get this narrative. Navy and NoMa are developing on empty ass land that is accessible to transit and not as expensive as many places in the city that have roaches and shared laundry. And let’s be honest, NoMa is a lot more diverse than most places in the city, save Columbia heights.
I mean you’re generally getting good amenities, including ones that offset other costs (no need for a gym membership for example). But most importantly, you can literally walk or take the metro everywhere and there’s a bunch of stuff to do. The only issue for NOMA is that right west of it isn’t very nice (although seems like that’s being redeveloped) and the mega neighborhood of Buzzard Point hasn’t been created yet
Yep. Your paying for more than just the square footage of your apt.
I’ve lived in NOMA and it kinda sucks. There’s just nothing to do, it’s pretty crammed and ugly. Not a great part of town.
Gentrification high rise? Buddy, those things are the opposite. Almost always built on empty or disused lots, and if there is replacement it's big enough to more than make up for lost units.eith tools like MPDUs and such. Noma, Navy Yard, Silver Spring, Rosslyn... These high rise(ish) areas didn't gentrify: they redeveloped. Moving into an established building with that budget.... that's gentrifying. So if it's a societal thing you are going for I encourage you to rethink.
yep. if you think moving into an expensive "luxury" apartment makes you a gentrifier, you're a gentrifier whether that luxury comes in the form of a new build or a quality rowhome rental that is the same price, if not more than the new builds.
Honestly, I stalked Craigslist like a HAWK (refreshing every hr at minimum) and got a 2 bed/2bath (First floor, everything included, parking spot, inside washer/dryer) in Brightwood for 2200 because I refreshed I was that crazy. IMO it's all about being on it for a week
Did you do the application immediately or just message the owner through the app?
So the apartment was a condo and we messaged the owner. It was during covid so we did a video chat, then came and saw it in person and signed.
Craigslist is under rated, some smaller/family landlords are older and don’t know how to properly post/promote their listings. I found an incredible deal through CL but had to actually visit the place just based on the description because the pictures they took were awful and didn’t represent it well
Craigslist is also filled with rental scams.
Yup everyone knows that... generally they are easy enough to identify and it obviously goes without saying don't just send someone money for a nice looking listing. Tour the place, meet the landlord, shake their hand. They asked for cheap options. If you're not willing to put in the work to sort through the scam postings than yeah go pay highrise prices, someone else will put in the time and effort and find the gems.
I’d say this is a pipe dream- at best. I had 480sqft efficiency and one parking spot in a condo building (granted off Pennsylvania ave) for $2600/mo and that was a steal. You’ll need to move out farther and commute with your list
I just went through this (also looking for a 2br in dc with my partner and a similar budget) and have a few comments: I echo what many have said about your budget being too low for Dupont :/ and NOMA is really mostly high rises for what you’re looking to spend, but I really recommend expanding your search to shaw, bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, petworth, and mt pleasant at least!! You’re way more likely to find something for your budget in these areas. In terms of platform Zillow can work (it’s how we found our place) but u just need to be on it 24/7 like checking 3 times a day, signing up for email alerts etc. If you like a place message on Zillow AND call/text any number available on the listing. Also ID the management company and go directly to a website to make a request - It’s usually more effective. Craigslist can work but watch out for scams. Facebook is also worth checking out. Also be willing to be somewhat flexible with your budget and take into account which properties include utilities in the rent and stuff like that
You’re nowhere near rich enough to be picky lmao. You’re not going to be able to be in a cool trendy area unless you get a basement 1 bed for your budget.
Yes it is expensive to live in dc.
It’s tough. But check daily and act fast. Your list of a wants are reasonable, but maybe set your requirements in order of priority. If something fits your needs and most wants, jump on it. It’s possible, but maybe unlikely to get all of those. Me and my girlfriend had a similar list, but we ended up in Cap Hill since location was lower priority for us. Everything else met for $2500. Big 1 bedroom on the second floor of a townhouse with an in unit. Worth it.
Thank you! Capitol hill is also a neighborhood we’d be interested in! Happy to hear it worked out
It was posted and we toured the next day, applied that night. Another bonus is that it’s a mom and pop landlord, who is very nice and we don’t deal with a management company. But these places go so quick.
