buying a house

This message isn't going to be helpful with locating houses for rent or purchase in DC, but all the discussion has made me very thankful . We live 0.63 miles from the hospital, pay less than $500 for a nice 2 bed/2 bath apartment, and there is never traffic over 10 cars at a stop light. Now, we don't have a bunch of museums and we have to drive an hour to get to a "big city" with an airport and all, but the program is great and the hospital is a level 1 trauma center

For any of you who really enjoyed living in the DC area (or other really busy NE town), what is the attraction? I have a SIL in Boston who adores it there, but on our visits I am just SHOCKED by traffic.

Maybe I am missing something

Aisha

[DCJenn]

Aisha-

Well, there's a lot to hate if you're not a city person. I have a very good friend who would probably throw herself off a bridge rather than move back to DC. (She lives off a dirt road in the middle of Massachusetts now).

But- I love the hustle and bustle. I love being able to walk everywhere, I love being able to see shows and museums and concerts anytime I want to. I love the history and the beauty of the downtown area.

I am one of those people who gets energized by Big City Living. Now, I mean actual living downtown, in the Distric of Columbia. I would never live in the suburbs again. Ever. The traffic is horrible, the housing is cookie-cutter and I hate having to drive to get a gallon of milk.

I live in downtown San Antonio, too. Same thing! I can walk everywhere and I never ever have to worry about anyone with a house like mine!

Jenn

But- I love the hustle and bustle. I love being able to walk everywhere, I love being able to see shows and museums and concerts anytime I want to. I love the history and the beauty of the downtown area.

I am one of those people who gets energized by Big City Living.

Yes, yes, yes!

I am energized by the City, too. I so loved living in Washington, D.C. There was always something going on, there were always places to eat and shows to see and museums to visit and author readings to attend and so on. And Important Things going on. And people with differing viewpoints.

I wouldn't live in small, sleepy town if you paid me handsomely. My parents live in a small southern town, and it is so small, and there is so little to do, and a lot of people are so narrow-minded or provincial. There is this fictionalized ideal of the Small Town Americana but in my experience, it's just not true. Sure, my parents have several very nice neighbors who will stop to chat for a few moments at the mailbox, but generally speaking, it's not some cozy little place where everyone hangs out in their front yards, bonding over their rose bushes. AND they're not close to a major airport, good museum, etc.

Yes, D.C. has horrendous traffic. Yes, sometimes the political craziness can become stifling. But overall, there is the energy there that I really like. But I'll admit that it can be hard to remember that when you've been sitting on the Beltway at 6:30 pm for an hour!

And yes, I know the Navy's likely to send me to a small town at some point in my husband's career with the Navy. Please pray for us!

[DCJenn]

I hear ya sista!

and my beloved actually put Ft. F-ing Irwin on his Plan B list. God Forbid I end up 30 minutes away from the closest town but yet only an hour and a half away from his parents. Hello, I think I just described my own personal hell. If there is one- this might be it!

Jenn

(oh and to add insult to injury- I don't know whether you guys are in the loop for Air Force Gen Peds slots- but they have some awesome ones this year- Italy, England, DC, all of the Caliornia Bases- plus Washington state- his co-worker's are psyched! The best we could do was Ft. Belvior!)

I guess it takes all kinds ... glad someone wants to live in big cities . I have lived in both and I now live in a "medium" sized town which is only an hour away from the capital of the state ... so I have a little of both worlds I guess. When it comes to going to museums, I do that sort of thing on vacation and such ... but when I did live in a big city (Houston, Dallas, Denver, LA) I never went to museum regularly unless we had company from out of town so it hasn't really changed much .

I miss really good coffee shops that have lots of foot traffic ... great to just sit and people watch .

Aisha

[peggyfromwastate]

Hello Again! Long time, no post. Well, my husband is still going through the should we shouldn't we. It's still a toss-up between USUHS and Uof Washington. (Guess where my parents want us to go???) Lots of input there!

About the house thing. My husband got in contact with a USUHS grad who said that some students live on military base housing at Andrews or Fort Meade? We were interested in one of the military housing setups through Andrews located in Landover (??). Does anyone know anything about this? Is military housing a good idea??? I haven't even been on a base before, but with small children, it seems nice to have a place to live where it's likely some of our neighbors would also have small children, and where there are playgrounds set up and what not. I've heard it said that the military base housing is the best deal to be had in the military... But I just don't know anything about it! I'm not really interested in Fort Meade, because it's so far away, and frankly it looks outdated, but my husband is Army, if that matters.

Any thoughts on military base living???

Thanks!
Peggy

[DCJenn]

Peggy-

I know nothing about that option. I didn't even know it was an option. Military housing can be one of extremes- gorgeous newly built places to run-down decrepit horrible houses.

Neither base is close to USUHS, Andrews is clear on the other side of the Beltway, almost on the Virginia/Maryland border.

I say go for the Army- it's so nice having a spouse who's now making close to 6 figures- at the end of residency- with no looming debt over our heads!!

Jenn

[peggyfromwastate]

Thanks for the encouragement Jen! The only base housing we're interested in is located about 12 miles or so away from Andrews, towards DC. On a map, it is located inside the beltway. My husband would have to take the subway (with a transfer to the red line at Union Station) and that would probably be about 1 hr total. We'll see, I guess!

Thanks!