The Commons of McLean

This very charming little apartment complex is in a fantastic location near the metro, shopping and a short commute into DC. The apartments are well-​designed, so even the smaller ones seem roomy. But the best thing about life in the Commons is the staff — — everyone from the maintenance crew to the front office is extraordinary. Always responsive, always friendly, always helpful. A very positive experience for our family. THANK YOU!

Used to live in 2bed room apt. Where i had lots of silverfish esp during spring time… so we decided to move to a diff unit …
thenn we had more silverfish silverfish silverfish and more silverfish… like everyday… sometimes i used to find one on my bed. so gross… of course i moved out after the lease was over… after that, I stay away from the old buildings…

I lived there s couple years and have mixed reviews. They are older buildings so you would think they are more solid.
Cons:
–You have to be on top of maintance request’s or they take their time
–AC always goes down when there is power outages or when the change from Heat to AC
–Pool is dirty and never gets cleaned. When you use goggles you can see everything that is cloudy
–They allow people to smoke so the neighbor smell seeps into your place
–AC doesn’t really work all that well. Only two vents in living room and bedroom so you really have to crank it which then cost more since has more area to cover
–Washing machines always stop working or leaking.
–Had my basement, ceiling, AC, leak with no follow up

I live in this area, and it’s fairly cheap considering the prices around in McLean, which are horridly expensive compared to my old place in Centreville. My rent WAS 1800 $ until it came under new management. And like new management, come new pricing. My rent was increased near 2000 $, my utility bill is paid not by usage, but by SQUARE FOOT. The apartments are old, there are the occasional leaks-​in-​the-​roof-​that-​floods-​EVERYTHING-​and-​pain-​in-​the-​ass-​insurance-​claim thing, the carpets are made out of nylon and it smells, not noticeable after a while, but it still smells.
The grass is cut a little less than often, but once the rent goes over 2000, it becomes less than what you pay for. Management is super friendly and organized, but beware of a first floor apartment, you will get leaks, and the office does its best to properly get in your way.

My 1 year lease is almost up, and I’m getting outta here! Heading to Avalon Park Crest in August, and I am super duper excited! Many of my colleagues and friends already live there, and are enjoying their experience.
Here’s the breakdown, people. The cons are significant enough for me to move. But for the price point, it might not for you.
PROS:
Older, so cheaper compared to the general area.
Prompt maintenance!
Quiet. Walls are super thick, which is pretty awesome for you light sleepers out there.
The vast courtyard is a nice touch.
A short walk to Safeway & Lost Dog Café.
Some of the apartments were recently rennovated (stainless steel appliances, etc.)
Water pressure is amazing. And you’ll never run out of hot water.
CONS:
Management does not have their ducks in a line! I put in my notice to move out, and yet still got renewal notices.
They screwed up my original lease (lovely)
60 day notice of moving out (usually only 30).
The Chain Bridge/​Anderson intersection seems to have weekly accidents in the am.
Hallways of the building echo like crazy.
Packages go missing.
No gym on premises.
Shared utilities. That means I’m paying for my neighbors to keep their lights on all day.
Management tends to do things like put in new flooring in the hallways, or repaint without letting the tenants know.

I’ve lived here a year and love it. The area is quiet and close to everything. Though you are in a huge metropolitan area, it does not seem like it because there is plenty of open space. One of the low rise complexes, reasonably priced. The apartments are old but they are well kept. I’ve contacted maintenance on a number of instances (generally late at night) and my concerns have been fixed or fixed enough that they could wait until the next day. The staff is nice and always helpful. The only reason I am leaving is that I am moving out of the area. It is within walking distance to the new metro that is being build.

I know it’s too much to ask for a business to actually care about its patrons. I wrote this review so that anyone who wants to feel secure in their rental choice knows that the owners/​management at The Commons of McLean have no respect or regard for the individuals and families from whom they make their money.
I have lived here for almost 1 year. Overall, I would say that I *love* my apartment. It is extremely spacious, well-​insulated, and virtually soundproof. I am 5 minutes from the Tysons Corner Mall, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and 495. The units are somewhat dated (i.e. white cabinets and counters in the kitchen; portable W/​D since these older buildings don’t have W/​D hook-​ups in each unit). However, that was never a problem for me. I live alone in a 2BR/​2BA unit and the total for my monthly water and electric bills has never exceeded $ 120…sometimes coming in as low as $ 80. I have had no issues with bugs, mice, or any other «pest» infestation. Lots of families and young professionals live in the community. For fitness-​conscious folks, there is no fitness center on the property.
The office staff have always been friendly and helpful. Maintenance requests have been taken care of in a timely fashion. The lone time I accidentally locked myself out of the apartment, one of the office staff arrived within 10 minutes and let me back in… no hassle and no charge.
Recently, I received a notice from management regarding my lease renewal. To my utter shock, they are raising my rent by 25%. Come to find out, the ownership/​management are *trying* to price out the existing tenants. The plan is to remodel these units and upgrade them with all of the fancy amenities that have become «standard» for supposed «luxury» apartments in the Metro DC area. Once those renovations are complete, they’ll put them back on the market and fill them up with more «attractive» residents. (Attractive = More Affluent)
I realize that it is completely within the management/​owners’ rights to make this change. However, they are destroying one of the few apartment communities in the heart of Tysons Corner which caters to people who want the convenience of living in McLean without the hefty price tag and prerequisite snobby attitude so frequently found here. Such a shame, really. I would definitely have stayed here had they not been quite so greedy.