Washington DC Housing (Working at NR - Naval Reactors)

[greenbean]

I am a current NUPOC slated to serve as an instructor in South Carolina. I have been asked to consider working at NR in DC by my recruiter. He says they are in need of qualified candidates and are re-interviewing accepted NUPOCs for the position.

As I do my homework on the NR engineering position, I also look at where I would be living. Does anyone have a good resource for where a Jr. Officer making ~$60k (including a $1900/month bah) could live in the DC area (Virginia/Maryland). I have dependents. This means I'll need a place with 3-4 bedrooms and I'm expecting a commute.

What sides of DC are the "nice" "poor" "rich" areas?

Is there base housing available? Would we want base housing? (Andrews AFB is relatively close to the Naval Yard)

P.S. I am intentionally making this a topic vs a PM so that it can serve as a resource for others moving to the DC area. Thanks for your input.

[Gamecock]

I am a current NUPOC slated to serve as an instructor in South Carolina. I have been asked to consider working at NR in DC by my recruiter. He says they are in need of qualified candidates and are re-interviewing accepted NUPOCs for the position.

As I do my homework on the NR engineering position, I also look at where I would be living. Does anyone have a good resource for where a Jr. Officer making ~$60k (including a $1900/month bah) could live in the DC area (Virginia/Maryland). I have dependents. This means I'll need a place with 3-4 bedrooms and I'm expecting a commute.

What sides of DC are the "nice" "poor" "rich" areas?

Is there base housing available? Would we want base housing? (Andrews AFB is relatively close to the Naval Yard)

P.S. I am intentionally making this a topic vs a PM so that it can serve as a resource for others moving to the DC area. Thanks for your input.

There is base housing at FT. Belvoir and also some housing at Bolling AFB.

Personally, I would recommend anyplace in Fairfax county school district or Woodbridge, VA.  Commute is not that bad and schools are good.  I'd steer clear of MD.  

BTW....I have never lived in a house for less then my BAH (except when I lived in base housing).  I've always paid about 10% more when I've gone into the private market.

It will be difficult to find a family home for 01 BAH unless you live WAAAAAAAY out (Manassas, Stafford).

[greenbean]

Thank you for the information. I didn't realize Boiling was so close. I will give them a call to see if there is a wait-list to get into on-base housing. That would be a relatively short drive and probably one of the easiest places to start.

[joshberg41]

Sorry if I am getting to this post really late to the game...

I bought a townhouse in Silver Spring, MD last February, when I started at NR.  A 3BR about 1 mile from the Wheaton metro stop which I take to work everyday.  I pay about 90% of my BAH (w/dependents) toward the mortgage/insurance/taxes.  Almost felt bad for "stealing" the house from the woman in such a down market; she had to sell it to me for less than what she bought if for 6 years earlier.  I imagine there are still a lot of good deals to be had in the market.  I couldnt comment too much on renting, I didnt bother looking much into rental units, but I know that getting any kind of 3/4 BR townhouse is going to be expensive.

I like Silver Spring a lot, its one of the most culturally diverse areas of the nation.  Montgomery county is pretty affluent as well, it has some great schools and between Bethesda, Rockville and Silver Spring you can find pretty much anything you want.  That said, the vast majority of new hires at NR do live in the Fairfax area. 

[greenbean]

Thanks for the information!