If you are looking to buy in this area, I would not suggest the Windy Hill community, unless you…read moreare willing to try and get yourself on the HOA and overturn the current members. The current board lacks common sense, courtesy, and compassion. We recently sold our town house in the Windy Hill community. We paid to $250 for the management company to send us our 'certified' HOA papers. However, before they would send this they sent us a list of items that needed to be complete, including: 1. Painting the front door an 'approved color' (note we inherited this door when we bought it 3 years ago). When we looked at the list we saw the color of our door was listed, so we didn't paint (we completed all other items). The board brought a sample of 1 color listed on their documents and said we were not in compliance, the management company wrote back that our door was not the color they brought over, but was black. We replied, yes which is the first color listed in the approved colors below. They clearly wanted us to paint it a specific color, but because this was in their documents they had to let it go, but they had their revenge. 2. Painting the pillars a specific paint color of Duron paint that is no longer made. We color matched from the current formula, but after painting it the board came back and said it was not approved. Given that most homes close within 30 days we were naturally in a time crunch. In our specific situation it was even worse, because we had a vacation scheduled for our closing date and were gone the last 2 weeks before the closing. The board compounded our issue because they didn't email us about these changes until 2 days after they met. They didn't say the pillars were the wrong color, so at 10pm the night before we left my husband went back to the house and put another coat of paint on the pillars. A few days later (while on vacation we heard from the management company that the pillars were 'more lemony' than the formula we were given, and they then added another item to our list of things to fix that was not on the original list. My husband was able to get in touch with a handyman who knew the area and after $600 we had them painted. Again, we asked the board for their approval ( it took 4 days to get them to look at it, any they were aware our closing date was that week). We got their approval on the pillars, but they again added another item not on the list. This was 2 days before our closing. We did not get our certified papers until the day of closing. This collective group of bullies almost cost us the sale of our home (tell me how does that help home values in your neighborhood)? And I am aware they did this to at least one other family whose husband was transferred to Houston. Even the management company couldn't understand, why the board was being so unreasonable but the board the board informed us they were doing us a 'favor' because they are only obligated to look at these improvements once a month (again think about how quickly it takes to close on a property). The current board is not doing anything to help the current residents, they are obsessed with the tiny amount of power they have in the world and they use it to make other people's lives miserable.

From the owner: We are a small community located in Alexandria, Virginia, just a short drive from Washington, DC…read more Our community is made up of condominiums, townhomes and single family homes. We have a tot lot, a swimming pool and a clubhouse available for our residents.

We purchased in 2006 and have been very happy there. The community was built in the 90s so it's…read morerelatively new, and the townhomes are attractive with vaulted ceilings, gas fireplaces, and modern amenities. The community itself has nice landscaping and includes a beautiful new garden area with BBQs, swimming pool (free for residents), rock garden, waterfall, etc. There's also a nice children's playground immediately nearby with jungle gyms, slides, sandbox, etc. There's a bus stop immediately outside the entrance of the community that takes you to the Pentagon City metro. To encourage green transportation, residents receive $20 pre-paid metro cards every quarter. If you prefer to drive, you can be on 395 within literally two minutes after leaving the community. Each townhome has a two-car garage, but you can rent additional spaces if you need a semi-permanent additional space (for example, for a long-term visitor or a nanny who might visit every day). About a mile down the road is historic Fort Ward Park, which features picnic areas, an outdoor performance theater, a Civil War museum, jogging tracks, park rangers, etc. It's very nice and scenic. About a mile in the other direction is the Alexandria campus of NoVA community college, so there's no shortage of dogwalkers, babysitters, etc for hire. It's also convenient to drop by the campus during the week-end and take classes in photography, foreign languages, arts, etc. if you have the time and interest. However, the campus is far enough away that the students are never a problem. There's a nice profile in the Washington Post that has more info, and can be viewed here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/23/AR2007032300892.html Hope this review was helpful!

