Comments on: Wed. Afternoon Rental Option – Brookland (Reader Request)

By: 2 blocks away

2 blocks away — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:45:25 +0000

“Shady characters”? Oh boy. Even Brooklanders like to look down on their own!

I live 2 blocks away from this place. Though I have no idea of rental options I DO know there is a huge perception problem of South Brookland from our Northern counterparts. Sigh.

6 years of living in South Brookland (and yes, a desk jockey) I have not seen or heard of any worse crimes on my side of Franklin than I have on the other. (In fact, there seems to be MORE Metro-related crime at Brookland station.) The “shady” characters are my neighbors. They are only shady cause you don’t know them. Shady is in the eye of the beholder.

I take metro, play at Noyes playground with my kids, and walk my dogs up Evarts. We have lovely neighbors, the old ones are awesome and the new ones have LOTS of energy.

The MBT is about two blocks away (best way to commute downtown) and the development at Rhode Island Ave will most definitely bring good things to the hood. I’m super-excited to be on this side of town right town.

Off soap box. I would recommend buying in South Brookland over renting…though that is a personal preference.

By: brooklander

brooklander — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:49:47 +0000

ATC, are you referring to Divinely Decadent Desserts? I think so..Well, as far as I know, it is on the up and up. I have been there two times, for cupcakes. Their Red Velvet does not beat Red Velvet Cupcakery’s fine Southern Belle (Red Velvet), but I wanted to patronize a local biz. My main beef: they are closed Mon-Thurs!!! They have very limited hours due to the fact that they fulfill cake and cupcake orders. If I am not mistaken, the front ‘shop’ hours may expand once their shop business takes off.

re: people going in and out of the upstairs…uhh, i hope we are observing sanitary conditions. I don’t want to think of someone baking upstairs and carrying it downstairs, for some reason. I would like to think that they bake it downstairs and transport them to the case, but the downstairs is so small! there was barely a room for a sink in the back, from what i could tell last time. anyhoo, they could use some company along that 12th street strip.

By: AroundTheCorner

AroundTheCorner — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:53:54 +0000

And oh yeah, what the hell is up with that new bakery on 12th? I’ve seen people going in and out from there to the apartment above, one time with cupcakes presumably from the upstairs. I’m pretty sure they don’t even bake on the premises.

Plus it’s only open on weekends? Seems fishy to me, but maybe I’m just being overly suspicious.

By: EMG

EMG — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:41:55 +0000

I’m a Brookland resident so I’ll weigh in! I think its priced a bit high. The house looks really nice and spacious from the pics, but I agree that this part of Brookland can be sketchy. I personally wouldn’t rent this close to RI Ave. However, if you had a couple dogs or something I could see that it could be worth it for that nice big yard.

By: AroundTheCorner

AroundTheCorner — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:40:23 +0000

I live around the corner from this place and really like the neighborhood. It’s a brisk 10 minutes downhill to Metro, and I’ve walked it plenty of times with no problems. Giant is 15 minutes, along with Home Depot.

I’ve noticed gentrification a LOT in the last year or so. Fancy, “upwardly mobile” and young downtown desk jockeys seem to be moving here in droves, and appear to be living peacefully alongside long-term middle and working class homeowners. Yes Organic market is exactly a mile down 12th away from Rhode Island, a nice (but long) walk. Parking is a breeze as long as you have a resident sticker.

In terms of price fairness I’d say it’s only a little bit high…I’d say maybe it should go for $2200. But the fancy reno might justify the price, I’ll watch to see if there are any takers.

By: Lady

Lady — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:35:56 +0000

Great deal. Most rentals in the area are student shares. Stick someone in the attic and divide rent by 4 = $600 a month each. Most rooms shares go for $800. I’d probably walk the extra blocks and ride the Brookland Metro just to avoid the Rhode Island area though.

By: The AMT

The AMT — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:26:07 +0000

I actually requested info on this property from the management company about a month ago. Apparently they aren’t too eager to rent the property out: I never heard from them, even after a follow-up email. Oh well, found a great place in Truxton Circle that I’m really excited about.

Back to this house… it does seem very spacious – especially the back yard – but I wasn’t wild about the location (for a rental, anyway; could be a great place to buy). The price was at the top of my range, and if it showed really well, I may have been willing to pay it.

By: JustJess

JustJess — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:25:34 +0000

I live in Brookland (but closer to CUA metro). This seems a bit high for the area and there are some shady characters on that side of the neighborhood. I’d be a little weary.