My wife and chose the Woods of Marlton after seeing a lot of places in the general area that were either a) overpriced, b) in frightening-looking locations, c) frightening-looking themselves, or d) some combination of the above. We enlisted the help of a rental-search company who sent us to many of the above, some of which we?d already found and discarded ourselves. Then, driving aimlessly and with visions of future homlessness dancing in our heads (such state being preferable to all the places we?d seen that we could afford), we saw a billboard advertising the Woods. With a little effort we found the place. Very attractive. GORGEOUS pool. The price was a little more than we wanted to pay, but with a move-in promotion we managed to swing it.

Sadly, the pool closed for the season the day we moved in. It sure looked good, though, seen through the office windows when we paid our rent every month. The other fitness facilities were nice and well-maintained.

Service requests were generally responded to quickly and effectively. The staff was uniformly courteous and professional. The place was attractive and well-managed.

So what?s the "but..."'

Though it wasn?t in a run-down neighborhood, the fact that it was still in a D.C. suburb was brought home when my car was broken into the very first night we lived there. It never happened again, but I regularly saw cars full of young men in gang colors cruise into and through the parking lot, obviously scoping things out.

It was also about the most inconvenient place I?ve ever lived as far as commuting, or doing anything away from home was concerned. The nearest shopping was in Waldorf, a 20 minute drive away. Also the nearest movie theatres, said theatres being the multiplex at the mall which limited the entertainment choices -- for most of the more adventurous options in movies (or for ANY options in live theatre, music, etc.) we had to drive into or across D.C., which typically means an hour drive minimum each way. Same goes for restaurants (Upper Marlboro, the closest town, DID have a very good pizza place). It would have only been about a 30 minute drive to see the Washington Wizards (then the Bullets) play, but pre-Jordan, who would want to'

Commuting was terrible.

Keeping in mind that these problems are ones of location, and that the alternatives all looked much worse, and that the apartments themselves were quite nice... if you have to live near D.C., and want to be on the Prince Georges County (East) side, and can take driving a distance to do most things, it?s a nice place.

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