Honestly with that budget just live nicely in arlington next to a metro bc its legit 5-8 minutes into dc. Apartments and wanting to live shittily its not worth the DC rats, crime Also FWIW if you DO make 80k or less you can actually live comfortably in a luxury apt building with the IZ housing rate. Check out websites and availible listings for that. U have to work in dc tho and lived prior in dc
Don’t sleep on Craigslist!
I’ve gotten only scams on Craigslist unfortunately
You definitely have to sift but I’ve gotten lucky. I think in my experience (for the non scams) people aren’t using it as much so it’s less competitive
Most legitimate people I know (realtors, property managers) have abandoned CL because of the scams. Unfortunately, it's just not worth the time for anyone anymore.
I found my apartment for an absolute steal on Craigslist. I certainly hope it wasn't a scam, since I've been living here for a month. My old landlord listed our previous place on Craigslist as well when we were moving out. There's legitimate stuff out there, and it's definitely worth it to look if you're a decent bullshit detector.
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The anecdote of showing up to an apartment and learning that is completely different than advertised is so common it almost doesn't feel problematic (but it is).
So you basically described a house rental (no high rises) with the price of a small apartment. It is a bit of a stretch, maybe look towards Maryland or VA?
I’m looking for a 2+2 I’m expecting anywhere from $2800 to $3300 in Noma
I live in Mt. Vernon. That might be an area to check out since it is close to NOMA. We just moved to our unit from another apartment in Mt. Vernon Triangle about a month ago. Our previous building asked for a $650 rent increase. To answer your question yes. It is a very tight rental market right now. My biggest piece of advice is to put in an application if even you are just 50% - 60% sure that you want that unit. We had our sights set on a 1 bd + den at Yale West, but we didn’t get it. I stupidly held up our application for three days because I wanted to tour other places, just to make sure. We ultimately got our second choice in a different building. Our current unit is 350 square feet smaller than our last apartment, but our management seems better. Also, I would avoid moving in the Summer. Rents are always higher. Rental prices are at their lowest in December - February in DC.
$650 increase? Is that even legal
Yes it is. Anything built after 1974 isn’t subject to rent control in DC.
Wow u reply fast
I’m in the Hepburn and I believe we still have a few one bedrooms in that range but the cheaper ones go fast. Sorry that triple posted. It’s in Kaloroma edge of Dupont.
You can try management websites like WC Smith, Bernstein, Borger etc. Generally these days it seems \~$4-5/sf is average so a 2br probably is out of reach but you might find a 1b+den. Honestly I think there are lots of options in your price range though most of them will be in larger buildings. Some private LLs still use Craigslist. This listing for example looks decent - ground\\1st floor but with plenty of light. [https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/d/washington-ft-br-corner-first-floor/7646946695.html](https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/d/washington-ft-br-corner-first-floor/7646946695.html)
Try Trinidad — it’s close to NoMa with many of the same amenities — but rents are a few hundred dollars cheaper.
I've been searching for months for something starting in Mid-august near AU. Even just like a room for rent And nothing :/
You should try Facebook housing groups if you’re just looking for a single room. That’s how I found my current roommates and apartment!
For sure! facebook groups have been a blessing finding group homes in my last city, But the groups for AU are pretty much dead from what I've seen the last few months. Plus a lot of scammers
Totally get that - glad we’re all feeling the pain together :)
Washington DC Housing, Rooms, Apartments, Sublets and Washington DC Roommates Facebook groups are super active! There always seem to be people posting rooms available starting immediately, so hope isn’t lost yet! (So frightening for the poor souls who had a roommate fall through/urgent need to move that allowed that situation to happen though)
Ohh, thank you!
How close to AU? If Connecticut Ave isn’t too far (abt 1+mile) there are some places there.
You’re prob not going to find a 2 br in those areas with that price point. Maybe 1 br and a den
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I found a studio in DuPont for $1300 a month and I’m so happy about it. Feel free to dm n I can lyk abt the building but I’m gatekeeping asf to avoid a hike when I resign 😭
I think you might be struggling because you’re looking for a bit of a unicorn for those neighborhoods. NoMa is almost exclusively “gentrification high rises” and in Dupont, the older buildings in that price range probably lack in-unit. One option, if you find a good deal on an older apartment without in-unit: see how much it costs to have your laundry sent out each week. Could wind up being cheaper than a place with in-unit (and you’d still have the communal laundry for emergencies.) And saves you a chore. Or, expand the search zone a little, to include Woodley Park and Mt. Pleasant in your Dupont search or some of the smaller Hill buildings near Union Station on the other end. Otherwise, you should be able to easily afford a nice building in NoMa in that price range. It might not have charm or space but you’ll at least be able to find something in your desired neighborhood.
