Rental Trends: What $1,200 a Month Gets You

This is a sponsored post by Taylor Ryan of Apartment Showcase.

Let’s compare $1,200 monthly rent in Reston vs. other areas in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area.

First, take a look at Colvin Woods in Reston:

This community has a clubhouse, pool, business center, 24 hour emergency maintenance, tennis courts, a fitness center, and more. It’s less than a mile from the Dulles Toll road and prides itself on being pet friendly. This is a perfect place for someone who works in Reston or Tysons Corner.  Colvin Woods advertises a 728-square foot,  one-bedroom apartment for roughly $1,200.

Now let’s compare the above Reston apartment with similarly priced one bedroom one bath apartments around the Washington, DC Metropolitan area:

In Alexandria, not far from Route 1, is another community that comes with a pool, playground, picnic and BBQ area. If you go with a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment, you can expect to pay roughly $1,200, depending on the size of the place (680 – 810 square feet). For those who commute to Ft. Belvoir or Old Town Alexandria and want to snag a deal on a place to live, try The Courts of Mt Vernon. You can rent a 686-square-foot, one- bedroom apartment at The Courts of Mt Vernon for $1,139 monthly.

Maybe DC is your thing? Southwest, DC has seen a massive amounts of construction, remodeling, and restoration of apartment buildings. Located in walkable distance between five Metro stops and Nationals Park, Capitol Park Plaza is ideal for someone who commutes via Metro.

This property is gated, with a swimming pool, fitness center, covered parking, and allows both dogs and cats. You’ll find a 575-square-foot, one bedroom for around $1,200 monthly. This apartment is smaller than the apartments in Reston and Alexandria, but it’s really the location most people find so alluring about Capitol Park Plaza.

Finding affordable places in Northwest can sometimes be a real challenge. We found a community with 425- square-foot efficiency apartments for $1,200 at the The Kenmore. This property is a few blocks from the Friendship Heights Metro and is located near the border of Maryland and the District. Commuters have not only a short commute, but a lively nightlife to look forward to on the weekends at this location. The Kenmore has an on-staff concierge, covered parking, and picnic areas.

There are plenty of affordable places in Maryland. One great property to keep an eye on is Queens Park Plaza in Hyattsville. A short distance from the the West Hayattsville Metro, this property allows commuters of DC or Maryland to find an affordable place close to work. Like the others above, the Queens Park Plaza community is dog friendly and averages out to 725-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath for $1,200.

You have many options in the Washington, DC area when you are looking for an apartment community.  Make a list of what is really important to you when deciding on a new community. Price, location, size and amenities should be on your list. Compare all of your options and you will find the perfect place.