Gables Takoma Park 7035 Blair Road Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20012

"I lived in Gables Takoma Park for a year. It was a nice place to live, the staff was friendly, and it was well-maintained. When it came time to renew our lease, Gables wanted to increase our rent by $601/month or 19.6% to sign for another 12-month lease. I tried to negotiate but the front office told me that Gables corporate would not negotiate. I pointed out that rental data in DC showed that rents had barely gone up over the past year, but still corporate refused to negotiate. A few weeks after we decided to move out, we learned that the DC Attorney General had sued Gables for price-fixing, so I guess their refusal to negotiate with us is in line with their general business practices. TLDR: Nice place to live, nice people who run the building, terrible corporation that will try to squeeze you for every dollar you have."

"The maintenance team continues to be fantastic, but it sometimes feels like Gables cares more about what the outside of the property looks like rather than the inside. The grounds around the building - especially the flowers - do look amazing. Moving in/out is a pain because the narrow street behind the building is always blocked by cars, making it nearly impossible to back a moving truck into the loading area. There is constantly the smell of weed wafting through the halls and stairwells, and the only thing management does is send out an email reminding residents that this is a smoke-free building. Considering a weed shop operates out of the building (seriously, look at Google Maps), the obvious answer seems to be moving the business out of the apartment. (Also, doesn't it state in the lease that we can't operate businesses out of our apartments?) There have been a few times where someone's dog has had an accident in the hallway, and rather than cleaning it up, the resident leaves it there for someone else. The garbage room in the garage is always a mess from residents throwing their actual trash, not just boxes, in the room. It's a small wonder we don't have more rats, although the couple that I have seen have been rather plump. Considering the increasingly high prices that Gables charges for rent, you would think the actual experience of living here would justify the cost. Sometimes it does, but more often than not, it doesn't."

"I have lived in the Gables for 9 years and love the surrounding neighborhood, which is continually growing! They have a very responsive team working in the leasing office and on maintenance issues; while Patrick has only been at this specific location for the past few months he made sure he built a relationship with all the residences, hosting social gatherings and always making himself available to talk through any issues the residences are having and proactively providing solutions. Additionally, Sharon, is so professional and effective, if I need something or have a question she is always on top of it and either gets me what I need right then and there or provides a timely follow-up. The front office runs well thanks to Patrick and Sharon."

"Cons: 1. Poor management and responsiveness. Very communicative when looking into renting but went silent once I was sent a lease, and office was closed at my scheduled move-in time for 30mins. Issues with incorrect billing that took months to correct and a lot of follow up due to no response from property manager. Have heard staff shout at and call residents names in hallways. 2. Security issues with an outsider entering and trying to open apartment doors and managing to get into one; a car was stolen from the garage; and packages stolen as package system was unreliable. The property just introduced a new package service, Fetch, for which they first said there would be no fees for current residents, then that there will be a monthly fee with lease renewal. 3. Smell of smoke and weed in halls and coming into apartment through vents, but management says their hands are tied despite no smoking policy. 4. Higher than usual utilities and lots of extra fees for sewage, trash etc. and huge increase in rent. Pros: 1. Efficient and friendly maintenance and cleaning staff. However on weekends you sometimes find waste from pets in elevators and indoor common areas. 2. Spacious and quite quiet apartments, despite road/metro, but you can hear neighbors above and next door at times, so if they're loud you will hear them more. 3. Very close to metro."

"I am a current resident and so far have enjoyed my new home. My move was smooth and simple. Edwin and Terri were a great support during this process. I recently moved from VA to DC, which overall seems close but the District of Columbia is a very different experience than what I'm familiar with. The staff were extremely helpful and responsive. They were communicative, reliable, and resourceful. I really love the energy and quietness the community provides. I hope to be a tenured resident."