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GenericReditAccount t1_j6mrv9r wrote

Reply to comment by thrownjunk in DC is a leader in building new apartments, but they tend to be on the small side by Maxcactus

I haven’t looked at apartments in quite a while, but I remember those nice, big, older rentals on the market in NW. Way more character in those buildings too.

We were never “fancy” new building people, but once you taste in unit laundry, there’s no going back.

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FreemanCantJump t1_j6mvpif wrote

You can probably tell by my Navy Yard flair, but in unit laundry is way up my list and character is way down it.

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Docile_Doggo t1_j6nlnk9 wrote

Older buildings that have been renovated to include modern appliances/features are the best of both worlds

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firewarner t1_j6ndujw wrote

Character is such an interesting euphemism for older. In 25 years all the newer apartments now will have "character"

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GenericReditAccount t1_j6okgfm wrote

I’m not sure that’s true. Just because something is old, doesn’t mean it has character or is worth hanging onto. In 25 years, the paper mache apt buildings of this decade will likely be worse for wear and no more desirable than they are today.

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CriticalStrawberry t1_j6pa6y2 wrote

DC isn't really building any of the 5 over 1 apartments that you're referring to by "paper mache". That's more of a suburban thing. The luxury apartments going up all around the city are concrete, brick, and steel and will likely stand the test of time just fine.

The 5 over 1 stick built complexes popping up along the fringes of downtowns across the US? Yeah those will be trash in less than a decade.

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Snow_source t1_j6nee6l wrote

> We were never “fancy” new building people, but once you taste in unit laundry, there’s no going back.

It's not that hard to find a building that's older with in-unit laundry.

The last two apartments I've been in had them. They're in a laundry closet next to the HVAC system, which is just fine for a 1br.

I'll take 4 years of no rent increases over a shiny new building any day of the week.

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GenericReditAccount t1_j6oj91a wrote

Agreed. We were in Camden Roosevelt for about a decade, which is a nice old building with in unit laundry, but didn’t have a modern vibe, a dog park, or a rooftop. The rent control was key to our survival for a long time!

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OhHowIMeantTo t1_j6p4e7h wrote

Ah yeah without that rent control if you're a new resident, the rent is insanely expensive. It's also been completely remodeled if you haven't been there recently.

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GenericReditAccount t1_j6pd1p1 wrote

We left right before the remodel began. We’ve been back once since, for a birthday party, and I’m not sure how I feel about the new vibe. I also understand I’m no longer the target demographic though. 🤷‍♂️

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walkallover1991 t1_j6mz20t wrote

There always seems to be a lot less maintenance-related issues in the older buildings, as well.

I've lived in two different "luxury" buildings in NoMa and they both had the same problems...fire alarms constantly would go off, HVAC would break, thin walls/noise issues, the in-unit washer flooded, "brand new" fridge broke, etc.

I live in an older building (that's like a tank) now in Dupont for less than any of those luxury buildings.

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Majestic_Tennis4620 t1_j6nid7b wrote

yeah cause new buildings are built like shit, everything to the barest minimum of code and using the cheapest materials and methods possible

old buildings come with their own set of issues for sure but overall ill always take the older building if theres options

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WealthyMarmot t1_j6p9b1z wrote

Yes and no. That might be true for some aspects of the structure, but modern HVAC, electrical and plumbing have improved dramatically from just a few decades ago. Especially with the last two, the "barest minimum of code" is a trillion times safer and more reliable than code and materials from 50-100 years ago.

All comes down to upkeep, renovations, and just luck of the draw.

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GenericReditAccount t1_j6n2oez wrote

100%. Our old apt was so quiet and we barely ever had maintenance issues. Our current condo is in an old ass building, with the same benefits. So much of the new build stuff felt like paper mache.

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