At times, you have to take the reviews you read here with a grain of salt. For those worried about pedophiles and rapists, http://www.sandyspringspolice.org posts weekly crime stats (crimereports.com) as well as an index of registered sex offenders (www.georgia-sex-offenders.com). Last I checked, there are no registered sex offenders here. During my first visit here back in June 2009, I asked about the claims during my tour. They believe the poster was a guy who was kicked out months ago. He never signed a lease while living there as a roommate with someone who did have a lease. The guy was discovered and failed their background check, so they told him to leave. Using the websites I mentioned above, the comments this guy posted, management's response, and from the lifestyle planner I toured with, I personally think it's safe to say that the rape/sex offender claims are bogus. But make your own decisions, guys, and take anything you read here with a grain of salt. Come see the place. Ask them about the ratings on this website. ANYWAY! Here's my own experience with the complex so far:

I've been living here since July by myself and my dog, feeling safe enough to take her out to poop at 3 am. Noise is not a problem here. (Fire trucks going past sometimes, yes, but in the middle of the night noise level is usually non-existent. ) No gas anywhere in the apartments - all electric. Electric is GA Power, Phone is ATT and cable is Comcast. They have cute little wooden trash bins for trash pickup. (No walking to the dumpster!) Nice 1000 sq ft.one bedroom floor plans for under 800 a month. You must have proof of renter's insurance, which I was going to get anyway. I did notice some craft issues on the windows and some stains here and there, but I still love my place nonetheless and choose not to ----- about it. My washer and dryer weren't connected when I first moved in. Someone pushed the dryer in so much when installing it, the foil pipe thingie was smashed and also full of lint. Maintenance came in the very next day and fixed stuff. The only other time I had an issue was with my dishwasher, and maintenance came the very next day as well and fixed that. My smoke detector started beeping, and the battery was changed the same day.

When I was looking for a new place this past summer, it was during a holiday and someone was around to talk to me on the phone. The tenants here didn't give me any bad vibes when I visited. They had security cameras on the gates running all the time. The gates themselves...sometimes broke. The gates HAVE been functional for about 2 weeks now.

The grounds are well kept, the dog poop cans had bags for use. Sometimes the bags get stuck, and some people think that because their dog is small they don't need to leash them. The pet walk can be dangerous when it rains as there is no concrete; I actually injured my ankle during the massive rain storms a few weeks back by sliding on the grass. It is also poorly lit at night, especially behind the building.

Pool looked nice, people (tenants and staff) were nice. A selling point was the fact that they have a dog walking service and have no weight restrictions. I haven't used the service yet, so I can't tell you how it works. They did have "aggressive breed" restrictions, although that's not uncommon with apartment complexes. I've seen some pretty nasty chihuahuas, but people only whine about how "aggressive" pit bulls are. Blame the deed, not the breed, guys! (Anyway!) Luckily my dog is not considered "aggressive". ;P

I hope I have been helpful enough for those thinking about signing a lease. This complex is pretty good (not perfect, but not awful) I see maintenance working and upgrading the units (at least in my building). The place was built in the 1990's, I think. There are pros and cons, but I think the pros outweigh the cons at this point in my lease. As I live out my first year here, I will be sure to update you, dear reader, on the good stuff and bad stuff.

And no, I don't work for this company.

User Responses
From: RenaissancePG	Date: 10/09/2009
It is always encouraging to receive such positive feedback. Thank you for taking the time to recognize the kind of wholesome, uplifting community we are creating at Avistele. Please feel free to contact the owner-operator, RenaissancePG LLC, directly at info@renaissancepg.com, or call us at 865-777-0076. We welcome both compliments and complaints as they both help us to better serve our Members and their guests. It is how we are trying to change the world, one community through one relationship at a time.

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