In the spirit of informed decision-making, here's a full list of things we really loved about Archstone Fair Lakes and some things we wish we'd known before we rented.

What we liked:

Location. The complex is very close to many shops, grocery stores and Fair Oaks Mall - you can hit Safeway, Costco, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Target, Macy's, Sears, and tons more without driving a mile. Easy access to 66, Fairfax Country Parkway, Fairfax City and George Mason University. Free shuttle bus mornings and evenings to and from the Vienna metro eases commuting pressures.

Grounds and maintenance keep the place up very well - if you drop a piece of trash, they may beat you to it. My sister-in-law teases me about the time maintenance inexplicably came around with rock salt on a sunny winter day - and an hour later it snowed. There are no bug or rodent problems, and I think they actually vacuum the spiderwebs from building exteriors. Ordinary repairs are often done within a couple hours of a request.

Privacy. When maintenance or management needed to enter for any routine reason, we were informed well ahead of time and in writing. It's amazing the difference this made to us - we really felt like this was our home, not an extended hotel stay or temporary barracks. Most places make their tenants feel like reluctantly accepted and much-begrudged necessary evils. I don't get that feeling at all here. There's a basic level of respect at Archstone Fair Lakes that's hard to find anywhere.

A liberal pet policy is a plus for many. You are limited to 2 pets, but they do not have weight or breed restrictions. It can be hard to find a community with these kinds of amenities that doesn't discriminate against larger couch-potatoes or particular breeds. There are no unleashed, out of control or aggressive dogs, and it's an ideal situation for those who are between houses, or who don't want to choose between a nice apartment and a beloved pet.

Community amenities not listed on websites include barbecue areas and a car wash area. The pool is small, but unlike many apartment pools, you won't have the nerve-racking experience of watching a dozen unattended children attempt to drown each other. There are tennis and basketball courts, and a hot tub. There is no fitness center, but wooded trails are pretty and often used by fitness walkers. The trails are arguably suitable for casual jogging, but definitely not running, biking or rollerblading.

The area and community are quiet. Occasionally, someone will pull up in the lot with a stereo blasting, but it's kind of surprising when it happens. No shouting, no conversations carried on between top-floor decks and parking lots, and no loud parties. Car alarms rarely go off and buildings are well noise-proofed if they do.

Apartment amenities include wood-burning fireplaces, nice balconies, (generally new) wall to wall carpeting, pretty and spacious bathrooms, good-sized kitchens, really unbelievable closet space, outside storage areas on decks, dishwashers, central heat and a/c, and washers and dryers. Insulation is good and energy bills are relatively low.

Short and long-term leases provide a variety of options, so you can stay through your senior year of college or for a couple months while you house-hunt. Month-to-month leasing is expensive, but great if you discover house will be finished or your next apartment ready the month after your lease is set to expire.

Words to the wise:

Non-refundable fees abound. Move-in fees are not refundable. Pet deposits are not refundable. If you have two cats or dogs, expect to flat-out pay upwards of $1000 just to get in the door. They are up front about this and it is becoming standard for the area, but it is a consideration since routine rent hikes prevent some from staying more than a year and they do keep the money whether you stay for 1 year or 10.

Expect to pay separately for everything. No utilities are included. You will be charged (minimally) for things like trash removal. If you have pets, you will pay rent for each of them as well, and in addition to your non-refundable deposit. Parking is incredibly cheap at $30, but you still have to pay it. You can pay your water bill with your rent, which is a new and convenient service. But by the time you're done, your $1200 unit can run you $1350 with fees included, before you get to things like electricity. And with all of it, you might need a CPA to calculate what you owe each month. A new online payment service can simplify this tremendously and none of this info is hidden by Archstone, but it is worth considering if you already know you'd have to stretch to make rent.

Noise. There is no horizontal noise between apartments, but lateral noise is a problem. Unless you live on the top floor, you WILL hear your neighbor's footfalls, a good deal of creaking, any objects dropped, maybe their washer and dryer, and definitely any enthusiastic lovemaking. If you choose to live on the top floor, they will hear you - and you may then hear about it in the form of an embarrassing noise complaint. Many of the residents are on the young side, and YOU don't go to bed until THEY go to bed - even if that means 3 a.m. If your neighbors have children, are children themselves, own two boisterous mastiffs, have 4 roommates, really dislike each other, or are very amorous, it could be a real problem.

