How to Find Housing Near NIH in Bethesda, MD

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, is one of the world’s top medical research centers. Gaining employment or conducting research at NIH is a dream for many in the scientific and medical communities because of the facility’s resources, but housing remains a hurdle. 

A significant issue is that some researchers only require short-term housing, so purchasing a home or apartment in the region isn’t viable. This scenario creates challenges as the Greater Washington, D.C., area expands. It is possible, however, to commute between Bethesda and Washington, D.C., driving significant demand for rental housing.

Those looking to relocate to Bethesda because of NIH do have options if they know where to look. This guide explains how to find NIH housing and examines the property types available in the community. 

Types of Housing Near NIH

Bethesda is home to over 65,000 people and has all the housing types you’d expect in a community of that size. It’s also worth noting that its neighborhoods expand a fair distance west from NIH, so transportation can be an issue in some areas. Here’s what to expect with a few common types of housing in the area:

Apartments Near NIH

Woodmont Triangle sits just south of the NIH campus and is full of apartment buildings. Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments are typically available, so you’ll have options based on the space you need and how many people will live there. Basement suite apartments are abundant in areas farther from campus, as well.

Townhomes for Rent Near NIH

There are townhomes and condos in Woodmont Triangle, too, or you can cross Wisconsin Avenue for more options. The area on the other side of Wisconsin Avenue is technically in Chevy Chase, MD, but it’s within easy commuting distance of NIH. 

Houses for Rent Near NIH

It’s possible to find homes for rent near NIH, as the campus sits in the middle of a primarily residential area. This is an incredibly desirable location in which to live, though, so you’ll have to get lucky or be persistent if you want to rent right by campus. It’s sometimes easier to find houses for rent in the residential neighborhood northeast of the main campus.

It’s possible to find any housing type you’re seeking in Bethesda, but your search could come with challenges. Developing a strategy and following some tips gives you the best chance of success.

5 Tips for Finding Housing Near NIH

Bethesda’s rental market is competitive, especially if you have a specific property type or neighborhood in mind. Following some tips can make the search far more manageable. Here are five suggestions worth considering:

1. Create a Budget

The first step in your search should involve determining how much you can spend. Bethesda has a wide range of apartments for rent, so your budget will help determine which buildings and locations are possibilities for you. 

2. Remain Flexible

Flexibility is vital because there’s no guarantee you’ll find the rental type you want in your desired neighborhood at a price point that fits your budget. You might have to make some compromises, so preparing yourself for that possibility before you begin can make the transition far more manageable. 

3. Consider Outlying Areas

You might discover in your search that living in a neighboring community is more viable. North Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, and Rockville are options worth considering if you have a vehicle and don’t mind a daily commute. The Medical Center metro station makes commuting to and from many of these surrounding towns and cities easy without a car.

4. Apply for FAES Housing

The Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) provides private bedrooms within houses for some NIH research scholars. You might have to share the home with up to four other researchers, but the result is an affordable place to stay while spending time at NIH. You’ll have to apply for this housing early, and space isn’t always available, but it’s worth a look if you’re searching for a short-term housing option.

5. Compare Furnished and Utility-Included Options

The least expensive rental property won’t always cost less. Many rentals in Bethesda include utilities and furniture, which can bring your total cost down at the end of the month. Furnished apartments eliminate the hassle and expense of having to buy furniture and other necessities, too.

These tips can help you find a rental property near NIH that meets your budget and location needs. You don’t have to settle for the first apartment or townhouse you come across because you do have options.

Potential Problems When Looking for NIH Housing

Knowing about some issues you might encounter while seeking NIH housing can aid the process. Certain pitfalls can make your time at the campus more challenging than necessary. Keep an eye out for these issues:

Noisy Buildings

Bethesda is a well-educated and professional community, so you don’t have to worry about rowdy college kids making noise. Some buildings could have problem tenants, though, and you don’t want the noise to hinder your research. Visiting the building and ensuring you can work there at night is advisable before signing a lease.

Price Gougers

You should know that Bethesda is a wealthy community, so prices could be on the higher end of things. The median gross rent was $2,075 between 2016 and 2020. You’ll still want to watch for price gougers, who typically overcharge during periods of low inventory. 

Lack of Transportation

Confirming you have a way to get around before leasing an apartment can eliminate many problems. Bethesda has a great train station for commuting between other towns and cities and a local transit system that travels between its various neighborhoods. Ensure you have a way to get around, especially if you can’t find an apartment near NIH.

These problems are largely avoidable if you’re careful throughout your search. Seeking professional assistance is also an option as you relocate to Bethesda.     

Get Help Finding the Perfect Rental for You

These tips provide a solid starting point as you search for NIH housing in Bethesda. You can also seek the services of a local real estate professional who can help narrow your search based on property type, neighborhood, and budget, streamlining the entire process. 

Nomadic Real Estate brings property owners and renters together in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. We can help you find housing that meets your needs while you’re working or researching at NIH. Contact Nomadic Real Estate for more information on our NIH property rentals.

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Your portal includes a selection of extremely useful reports. Reports are available in the “Reports” section, and are distinct from the financial statements. Unlike financial statements which are static records, Reports are dynamic real-time records that will update with current data every time you view them. 

Scroll down to learn more about Reports:

Navigate to the "Reports" module in your portal:

Owner Portal Reports
  • Keep in mind, these reports are dynamic records. They will refresh to display current information every time you view them. 

