Places to live in DC?

I'm looking at a job in DC and will probably, if all things go right, move there within a few weeks. I know everyone says that you cant find a nice place, but Ive found a few that dont seem that bad and arent that expensive- to buy. Im looking for a condo, small, one bdrm., in a safe neighborhood, close to the metro, or with shuttle service. I found one for 139k in Randall Hts, one for 149 in Brookpark (Webster St NE) and one in Marshall Hts. Are all of these in really bad neighborhoods? Where else can I look? Im hoping to live close to the city. Thanks