Renting an Apartment in Georgetown, DC: What to Know Before You Tour

Georgetown is one of the few places in Washington where you can walk to the river, the canal path, a grocery store and a good dinner without getting in a car. It is also one of the harder places to rent well. Buildings differ a lot, listings are not always current, and the real cost is not always the number in the headline. Here is how to approach it.

Start with the total monthly cost

Rent is the first number. Ask for the rest before you fall in love with a unit: parking, pet rent, internet or utility fees, amenity fees, and any one-time admin or application charges. Two apartments with the same rent can differ by hundreds of dollars a month once everything is counted. Ask for a written list.

In DC, a security deposit cannot be more than one month’s rent. Ask how it is held and when it is returned.

Know how you will get around

Georgetown does not have its own Metro station. Most residents walk, bike, take a bus or rideshare, or use the Foggy Bottom-GWU station on foot or by a short bus ride. If you commute, test the route at the time you would actually travel. We cover this in more detail in our guide to getting around Georgetown.

Look at the floor plan, not just the bedroom count

New buildings often mix studios, one-bedrooms, one-bedrooms with a den and true two-bedrooms. A den can work as an office, a guest space or, for some roommates, a second sleeping area. Ask to see the actual plan of the unit you would lease, with dimensions, closet space and where the windows are.

Ask what is included

• Laundry: in the unit, or shared rooms on each floor.
• Fitness and common space: what is open today, not what is planned.
• Package handling and building access.
• Storage, bike room and parking, and what each costs.

Check that the listing is current

Rents and availability change quickly in a lease-up building. Use the building’s own site as the source of truth. Ours is updated on the Available Apartments page.

Tour with a list

Bring questions about noise, light, move-in dates, lease length and renewal. Ask what the rent would be at renewal and how much notice you get. Ask about guarantors if you have limited credit history or are new to the country or the city.

See The Ledger on 29th

The Ledger on 29th is an 80-residence building at 1000 29th Street NW in Georgetown, with studios, one-bedrooms, den layouts, two-bedrooms and penthouses. See the residences and amenities, then schedule a tour.

Equal Housing Opportunity.