If you're considering buying or renting here, I would think twice about it based on your parking…read moreneeds. I have rented here for about 28 months. We live in one of the large walk up town homes and pay a premium for it. The first year we lived here, there was never guest parking and there were constantly the same seemingly abandoned cars there every day. Some of them not moving for weeks at a time. We complained about it, but that was never addressed. Fast forward a year and it's now the complete opposite. No one is allowed in guest parking. We have a child care worker that comes to our home Monday - Friday from 10AM until 6PM. Possibly the most underutilized guest parking times that exists. 98% of the time she parked in the visitor lot nearest our place, there was no one else there. She came after visitors left, and was gone before they arrived. However the parking "police" of the HOA took issue with it and decided to begin harassing us with threats to tow. We tried to utilize our owners and other neighbors to petition the HOA to give us an exemption of some sort, but there was zero help. The next closest legal street parking is not even remotely close enough. We've had to bum driveways space from neighbors and this has ultimately led to our moving out of here. It's way too expensive to have such poor management and leadership from a HOA. It's been maddening. I hadn't read the other one star reviews, and I think it's only fair that I say this is a gorgeous and unique neighborhood for where it is, and it is extremely safe. My problems are with the management, which unfortunately have overshadowed any of the positives. Again, if you don't have child care, elder care, dependent care, friends, family, or an extended visit from the Jehovahs Witnesses, you'll likely find this to be a fine community.

They take low priority on community issues. I have not had a good experience with them at all.read more

3/24/20 Driving by this area on a daily basis, I had begun…read moreto wonder where this park leads to? I got my answers this past this past Saturday when my wife and I went on a speed walk around the Lakeford Community Association area. The housing sits near a manmade pond with the sounds of wild life all around it. The path we found started by the tennis courts and heads to the dam where the sidewalk ends.  I was disappointed because I wanted to walk along the creek and venture deeper into the forrest, but that wasn't an option. However, the sounds of a waterfall was refreshing.   I also enjoyed watching the family of ducks swim under water for food.  How they see in what looked like dark waters is beyond me.  I could look this up, but right now I like not knowing and enjoying the moment.  There is a second part of this pond that continues under Fairview Drive and it is a much smaller walk. I did not enjoy this section as much as the larger side of the pond.  Maybe it's the view, the bridges and the tennis courts that caught my eye. Maybe there was more wildlife to see than the other side of the pond, but it is worth checking out.   We also checked out Parkland pathway, but this just leads to more townhouses and not much else to see. Unless you have your water boots on and go walking up the creek. If your feeling very brave, walk into the tunnels and explore under the roads. All in all, I found this walk near the lake to be a fun way to spend some of the day in this new year of the Coronavirus.  People were out and about, but were keeping their distances. The new term for this year will be Social Distancing.   Two words that were never meant to be used together.  The movie Demolition Man comes to mind. There is a scene  where to cops (Rob Schneider and Benjamin Bratt) rub hands without touching each other.  Then my mind goes to what Sandra Bullock said about human contact. "Rampant exchange of bodily fluids was one of the major reasons of the downfall of the society. After AIDS, there was NRS, after NRS, there was UBT. One of the first things Dr. Cocteau was able to do was outlaw...and behaviorally engineer all fluid transfer out of socially acceptable behavior...." Yes!, this means NO KISSING....I am really getting away from my topic.  Lakeford area gave me the idea of living in an area like this. The thought is amusing, but I know my wife wouldn't want that. Not at this time anyways. I will most likely walk this way again and see this beautiful landscape again. This area is very peaceful.

Look no further for all of your settlement needs. This is THE place to go to ensure that you are…read morewell taken care of and all of the details are accounted for. Whether you are going about your purchase on your own or with a realtor, you're simply not going to be taken care of any better than they do at Settlement Ink. Joy was true to her namesake...a true JOY to work with and get to know. Her and her entire team were incredibly thorough and truly made us feel like we were valued customers and friends. I cannot recommend Settlement Ink highly enough and will be returning for their services for any settlement needs we may have in the future!

Joy and Amanda made the whole experience of closing on our condo sale really pleasant. Due to HOA…read moreproblems, we had to complete the paperwork twice, and each time was easy and streamlined thanks to the folks here. They are warm, fun, and organized. They were very helpful with anxiety due to some last minute delays, and we are super grateful to them for their help. You will definitely get great service and enjoy working with these folks!

