Best Apartments for Jobs At Fort Belvoir - Skyview Any Good? (rent, condo)

[mikecart1]

Originally Posted by slduvall

There are no side streets that would work getting to Belvoir along Rt 1. That is the problem. There are different sides to Ft Belvoir as well, each with it's own gate and access issues. Do you know where you are working?

I will know more next week. They only gave me an address and building number. I don't have a place to live, no moving truck, and running out of time.

[Carlingtonian]

I work at Belvoir and commute from Arlington. I would highly recommend doing whatever you can to live north of the base (as you're considering), rather than south. About 90% of the people who work here live south of the base, and so they all come in around 6AM. And they still get stuck in traffic. Meanwhile, it only takes me 45 minutes, arriving at 8:00.

I just found Skyview on the map; that's a great location commute-wise. Other than that, no idea. I don't think it's a hotbed of murder or anything. It doesn't look to be as depressing as the complexes that are directly on Route 1. If you're scrambling, I'd suggest finding a sublease or month-to-month deal there, and then you can bail later if you hate it.

There may be other reasonably affordable apartments near Huntington Metro. If not, then look in South Arlington and the north end of Alexandria City. (Arlandria is super cheap, 99% low-income Hispanic, but would be a super-easy commute for you.)

Route 1 itself is a grade-A dump, but it would be OK for temporary digs. There are plenty of apartment complexes just north of the base on Route 1; that would give you an extremely short commute, though I think the dilapidated surroundings would have you ready to move in a couple of months. (So don't sign a long-term lease!

Whatever you do, don't live south of the base on Route 1, because then you'll get the worst of everything--bad commute and low-income surroundings.

If you can swing an apartment south of Old Town Alexandria, along the GW Parkway, that will be a cake commute and a gorgeous environment.

Do you know which side of the base you'll be on?

Feel free to PM me if you have more specific questions about Belvoir. I'll answer them if I can.

[mikecart1]

By South, I assume you mean Woodbridge area? I looked into Skyview and it is booked. Must be a popular place. Yeah the location is awesome. I am not into waking up at 6am and usually get to my current job around 9-930am LOL. I'm on the super flex time since I'm still at work now and it is almost 7pm.

The problem with the area is not the # of apartments, but how many of them get very poor reviews on apartment ratings website. Many are said to have bugs, flies, cockroaches, rats, and fungus. I either hit the jackpot the last 6+ years in my 2 separate apartments here in Pittsburgh, or is this common? My current apartment is like an IKEA or something. Not a spot anywhere. Never seen a cockroach in my life. Not sure what I would do if I saw one but scream and run lol.

Right now my wish list is:
1) Skyview (94% on apartment ratings and sold out like a Superbowl)
2) Abbott's (right below Skyview on the map and same distance from Ft. Belvoir)
3) Oaks of Woodlawn (a little more $ but seems to have good reviews)

Not much else even though there are hundreds of apartments. They are either too much, in bad areas, or have too many bugs lol.

No idea where I will be on the base. Took me an hour to find where to get fingerprints last month lol. I guess they like to keep things so secret that new employees don't know anything haha!

[slduvall]

If the fingerprint place is the same as the where you get your CAC that is correct! If you can't find it, you don't get the CAC

Have you checked out Apts in Kingstowne, or Manchester Lakes area? I can't remember your price range, and I'm not sure what they go for, but I imagine they are pretty clean. And if you take into account the commute time and price of gas, being closer and paying a bit more might be offset.

[mikecart1]

Skyview sold out
Abbott's sold out
Oaks of Woodlawn looks like they might have something but I heard they don't allow pets. I wanted a place that allowed for my dog to visit me. Not sure what to do.

Abbott's gave some $1500 price which is like $400+ over what the internet said they were. My goal is to be 5-10 minutes from work. Life is too short to be spending 2 hrs a day in traffic just getting to work. I never understood people that do this. There are some people at my current job that drive 90 minutes to work. They wake up at 4am and get to work at 530am. That sounds like a crappy life. I assume these people aren't watching the Olympics lol.

[Carlingtonian]

Has the advice here so far been of any help?

[mikecart1]

Yeah advice is good. I think I just need to go in the area in person and see what is out there. I don't think some of the sites online like Rent or Apartments are showing everything available. Google Earth shows other property not shown on these other sites.

[Carlingtonian]

You're welcome!



Good luck anyway...

[mikecart1]

Someone recommended The Edgemoore that is located in Kingstowne. I saw they charge over $1500. It also got a lot of bad reviews about cars being broken into. Man the more I hear about what NOVA has turned into, I wonder why I even chose to come back now

[slduvall]

The Kingstowne apts don't have any more breakins that anyplace else I would imagine, just more people reporting them. Anything on Rt 1, would have greater odds, as well as other issues. The cars might be nicer too, making them good targets.

I know one of the KT apts charges $1900 for a 2 bedroom with a dog allowance paid monthly, not sure what a smaller unit would go for. The problem is that the apts north of Belvoir are also very close to the metro so they appeal to more people. I have heard that the advertised prices on rent.com and craigslist for apt complexes are misleading..just want to get you in the door.

Have you thought about renting a room, since you are heading home often?