My family and I use to live there for a very long time. We lived there for 12 and a half years. Yes when we first moved in back in 1995 it was the best place to be. The property was always maintained, staff was friendly and worked on issues right away, and it was definitely a place you WANTED to call home. It was quiet!!! They even use to do background checks before you could move in. Then after about 4 years there all HELL broke loose!!! After time, the management crew who actually cared, all disappeared. Concord Management either transferred them or they left the company altogether.
The early years were amazing. This place was Casselberry's best secret. It really was a great place to live. But over time, the beauty faded and the transformation really started to kick in. At first it was slow, and then somehow it kicked into high gear. Gangs started roaming the neighborhood, sex offenders were living in the apartments, the trash compactor was overflowing, the so-called security gate was always broken, and the cops who would live there at a reduced rate to patrol the neighborhood stopped caring. Security calls went unanswered and the crime in the area got worse.
People who were on Section 8 were always available to live there. It's a Low Income Living community, but that still doesn't excuse letting the place go and putting the residents at risk. Whether you were someone on Section 8 or not. Everyone deserved a nice community to live in. When they subsided on doing the background checks and let just anyone move in, then Castle Woods took a serious turn for the worse and has yet to get any better.
The maintenance staff were incompetent and the time that it took to actually have maintenance issues resolved took even longer. At one point it took them 3 months to work on an issue that I would remind the rental office of this open maintenance ticket, and yet nothing was done. Security was atrocious. In the early years, they actually had security guards patrolling the property. This came to a close and then they would offer extreme discounted rent for officers of the Casselberry Police Department to move in and become the Community Resource Officer. There was only one who was there who actually cared and tried to work with the management team in keeping the community safe. All the others were worthless.
There were "firebugs" in the neighborhood, kids who rode the security gate like it was a ride at Disney, gangs, and shootings on the property. The rental office never once sent out notices making residents aware of the fact that these things were happening. In fact, they never breathed a word of it. I remember the day when a gang member was shot. It was right in front of the complex where usually there would be a large gathering of children playing. I saw the person who was shot being carried into a car and then they sped out of the area. I have called the cops so many times that the number was etched into my memory. I truly believe that the police didn't even care anymore. Especially since they were always called onto the property.
There is a huge number of kids running the streets and hallways at all times of the day and evening. My car had been vandalized a number of times. Tires were flattened, and graffiti was drawn on my car.
My family was not on Section 8 and our rent kept going up to where you didn't think that it was Low Income Housing. After awhile, I was paying the same rate of rent as some other nicer places in the surrounding area. My family and I stayed as many years as we did because we hoped that things would change for the better, but that didn't happen. After awhile, we felt trapped after many attempts to get out of there, but something always seemed to hold us back. So, one day, we just took the chance and found someplace else and moved. We live in the next town over and haven't regretted the day that we left.
What really saddens and upsets me is that Castle Woods Apartments was NOTHING like it is today. The true focus became on getting paid and not giving out a service for the money that was paid. I don't care if you're paying $100 for rent or $950 for rent there. The fact of the matter is that no one deserves to live in any of the conditions that I have stated or in previous posts. The breakdown started with Concord Management and this attitude was clearly reflected in the Property Managers and their staff. Broken gym equipment, the pool being closed for days on end, trash all over the grounds, over flowing garbage compactors, poor apartment maintenance, office staff making excuses to enter your apartment every other month, lack of security, and just poor customer service seem to be the norm here. Even if you mind your business and just try to live day-to-day here, you are still effected by the things going on in this community.
Today, the family who was the last of the original families who was in Castle Woods Apartments when it first opened is moving out. The funny thing is, they are moving in next to where I currently live. They for years have been trying to get out, and now they have their escape. Truly the end of an era.
I would not recommend this community to anyone with small children and who are looking to settle in for awhile. If you are someone who is just passing through, then maybe you can deal with what is going on because why would you care anyway. But surely, not for residents who actually care about their kids and want some simple quiet after a long day of work.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/08/2009
I have to confirm your opion of Castle Wood Apartments.It is not a very safe place to live and I would not recommend moving here.The maintenance staff is lazy and the ladies in the office are even worse. They gossip about everyone's business and even get thing started between residents, nothing is confidential. I would not recommend living here especially if you care for kids.

Your thoughts? Post a response to this review. Display my response: with my username anonymously Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.

   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates