Disadvantages
* large rental increases to reach "market rent" our rent was $1339 initially (1bd 1bth no pkg) including all utilities. It increased to $1449 (this was after negotiation – the new management staff will not negotiate and we’ll be leaving early next year). Currently 1bd’s advertised at > $1800. I know of another couple living here who have had a new 12 month lease increase of $200 a month. Forget about DC “rental control”, the rent ceilings on Van Ness South are > $3000 a month now, so legally Archstone Smith is entitled to increase your rent to > $3000 a month if the market will pay it.
* flexible lease terms – this means you can pay $1800 a month for a 12 month lease, or $2500 a month for a 3 month lease. seems really flexible!
* peeling paint (since they just keep painting, repainting and then repainting some more)... there’s paint dating back to the 1970’s under there...
* original bathrooms
* some mould in summer on/near the AC unit as the AC is an older style system fully inside the unit (you don’t control if it’s in heat/cold mode the building does). It’s also fun on the switch over as you’ll have water flushing through the AC system pipes at 2AM.
* totalitarian management - for example the access cards were changed recently. Many apartments had 2 or 3 access cards under the old system. They might have only had 1 person on their lease in a family. The management office asked for $150 for each "additional" access card for non-lease covered occupants e.g. your children, wife, husband etc. These occupants already had access cards on the old system. Some people were told they could add people to the lease at a cost of $240. I think you’ll find it is illegal to deny access to an apartment covered by a lease during it’s term. The security system swap occurred a week earlier than planned (as notified in writing by the management office).
* 2 months notice to leave, but you’ll receive your new lease 1 month before your current lease expires.
* parking spaces are expensive $125 a month

Advantages
* very large apartments e.g. 1000 sq ft for a 1bd 1bth
* renovated kitchens
* swimming pool – although the management wanted to charge $50 pp for access cards (see totalitarian management below :)
* relatively quite, the residents are considerate of their neighbors. Some noise due to the usual wooden floor noises, but you’ll have that anywhere. The ceilings are high.
* lot’s of closet storage and walk in wardrobes
* close to metro

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