Arlington Oaks? (Fairfax: apartment complex, lease, condos)

[sunshining]

Hi! I am looking to possibly rent at Arlington Oaks (www.arlingtonoaks.com) in Arlington. The problem is that I will be relocating to the area, and will be unable to view the area "in person" prior to moving in. The photos look great, but I need some "local" advice. I am not sure what neighborhood/community this property is located in, and since I am a single female and will be working late nights at times, I would appreciate some feedback on the area and safety. They mentioned that a Metrobus stops right at the property which is nice, of course. I have been advised to look mostly in North Arlington, since safety is a factor for me and I believe this is in North Arlington, correct? Thanks!

[car54]

That is North Arlington, but not by much. It is just north of Arlington Blvd (Rt 50) which divides Arlington into north and south.

FYI: even numbered zip codes are South Arlington, odd are North Arlington.

That sounds like it is or is near the old Buckingham community....WWII era brick garden apartments. There used to be a LOT of immigrants there, but I think they've run most of them out.

[irvine]

Arlington Oaks is in an attractive, ethnically diverse area. It is safe, and part of the old Buckingham Village, a garden apartment complex that has seen waves of gentrification in recent years. In the early 90s the area had a serious gang problem, but that has largely if not completely disappeared. Arlington Oaks is near an established upper-middle class neighborhood, Ashton Heights, and Ballston, an urban neighborhood popular with young professionals. Lubber Run Park, an attractive forested area with trails is a five minute walk. The area as a whole is safe and attractive, even if some of the old shopping strips might seem a bit worn.

[athena2]

I bought a cond there in 1998 as a single, 25-year-old female and lived there for four years. While I lived there, a large section of the neighborhood was rehabbed into more upscale apartments. In the past few years there has been even more development. It is still a somewhat diverse neighborhood but super convenient and totally safe.

[Anchorage418]

I actually moved here and was unable to view the neighborhood first; it is under a lot of re-development now, which is good, but if you view the Arlington crime reports for all of 2010, you will see a LOT of activity in this neighborhood (this would apply to anyone thinking of moving in now). I moved from another LARGE city to here, and while I never felt unsafe outside late at night, I don't feel safe here and will be moving when my lease is up. As for AO itself, there are a lot of problems with the buildings (hot water, heat, bugs, etc).

[statecollege]

I lived in Buckingham in the late 60s right out of college. I needed to be within walking distance of work, because I had no car. This was before any conversion to condos. The area was old, but the rent cheap. I had never lived with cockroaches before, and was totally knocked off my feet the first night I turned on the kitchen light and saw bunches of them scurrying for cover! I'm not saying they still exist, but another poster with recent experience cites "bugs." The great thing about this place is its location close to the Ballston corridor with Metro and nice commercial areas. Don't discount all of S. Arlington. Fairlington Villages, Park Fairfax, and a host of new apartments are in the Shirlington area of S. Arlington and are great neighborhoods with immediate bus access to I-395 into DC.