Enhanced Rent Roll Report:

Enhanced Rent Roll Report
  • The Enhanced Rent Roll Report will show the rent amount, last payment date, move-in date, lease expiration date, and security deposit amount for each of your tenants. 
  • It will also show a portfolio summary with occupancy percentage, vacancy loss, and more!

Unit Comparison Report:

Unit Comparison Report
  • If you own multiple units (or buildings) with Nomadic, you’ll get access to the Unit Comparison Report. 
  • This report enables you to quickly compare financial performance between your units at a glance without toggling between individual reports. 

Income Statement Month-Over-Month:

Income Statement by Month Report
  • The Income Statement Detail – Monthly Report serves as a month-over-month record of portfolio performance. You’ll see itemized income and expense categories and can track monthly. This report will update with fresh data every time you view it. 

Financial Statements

Financial statements will be published to your portal on a monthly basis. The statements are found in your Documents library, and provide a historical record of all financial performance. The statements serve as a snapshot of financial performance over a given period, and are static documents (unlike Reports, the statements do not update/change in real-time). 

Scroll down for more info about the Financial Statements in your Documents library:

The Documents area contains monthly financial statements:

Owner Portal Documents
  • The statements in the Documents are are static documents. They are posted to the portal once a month to serve as a historical record of financial performance. 

Download a statement to see month and YTD financials:

Owner Portal Property Statement

You'll also find a month-over-month operating statement:

Month over Month Statement

Portal Communication Tool

You can use your owner portal to communicate with our team. Any messages you send through the portal will go straight to your Account Manager. When we reply, you’ll get an email notification and you’ll also see the message in your portal next time you log in. 

Here’s an overview of using the communication platform:

Click "Communications" and navigate to "Conversations":

Commincation Dashboard Screenshot
  • The communications module will contain a record of all messages that you create through the portal. 

Click the "New Message" button and send your message:

Owner Portal New Message Screenshot

Responses will show up in the conversation ticket:

Portal Conversation Response Screenshot
  • You’ll get an email notification whenever you get a response, and you’ll also see the message in your portal next time you log in. 

You can reply in-line using the comment box:

Owner Portal Comment

Each conversation will be logged in its entirety:

Portal Conversation Snapshot

Understanding the Ledger

Your portal includes a ledger with all transactions. The ledger is populated with data in real-time as transactions flow through our accounting software. Much of this information is also available in the Reports area, as well as the Statements in your Documents library, but the ledger is the most comprehensive resource for diving into the details. 

Please scroll through the sections below to get a better understanding of how to interpret the ledger. 

By default, transactions are sorted chronologically:

Owner Ledger Dates
  • The date reflected in the lefthand column is the actual transaction date, not the “bill date”. This is the date the transaction was actually processed. 

If you have multiple properties with Nomadic, you'll see the address for each transaction in the "Location" column:

Ledger Property Column
  • You can filter the ledger to look at just one property, all properties, or specific sets of properties. 
  • If you only have one property with us, you’ll just see the ledger for that property. 

The Description column displays the transaction type:

Owner Ledger Description Column
  • BILL: this is an expense transaction, such as for repair costs or management fees.
  • CHARGE: this is a transaction  billed to the tenant, most typically a rent payment. 
  • NACHA EXPORT: this is a credit we processed to your distribution account. This type of transaction is how you get paid! 

The Amount column shows the dollar value of each transaction:

Owner Ledger Amount Column
  • Positive Amounts: if an amount is positive, it reflects a transaction that is payable to you. Typically, this will be a rent payment that we collected from your tenants. On occasion, a positive number could also signify a journal entry or credit adjustment. 
  • Negative Amounts:  if an amount is negative, this is a transaction that is either payable to Nomadic or is an amount that has already been paid to you. Typically this will be for repair costs or management/leasing fees. Owner draws (net distributions into your checking/savings account) also reflect as negative amounts, since they have already been paid to you. 

The Account Balance column shows a sum of positive/negative transactions at a given point in time:

Owner Ledger Account Balance Column
  • Account Balance should always equal zero after a net distribution has been processed. When the balance is zero, this means that all expenses have been paid and you’ve received the remainder as net operating income, leaving a balance of zero (meaning: no one is due any money, as all funds have been distributed appropriately). 

Navigating the Propertyware Owner Portal

Your portal includes some extremely useful features that help you understand your property’s financial performance at a new level, with real-time transparency into every transaction.

Scroll through the snapshots below for an overview of portal navigation! If you need more help or have specific questions about using the portal, you can reach out to your Account Manager any time for a screen share. 

You can filter all info by date range or property:

PW Portal Filters

View a snapshot of income and expenses on your dashboard:

PW Owner Dashboard View

See every transaction in real-time on your ledger:

Owner Portal Ledger View

Statements and forms will be posted to your documents library:

Owner Portal Document Library

View a suite of real-time financial reports:

Portal Reports View

See a running list of all bills, and drill down for more detail:

Owner Portal Bills View

Under Bill Details, you'll find dates/descriptions/amounts and more:

Portal Bill Details

You can also communicate with your Account Manager through the portal:

Owner Portal Communication Tools

How do net distributions work?

Net distributions keep your accounting clean and simple. Each month we’ll collect rent from the tenants, deduct any repair expenses for the previous month and any management/leasing fees for the current month, and credit the remaining net operating income to your account. 

Net Distribution

You’ll receive a statement via email each time a net distribution is processed, and can view all transaction details in your Propertyware owner portal.