The building itself is nice, but not great. The layouts are very nice, and it does have a pretty pond nearby. However, they do get well water, and it STINKS! It has a very noticable brown color to it. I never cook with the tap water or drank it while I was there. I'm sure there was something wrong with the pipes to make it as brown as it was, but the ladies in the office insisted that was how it was suppose to be (think of a toilet that's been allowed to rust for a while... that's what it looked like). When I moved out the smell stuck to most of my things.

Maintenance was only an issue for me once, but it was handled very poorly. My garage door (that I pay an additional fee for) malfunctioned, leaving my car stuck inside the garage. I notified the office sometime in the early morning, and they had informed me that their handyman had already left for the day. Therefore my car remained stuck inside my garage for the entire day and I had to get a ride to and from work. The handyman didn't get around to actually fixing my garage until late the next afternoon.

The office staff definitely leaves something to be desired. In the past they have lost packages mailed to me AND rent checks (they did find them eventually, after sticking several nasty letters to my door). If you do for some reason decide to sign with them, make sure everything you give them is documented properly, or it may come back to bite you in the ass.

I would have to agree with most posters on this site. Tara's personality is best described as "abbrasive." And no, it's not because I came into the office with an attitude. I'm a pretty patient and understanding person, even when I know I'm getting a raw deal. However, in the past she has made several inappropriate comments to me, including my family members in some of them. Under absolutely NO circumstances do I find that acceptable, let alone professional.

To be fare, the other ladies on the staff were very nice while I was there. I'm not sure if they are still there, though. I saw one once after my lease was up, and she told me she had quit and was glad to be out of there. Appearantly Tara's not very nice to her staff, either.

Of course this may all just be my bad experience, but after checking out the Better Business Bureau's website, I would think not. You can see there report at the following address; http://chicago.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx'site=46&bbb=0654

That is the most objective piece of evidence I can show you.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/11/2008
It must be your building because i've been here for a yr and have never had the brown water or the sewer smell. Got a friend that lives in another building and she does have the sewer smell. Must be the pipes. I agree about Taras abrasive personality as i've heard her gossip about many of the the residents as i'm sure she does about me as soon as i walk out the door. She has gone thru a few staff members since i've been here. wonder why.
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/05/2008
Gary Buschmann is aware of Tara's inability to manage this property. He is a slum lord and could care less. This not only makes The Sanctuary of Lake Villa look bad but it also makes Buschmann Homes look bad. Who would want to buy a home from a builder that cannot even find an appropriate person to manage their apartments. I can't even imagine what the home sites are like! If you can afford to move out, then do it. I did and I am much happier now.
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/07/2008
I redently had an issue with a staff member that appeared to be incompetent in processing a request. I had to go out of my way to take care of an issue for them. When I decided it be best to call Buschmann Homes (because every interaction I have had with Tara has been an inconvenience for her), I received a return telephone call from Gary, with Tara on the phone. How can you give your "customers" an opportunity to voice their concerns if you have the "issue" that needs to be discussed right on the phone? It felt like a complete ambush. Regardless, they will be sorry when they no longer get my rent (especially since there are so many vacant apartments). I will most certainly not be renewing a lease with them. Besides, last year when I did renew, part of the incentive was to have your carpets cleaned. I have yet to see or hear about my carpet cleaning.

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