Paul, Thank you…read morefor taking the time to respond. I would like to clarify that I am a resident and not a Board member, new or old or whatever you inferred. I gather that the Board's decision to change management companies clearly derived from resident dissatisfaction of services rendered. My opinion of Sentry over the last 5 or 6 years still stands. I do not appreciate highlighting my possible place of residence on an open forum. That being said, I feel that a 70 year old building in a historic district of a very desired zip code warrants a more strategic outlook rather a band-aid patch here and there. There is a certain level of expertise that is needed to manage communities here as the City's Architectural Review Board is very stringent on their expectations of following rules. It's not just a condo complex; it's a very visible gateway to a very unique, preserved, historic and touristic area. I used to see residents doing walk abouts to keep abreast of the property; the non-Sentry grounds keeper noted more issues than any assigned property manager (and there have been numerous.) I almost wonder what Sentry was managing --- as it has the word "Management" in its very name. I don't know if you've ever walked the grounds -- and certainly you can't compare it to what it used to be because you don't know what to compare it to. But I have lived there since the conversion. You should walk the grounds and while you do, stop and look at the discolored concrete slabs that "replaced" perfectly good ones with ones with an odd hue, while clearly cracked and broken ones remained untouched. Stop and look at the seams filled in with goop so sloppily that they pour down the sides. Right before the white washed red brick behind the cheaply painted black railing over the rust without appropriately sanding it down. Want to take a look at the water damaged roof that is historic slate? Sentry's contractors sure didn't. It took years before someone actually walked a roof, but residents were told each time a complaint was made that "the issue was resolved and a repair was made." You probably can't do all that because his company was sold out of state. Hard to do a walk through from Florida. PS. I sat through a few board meetings and I can name ONE representative who I would deem professional, did not get snarky with residents or board members, responded to emails in a timely fashion and was able to differentiate between what would and would not constitute an emergency. Additionally, please note that dissatisfaction with Sentry seems to be documented on Yelp as far back as 2011. Maybe instead of pointing fingers at past or current Board members who volunteer their time, uncompensated, to take care of our community, Sentry may want to take a closer look at its operations, one for which they are well compensated. Thank you.

Cool company with down-to-earth staff who go above and beyond, even when issues arise. I applaud…read moreour manager at Sentry for maintaining a positive attitude and professionalism, even during our meetings that get crazy. When there was a dispute with my billing, our manager reached out and was quick to bring our payment issue to my attention, help resolve it, & had the late fee removed. She was very understanding and recognized that, at the end of the day, this is my home, my community, and my investment. I really appreciate that.

The management office are so friendly and professional and will take care of all your request or…read morequestions in very timely manner. I have people wanted to tour the amenities and they were there for us quickly with instruction .

Rented and moved in about 2 months ago. I like this community very much. Its quiet and seems…read morequiet all of the time. My unit, though, has been quite cold. I'm in a corner unit and the cold winter temps this season have caused freezing cold temps in the condo. Have analyzed and resolved some of the issues, which are no fault of the condo association, just things that happen after the fact. Building management (Candee) and assistant manager (Corina) are excellent and really help the residents with questions and concerns and setting up for moves. Corina and the weekend desk folks are wonderful in scanning packages and letting the residents know via email that there is something waiting for us to pickup. Haven't experienced the pool yet as I moved in during the winter and its not yet open. Have walked through the clubroom and it is very nice. The gym is a nice feature, even though there aren't a tremendous amount of machines, it is still a nice touch. The pet policy of not allowing pets to walk through the lobby is a little weird. It makes the community seem like it is not pet/dog friendly. My dog is a registered service dog, so that differs from the pet policy in the lobby. Still, I try to adhere to the rules and regulations for the building itself. It is wonderful being next door to the Westin. They have a nice wine bar and patio, and I have been told the music on the patio is amazing and they have a very nice happy hour. I learned shortly after moving in that the Westin has a special price for Mercer residents if we should need to stay there for any reason. The Westin/Sheraton have a shuttle to Dulles airport and other local drop-offs. Mercer residents are welcome to use that shuttle. Parking for residents is excellent. At least with my unit rental, I have the ability to have a single space for my car in the garage, as well as a storage unit. The storage unit is extremely helpful. Lastly with regards to parking, Mercer has 50 spaces in the Westin garage on the lowest level to use for visitors or if you have a second vehicle for your unit. Its very nice that Mercer pays for these visitor spaces. Overall, this is a well run community. Everyone is friendly from maintenance to staff to the property manager and residents. Again this place is QUIET! I've seen bulletins to keep the noise down, but that must be in another area of the complex because I haven't heard or seen any commotion to complain about. I may look to purchase a unit here when my lease is up. That's how much I enjoy living here! Highly recommend if you can get in, I think you'll love living here as much as I do.