Rent hikes. This was the big one for us. Once they have you here, management assumes you'll do almost anything to avoid the hassle of moving. Annual hikes of $100-$200 can turn a bargain into an impossibility. Consequently, turnover is very high - after a year, you might as well get something equivalently sized in Arlington or Old Town. Strangely, management will do this even when a third of the units are empty ('!). And of course, once one or two people can't afford to stay, it attracts multiple-roommate situations, greatly exacerbating noise problems and straining neighbor relations.

Overpopulation. Though the leasing office strictly limits the number of tenants per unit, there is very little management can do about sneaky tenants who cram half a dozen people into a 1 bedroom. This seems to have evened out, and thankfully, management handles it quietly and politely, without intrusive, gestapo-style raids on the whole community.

Crime. This is not a big problem and improved dramatically in the last year, but we lost a few car stereos and some miscellaneous items before we wised up and invested in a good auto alarm. The units themselves are safe and I haven't heard of any burglaries, robberies, or assaults of any kind in the complex. But given rising crime problems all over the area, getting the mail in the secluded and poorly lit alcove provided is not for the faint-hearted.

Trash dumpsters are always full and often overflowing - unsurprising given the high population and high turnover. You can always find an empty dumpster, but it can be a hike and many just pile up bags in the area. Fortunately, decorative wood fencing and heroic efforts by maintenance mean this is neither an eyesore nor a health hazard. It's just mildly annoying.

Big dogs. No weight restrictions are a decisive draw for many, but if you are terrified of pit bulls and rottweilers, you probably won't be comfortable here (duh). Again, in my experience, the dogs here seem well-socialized and very nice. If your windows are open, you may hear occasional barking. I don't know if the noise carries through to nearby units.

Big dogs = big dog poop. Owners are pretty respectful about cleaning up after their dogs, and there are stations with baggies and trash cans around the complex and on the wooded trails. However, in less frequented public areas, owners are less diligent, and it is not uncommon to find quite a few horse-sized piles mouldering in the sun. In any case, if you're sensitive to such things, you might want to avoid units with decks adjoining disposal stations, which unavoidably reek in 90-degree heat.

Maintenance is courteous, helpful and smart, they keep the place running smoothly - pretty amazing since construction is iffy (lots of rotten-looking wood and shoddy carpentry). Plumbing is great, water pressure is adequate, and a real effort is made to upgrade appliances, but these are not new buildings. Try to get a unit where drawers, cabinets and other woodwork have been replaced recently.

Parking can be dicey, though it is still far easier than in most buildings in the area. You get one unassigned space and can purchase a covered one. But the covered space may not be in front of your building and after 9 p.m., you may not be able to find a free space close by. I don't know if this is because many apartments are overcrowded, but it is definitely a new problem within the past year. But you WILL find a space. An aggressive towing company is aggravating but has helped, and an adequate number of guest spaces ensures that friends can still visit easily, at least in early evening.

The shuttle stops at several local complexes and businesses, and it will take an hour to an hour and a half to commute each way to and from downtown D.C.. If you miss the shuttle, you'll have to wait half an hour for the next one. Not a problem, exactly, but don't expect a 30-minute commute downtown.

Location (reprise). Great for shopping, local retail jobs, and GMU students. Not great for much else. Archstone Fair Lakes is on the western edge of Fairfax, bordering Chantilly, and equidistant from Oakton and Centreville. Be aware that there are several equivalent complexes two or three miles away in Chantilly that are a couple hundred dollars a month cheaper, if living in Fairfax isn't important to you.

About your neighbors: This is a very nice community, but it is not a chichi, self-consciously upscale suburban community. You won't see a lot of BMW's here; you won't see any cars up on blocks either. Expect a few corporate/service vehicles, some college and new-grad beaters, and lots of new Accords and Camrys. There are college students, young marrieds, relocated federally employed house-hunters of all ages, and yes, as earlier reviews indicated, many, many recent immigrants. If you are looking for an "exclusive community" of very well-to-do, well-established, tony executives, or if impressing friends and coworkers with your address is a priority, you might want to look elsewhere. g-hKOS7s4Nq5n3hEIpHd

User Responses
From: LizardBreath	Date: 03/26/2005
Obviously, you either work for the company or were paid good money to write this review.
From: papap	Date: 07/17/2005
yes i think the same Obviously, you either work for the company or were paid good money to write this review.

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