Advice on Family Friendly Apartments in Fairfax City (Alexandria, Vienna: apartment complex, lease)

[walkinwater]

Looking for a nice apartment complex in Fairfax city on a budget of 1500-2000.

I'm seriously considering taking a job in Fairfax city, near the intersection of Lee Hwy(29)/Fairfax blvd(50) and Main Street(236)/Lee Jackson Mem. Hwy(50), which is just a little East of exit 57a/b on 66.

My wife is excited about getting back to the city as we've been in a rural area for a few years now and she never really adapted.

We have a toddler (2) and a small dog. . We definitely want to rent for a while and get to know the area before we decide about buying a home. My wife is a sahm and we only have one car so it would be good to be able to bike to work or take the bus.
Were thinking we'd like to be in a nice apartment complex as we'd like the amenities. The kid co-sleeps so a one bedroom is doable but a two bedroom would be nice.
This also seems to be more in line with our budget than a town home, though if there was one in a nice area with good amenities that would be great. I'd love to keep our rent around 1500 but know we might have to be flexible on that to get what we want. High end would be 2,000 but that would make me sad.

We really want to be near a nice park for the kid to play in. Tennis courts would be great as the wife and I play.

Based on internet browsing I really like the look of a apartment complex near Providence park off Chain Bridge road but am concerned about its proximity to GMU. I couldn't afford 1800 bucks for an apartment (or my portion anyway) when I was in college but I knew kids that could.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thank You.

[choff5]

Lots of places around and I really am not familiar with most of them but am familiar with Fairfax VA Apartments | The Ridgewood by Windsor | Apartments in Fairfax VA. It's very near the location you mentioned and is very pet and kid friendly. It is not walkable to downtown Fairfax City but there are shops right in the complex and there's a bus stop there as well. One amenity, Wegman's is less than a half mile away. . I think a two bedroom will run around the top of your budget, $2000 but they may have deals too.

[walkinwater]

We have been dreaming about Wegman's.

[acgood]

Yes the Ridgewood is one option and there are a couple of others directly adjacent to the Fairfax Corner district (nearby and still walking distance to Wegmans). This is definitely a great area full of young families with toddlers and dogs on the walking trails, play ground etc. Ridgewood is newer and may be slightly more expensive than the other two (Camden and The Reserve).

[choff5]

I really don't mean to sound like an ad for Ridgewood, but I just remembered that right there is a new place, Great Play, Great Play of Fairfax, VA. When you said you had a toddler, I have the impression it's the right age for that. My DIL lives there,that's how I got to know the place and she checked out Great Play and said it was more for preschoolers, not an elem age as she has. But, then,if you are on a budget, it may be expensive, I have no idea. If your wife has a car available, there is a wonderful public park in Fairfax City, Van Dyck Park, that has all kinds of play equipment for all ages. Plus the library is right down town there. Lots to do with kids.

[walkinwater]

I appreciate all your advice and replies. choff5 it's good to hear from someone whose family had a good experience. We'd really like to be in an area where we can walk to a park and a coffee shop and that probably means being closer in to downtown Fairfax. If anyone knows about the apartments in that area we'd appreciate the advice.

[acgood]

All of the apartments mentioned here are definitely walking distance to a park and coffee shop, so don't let that dissuade you.

Great Play is pretty neat, but yes it is pricey.

[slaintejean]

A little outside Fairfax City, but close to Wegmans-the neighborhood around Eagle View elementary has some nice apartments. It is walkable to Wegmans, a few playgrounds, a shopping center with Starbucks, and the Fairfax towne center with the fountains. I don't know the price range for the apts but I would check them out.

[Jeanie Beanie]

OK, this was about 5 years ago, but my daughter got a great lease on a 2 bedroom garden apartment at Layton Hall that looked great on paper: walkable to the Library and town center Auld Shebeen and Potbellies restaurants, walkable to the SUPER Van Dyck Park for the kiddies to play, running trail in the block, CUE bus to Vienna metro outside the complex, and only $1500. Wow, great.

But not so fast.

The exterminators were there nearly weekly - didn't help much with the roaches - and then the bedbugs invaded... hellish. Also, sometimes there would be issues with the water and management would turn it off for 6 - 12 hours without notice. Nice. Then there was the laundry room. Sometimes the machines worked sometimes they didn't. After tumbling a load in the dryer for 2 cycles and having everything just as cold & wet as when you put them in - it's disheartening. Then there were neighbors from hell: loud, huge parties on the weekends, chicken bones dumped over the balcony onto the patio below, patio chairs stolen. crazy.

So, the 1-year lease finally ended and she RAN back to the Alexandria end of Fairfax County, where she now lives in a home she rented first. And, she warns everyone moving to Fairfax city area: AVOID LAYTON HALL!

[walkinwater]

I've seen a few places that Layton Hall has some serious issues and it's too bad cause it's a great location. Thanks for the warning.