Best Websites For Apartment Reviews/Ratings (Arlington, Alexandria: sublet, apartment complex, to rent)

[DCguy03]

One of my friends is looking to move into an apartment complex near the Clarendon metro in Arlington.

I told him to check out a site like 4wallsinDC for reviews of the complex before he moves in, but he said that they aren't accurate because management offices post reviews on there.

Has anyone had a good or bad experience with apartment review sites? Are there are any other sites that you prefer?

[Kaillus]

Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed
just click on Arlington.

Not every apartment complex is in there, but most are. I have read a lot of the reviews for various sites, and you have to be weary of whats written. I believe the ones with specific stories and information over all others.

It's been said that the apartment management teams post fake reviews to make them look better, but who knows.

It's hard findings an apartment in Arlington, there are a lot, and you don't know what to believe in the reviews. Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church is where I have been focusing. As I would expect, the best places are the most expensive. Since I am starting a new career, back working at the bottom, again, I can not afford the places I would like to.

I hope you can afford a nicer place than I can.

Good luck.

[EuroExpat]

Also, keep in mind that people tend to complain rather than post positive things. Rarely anyone wants to post their rating on an apartment complex because they like it there, when they're very unhappy they want others to know it. I've used apartmentratings before.

[msjack]

I use to use (?) it when I was searching for apartments. It does have some great info. I even posted about my old complex. And yes it was negative, but I thought people should know that the complex was full of gang members and the building next to me was full of MS-13 members. So I wasn't just trying to complain, but let others know about serious safety issues. Especially, for females who lived alone, like I did then. (And I did know for a fact that it was MS-13, because the officers that were constantly there told me, which just happened to be after a stabbing out front of the building.)

[DCguy03]

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions! Apartment Ratings seems to have the largest number of reviews, and I will let my friend know about it.

As for finding a new apartment, kallius, Craigslist has worked out well for me. I am also just starting my career, so price is important to me too.

Take a look at the "rooms and shares" section on craigslist to rent a room in an apartment with other roommates. If you look hard enough, you can sometimes get a real bargain on a summer sublet in Arlington. Most people start to post them around April or May, and when they are desperate (i.e. going away for the summer), you can get a great discount on the rent!

Good luck to you too.

[Arlington123Guy]

I am a former tenant of Taylor Place located on Columbia Pike in Arlington. Residents of this awful place were put thru a lot of problems when the company decided to empty the building for renovations.

If anyone is thinking of moving there check out apartmentratings.com

or the blog we created (and still update)

Taylor Place Residents Blog (Now The Whitmore)

Taylor Place (Parent Company UDR, is now the subject of a class action lawsuit in California for wrongly evicting tenants.

The Arlington County Tenant/Landlord office and the Arlington county Board had to end up intervening in the end.

Its though to find good decent housing without paying an arm and a leg in this market. Do your research before you rent.

Peace!

[Treeg1999]

[LEFT]
We have lived here for 8 months and cannot WAIT to leave. Both my fianc and I are working professionals and barely even at home. However, we have noted the following in our tenure at Keswick Park.

The management of the complex is completely NON-EXISTANT. The rules are not enforced; tenants do whatever they want and most are quite trashy and disrespectful, despite the appearance of a nice area . For example, the rules of the complex clearly state that dogs must be on leashes yet many are not and recently we were attacked by a dog that was not on a leash.

Also, supposedly you are allowed to have no more than 65lbs of (dog or dogs) in each unit. Yet again many people have much larger dogs and/or several dogs that are well over that weight. (I know this because my dog is very close to the weight limit).

In addition, while using the gym facilities that are supposedly open to all residents we were verbally assaulted by some lunatic who threaten to kill us. This was at 6 AM and we had absolutely no dealings with this woman on any level, at any time, we were working out minding our own business. We filed a police report and asked the apartment complex to give the police the name of this individual for the report and they refused even after several phone calls by the police to obtain this.

Also, it is against the rules to not clean up after your dog and no one abides by this rule either, making the grounds completely unsanitary. My dog caught some sort of parasite since we have been here, costing me well over $500.00 in vet bills.

Further, tenants are not supposed to have grills on their porches and/or balconies as it is a huge fire risk, yet many, many people have them and grill every evening in the summer and no one enforces this dangerous fire hazard either.

Given the seriousness of these matters I strongly urge you to keep looking for a place to live! You do not want your families in a place like this. Trust me!

[/LEFT]

[dkf747]

I checked reviews of my current apartments and the last review was in 2007 under their old name. Nothingt under the current name. I checked some older communities that we had lived in and one had very accurate reviews while the other didn't. It's hit or miss with those sites.