Pretty horrible at responding to emails or doing anything required by company to repair or treat…read moreexterior of buildings. Numerous issues with parking in our community and KPA does nothing. Also refuses to return phone calls or voicemails. I've gotten better service at the social security office and Virginia DMV. The staff are extremely rude and disrespectful.

In my minimal messages with KPA staff, they have been very responsive, and eager to help. KPA is…read morethe management company for my condo complex and thus far everything has been fine with my condo payment being paid through their website. Not particularly happy about the extra convenience fee they charge for my payment being sent on my preferred day, but I understand and am as ok as I can be with that fee. All in all, I haven't had any issues with the company and I hope it continues.

Armstrong Management is a property management company that my hood uses for maintenance…read more These guys are awesome!! They started to plow & salt my hood around 5am this morning and I was able to leave for work at 7am, although I didn't go to work today. They did a very good job of plowing the streets and the back alley ways where my driveway & garage is located. These guys plowed my driveway and even showeled the snow off my front door steps. Kudos!! for a job well done. For today, I won't bitch about my monthly HOA fees cuz money was used for good cause. I gotta deduct a star for disturbing me on a kick ass dream I was having and waking me at 5am.

We lived in a neighborhood where First Service Residential, f.k.a. Armstrong Management, ran the…read moreHOA. We were not impressed. Look at the other comments here. Almost all of them mention failure to respond to correspondence. Our experience was similar. First there are the violations that never get enforced. People parking work vehicles in violation of the HOA covenants, and nothing gets done. Our neighbor never cut their grass. We and the neighbors on both sides made complaints including pictures. Nothing was ever done. Go by there now, and the weeds are chest-high. But at the same time we got nit-picky violation notices. One time we got a notice saying that one of the slats on our fence needed to be replaced. I checked, and there was nothing wrong with our fence that I could see. I responded to the notice asking for something more specific. I got no response. Here I was willing to do what I had to do to be in compliance with the HOA covenants, and I got no response to my inquiry. I never heard from them about this issue again. An email takes a few minutes to write. Come on. Then we got a notice about damage to the door frame on our house. The damage was caused by the landscaping company using a weed wacker to cut the grass near the door. Every house on our block had the same damage, and we all got these notices to repair and repaint. It was ridiculous because even if we did repair and repaint, it would just get damaged again the next time the grass was cut. Of course we received no response to our pleas for reasonableness. We left the spot unrepaired as a protest, but we repaired and repainted it for the next owner when we moved out. Speaking of moving out. Our HOA dues are automatically deducted from our bank account on the first of the month. The website has instructions to submit a request in writing to cease the automatic withdrawal from the bank account. We submitted a request in writing. They still took it out. So I sent an email asking for directions with respect to whom the written request should be directed. No response. The only way we were able to stop it was to contact our bank. But they still owe us over $200 for the money they took out after we requested in writing to stop. We'll never see that again because they don't respond to any correspondence. Maybe they provide better customer service to HOA officers, but as far as their response to concerns of residents, these people are the worst.

I have been attending Loudoun Valley II HOA's events for the past three years and the management…read moreteam has done a great job each year, with planing much needed community-building events. This year, it looks like our first resident-elected board member was involved with our Oktoberfest party which was really nice. I am looking forward to the other events that the HOA team will be planning, in the near future. Thank you for all that you guys do!

Legacy Community Services started managing our association back in June, after dealing with a very…read moremessy management company. Our transition with HOA fees and information they have given have been swift, smooth, and understandable. Everyone I have spoken to since i've called in has been polite, professional and has gone the extra steps to make sure I was taken care of. I know I'm not the easiest to work with especially when I am dealing with change or new ways to handle things. But the crew they have working in the office is beyond amazing. I would definitely recommend them to anyone seeking a new management company.

The company LEGACY COMMUNITY SERVICES is doing a poor job. Our community looks awful and abandoned.read more