The Pearl

Been at The Pearl over two years, and recently upgraded to another apartment at The Pearl. One of the best places I've lived, largely thanks to their awesome property managers Nicole and Eric. But be careful with their Accounting department and make sure to get everything from them in writing; fortunately I had everything in writing when I had a dispute that needed escalation to Tower Companies during end-of-lease and transfer within the Blairs community.

I have lived in the Pearl for over 2 years. My experience here has been exceptional. The Peal is very convenient based on its central location to grocery shopping, metro, downtown Silver Spring and DC. What I love best about the property is, the sense of community. The Management goes beyond the call of duty for the residents. If I put in a service order for maintenance, it is addressed in a speedy and efficient way. I lived in a luxury apartment in Arizona prior to moving to the Pearl, and this has been the best experience thus far. I love all of the activities provided for residents such as, wine tastings, holiday champagne brunch, fun outdoor activities, gift wrapping and music events, just to name a few. I can not leave this post without giving a shout out to the Manager Nicole and Assistant Manager, Eric. As a team, they create an environment that makes you feel like this is truly your home and welcome you with a smile. They are the dynamic duo and just outright, great people. In my time here as an older resident, I feel safe and welcomed. Each day, you are greeted with a warm hello from the concierge staff at the front door. Shout out to Diane at the front desk, who is AMAZING. It is really a beautiful place to live and call home. Thank you staff at the Pearl!

Love, love, LOVE living here! From the management (Nicole & Eric - it gets no better than them), the amazing concierges (G and Diane!!!), and the friendly residents. The apartments are beautiful, the building is well maintained, and the resident events are definitely worth attending. 10/10 would recommend this property to a friend.

We lived at the Pearl for three-and-a-half years and loved it. The apartments are clean and modern and we had no issues with infestation or major appliances breaking or anything like that. Whenever we had any maintenance problems, they fixed them immediately. All the staff couldn't have been more helpful, and the only reason our rent went up a negligible bit after the end of our lease is that we couldn't sign another 24-month lease because we had to move abroad.

The amenities (luxury gym, huge lounges, business center, huge courtyard, rooftop pool, pet washing station, bike storage room, etc.) are excellent and will be even more valuable if and when the dangers from COVID wane (and the staff took all necessary precautions and instituted responsible policies to prevent viral transmission). I work from home and the Pearl was perfect for that lifestyle. It's also an awesome community for pets. Our dog loved it there (the dog parks are very nice) and we enjoyed meeting other dogs and dog parents.

The rent is a little pricey but you get every cent of what you pay for. We couldn't recommend it more highly.

I lived at The Pearl for two years from January 2020 to January 2022. Overall, the experience was largely positive even despite challenges associated with the pandemic. I would recommend you consider this building if your budget allows.

The Good:
* Security - I liked having someone constantly at the front desk and having to scan my fob to enter the building, elevator, stairwell, etc.
* Amenities - Despite a lot of changes as a result of the pandemic, I really do think the amenities are great, especially if you have a dog. The dog parks, open field, and pup wash are excellent. The gym is two stories and has good equipment (including Peloton bikes) and is always clean. I also love that certain food trucks park in front of the building throughout the week.
* Maintenance - Every minor issue we had was resolved quickly. The maintenance guys were always so friendly. Also, there are some reviews about people not getting their security deposit back. For reference, we took care of the apartment and cleaned it well before moving out, so we received our full deposit AND pet deposit back. Just be wary of some reviews.
*Location - I loved being super close to the grocery store and within walking distance of the metro. The best part is that this apartment is situated against a residential area so it's pretty quiet compared to other parts of DTSS.

The Bad:
* Parking - I know this is a Montgomery County/DC issue, but parking was expensive. The outdoor assigned parking was ~$125 per month and the garage was nearly $200 per month.
* Dog owners - I'm saying this as a dog owner ... some of the most rude/annoying/incompetent dog owners I've ever met live here (or in the nearby Blairs). Just 1) be prepared for a bunch of untrained and off-leash dogs, 2) avoid the dog parks when it's too crowded, and 3) use common sense :)

The Okay:
* Staff - The concierge and leasing office personnel were very much hit or miss. They either went out of their way to help you or talked to you, or kind of ignored you. The day time folks were usually the best.
* Value - There is no denying the apartments are beautiful and not as cheaply made as some of the others I've seen in the area. It is just difficult to say they are 'worth' the price tag.
COVID-19 - I do think the complex did their best to manage the pandemic. They kept the mask mandate in place even when Montgomery Co. had lifted theirs - I know some people were annoyed by this, but I thought it was the right thing. The only thing worth noting is that it wasn't really enforced.