We rented an apartment at The Park, sight unseen. It wasn't a comfortable decision. The agent I worked with was not good at communicating and I remember feeling exceptionally stressed as we moved to TX from NJ all within two weeks. When I questioned the appliances I saw in the photos, I was assured that they were great! THEY WERE NOT! It was a very long fiasco of one appliance after another not working after moving in and me even taking a rusted out piece from the dishwasher to prove they were
...sub-par. Out of frustration, I finally contacted the Regional Manager. The appliances were replaced with more outdated, Jerry-rigged appliances. In the end, I added an additional premium per month to my rent just to have up to date, working appliances.
This was the third complex we had rented in three years so I feel somewhat of an expert on rental staff and management. Unfortunately, this staff is mediocre. I lost count the number of times I called and left messages...they were NEVER returned. Many times I would stop by to pick up packages and was basically ignored for a period of time or even though business hours were posted on weekends, the office was closed. If that only happened once or twice you would feel their was an emergency or they were engrossed in a problem.... but it was the norm not the exception! When I complained to the property manager, she told me to e-mail her directly with problems, which helped but that is a shame that phones don't get answered regularly and promptly!
I, however, would like to compliment Christina who came on board about a year into us living there. She always had a smile if I came to pick up a package and she happened to be working.
Maintenance was always quick to resolve any problem. I believe I had about 22 maintenance requests in the 1 1/2 year we occupied a unit. The problems ranged from the shower head blowing off while taking a shower, the handle of the kitchen faucet stripped, cabinets repaired,air filter changes, and those awful, awful appliances. The cabinets and windows really need to be replaced. I could not open many of the windows and the few I could had gaps between the screen and frames.
I guess because we were on ground level we were more accessible to critters and our apartment was continually infested with ants almost year round! I would keep a bug spray can handy and often called for the exterminator but just before we moved out of the property, it was AWFUL! I thought they were going to carry us away. While I didn't report this, my husband pointed out a RAT on the window sill about a week before we moved...I was really ready to leave at that point but to be fair, I had never seen one before that time however I remember reading a review of another tenant mentioning rats!
I felt safe in the complex. However, during the Christmas holiday, we were out of town and had a package stolen from our front porch. It was another neighbor who mentioned it had been there a few days and then was gone. When I went to the office to address the missing package, it was met with a shrug.
Many people in the complex would walk their pets past our apartment. Only a few cleaned up after them. But, maintenance seemed to be vigilant cleaning after them. I'm not sure of the pet policy as I don't own any but I did see pit bulls or maybe they were rotweilers, and also another very large breed of dog. I even witnessed one incident where I heard people screaming and ran outside. A tenants dog was attacking another dog through the fence in the open field next to the complex....
It didn't seem as though the staff was vigilant in reference to parking. We were at the end of the complex and until I took photos and complained about a boat trailer and a smoker occupying parking places as well as a tenant parking in two spaces....they stayed. Ironically, late one night in frustration that we couldn't find a parking spot close to our apartment, my husband parked in the white lines in front of our building with the intention to move the vehicle early in the morning... it was towed before 6 am...so there seems to be some cronyism among some of the tenants and staff.
I would also like to compliment one maintenance worker, I wish I knew his name (he always wore a hat) and he would insist on helping me carry my groceries. Would not take no for an answer and never accepted any tip offered...but it was greatly appreciated.
It has not been easy being this critical of staff. The aesthetics can be easily changed with appliance upgrades and updating outdated cabinets and windows. I always like to give the benefit of the doubt... but my experience with staff in the two previous properties rented and the current one we are in (about six miles from The Park) is like night and day. I hope the staff will realize that changes need to be made and will excel in reviews over the coming years!
Max of 2. 2nd pet will be an additional $10/month.