Serrano Apartments

broken wash machines, broken gym equipments, trash in the halls and elevator daily, it stink always, party built but never opened. no security, doors always broken and open

Update: place has gone to hell and back!
It’s been two years since living in this place and now they raise rent ~$ 300 now! This place isn’t even full yet. Ok so let’s think about this, #1. Place is not full and rent goes up to a crazy amount even to those that have paid rent on time and live over two years. #2 based on any new people moving in I can assess they cannot afford this place with the increase for a 1 bedroom at $ 1700 month. Now I’m no way putting people down but that can mean one thing, looks like AHC has noticed this place is not filling up so one way to make more money is raise the rent, get people to pay or move out, once this building is under a certain % of fullness they can get the government to pay for Section housing and full this place up like it has never been filled since we have limited government paid housing in this area! So since this has been slowly happening I have noticed more police calls and fire department calls to this apartment building… way to go management now we have a ghetto in the makening.

I have lived here for a few years now and let me tell you — this place has really gone to the dogs. I wish I could give it a negative star rating to offset the other ratings. I especially like the high star rating that is obviously a plant from management
When you look at the size of the apartments, the location, and the prices, Serrano seems like it is too good to be true. Well that’s because it is… it is just too good to be true.
Lets get directly into some details.
1. No hot water pressure. I have to turn my hot water on completely and then play a ridiculous tap-​tap-​taparoo game with the cold water nozzle. If I don’t touch the nozzle at all I get a pathetic drip of plasma-​hot water out of the shower head. If I tap it just 1 millimeter too far I get fire-​hose strength arctic shower blast.
2. To say we have a rodent problem is like saying Steve Buscemi might have some slight bags under his eyes. We have a huge rat problem. We have a stupendously large mouse problem. We have, from what I have personally seen, the worlds most incredible roach infestation. At any given time one can find roaches crawling over everything. I keep a very clean apartment and hire a professional cleaner that comes to my apartment twice a week. So thank god my actual apartment is rodent free 98% of the time… Still — the property is crawling with rodents and insects.
3. Why do we have such an issue with creepy-​crawlies??? Because of the trash rooms. People love to leave trash in the trash rooms and not throw it down the trash shoots. I don’t know why. Maybe it is bad parenting, or maybe the trash shoot is too high and we have a preponderance of dwarves that live in the building. I don’t know why there is trash everywhere and I don’t care. All I know is that I have complained to management multiple times and they just look at me like I have a penis growing out of my forehead. I ask them to clean the trash up and all they seem to be able to do is make excuses as to why I have to live in a re-​creations of Slum-​Dog Millionaire movie set.
4. Our disgusting trash piles have created an odoriferous and noxious scent that can only be described as «foot infection and rotten fish stew».
5. The utility bill has recently converted to a «shared utility» — which really makes you want to bounce your face against a telephone pole — because these apartments are so shitty that, despite the aforementioned price and location, a lot of them are remaining vacant. These vacant apartments sit empty with the lights on ²⁴⁄₇ and the air conditioning/​heat blasting. This drives our utility bill higher. My utilities have doubled in the past few months. Again — we tried to complain but management can’t seem to figure out how to solve these problems. They also blast «smooth jazz» ²⁴⁄₇ outside. Kenny-​G is driving up my utility bill. We asked management to stop the music and they said it was for ambiance. Oh yes… ambiance… of course!!!
«Wow Bob would you look at all these roaches and these piles of steaming, wreaking trash?»
«Oh, I guess you’re right Joe, but you know what? I didn’t even notice all of that due to the incredible ambiance created by all this smooth jazz.»
«Seriously Bob??? Are you fu@k*ng brain damaged??»
6. The residents here can be retarded. My upstairs neighbor decided that jump-​rope was his new hobby. I can’t make this stuff up. Seriously he would just start jumping rope at 11pm. What. The. Fu@k. Another one of our neighbors — who we ended up having to call the cops on multiple times — liked to blast her music in the wee hours of the morning. Let me just tell you that when we finally confronted her about it her loud music she said, and I quote: «I thought the walls here were soundproof». I $hit you not.
There are so many other problems with this place. I can’t begin to explain how much I regret moving here. I would rather be homeless. I am trying to break my lease here without paying penalties. As soon as I can figure out a way to do that, you better believe I’m gone.
Serrano is for people who hate cleanliness and despise a good nights sleep. If you disagree with this summation of this apartment complex, than you are so very, very wrong.

