Washington apartment amenities: Most sought-after is laundry, analysis shows

In-unit laundry is the most sought-after amenity among Washington apartment tenants, according to real estate listings site Zumper. The site analyzed search terms from users nationwide and broke them down by city in early May.

Washington tenants also searched for air-conditioning and whether an apartment has a dishwasher. Zumper users, too, were particularly keen on discovering whether an apartment came furnished and whether it had a balcony.

The searches certainly make sense. D.C. can get awfully sticky and hot in the spring and the summer (and the fall). Plus, given the transient nature of much of the city’s tenant population—because of turnover in the federal government and of federal governments—a furnished spread can be a godsend.

The Zumper results also underscore that the relative basics are still very much in demand among Washington tenants. Whatever some newer buildings’ promises of dog-washing stations, yoga studios, 24-7 concierges, etc., oftentimes all tenants want is not having to go outside to wash their clothes.

What’d you look for in a new apartment?