Please lend me your apartment wisdom
It's the topic I know you love seeing constantly but I'm currently looking for a new apartment, and some guidance from those more familiar with the area would be wonderful.
I moved to MD last August (from the west coast), and landed in Gaithersburg at Park Station Apartments. I currently have a 2 bed/2 bath for $1900 base ($2200 after pet rent/sewer/water/parking/etc) and they have told me my rent is going up $100 when my lease is up at the end of July. I like this place, no substantial complaints beyond just general grumbling, but I was already thinking of downsizing and saving a buck since it's just me and 2 reptiles.
I work in Montgomery Village and honestly am not really worried about commuting from the new apartment as long as it's under an hour. I don't really have a feel for what all the different communities in the county are like yet since I've been here less than a year. However I was thinking about branching out from the area I do know on the Montgomery Village/Gaithersburg border
I'm looking for a 1 bed (not a tiny* studio) apartment for $1500-$1800/month. Priorities to me are decently safe (somewhere you would not think twice about going for an evening stroll), pest free, less than an hour drive from Montgomery Village, and hopefully a decent parking situation. I drive so being near a train station isn't very important to me.
*For reference I'm currently in 1068 sq ft and would like to ideally not dip below 650 sq ft.
I know this doesn't really narrow things down all that much but please let me know what are some hidden gems, places to check out, or places to avoid. Please lend me your wisdom on either apartments specifically or communities in general.