I recently moved into the Serrano and was instantly impressed by the size/​space of the apartment. Like any place else there have been issues that needed to be addressed but I have to say the response I have received from the management office is very impressive. From the very start, the employees of the office have been welcoming, and very open when dealing with me. The manager stopped in the middle of what she was doing to assist me with an issues that was more frustrating than anything else. I have dealt directly with the assistant manager, who is amazingly attentive, on a number of issues and she personally saw to it that my concerns were addressed promptly, and professionally. I can’t imagine the number of complaints the office received but I definitely appreciate my experiences with the staff there.
We are happy at the Serrano and even happier knowing that if an issue does arise, it will be addressed immediately and professionally…
Thank you

Mice and roaches are a constant issue in this apartment. The AC broke during a heat wave and had to call the city for the apartment to actually do something about it. Way too overpriced for the service you get. Mice and roaches are free! I can’t stand having to come to maintenance once or twice a week because everything is always breaking. Poor speed in resolving any issues. Fumigate and get rid of the pests before charging $ 1600 for an apartment.

I am originally from India and lived with my wife in Serrano Apartments for almost 2 years (2012 – 13). Overall our experience was good and we enjoyed our stay here. Here are few good and bad parts for this apartment complex.
Good Parts:
1. Leasing staff is extremely good and efficient. We interacted mostly with Valerie and Rene and they were very helpful and friendly and genuinely nice to us. 5 stars for them!
2. Apartment is spacious, big kitchen and lots of closet space. They have hard wood floors too but ours was all carpets… which we wanted.
3. Maintenance staff is very hardworking and very efficient, especially the elderly gentleman who speaks no english but does a perfect job of fixing anything!
4. DC downtown is 30 mins drive (It’s not close to metro or public commute to DC)
5. Unlike few other residents I spoke to, we did not face any roach or mice problems
6. The new property owners are Buzzuto group which is a reputed name
Bad Parts:
1. Visitor parking: There are only 14 spots and passes are first come first serve before leasing office closes at 6 pm.
2. Cleanliness: Even after repeated efforts from management, many residents did not maintain cleanliness on property
3. Drugs: We started hearing about this in the last 3 months of our stay here, that a group of youngsters smoke drugs in hallways and there was also some police activity related to that problem.
4. In the summer months, a black guy living on 1^st floor of building 5539 use to roam around shirtless with his kid. It was not a dignified way and my wife thought that we should move out from such a place asap. I thought of reporting to management but did not as I did not want to sound racial.

I’ve lived here a little more than a year. Place is nice, though I have plenty of issues.
Laundry room is pretty awful. I’ve been locked out on more than 1 occasion. The machines cost 1.90 per load and the dryers don’t actually dry my clothes. I purchased a drying rack a few months ago and just stopped using the dryers. They are also constantly short on machines, there are about 8 machimes for 8 floors and usually one or two is out of order.
Make sure you keep your kitchen immaculate or you will get roaches. And while you can sign up to have pest control come by and spray, but they may or may not actually come by. And they can only tell you that they will stop by between 9 and 5, so I don’t know when they will show up.
Bathroom in my apartment is also super dated. Next time they update the building, I hope they trash it. Sink fell off the wall at one point last year. Maintenence just reaffixed the same sink with a little new tile. The tiles in the shower have been painted over and the paint just chips off. Its kind of gross. There is also no fan or window in the bathroom, just a small vent.
As other reviewers have noticed there are plenty of small children who like to scream in the hallways/​in their apartments. My neighbor also has a nasty habbit of blasting some bass. Neither of these would be a problem, except the walls are paper thin.
The best thing about this complex is the people who work in the leasing office. They are always super helpful and friendly. They keep packages for tenants, though neither USPS nor Fedex attempt to see if you’re home before dropping packages with the office.
Bottom line, I think this place is pretty overpriced for what you get. Location is pretty terrible, 25 minutes just to get to the metro. You only get one parking space per apartment, and rates for a second one are super steep even though there is plenty of space to go around. The buildings are old, and its just not the best bang for your buck. When my lease is up I’m moving out.

