I had a very positive experience renting from Reflections from Dec. 2007 - Dec. 2008.

Due to my work, I have lived in 8 different places in the past 7 years, and Reflections was the 2nd best place I have lived. (the other being a luxury high-rise in Manhattan)

I'l go over the negatives, the positives, then give you my overall thoughts.

the negatives:

- the parking space for guests is too few and inconveniently located. Friends told me that they considered it an inconvenience to visit due to the location of the guest parking.

- rent is very high compared to other apartments in the area, even comparably equipped apartments. Personally, I thought the premium was worth the service they provided, however, even considering that, I do not consider it to be a good value.

- the gym was in horrible shape when I used it. The treadmill was in a constant state of broken, and it would usually be weeks before it was fixed, only to break once more in just a few days. The weight machine was unusable and poorly maintained to the extent that it could cause injuries (though it was replaced with a new machine eventually that is far superior) The elliptical machine was not maintained properly and had a hitch in the step (especially for taller users) that could cause injury.
I was forced to purchase an outside gym membership.

in my opinion with regards to the gym specifically, the management was grossly negligent. If the gym is a large consideration, then you should make sure the above issues were taken care of before you rent.

- the management was not willing to work with me on lease terms for a renewal, therefore I moved out. While I enjoyed my stay, there, the move out was a business decision and not a remark on my living experiences. However, I feel that if you are looking for anything other than a traditional 1 yr. lease term, you will not find a willing partner.

neutral:

-lots of birds. With the windows open you can awake to birds chirping. Wildlife is always nice, especially near the lake, but this positive is balanced by the negative of having to wash your car more often and having occasionally messy sidewalks (due to bird droppings) I personally saw this as a positive but some might see it as a negative.

the positives:

- fit and finish of the rooms were impeccable. the appliances were in top-shape, and this is the best kitchen I have ever had. If you cook a lot you will really appreciate the amazing cabinet space and layout. That in and of itself is reason enough to rent the apartment. The bathroom was also fantastic.

- regarding the grounds, they looked great and were well maintained, however, having so much grass and water in the desert wastes a lot of energy and increases both the cost of living and the ecological damage. this is a philosophical point and may or may not apply.

- I felt very safe, and walked and biked a lot around the area with no problems, even late at night. 2 grocery stores are within walking distance, along with a great local independent juice bar, subway and starbucks.

- noise was minimal. the floors and walls are thick and therefore I never heard my neighbors , even though my upstairs neighbors had young children.

- the staff was great. they were helpful and friendly.

-maintenance was almost immediate whenever a problem occurred, even minor problems were usually taken care of that day itself.

-i was treated fantastically even after I no longer rented there. The staff was great about forwarding mail etc. and they were *very* prompt returning the security deposit. Instead of the 6 weeks reported, they returned the money within 2 weeks. This is far and away the best I experienced of any place I lived.

- an underrated feature is the central water boiler. You *never* run out of hot water, and can run the dish washer, clothes washer, and shower at the same time with no problems. Also, when having guests over, its great to not run out of hot water.

OVERALL: I'd recommend someone Reflections to someone else.. There are a few negatives, (again, the gym and the lease terms stand out) and it is probably over-priced in this market downturn, but there are plenty of positives to more than balance out those negatives.

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