Diplomats Consider Variety of Factors When Looking for Temporary Housing by Christine CubÈ Alfonso Nieto knew when he arrived in Washington, D.C., in July that the waterfront area around Foggy Bottom would be a great spot to live. Nieto, on a posting in Washington for at least the next three years as the new press secretary for the Embassy of Mexico, liked the walk to the Kennedy Center and nearby hotels, the river scenery that the area offered, and the great jogging to be had in that part of town. He was initially renting a furnished apartment, taking in all of the sites before he began looking for a long-term but still temporary home. Nieto broadened his search for such a home, looking at other neighborhoods in Washington around the National Cathedral and the Connecticut Avenue corridor. Nieto and his wife even checked out Arlington, Va. The prices werenít hugely different, he said, and the Metro was a very convenient and quick ride away from downtown. But it was the action in Washington that drew him in, and he finally settled for a two-bedroom condominium tucked between Dupont Circle and Georgetown. "Iím very happy with my choice," Nieto said. "Itís walking d istance to everything." He said that as press secretary, part of his job requires that he be close to the office and his daily communications. "You want to be here early in the morning. Learn the first news. Be in touch," he explained. "I liked the area Ö I was prepared to sacrifice size of the house to not have spacious living as if I had lived in the suburbs. Itís not bad, but itís not cheap." Thatís part of the problem with home shopping around Washington. If you live in the city, you know what a certain price will get you. Say, for instance, your budget is $2,500 per month. For that amount in Washington, youíre likely to have a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with parking for one car. For that same amount of money, you could live in Fairfax, Va., or Rockville, Md., in a single-family home with three or four bedrooms, parking for two, and a small garden. The sacrifice: Travel to and from work is about 50 minutes each way. When it comes to the areaís diplomats and embassy staff looking for homes to stay in during multiple-year stretches, it appears thereís no formal science to the search. Each embassy or agency has a unique way of attacking the project (see related story page C-). Some embassies have a set of realtors they work with who help their diplomats find the perfect home. Others choose different realtors to ensure that a variety of options are always part of the mix. Some embassies even tap area homeowners looking to rent specifically to the diplomatic audience because the owners know their properties will be respected. Still othersóaccording to sources such as the British Embassyóhave a slew of properties they already own, specifically for those on assignment in Washington. But most embassies agree that when it comes to diplomats looking for housing in the Washington area, the most important thing to consider for their families is appropriate schools for the children. Marina Giesecke, housing administrator for the Delegation of the European Commission, said she has been placing delegation officials in short- or long-term housing in Washington for 15 years. When it comes to employees of the delegation looking for appropriate lodging during their four-year rotation, they know exactly who to call. "I like to talk with them instead of getting information through their various channels," Giesecke said. "I get a much better feeling of what it is theyíre looking for. I ask them about their family composition, what schools their children are going to now, and whether they want them to go to American schools Ö the education of their children is big." Looking at the education of a memberís children, Giesecke gauges how far from the chosen educational institution the family should live. Generally, employees of the European Commission donít like to live too far from their childís school, and itís important for the children to be close to their friends. Once an employee of the commission comes to town, Giesecke calls on different realtors to work with the employee, or she taps her own list of homeowners sheís worked with over the years who trust the delegation to place someone responsible in their homes. "[The homeowners] like to have us because they know the house will be taken care of," Giesecke said. "And if there is any damage, whoever the designated occupant is is responsible. We rent for four years with a diplomatic clauseóif by any chance the official is transferred before the time is up, we have a way out to break the lease." In Virginia, employees of the commission tend to flock to McLean, where the houses are bigger for less money. They also like to live in Arlington. In Maryland, the houses in Bethesda and Chevy Chase are close enough to Washington, but also allow for larger, more spacious private living away from the cityís hustle and bustle. With the European Commission, once an employee makes a decision on a homeóa process that can take anywhere from days to monthsóGiesecke checks out the individual property. If it meets the commissionís standards, itís a go. If not, whether itís substandard or the rent is too expensive with zero amenities to boot, the employee is asked to continue searching. Ashraf Haidari, spokesman for the Embassy of Afghanistan, said his embassyís diplomats care largely about location when it comes to choosing short-term housing in and around Washington. "It has to be convenient," he said simply. That usually translates into a nice two- or three-bedroom apartment thatís close to the embassy, as well as quality restaurants and nightlife. When it comes to food in particular, good restaurants need not always be expensive, and a diverse food offering is definitely a plus, Haidari said. "Diplomats come from different countries, so they feel comfortable [with] different cultures and different foodóa variety to choose from," he explained. "American food takes time to get used to. Any food does." What the Embassy of Greece does to help their diplomats is basically act as a consultant for officials coming to Washington. Sometimes diplomats traveling with children try to catch the school year as it begins in the fall. That was the case of one Greek diplomat, who researched schools here online before coming to Washington. "She contacted the embassy for our feedback," said Evie Zambetakis, assistant to the Greek ambassador. For the younger diplomats, the realities of the District and the distances between other areas are largely involved in the decision-making process. "If they already know people here, they might stay with them for a while or in a hotel to get an idea of where theyíd want to live," Zambetakis said. Diplomats might also stay in temporary housing for a couple of weeks until they figure things out. The factors that play into their decisions are the same: Schools are the main consideration for families followed by space considerations. Proximity to work is also important, along with local amenities. For the younger groups, they ask for nightlife and where they can find it. Predictably, families prefer actual houses, and younger diplomats lean toward condos and apartments. House shopping can usually take diplomats up to three weeks, and in the interim, they stay in area hotels, according to Zambetakis. "The key is getting settled, which is very important to starting the Washington experience," she said. "Itís like a family in a senseóyou can recommend things based on your experience. Itís one thing to do your research on the Internet. Itís another thing to hear from people who have already been through it." Giesecke agreed. "Itís always a matter of finding the right fit," she said. "Itís nice to be able to help people to find something. Especially the spouse who is working, [they] just want to get settled and get on with the job. Itís gratifying to know theyíre happy with what they have." Christine CubÈ is a freelance writer in Alexandria, Va.