I came here to look at some one bedrooms. The places looked decent-​hard wood floors or all carpet. It looked clean and well kept. The kitchens were remodeled. I liked that they had a lot of closet spaces.
I didn’t have a very good experience trying to get an apartment here though. The people were very nice and friendly about it and I guess it’s not their fault their computers were down… I put a hold on the apartment but then a few hours later, someone called me to tell me that their computers were down so the apartment I had put on hold was already put on hold by someone else… and so I was forced to continue my apartment search elsewhere. Then I kept getting calls from them over and over because the people themselves were not communicating with each other about who had already contacted me. I probably got like 7 calls from them over 2 days. It happens… but oh wellz, I lost that apartment because I had to find something else because I was told they were all taken even though they weren’t.

Been living here for a couple of months now – took over a tenant’s lease. I should preface this review by saying that I have lived in many apts in my day, and this place is completely different from where I’ve lived in the past. Serrano may be similar to other apts around here, but I have nothing to compare it to since this is my first VA apt.
The biggest nightmare: Visitor parking is terrible here; the first night I stayed here, I witnessed Mr. Tow Truck Nazi man all too happily taking off with someone’s Civic, then saw a girl running outside in tears. The other reviewer is right about the signage not saying anything about a visitors parking pass being required. The office gives out fourteen per day on a first-​come, first-​served basis. If the office is closed, supposedly you can park in the Future Resident spots, but they are nearly always full. I was able to get a Visitor’s pass for my friend, but by the time we got back to my apartment (around 11 PM), every single Visitor’s spot was full (though not everyone had a pass, obviously). We didn’t want to have a chance meeting with Mr. Tow Truck Nazi by parking in a regular spot (even with a Visitor’s pass), so my friend ended up having to park in the neighborhood behind the building (and walk down a very dark street whilst doing so).
I hate that there is no washer or dryer in each individual unit. Doing laundry in a communal space reminds me of being in college, but not in a good way. The building is old and the hallways and stairwells smell weird. I am leery about using elevators, so I usually take the stairs, even though I live on the 5^th floor.
I keep my place super clean but there are roaches.
The original pink-​tiled bathrooms and pink tubs are not exactly my taste.
The pipes occasionally make loud banging noises, loud enough to wake their neighbors up; this wouldn’t normally be a problem but one of my neighbors likes to take showers at 6 AM on Saturday.
A lot of things that I don’t like about Serrano are those out of their control. I thought my AC was broken until I was told that the county determines when the heat and AC can be turned on for the year. Kids are always running around and screaming, whether it be in the parking lot or their balconies (forget about leaving your windows open for that reason) or stomping down the hallways. If kids aren’t your thing, you won’t be happy here, because every day you will be annoyed. I am still not getting my mail which I had forwarded weeks ago. A package was FedExed to me a week ago and was being held by apt staff, but I never saw any notification that I had a package.
The Good: Staff seems friendly and the updated kitchen is nice and there is a good amount of storage. Though many people might think this is a negative, the feral kitties outside bring a smile to my face when I see them every morning.
Bottom line: this place is old, dingy, overpriced, and there are too many noisy children.

