Sumner Highlands Apartments

The apartments aren't anything fancy but overall, they're ok for the price of rent, location, and the free parking. My issue has to do with my moving out process, specifically using the the "free service" provided for hauling. Overall the lack of communication and accountability is why I would not recommend living here. When I moved in I was told that I was able take advantage a free bulk hauling removal, I was just responsible for tipping haulers generously. I used the service several times without issue — this all changed about one month ahead of my move out. Before I moved, I reached out about few items I needed to haul, due to scheduling issues, we decided to wait a few weeks. In that time, I followed up with additional items to move. Weeks later, when I received my security deposit check, I was charged for an excessive hauling fee. When I reached out to Robin in the leasing office about this, I originally misspoke saying I hadn't requested certain items, but when I revisited old emails I saw I actually did request those items and attempted several times to communicate her, including providing screenshots and original emails. However, Robin did not acknowledge the emails/proof I shared and I was told that $200 is the maximum courtesy that they extend to residents and my removal totaled exceeded that cost. I have two issues with this: 1. This isn't about the fee but the principle and the lack of communication. There was zero ownership or acknowledgement when I did share the original communications. 2. I asked twice about where it was communicated that there was a max courtesy for residents and received no clarity or information. I checked my lease and it was not listed there. Based on prior communication, there was "max fee" communicated and had I known there was a max, I'd have made other accommodations. Overall, the money you save by living here is not worth it.

Been here for 2 years, hoping to go for 3. This is a great apartment complex. Middle to Upper class neighbors, a mix of senior Georgetown U students. Verizon Fios only which is fine with me. Pay gas/electronic through Pepco and Washington Gas (way better then the managed provider I've had at other apartment complex's). Management for the most part listens, takes care of the grounds, buildings and apartments. Nice new kitchen/laundry appliances in apartments. No bug or verman problems. Low crime. Right across the street from a grocery store and cvs, and across from the bike/jogging trails as well. No traffic, quick to the highway/parkway/highway/virginia/dc/downtown bethesda/metro/universities. Hoping to transfer to the new DIA campus across the street, just I can just walk to work. No thrills, decently run, affordable nice apartments in very nice area.

As a four-year resident of Sumner Highlands Apartments, I am happy with the attentive leasing and maintenance staff. The staff listens to your concerns and take prompt action to remedy all maintenance requests. During winter months, I really appreciate their snow removal from the sidewalks and parking lot. I was sold on the pet-friendly environment, in-unit washer/dryer, hardwood floors and the remodeled kitchen. My unit is small but it’s sunny and bright. I couldn’t ask for a better location. It’s a five minute walk to the Capital Crescent Trail and one mile from Sibley Hospital. There is easy access to downtown Bethesda, Washington, DC and Virginia. Oh, and the property is quiet, well maintained, and the neighborhood is safe and perfect for walking. There is a grocery store, CVS, restaurants and Starbucks across the street. Very convenient if we get snowed in. Sumner Highlands is committed to making an apartment feel like a home. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

I have been here for just over one year now. The apartment itself is nice, management is courteous and attentive, the place is well maintained, and the location is FANTASTIC. My neighbors have been mostly nice and friendly. These good things are all good enough to keep me here, but i do feel i should warn folks about the two problems i've had: the noise is a REAL problem. There seems to be no insulation between floors. I hear the dog above us every time it scurries anywhere (and it's a small dog), and every time it drops a toy it sounds like an entire dresser just got picked up and dropped onto the floor. I've had some startled awakenings because of the noise from neighbors. Other bad thing are the roaches during the winter. I am obsessively clean and organized, and had them come in to treat my place several times throughout this past winter, but the roaches never went away until it warmed up outside. Whatever treatment they used never worked. I took to sealing my drains every night before bed, since they mostly seemed to come up through them. Management was responsive through the whole ordeal, but there was no real solution. Regardless, this is the best price in this area for this quality, so i plan to stay if nothing else changes.

I have been living in my apartment for just over 5 months now. My apartment is in a building that sits along Sangamore Rd itself. I love the staff, both in the office and the maintenance guys. They always smile and greet me when they see me. They are prompt to address issues. They were very accommodating with my move-in. They are proactive in keeping the outsides of the windows clean, the common areas clean, the HVAC filters checked, the high-tech smoke alarm systems checked, pest control up to date, etc. They've been upgrading and renovating things, which is adding value to the community. The location canNOT be beat! You are walking distance to Starbucks, Safeway, CVS, and everything else you could possibly need AND the Capital Crescent trail, which you can jog or bike to get to Georgetown or downtown Bethesda. The apartment is small, but i happen to love that about it. Less to clean, cozier, can keep an eye and ear on my kid easier. Now for what is not great. The freakin' noise has had me at my wit's end several times now. I am a heavy sleeper, but have taken to sleeping with earplugs at night and keeping the TV on during the day to drown out everyone else's conversations, foot steps, building doors closing, etc. It was a very tough adjustment to the noise situation, but i have my solutions now, and they are working. So i dont see myself moving out any time soon because of it. The location, management, etc, are just too good. The other bad thing is that my hardwood floors are warped and not totally flat in certain spots, as are some of my walls. So i've had problems hanging pictures on some walls, while the floor thing is a bit bizarre but hasnt created any problems.

As I leave after six years, I would like to share my appreciation of Michelle Reed and the Sumner Management office for the work they put in to make residents comfortable. Granted that there can never be unanimous acceptance of all decisions made, the management has always been open to feedback from residents. Personally, I have been very impressed by the snow removal during our recent snowstorms and the promptness with which maintenance requests are met. I will certainly miss this location, the convenience of living across the street from Sumner shopping Place and at a short drive from Sibley Hospital. This is a great place to call home.

The apartments themselves are ideally located and generally in good condition with new appliances and hardwood floors. Rent is reasonable to high for the size of the apartments but the grounds are maintained very well. The main issues tenants have had with Sumner recently are due to high turnover in the management office. In the past year and a half there have been at least 4 property managers for the community. This high turnover caused many policies and procedures for the community to change rapidly with little communication or input. Examples: A neighbor of mine used to get free nights in the model unit above him for when family visited but one of the managers decided Sumner wouldn't do this anymore and he was never compensated for the nights they took away. A different manager decided that the bike racks in the community should be removed and gave the residents less than a month notice that they were being removed; this ex-manager also ignored a petition from a few tenants to keep the racks. The current management team seems to be much more organized and prepared and have spent the last few months cleaning up the mess of past-managers. For example, another neighbor finished his initial year lease but was never contacted to renew, or told he'd be on a month-to-month lease. He simply kept paying the same rate every month and no one seemed to know anything about it in the office. Another neighbor just had his security deposit processed 9 months after he moved in. If the new property managers can get these apartments back in order, this community will return to being a great place to live.