Flinch

I will be transferring to the Dulles area the last week in April for work, and need a little help trying to find living accommodations. Been mostly looking in the Leesburg and northern Manassas for apartments and really have no idea what is and is not a "good" area. I don't need much...I've been looking for small studio apartments, its just myself; no wife, kids, animals, etc. I was originally wanting to have the place to myself, but its becoming more and more clear that its not really financially possible for me to do so.

Basically...
Any areas to avoid, what areas should I consider? I would really like to avoid DC as much as possible.

TATTRAT

I haven't lived in NOVA all that long, but, I know enough to tell you to try and avoid Manassas.

What are you looking to spend/budgeted, and how much of a commute are you willing to deal with?

Lay Zee H

Need to know this to give you a good estimate.

But since you mention its not becoming financially possible to live by yourself..you basically should avoid Fairfax County. Especially the Dulles area. Although, there are apartments in Reston (near McNair Elementary) which aren't horribly priced.

Flinch

Ideally I could find something all inclusive for $900-$1000/mo, although I have a feeling thats not remotely possible. As far as commuting, I'd probably consider anything 45 minutes or less.


EDIT:

I also have little to no knowledge of the NoVA area.

TATTRAT

In all seriousness, there are some pretty nice houses, some REALLY nice houses, that offer fully finished basement style walk out apts/mother in law suites that you can find in that price range, all utilities normally included. I mean, you have people above you, but I had looked at a few after the ex and I split, just because it was mentioned to me, the price was right, and I saw some pretty awesome places, tbh. 900+ sq ft, all utilities, come and go as you please, not like dingy, dark, damp basements AT ALL.

Flinch

I was originally looking for an apartment just so I could keep to myself; not looking to party or do any entertaining, I just like to be left alone. Hadn't thought of MIL suites, craigslist seems like the first place to look, but I really can't take it seriously...any suggestions of where else to browse for such things?

TATTRAT

padmapper.com

POS DSM

That's not remotely possibly. The shitholes start at that, if you want to live in the ghetto.

As far as communicating, it'll take 45 min to get from Mannasshole to Dulles in rush hour on a good day.

Honestly what tattrat was saying about the basements is probably your best bet. Any apartment in loudon county will be outrageously expensive. You can find a basement in a ballin house in loudon for the same price as a shithole apartment in Manassas pretty easily.

I love nova, but the cost of living and the traffic blow a huge load


Also Manassas is the armpit of nova. you don't want to live there. Dulles/Sterling/Reston/Ashburn is fine though

Lay Zee H

Also, you could try moving just north of the Dale City area off of Route 1 in Prince William County. They're building new apartments near the Wegmans there, and if the prices of the new townhouses there is any indication (big townhouses starting at $200K), the apartments should be pretty reasonably priced.


But that ends up being an hour long commute...on a good day.

POS DSM

Eh, I had a friend live in woodbridge. The shittiest apartments in the shittiest part of town started at a $1000/month. And that's a fucking shitty commute to Dulles in rush hour...well in any hour