Been living here for over a year now, and have seen this place go through many changes.
DEMOGRAPHICS
The gentrification process is nearly complete, and the people I saw when I first moved in are almost all gone, and one can see new faces every day. The people keep mostly to themselves (as one would expect in any DMV apartment setting), although one hopes that people will learn to at least greet each other in the elevators.
There used to be a tenant who regularly let her dog poo in the hallways and in front of the elevators, thus necessitating a memorandum to be distributed to all of the tenants regarding safety and cleanliness. Thankfully, I believe she has been identified (5^th floor of 5539, I’m looking at you), and management has nipped it in the bud. Thank you.
APARTMENT
The remodeling adds a nice touch to the kitchen, with the dark mahogany-​colored cabinet doors and black appliances helping the kitchen to look very nice. Keep in mind, however, that the cabinets are all made of MDF/​plywood. After a year of moderate use, some of the edging is already starting to come apart.
The rooms are very spacious, and appreciate that each room has its own thermostat. Hardwood floors and reasonably sized windows.
STAFF
The management office is very nice, and always aiming to help the tenant. Will receive and hold packages for you at the main office. Maintenance requests can be made online, and response is typically the same day or the next day, at the latest.
PARKING/​TRANSPORTATION
One of the main points of contention for all tenants in this complex. 14 visitor spaces for two apartment building complexes is absolutely ridiculous. There isn’t a clear sign stating that one needs a VISITOR’S PASS to park in the visitors’ parking area, and the vigilant tow trucks take advantage of that fact by regularly combing the area EVERY NIGHT.
Visitors without passes will have to park in the neighborhood behind the complex.
Pentagon metro: 20 – 30 min by bus. Ballston: 15 min.
Plenty of buses around the apartment.
PESTS
Roaches and mice do exist. I’ve caught no less than three mice this year, and roaches will become a problem if you do not keep the kitchen clean. Maintenance will come in to spray your kitchen if you ask, but the idea of pesticides in the kitchen is less than appealing, so it’s a catch-​22.
When I was touring the apartments with one of the staff, I asked her if there were pest issues. She smiled and said «no, except for the occasional stinkbug.». I’ll never forget her name, Yessica, and how someone could look you straight in the eyes and
Cats do live in the parking lot, and there’s a weird cat lady that comes and feeds them on a regular basis with kibble from her car trunk. I sure wish she wouldn’t, because those cats have weeping crusty eyes and makes me wonder what bugs are feasting on their unkempt fur.
AMENITIES
They added a sofa set to the lobby this year, which is a very nice and welcome addition.
The pool seems to get more full every year, but the layout is very nice and one can enjoy a cool breeze coming through the trees surrounding the complex.
The laundry room recently raised their prices, and is now $ 1.85 per load. Make sure you get your laundry out no more than 46 seconds after it’s done, or someone will be «kind» enough to leave you a note reminding you that this is a public facility (hipster douchebag, I’m looking at you).
The W&OD trail is within walking distance, which is fantastic. No gym within the apt.

I didnt even want to give this place 1 star. I think Unilocal should have an option for negative stars! So Serrano gets –4 ½ stars.
I have lived on Serrano for about 7 months now and I am NOT renewing my lease because this placed is overpriced! The apartments are a good size and the kitchens were remodeled but this place is not worth it! We now have mice and roaches in our apartment. The hallways smell like dog piss and the buildings are not modern.
Most importantly, the parking here sucks! You can never have guests come over because your car with get towed! They have a VERY limited amount of visitor parking spaces and the tow truck comes to the apartment complex like every other hour. They stalk the parking lot and look for cars to tow. My friends and I would sit on our balcony and count how many cars they would tow. I think Serrano has some sort of deal with the towing company because I have NEVER seen a towing company come to a parking lot SO OFTEN.
The management team is average, nothng special. There is a big pool and the laundry room is packed sometimes. And the commute to DC sucks! There is about a 25 – 30 minute bus ride to the METRO. There are stores in the community but not much of a social life for young professionals. DO NOT MOVE HERE and spend your money elsewhere.
BTW-​The previous Benjamin B review is obviously Serrano. It even reads like an fake advertisement for this crappy apartment building. You are not fooling no body!

Not a bad place — the office does try their best to address all the random problems that come up but some of the residents here are sorta shady. This place is slowly gentrifying and attracting younger professionals but there are definitely some people that seem sketchy.
The location is good, a bit congested with buses but it’s just some of the people around here that drag it down. The management is pretty nice, they do accommodate when possible and are friendly, but parking for visitors is a nightmare. The same ridiculous random people park here all the freaking time. They need more parking spots!