Neighborhoods
The Washington, DC area has a wide diversity of neighborhoods, from urban communities bustling with activity to family-friendly suburban communities to quiet rural areas with lots of green space. Check out these helpful websites to learn more about DC neighborhoods:
- Destination DC’s neighborhood guide
- About.com’s neighborhood guide
- Urban Igloo’s neighborhood guide
- Jumpshell’s “Best Neighborhoods in Washington DC“
IMF Temporary Housing: The Concordia Hotel
The Concordia is an extend-stay hotel owned and operated by the Fund. The hotel is available to IMF and World Bank employees and their families, and is a great place to stay when first arriving to DC while you look for longer-term housing. All rooms at the Concordia offer fully equipped kitchen, work area, high definition TVs, and free wireless internet. The hotel also includes a fitness room, internet café, club room with TV and billiards table, free guest laundry room, parking, and roof top swimming pool. Visit www.theconcordia.com for more information.
Renting
Apartment Listing Websites
- Apartments.com
- Rent.com
- ApartmentList.com
- Craigslist
- ApartmentGuide.com
- Washington Post Apartment Showcase
- ApartmentRatings
- Hotpads
- Rent Jungle
- ForRent
- Padmapper
- Department of Housing and Community Development
Standard Rental Documents
Two documents are typically signed when renting a property:
Rental Application
The rental application seeks financial and personal information about you as a prospective tenant to determine if you are creditworthy. Verification of employment and salary may be required. The application often states that, upon approval by the landlord, you must sign a lease, obligating you to rent the property. The rental application may be accompanied by a copy of the final or sample lease. If you sign the application without first seeing the lease, you may be committing yourself to obligations that you later regret. It is suggested to insert the following language into the application:”The rental application is contingent upon approval of the lease by the tenant. If the tenant does not agree to sign the final lease, then all deposit money shall be promptly refunded.”
Lease
The lease is the contractual document that gives you the right to rent the property for the time period specified. It also spells out all other rights and obligations between you and the landlord. Typically, you are asked to give a check for a security deposit and one month’s rent. If you are signing a longterm lease, it is recommended that you have the Fund’s Legal Services Consultant review it before signing. Once the lease is signed by both tenant and landlord, it is a legally binding contract.
Did you know?
The IMF is enrolled in the National Preferred Employer Program (NPEP), a discount program for apartment communities throughout the DC Metro area. Find out more about the program by visiting the NPEP’s website at www.npep.com/imf.html.
Buying
Finding a realtor
The Fund provides a list of realtors that are familiar with both the real estate market in the DC area as well as the special needs of expatriate staff. Many of these realtors speak a language(s) other than English. These realtors can provide an overview of the Washington metro communities, transportation lines, schools, and shopping, and they can also identify available properties, arrange viewings, and assist in the sale of existing homes. This list of realtors is available on the Fund’s network, or contact the IMFFA Office and we can send you the list. Popular online real estate websites, such as Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin, are also great ways to search for real estate listings and housing data.
Getting a mortgage?
Our partners at the Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union have a special online Mortgage Center for home buyers. (BFSFCU also holds period seminars for home buyers and sellers, along with seminars on other important financial topics). In addition to the BFSFCU, most banks can also assist you with getting a mortgage. Regardless of who your mortgage lender is, though, you will likely need to provide a letter from your employer verifying your employment and income. You can request various Employment Verification Letters from the HR Center at the Fund.
Property tax information
Visit your county government’s website for information about property tax in your county:
- DC property taxes
- Montgomery County property tax
- Fairfax County property tax
- Prince George’s County property tax
- Loudoun County property tax
Other Resources
- My Home by Freddie MacSM
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- TheMortgageReports.com
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: resources for homebuyers and homeowners.