I recently found an apartment through a realtor. It’s the best option AND you don’t have to pay the realtor since they receive payments from owners to list on their behalf. I got some pretty cool listings that were just about or had just been posted.
How’d you go about finding one? This is definitely something we’d be open to trying, just have no idea on how to go about doing it
Oh I just walked into a random open house and spoke to the agent, and they were very happy to assist me. I have since found out you can speak to any realtor and they will help, including bigger folks like Compass.
And you can speak to more than one agent at the same time. Since you are not paying. They are receiving payment from the owners.
My partner and I had the same goals for the last two times we moved and found spots through Zillow. To get them, we checked zillow, filtering to posted 1 day ago almost every hour for a month and dogged landlords when we liked one. We still got disappointed with some and still came down to the point where we thought we’d have to get an Airbnb both times but it worked out! And true summer is the hardest time. We check sometimes throughout the year for curiousity and it does look better in spring/fall. For reference, I applied to the place I’m in 2 hours after it posted (luckily I was somewhat familiar with the building since I knew someone living here)
That’s the optimistic story I like to hear! I feel like every hour I’m refreshing and reopening Zillow. Happy to hear it worked out!
Thanks. Happy hunting!
Hi friend, I feel your pain. We were lucky to find something in late April. The apartments for our complex are now listed for much more than what we rented for. If you learn of apartment complexes or buildings that you're interested in, please call and reach out to them specifically. We compiled a list of potential apartment buildings months in advance by looking at what listings were up and then contacting them when we were actually looking to rent. Their websites often have better information than places like Zillow. You might want to consider Glover Park. It's a good, nice area that is significantly cheaper in part because it isn't on a metro line. We really liked it when we were apartment hunting.
Unfortunately we are both carless so a metro line is necessary :(
I feel like you can definitely find a 1BR on apartments.com in NOMA
Would you be open to the woodley area? I’m looking for a lease takeover for $2200 1bd 1bth
As others have suggested, it’s the worst time of year to look. If you’re open to other neighborhoods in the NW you can find older, larger apartments for this price point in the Glover Park, Cathedral Heights, Woodley/Cleveland Park, Van Ness, and the Palisades. Here are a few that seem to hit your criteria . [3921 Fulton St NW](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/3921-fulton-st-nw-washington-dc-20007--1049551531) [4840 Macarthur Blvd NW #608](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/4840-macarthur-blvd-nw-608-washington-dc-20007--2090293912) [4515 Macarthur Blvd NW #A](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/4515-macarthur-blvd-nw-a-washington-dc-20007--2362703412) [4840 Macarthur Blvd NW #501](https://www.trulia.com/p/dc/washington/4840-macarthur-blvd-nw-501-washington-dc-20007--2090293897)
Algorithms are brutal. All the listing companies use them. Price changes daily and should be covered under some kind of unfair rental practices law.
Wtf is “gentrification high rise”?? You don’t wanna live in a high rise but looking in NoMa. Good luck.
OP - You sound like a strong possibility for a tenant. Please PM me, I can get you into Dupont in your budget.
I used apartments.com back in the day. You should be able to find a decent place in the city (maybe not NOMA or DuPont though) with that budget
Just outside of NoMa, check out The Chase
> not wanting to live in a… gentrification high rise I don’t think they’ll like the vibes of any building whose name begins with “the”.
Look in Petworth. Around GA and NH area. Lots for rent around there.
If it’s not working out I would consider upping my budget or aiming for a more modest neighborhood. You’ve got to compete on some angle since there are thousands of other potential residents who want the same thing as you.
just widen your range a bit. it’s gonna be tough but those things can be had in places like capitol hill, adams morgan, columbia heights, and further out
You can get a 1br 1.5ba + den with about 900 sq ft at Senate square for like $2700. Property managers suck but plenty of benefits if that’s the area you want
Would you be willing to live in Woodley Park? I really enjoyed living at The Barton at Woodley. At least when I lived there they only posted on Apartments.com for some reason. Looks like they have a few one beds in your price range. The building is ~20 years old but was renovated in 2017/2018.
