Anonymous wrote:Much of Arlington (except for the Yorktown area further West) is pretty heavily hispanic, so I doubt you'll have to worry about her finding kids who are hispanic and speak spanish.

Sorry, this is not true. I live in Lyon Park and (unfortunately) it's pretty much just white people here. (I am not white and bemoan the fact that my children don't come into contact with a more diverse population.)

no specific suggestions here - it's been ages since I rented - but you will generally have lower prices the farther away you get from metro and the older the building. South Arlington will tend to be cheaper than North Arlington except right around the Pentagon City and Crystal City metro stations. Some buildings in Fairlington/Shirlington can also be a little more expensive than the surrounding areas because it's somewhat trendy and has a bunch of shops/restaurants and amenities.

I think $1300 is probably realistic for a 2-bedroom in an older non-luxury complex that isn't walkable to metro. Much of Arlington (except for the Yorktown area further West) is pretty heavily hispanic, so I doubt you'll have to worry about her finding kids who are hispanic and speak spanish.

A quick search of apartmentguide.com shows four complexes that meet your price restrictions in Arlington. These are:

Fillmore Gardens, south of Route 50 near Ft. Myer
Windsor Towers, near Bailey's Crossroads
Park Shirlington, in Shirlington
Washington & Lee, near Ft. Myer/Route 50

Anonymous wrote:Check out Sheffield Court- one of the most affordable In north Arlington, garden style and walkable to metro. Not entirely sure which school, but if it's the one I think it's quite good ( sorry- blanking on name). Also across the street is another complex with a ton of kids, but you might make too much to live there.

Further adding....Here are the estimated market rates advertised for Sheffield Court:

http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/VA-Arlington-Sheffield-Court-Pricing.html

Studio - $1541
1BR - $1455
2BR - $1850

Add to that right now is the height of the rental season....

For all those posting the apt complexes, many appear affordable to you bc you are looking at the current population living there. Many of them live there courtsey of Section 8. If the OP does not have Section 8, the market prices for some of these places if very high. Also, there may not be any vacancies because families live there for years on end.

In North Arlington, try Howard Manor - just off Lee Hwy behind the 7-11 at Cleveland Avenue. A two BR should cost you under 1300 - no frills, but very metro and bus accessible.

If you're not adverse to South Arlington, try Filmore Gardens - two bedrooms are 1300.

Friends of mine from college have lived for several years in an affordable apt complex that's just a block or so away from a great Arlington school. I dont know the name of it, but it is up the steep hill that is between all the restaurant/shop rows at Shirlington and an elementary school at the top of the hill. There are a few apt complexes there - most high rise fancy ones - but they live in the garden apts that are along the hill. They haven't had crime problems, it is mostly a Latin complex, and rave about the school. no, I don't know the name, but if you know the area, you would not have trouble finding it from the description here.

OP, how about this place?

http://www.mcenearney.com/realestate#criteria=option%3Drent%26search%3D22207%26type%3D%26adv%3D0%26bed%3D2%26bath%3D1%26minsp%3D400000%26maxsp%3D1750000%26minrp%3D1250%26maxrp%3D1500%26minlp%3D400000%26maxlp%3D900000%26minls%3D21780%26maxls%3D87120%26subkey%3D0%26subval%3D%26oh%3D0%26pet%3D0%26comp%3D0%26newl%3D0%26sold%3D0%26lat%3D38.85%26lng%3D-77.3%26zoom%3D10%26page%3D1%26limit%3D10%26order%3Dpricelow%26view%3D0%26key%3D90174382273

This is actually a condo complex, but it is in a GREAT location. Close to shops and restaurants, Lee Highway which will take you via bus to metro, and right next to a playground. Schools are great (Glebe) - my son will be attending there in the fall. Glebe is more diverse than most of the N. Arlington schools, so I think your child would be quite comfortable there. And the price is right!

No suggestions, but kudos to you for recognizing the importance of having your child grow up around people "like" her.

Anonymous wrote:Check out Sheffield Court- one of the most affordable In north Arlington, garden style and walkable to metro. Not entirely sure which school, but if it's the one I think it's quite good ( sorry- blanking on name). Also across the street is another complex with a ton of kids, but you might make too much to live there.

Across the street is Woodbury Park Apartments. Large hispanic community there and great location in a desirable area in North Arlington. The apartments are budget (don't know the current price, but my brother lived there when he didn't have a lot of money). I think it is in Key School District, but it's close to the boundary. Woodbury and Sheffield are on opposite sides of 10th street and I think Sheffield is in Long Branch school district.

Anonymous wrote:I would check the bedbugs registry website before you sign
a lease-- there are serious infestations in some of the south
Arlington complexes.

It is common for ks to start school reading in Arlington so
I wouldn't worry about her getting overlooked. She will
probably have a few peers right at her level, which will be
great for her. Good luck with your m

This is excellent advice and I'm sorry it didn't receive more attention. OP, trust me (and PP). This is a problem you don't want. Checking to see if a property has a reported pre-existing problem is wise and could possibly save you a boatload of trouble. No guarantees about future problems (for anyone), but "affordable" complexes are high risk for many reasons.

Try Arlington Village off of Columbia Pike in S. Arlington. Probably a little more expensive than what you want but you may be able to find a one bedroom den with for $1300. Most two-bedrooms that are decent are going to be around $1500 and these are w/o utilities.

Further up on columbia Pike towards Bailey's crossroads it might be a lot cheaper but also a bit more sketchy. It just depends what you can handle. BTW, most of Columbia Pike is Latino.

Check out Sheffield Court- one of the most affordable In north Arlington, garden style and walkable to metro. Not entirely sure which school, but if it's the one I think it's quite good ( sorry- blanking on name). Also across the street is another complex with a ton of kids, but you might make too much to live there.

If you want somewhere safe and relatively clean for $1300 a month anywhere in Arlington and you are not using a Section 8 voucher at all then you will need to either do a one bedroom or a studio.

Affordable and Arlington do not go together at all when it is your dime; however, if you have a Section 8 voucher there are some "affordable" places in S. Arlington.

Try looking into The Park (i think is the name). It's in South Arlington. A friend of mine has a two bedroom there for about $1500. It's been remodeled.