Living in Columbia Heights, Washington, DC

Higher-end dining options run along 11th Street, with bakeries offering artisan breads and pastries, alongside ethnic havens serving up classic overseas fare. If the food isn't enough to get your mouth watering, the shopping just might. It doesn't boast the high-end designer shops of Friendship Heights, but there is a great mix of chain retail and quirky D.C. storefronts. Buy the latest electronics at a big box store, and then stop by the vegan bakery for some healthy dessert options.

The O Street Market, now known as City Market at O, has a new lease on life with a major redevelopment leading to 86,000 square feet of retail space, along with hundreds of luxury apartments, senior living space, condominiums, and a hotel. With new stores opening up in Columbia Heights the entire area has experienced a renaissance.

As the neighborhood goes through renewal, Columbia Heights homes are increasing in value. Row homes are the most common property type in the area, followed closely by apartments. Columbia Heights real estate is a true mix of rental and sale properties, with everything from multi-use buildings to converted row homes.

Affordable housing is the big draw for many residents in Columbia Heights, D.C. Columbia Heights apartments may not have the rock-bottom prices of a decade ago, and real estate prices are on the rise, but there are still bargains to be had for the determined house hunter.

With tons of public transportation, locals in the area don't need to own a car. The local Green Line Metro stop is just minutes away from Gallery Place, which is a major transfer to other points in the city, and buses run along both 14th and 16th Streets. To head east and west, simply hop on the bus. The Circulator bus service and local bus lines run through the neighborhood. Located only a few miles from the White House, this up-and-coming neighborhood is full of possibility and diversity.