Review for Ballston Park Apartments

I moved to Ballston Park in September 2003 and started out paying $1125/month for a 1 BR with a W/D in the unit. I've been happy with the place, (there's always plenty of parking around my building, the office staff is very nice and gets things done quickly, the appliances are new, the apartment is really cute and clean) but I did not renew my lease this year because of the price hike. It went to $1170 last year, now it's going to $1210 (with only water paid for). My building was a little further than others from the Metro - about a 10 minute walk to VA Square and a 15 min walk to Ballston, but right outside there are several bus stops that will take you to Ballston, 7 Corners, Tysons Corner, and Rosslyn. The Harris Teeter down the road is very nice and entrances to HWY 50 and 66 are very close. My 1 BR had plenty of space for me - plenty of closet storage, but I could have used more space in the kitchen and bathroom. The office staff is very nice (especially Judy, who remembers your name) and took care of a problem with my neighbors very promptly and professionally. The office is open during certain hours on the weekend, too, which is convenient. Having a W/D in the apartment is nice, but definitely pushes the price up (they also have units without a W/D). I was on the second floor, which I would recommend for single females.

Some drawbacks - I used to have loud neighbors downstairs and one across the hall, but now my neighbors are very quiet, so noise isn't a problem now (but it certainly can be). Also, if you're in an apartment along Glebe, the traffic can be kind of loud. The windows are single paned and it gets drafty in the winter. Since you pay for electricity, it's kind of annoying to be paying for warm air that's being lost. The windows also sweat in the winter when it's cold and your heater is on...be sure to put some towels down along the bottom. I've seen a few bugs (centipedes, a roach or two), but nothing too bad. They inspect the apartment pretty regularly. The gym isn't so great...just a few machines in the same building as the office, so I never used it. Overall, this isn't a bad place and I enjoyed my time here...just getting a little expensive for me. The drawbacks are minor. No apartment is perfect.