I have lived here for over eight months and my experience has been very positive. I moved from Seattle for a new job in DC and coordinating an apartment was just one of the many stressful activities on my mind. The leasing office was prompt in replying to questions and made the process as painless as possible. I took a bit of a gamble, as I did not fly out to do a walk through prior to signing my lease. My decision was based entirely on online research and my interactions over the phone / email with the various leasing offices.
I have no regrets about the decision I made. Ultimately, it came down to several key criteria. I'll break down my review of The View by each criterion:
Location: Ballston is, if nothing else, very safe. I would not call it the most exciting neighborhood - though it does offer a taste of urban living. If you don't want to deal with some of the concerns that come with living in the heart of a major city, but also aren't ready to move into the burbs, the so-called Orange Line Corridor is likely a good fit. In terms of the buildings location within the neighborhood, it is an easy five minute walk to Harris Teeter (grocery store). It is on the same block as a handful of restaurants and an Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Across the street is a coffee shop, a sports bar, and a salad bar. I use the metro every day to get to work - it takes under 10 minutes to walk to the Ballston station. Walking to the bars / restaurants in Clarendon is about 20 - 25 minutes. All in all, the building is in a very convenient location. I did not bring my car with me when I moved, and I have managed just fine without it through walking / public transit / occasional car rentals.
Finishes and Amenities: The View is second to none in this category. Quartz countertops, stylish laminate floors, new appliances, Nest climate control system, etc. It's a safe bet that this is among the nicer buildings in the Clarendon/Virginia Square/Ballston area, and I feel very confident saying it is THE premium residence in Ballston. There is a rooftop deck, adjoined to a community lounge on the 14th floor. A fitness center on the first floor is also available. This building does not disappoint.
Property Management / Building Staff: Kettler has exceeded my expectations. Their staff are polite, prompt, and professional. Though I have yet to submit any tickets for repairs (a testament itself to the quality of the building), the interactions I have had with the leasing office and building staff have all been pleasant. They typically coordinate at least one community event per month.
Noise: This is of particular concern to me - as I am a music collector and bit of an audiophile. Moving here from Seattle, I knew I would have to transition more to headphone listening - which has not been a problem. But I still wanted to have a main rig, albeit a slightly downsized rig, with a turntable, digital player, and some smaller stand mounted speakers. The View, with it's concrete floors and insulated double-drywall, proved to be the perfect apartment building to accommodate my hobby. In over eight months, I have yet to receive a complaint about my music. Now, one has to use common sense - I don't play music before 11:00 AM or after 9:00 PM. And while I prefer a slightly elevated level of listening, I generally don't blast the speakers to full-blown house party levels. That being said, I added to my system a downward firing subwoofer that I use on a top of noise isolation platter - and still there have been no complaints. This level of sound-deadening in the building is a two-way street. On several instances my neighbors have had parties - I know because I could hear them clearly when passing by their unit in the hallway. However, once I am in my apartment, the noise is either entirely gone or is minimal. Now - if you are moving from rural Iowa and you are used to complete silence minus the crickets at night - you might be disturbed. But any reasonable person who has lived in the city and experienced apartment living would be very pleased with the noise levels in this building.
Rent: The rent is high in this building compared to some of the surrounding buildings - but it is commensurate with what you get. Indeed, this is one of the newest buildings in the Ballston area. To compare it directly to some of the older buildings would be an apples to oranges comparison. A fairer comparison is to some of the other higher-end / new buildings in Clarendon and Courthouse. Under that analysis, The View's prices are right in line with market rates.
Overall, I am very pleased with The View as my home. If you are interested in living in this part of Arlington, you owe it to yourself to schedule a viewing (no pun intended) and consider this building as a candidate for your new home. read more