Apartment Searching - Please Help (Arlington, Alexandria: hardwood floors, apartments, rental)

[stoavio]

Hi all,

I'll try to be succinct as I'm sure this question has been asked and answered ad nauseam . I'm relocating to Northern VA for a job in Woodbridge (22191) sight unseen. After hours spent compiling lists of apartments and comparing data, I'm highly discouraged by the staggering number of negative reviews most places are receiving. Even places touting themselves as luxe are getting slammed. Granted, most people will crow when they have something bad to say and go mute when things are satisfactory so I'm taking that into consideration.

I'm hoping someone with an understanding of the area can help guide me. I'd love to be as close to the city/attractions as possible but I understand I'll have to temper this "requirement" with the reality of what my income allows for.

Things to consider:

- I'm a 22 year old single male with an annual income of 40k.

- My monthly rent (including utilities/fees) should be $1,500 or less. I own a cat and a car.

- I would prefer my commute to work (Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge, VA) be 45 minutes or less one-way. Ideally I would like to live in an area that allows for quick access to shopping, restaurants, attractions, etc.

- I only require a 1 bedroom / 1 bath unit. I prefer the industrial/urban/contemporary style of architecture and decore.

I hear a lot of bad things about Woodbridge (Hoodbridge?!) but this is obviously the conjecture of others.

If you had a job in Woodbridge, what part of Northern VA would you want to live in (Arlington, Alexandria, Manassas)? Which complexes specifically? I thought Kettler-owned complexes looked nice but then I looked up reviews for them on www.apartmentratings.com and was completely shocked. I'd love to hear from people who can personally attest to living someplace but will take any advice at this point!

Please help! Thank you! (so much for brevity, eh?)

-Mason

[FindingZen]

First, the good news: by finding the relatively rare work opportunity in Woodbridge, you have the chance to limit your commuting time and rental budget in an area than can easily consume both.

Now, the bad news: There is nowhere particularly close to Woodbridge where you'll find a confluence of 20somethings.

In Woodbridge itself, it has been said on the forum that the Lake Ridge section is pne of the more appealing sections of town. It also appeals primarily to families.

Manassas may not be a bad choice, especially if you choose to live in the Old Town area. Your budget should be able to fit that pretty easily.

A stretch of neighborhoods in Arlington act as the 20something mecca of Northern Virginia: Court House, Ballston, Clarendon and Virginia Square with Clarendon being the epicenter within that. Alexandria's Old Town and Del Ray areas are both active if a little more laid-back than Arlington; the demographics skew a bit older in both areas. Arlington and Alexandria are both fairly convenient to a reverse commute to Woodbridge via I-95. If your employer offers a flexible schedule, that would be helpful to reduce travel time. Otherwise, an hour commute would not be unreasonable.

I would throw in (Old Town) Fredericksburg too except you would be in the thick of the I-95 commute.

Other compromises might include Lorton, Kingstowne and Springfield, all just north of Woodbridge. They're all your "typical" suburban areas with their unique advantages. Beyond some regional/national chain restaurants, they will serve best a convenient place between work down in Woodbridge and other socializing opportunities further north.

Good luck!

[stoavio]

Also, I'm reaching out here because once I arrive my employer is only allowing 2 days for me to locate a place to live and move my stuff in. Since this is such a restrictive timetable it would really help to go there with a few solid recommendations in mind.

[stoavio]

Thanks a lot for your helpful response! I'll look into apartments in those areas you suggested.

Does anyone have any specific apartments/townhouses to recommend?

[Bigfoot424]

As a long time police officer (now retired) for this county including Woodbridge I would strongly recommend staying out of Woodbridge. If it were me I'd go to Lake Ridge. The below listed complex has minor issues but I really can't recall anything major happening there while I was there. Stay far from Bayvue, Longview and anything along the Rt 1 corridor.

Springwoods at Lake Ridge

12395 Midsummer Lane
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Call: 1 (866) 434-9620

[stoavio]

^ Thanks Bigfoot. I'll be checking the springwood complex out when I go in a week.

I'm looking for complexes that are as close in caliber to these as possible:

The Courts at Huntington Station
courtsathuntington.com

Alexan Carlyle
alexancarlyle.com

Unfortunately, those two complexes are just outside of my price reach. Can anyone suggest something comparable style/amenity wise?

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by stoavio

^ Thanks Bigfoot. I'll be checking the springwood complex out when I go in a week.

I'm looking for complexes that are as close in caliber to these as possible:

The Courts at Huntington Station
courtsathuntington.com

Alexan Carlyle
alexancarlyle.com

Unfortunately, those two complexes are just outside of my price reach. Can anyone suggest something comparable style/amenity wise?

Wow, I didn't realize there were apartments in that new development. (Huntington Station). In any case, check out nearby Riverside and Belle Haven Towers for more reasonable rates. Just don't expect to be wowed by the Huntington neighborhood in general. In short, there are some petty issues but the area is rapidly improving with newer developments. Commuting professionals primarily occupy the high-rise apartments and condos nearby. I-95 is virtually next door. You'd be doing your grocery shopping further down Route 1. You may prefer the strip malls that house the Giant, Safeway and second Shoppers a little more than the one with the first Shoppers anchor.

The best alternative to Alexan Caryle might be Monticello Lee a little further southeast. You'd actually be a little closer to the heart of the action in Old Town Alexandria and the connection to I-95 isn't that far away. You can get your basic shopping done in Belle Haven, just a few minutes down the road.

[stoavio]

Thanks again Tone! I was checking out Monticello Lee online and it looks like they don't have dish washers and washer/dryers in the units. Is that correct? Otherwise it looks quite nice. I think it's worth visiting as I've heard it referenced in a positive way multiple times on the forum.

[debernan]

To be honest, at your price level, finding a nice place with a washer/dryer in unit is going to be rough (I know, my boyfriend and I were looking for a place recently with a similar price range). And the ones that do have the washer/dryer are either the 2-in-1 or the teeny tiny stackable ones - either of which results in you getting hardly any clothes washed. Monticello-Lee is very nice, though, and the renovated units may actually include a dish washer (they do have very nice kitchens and hardwood floors). When we looked at them 2 weeks ago, they had several 1 bedroom units available. However, they're not at ALL your urban/contemporary/industrial style you want - they're charming and quaint haha.

[stoavio]

@Deberman: Thanks for the response! I'll certainly be checking out Monticello-Lee since so many have recommended it.

I'm willing to compromise on certain things. I was just laying out my ideal criteria but a unit that fits that criteria is outside of my price range, I guess I'll just have to be flexible.

City Center apartments in Manassas fits the bill. I'll be visiting them tomorrow and will let you know how it goes.

Any other suggestions? Thanks!