Good Property - Bad Renewal Experience
August 27, 2025 - Review from Apartments.com
I’ve lived at The Smyth for over a year, and I've truly enjoyed living at The Smyth; the amenities are excellent, the building is well-maintained, and the location is very convenient. My experience as a resident has been largely positive, and I appreciated the modern design, responsive maintenance team, and overall quality of the property.
However, I was very disappointed by the handling of my lease renewal. After receiving notice of a substantial rent increase or about 11.5%, I reached out in ...
good faith to try and negotiate a more reasonable adjustment. I referred to comparable market rates (including The Smyth’s own listings for the same unit type at a lower cost) and emphasized my strong payment history as a reliable tenant and participation in community events.
Unfortunately, management was completely unwilling to consider any negotiation, citing high occupancy and market value. I understand that rent increases are part of the reality of leasing, but the rigidity and lack of consideration felt impersonal; especially when a part of the marketing for the building focus on the sense of “community”. It gave me the impression that existing residents are not valued nearly as much as new lease prospects.
Ultimately, I feel like I was priced out of a place I genuinely liked, and that has been disappointing. If you're considering moving in, you’ll likely enjoy the building itself. Just be aware that the renewal process may leave little room for flexibility, regardless of your history or the actual market trends. I’ve also been made aware that this is not an isolated issue; I know several people that have had the same impersonal renewal experience.
Read More
Property Manager Responded
September 3, 2025
Thank you for the review. We are happy to discuss how renewal increases are generated and why some apartments may be priced differently than yours (i.e. location in the building, lower floor, etc.). Please reach out to us at thesmyth@aresidential.co to discuss your concerns further. -The Smyth Team
Max of 2.