We started our apartment hunting in January 2008. After weeks of hunting, the outlook was getting very grim. We were searching for an apartment with two bedrooms with a washer/dryer in the unit for under $1,200. Nothing (aside from the ludicrous 'rent-controlled' apartments)met our needs.
On a whim, I entered in my email address on an Equity site (not sure which now), and the same day, Robert emailed me back. We came to visit that weekend and signed the papers that day.

The management is just wonderful here; Maureen and Robert are fantastic, dealing with my million questions and requests with a smile. They try very hard to make the place a community with things such as cook outs, pool parties, contests and such. We also get periodic newsletters and surveys to keep us/them updated.

The apartments are quaint, you can tell they were made in the 80s, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The newer, renovated apartments are beautiful with black appliances; the older ones have a weird cream/wood theme going on in the kitchen and bathroom.

The space is really great for an apartment! We have the 2 bed, 1.25 bath (full bath and extra vanity with sink) and it's perfect for the two of us (married couple). There is space in the kitchen for a small table and we use the 'dining' area as a library/reading nook. We are artists and require a good amount of space and find the master bedroom to be plenty of room for our work. The second bedroom is cozy, perfect for our deep pocket queen bed (could do a king, possibly).

The best part about the apartment is the deck! It's a nice, covered deck/patio so, we can sit out there with our plants and a book on a rainy day. I really appreciate that the management are strict about tenants keeping their decks tidy, it makes for an overall better-looking neighborhood.

The washer/dryer are typical apartment type, very small and stacked in a little closet. They work just fine, not too noisy. We are VERY grateful to have them, who wants to spend hours sitting in a laundry room'

There are a total of four functioning closets in our model: a big master closet, a nice, deep, linen closet, a coat closet in the foyer, and a closet in the second bedroom. Thank goodness for those two extra closets! Also, we put a few things like TP on top of the water heater in the bathroom closet (naughty us).

The management allows pets with a deposit and a monthly pet rent, but I'm thankful they do allow them! No weight restriction on dogs, either. You are limited to two pets, though.

Also, we get an AWESOME deal with Gold's Gym in Herndon, $75 a year, no initiation fee.

Overall, Waterside is great, however, I do have a few gripes (which the management is graciously helping with):

-The neighbors can be excessively loud. However, it isn't really that we can hear them through the walls, etc., it's when people stand outside and yell, scream on their cell phones, leave their motorcycle on until it sets off car alarms that gets really annoying. But hey, that's what you get when you live in Northern Virginia. I've been living with these type of folks for 25 years, but it's tough to get used to. The upside is, Maureen is awesome about sending out fliers to buildings that get complaints, so that's great.

-The un-renovated kitchens are really leaving something to be desired. I love the space for the little table, but if you do much more than the occasional cooking, you're going to feel really cramped in there. The sink, oven and fridge are TINY and I often find myself cursing about how my champagne flutes won't fit in any of the cabinets (the shelves aren't adjustable). The cabinets are designed in a very weird lay-out and don't fit a lot of the flatware, etc. that has increased in size over the last twenty years. The color scheme is pretty ugly, but not too offensive.

-Be *careful* about keeping your tags up to date! I have been towed one day after my DMV tag was overdue, and leaving a note that the sticker is in the mail won't cut it. They tow you over to Chantilly and charge you 150 bucks for the tow. They go around the neighborhood at night making lots of noise towing people...I feel like Big Brother is watching my car at all times!

So, I would certainly recommend Waterside. The price is decent and you get a lot for your rent (well, for the area). The staff is so nice and helpful and the grounds are kept up well. It's really convenient to everything, a mile or two from most anything you'd need, including the toll road and Fairfax County Parkway. I expect to be here for a while! Thanks, Waterside staff! :)

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