Good:
1. Walking distance to the metro is a huge plus. My fiancee and I both work in downtown D.C. and this convenience is undeniable. It is also not a bad walk to downtown Silver Spring which has a lot of restaurants (most chains, very commerical), a Borders, and a Whole Foods if you don't like the Giant across the parking lot.
2. Rent is reasonable and includes all utilities, so you know exactly what you are paying each week.
3. Maintenance is very friendly. For smaller problems they are slow, but emergencies they are extremely fast and helpful.

Bad:
1. BUGS! We are very clean people and wipe down counters every night and make sure everything is sealed and put away. But no matter what, every morning we turn the kitchen light on and we see ants and slightly larger, brown bug go running for dark areas (behind the fridge, stove, etc). It's gotten to the point where it is a game I play to see how many I can kill before they are all gone. What is even more frustrating is pest control came by a few days ago to service the building, and that day upon coming home from work, I noticed an increase in bugs. It was very disappointing.
2. While the leasing staff is friendly, they aren't entirely honest. For example, they told us that Blair Plaza was pet friendly and we would be able to get a dog. However, they failed to mention that dog are not permitted on anything above the 8th floor.
3. This is my 3rd apartment since moving to the D.C. area and the walls in this place are the thinnest yet. I constantly hear noise coming from neighbors on both sides of me (conversations and music).
4. Parking is inadequate at best. It is nearly impossible to find a parking spot after sunset. Often times when I come home late on a Sunday evening, I have to park in the Giant lot and just leave it to luck that a Blair space will open when I leave for work in the morning so I can move my car.

Summary:
Overall the apartment complex is not bad, but it is not great either. It definitely has issues, but it also provides really nice convenience. I guess what it comes down to are what are your priorities' Personally, we can't wait until our lease is over.

User Responses
From: ninja69	Date: 12/25/2008
Exactly the same problems when I lived there. I moved to Arlington one block to the Courthouse metro and I am happier than ever. I guess you realize even more how crappy things were at the Blairs after you experience the difference. Make sure you give them 60 days notice before you move out--we were 14 days late and had to pay $1050 difference. And also, hire a cleaning crew before you move out--no matter how clean your place is, they will take your deposit(which is small) but also send you a bill for the difference. I am SO frustrated with them, I wish I had never lived there...

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