"Struggling to make ends meet" on $174K a year?? Really Nancy???

[GiaGiovanni]

231. Renting is not ideal and can cost just as much as a mortgage

Housing rentals in nice parts of the DC Metro area aren't cheap, and the rent is usually equal to (or even more than) a mortgage. The owners of these places have to pay their mortgages on the place after all and you, the renter, will be paying that mortgage.

If you're only staying in the DC Metro area for 2 years, I could see renting. Military families who expect to move in 2 years rent for that reason. But after a Congress person has gotten re-elected, renting is just waste of money, especially in NoVa and the DC Metro area where the homes tend to rise in value, even under difficult conditions.

Since Congressional reps are going to need the money for two residences anyway, whether they buy or rent--and the mortgage and rental amounts may be close or the same-- why shouldn't they buy and make a profit on the house? That's what I'd recommend to anyone else. If you get into the Senate (6 years), then you should certainly buy.

Now as to location, DC has areas with high crime (like Anacostia), but it also has really nice areas that are prime locations for a Congress person who needs fast access to the Capitol. A close location is great when you've got sudden calls for votes, late night meetings, and long sessions that go into the early morning hours. DC's low crime areas cost a hell of a lot lot more, though. In fact, the rule is that as you get closer to the city, the nicer areas cost way more than houses in the VA or MD suburbs. So you could conceivably end up paying 400-500K for a 700 sq. ft. condo in Arlington along the Orange line, which seems insane, but that's the market, and you've got faster access to the city.

At any rate, the upshot is that it costs money for a Congressperson to have a residence close to work. The Virginia or Maryland suburbs are a better bang for your buck, but the prices are still high. I don't begrudge these folks a second residence nor a safe place near work. It's part of doing their job.

Finally, as to meetings with lobbyists, I don't know what your job is, but it doesn't sound like you've ever had to do those public/private sector get togethers, in which the private sector person wants something from you. I have a friend who goes through that on a regular basis, and I can tell you it gets annoying for him. He's at a high level where he is, but it's public sector, so he's in this old building from the mid 20th century. The private sector folks who come to see him have modern, sleek offices, tailored suits, and salaries 3 times what he makes. These private sector folks are not always pleasant and spend their time telling him that they "pay his salary" so he must do all sorts of things for them, even if it's not in the law. My friend is cool about it, but the people that come to him judge him by the fact that he doesn't have the BMW they have or that his suit doesn't always fit his shoulders perfectly. Seriously, some of these people are just that shallow.

Clothes may not totally make the man, but they go a long way toward making an impression. It may not sound possible to you, but your job may not require you to interact with people making 300K a year for running their mouths and making your job harder. If it did, you'd want to make the best impression you could.