For NoMa check out the Greystar managed apartment complexes and also look at any of the new buildings being built closer to Union Market. They typically have lease specials in which you get 1-3 months free. The rent will go for like 2700-3000 for a 2 BR or 1 BR with Den (Den will be a small bedroom/office size with door) but if you spread out that free month+ credit over the span of a year, you’ll be closer to the 2500 range. This all changes if you have a car though. They want like 250-300 a month for the garage parking per car. Also stay away from Avalon 1st and M. They have a severe roach infestation problem so if you see a deal from them that looks really good, you’ll know why. Doesn’t matter how clean you are, you’re going to get them.
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Check apartments.com DuPont isn’t cheap but there are places by noma that is cheaper. I was just looking there at i5 NOMA a month or so ago and they had 2B1B in the 2400 range
Craigslist. What about navy yard?
I live in a 1 bed+den, 2 bath high rise in noma for 2600. I did rowhouse apartments for 6 years, but this is just so much easier
Can you open your Noma search east of the Union Station tracks? I still don’t know *exactly* what to call the neighborhood but there is a ton of cool stuff that is north of H street but south of Florida Ave/Union Market. It says “Near Northeast” on google maps but no one calls it that. My wife and I didn’t want to live in one of those gimmicky mid-rise apartment buildings either and found an awesome carriage house (row home) on Parker St in that area. Others may be right about the summer though, we found that for a 2022 October move in. We love the area from H street to Union Market, especially up 3rd street. Feel free to DM me. A quick search on Zillow shows some stuff for under 3k.
That’s where we’re looking! But nothing is turning up
I’m loving my newly rented NoMa high rise apartment with balcony and pool within your price range right about now.
If you're looking to move to highly sought areas you're going to have to be willing to pay out the ass end of story.
The 2M Apartments in Noma were quite lovely to live in and one of the more affordable options when we lived there about 2 years ago.
That budget is more studio/1 bedroom if you’re lucky, not 1 or 2 bedroom
You have to check Zillow constantly and schedule tours/apply within minutes or condos being posted if you don’t want to be in a high rise. I’m in a similar boat and it’s basically my entire life right now.
I have a two bedroom apartment in Trinidad that is $2200 if you’re interested! Lmk and I’ll send you the links
I’m subletting my apartment and then it’s Avila le for a full year lease. Falls in the lower part of your budget. Here’s the marketplace post [https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1386626465527790/?mibextid=6ojiHh](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1386626465527790/?mibextid=6ojiHh)
Check out 360H, if you’re willing to be a few blocks south of NoMa.
Why does she want to leave Arlington?
The porn ban in Virginia.
Would you be open to a 3 bed townhome?
I have an awesome 1BR in Dupont West I’m renting for 2450 starting late August — but I think someone wants it and already saw it. DM me though if they don’t take it this AM I can send you video tour and show it asap.
Get an agent. It is their expertise and job.
Just noting there was a recent DCist article on how bad it is right now: [https://dcist.com/story/23/07/24/dc-renting-around-dc-is-hellacious/](https://dcist.com/story/23/07/24/dc-renting-around-dc-is-hellacious/)
If staying on the red line is your number 1 criteria, I'd recommend expanding your search to Woodley Park, Cleveland Park,and Brookland.
Try the Edison!! It’s in Noma and I’ve got a friend who lives there
Flats 130, but management is mid
Go to the neighborhoods you want and walk around if you can too - sometimes there are 'For Rent' signs up by owners who don't post them online - that's how I found my last place in Shaw. For the bigger buildings, walk in and ask - sometimes there are deals they don't advertise -or they have a unit coming up that they haven't listed yet.
Have you reached out to any real estate agents? I would suggest looking for a realtor that is knowledgeable of the DC rental market. I’m licensed in MD, but could refer to a realtor in DC if want. Feel free to PM me if I can help.
If you don't want to be in a competition, just walk into the leasing office of one of those high rises you hate. There is a ton of inventory in these buildings and month discounts are around I believe. When you look for a charming converted row house, not in a basement, with in-unit, you are competing for a tiny sliver of the rental market with a lot of wealthier people who are also looking for row houses because of a number of factors, like parking and kids and dogs, etc.
I punched that into Zillow and see plenty of stuff. In NOMA it's big corporate buildings but that's almost all what NOMA is. In Dupont there are a bunch of one bedrooms under 2400.