First post: Sunday, 05/18/2008

I've read the reviews for Portofino Apartments after touring the complex. But I know a few sour people can ruin the rating for an otherwise nice apartment complex. So I decided to see for myself what Portofino was all about.

The lady who showed me the apartment was very nice. She apoligized for being so casually dressed today (Sunday, 18 MAY 08) because there was a community pool party later (positive flag). As we toured the grounds, people wanted to say hello to the lady. This demonstrates a sense of community (positive flag). Later she told me that she was happy to work there and had worked there for over two years (positive flag).

Note: High turnover in apartment management staff indicates deeper problems with the property. Deeper problems that usually make the tenants' stay miserable.

I didn't like that there are no washer/dryer hookups and that the rooms are rather small. But for the price and the ambiance ('sp'), it was good enough for me to sign an application and plunk down a $60 non-refundable application fee.

Also: I got in on a special they currently are running. First month free, and if during the first six months of the lease if you aren't late, they give you ANOTHER month of free rent! (BIG positive flag!)

I'll update this review as we live there. I've done this type of review before:

http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TN-Nashville-Hillwood-Pointe-563920.html

I'll give five stars and a top rating. As I update, I may change those ratings. Let's see if Portofino Apartments can stay on top!

So... stay tuned!

Update: Saturday, 05/24/2008:

I've been reconsidering...

I drove through the parking lot a few nights ago. An apartment complex can take on a whole different character at night. I need to see if Portofino Apartments is where I want to house my family and keep them safe, so I'm doing the homework as best as I can on this decision.

When I drove through the lot, I noticed many ugly, bandanad men in the lot drinking and leaning against cars. Many of the cars they loitered around had Sinora, Mexico license tags. That in itself is not a problem. Tucson is close enough to the border that Mexican-s can legally be here and drive their cars (within 75mi of the International border, I believe). But so many so late at night means this place may be a haven for illegals. I know it is not 'P.C.' to notice such things, but I'm not about to be P.C. when it comes to the safety of my family.

I'll drive through again next week and see if that was a once in a moment incident or if there is heavy gang involvement in this community. If this complex IS infested with gangs and criminality, then I'll gladly eat the $60.00 I've so far paid in application fees. That's a small price to pay to keep my family safe.

In the meantime, I'll investigate further. I really want to live here, but not if its dangerous at night.

Update: Sunday, 06/15/2008:

I've driven through the complex a few more times since my last update. I've not seen the groups of drinking men out in the lot again. Maybe that was a once in a while thing. I have read posts from others that this review has collected. I know that the Portofino Apartments management (run by Morrison Ekre & Bart Management Services, Inc.) reads these reviews. Why do they not respond' In one or two months (I like to plan ahead), I'm going to sign a lease somewhere. I'd like to sign with Portofino if I determine it is safe, clean and affordable. Can MEB (http://www.mebmgmt.com/arizonaapartments.htm) come on here and address the issues posters have brought up in this forum'

Update: Monday, 09/08/2008:

Sorry this update is so late. We were planning to move here. We really were. The office staff is very friendly and professional... the lobby is pretty and smells nice. Yet behind the office, the apartment is scairy, dangerous, dirty and bad.

We had returned from a trip outside of the country. Before I'd left, I'd dropped $65 on an application fee. When we returned, I took my family to see Portofino the day before we were to ink a lease.

It's a good thing we did. The trash, the illegals, the gang activity was back. We knew what apartment the management had planned to put us in and we looked at it. It was second floor over another couple of apartments that could have seconded as a trash dump (rained on lazyboy chairs, trash, broken furniture... Wife said "scairy").

Yet, on the next day, on the drive to our gallows known as Portofino, we found another apartment complex and moved there. It's no big deal we had to eat the $65 app fee. Escaping this dark, dangerous place, $65 was a small price to pay.

Move here at your own risk.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/01/2008
trust me when i say this skip that place if you love your family alot of gangs and druggies even thier office got broken into and they took their big screen tv is a shame that they let anyone with money rent even if the money comes from selling drugs in their complex.
From: hardnock	Date: 06/10/2008
I lived there and actually left early and ate the cost of having to leave my 6 month lease early and of course all the RIDICULOUS fees they charged me for cleaning my apt. They claimed there was dog feces in the apt and I didn't even own any type of pet. My first week there there was a party at a nearby apt that involved several shots going off. The tenant was not even given a warning about it. I told them about a bum with a dog that was breaking into the apt above me @ night and sleeping there. Everytime I called them when I seen him going in they would NEVER come to investigate (it's like they didn't care or were afraid to kick him out). I also had my car broken into and my house broken into 4 times in two weeks that's what made me leave. All they told me to do was call the cops (which of course I had already done) and would not beef up $7 an hour security. I now have a $3,000 bill on my credit report thanks to this nonsense. It's worth every penny knowing that me or my children were not home when one of these burglers would've came back. DO NOT LIVE THERE UNLESS U LOVE DRUGS, GANGS AND ILLEGALS!!!!
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/13/2008
Awful place to live the old manager was moved and the new ones are awful. Drugs and gangs all over all the time and no one gives a damn.

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