I wonder who wrote the first review. Nobody who lives in here would just compliment the management not mentioning how livable this place is. I do not blame whoever wrote it though-- everybody does it anyway. Besides the office staffs are not bad after all.

I think this apartment complex has been out for renting since last spring. When we looked around the apartments, we liked the details such as good quality appliances, tubs, wide doors and windows, and window coverings (mostly vertical blinds). We thought they cared about details and that convinced us to think that everything else would be good too because we have seen expensive apartments filled with cheap appliances and tiny doors. We did not even imagine that a new construction with this price would be so awful to live. So we just concentrated on checking details. And the staffs were helpful and nice enough. My opinion on office staffs is still mostly unchanged except one person being quite unfriendly since we signed. My complaint about this apartment mostly remains in the construction.

But when the winter came, the nice huge windows backfired on us. Actually they had short rubber strips so not to cover the whole length at the bottom of every frame. So when the powerful HVAC is on, the cold air was sucked in. The management tried to fix it by exchanging the windows and it improved the insulation quite a bit. But still the insulation is comparatively poor to any other apartments that I have ever experienced. The window frames are of very poor quality with or without full length rubber strips. Every joint leaks and there is nothing much for anyone to do about it, I know. (We have learned a lesson that we must not buy a house with big windows. Or change the windows to the most expensive ones on our own before the first winter comes.) Somebody must have made tons of money for selling that kind of cheap windows.

I might have talked too much about windows, but it is that serious. We had to pay nearly $300 every month for the gas alone this winter-- Thinking about how unusually warm this winter so far has been, although the gas price nearly doubled, it is significant. We strived to save on energy bill to see if we can lower it if we try harder, after seeing the outrageous gas bill. But still the same. We did not even use the heat during the day all winter long. We used it just when we go to sleep for 8-10 hours daily in average. Meahwhile, the electricity bill has been way over $200 with no good reason. We usually paid about $70-$100 a month in any other apartments with gas or electric cooking, except in summer. Imagine how much it will be with AC on in the summer.

The main reason we picked this one was that we got 2 month rent free. We were thinking that maybe we could save some on lodging if we would live here. Wrong! We are practically spending a lot more living here paying a lot in utilities. Fortunately, it is not a serious problem to us and I believe, to most of people living here either. However, I feel angry about it sometimes.

The main problem in this apartment is insulation. It is not just caused by poor cheap windows. Since we live on the first floor, we have walls meeting ground everywhere; and the bottom of the walls must have huge holes. We have been wondering why we could not get the apartment warm enough so not to wear a sweater or a jacket indoors even when the thermostat was set about 80 degrees, before we felt the air being sucked in from the bottom of the walls. We did not even report this problem to the management office because this is more fundamental issue; not an easy job to fix-- We must move all the things that are near windows and might not be a day job either. Basically we do not want trouble. Just decided to live here until the lease is up and to take off.

We did some job though, at the bottom of every wall covering it with layers and layers of caulk, plastic bags, pieces of drapery, and boxes, etc. But still that was not enough: Can you believe if I say that I actually saw thick layers of ice on window frames after cold nights (below 10 degrees at night)' I could not believe my eyes. I once had lived in a house with very bad window frames with one ply window panes when I was little (over 30 years ago). I think I had seen such thing once in a while then. When it is over 10 degrees at night, we get a lot of condensation in the windows every night. Sigh... So I put more covers (more plastic bags and things) on the floor. It looks very messy but now I feel much less air leakage. Still the problem in the gas bill and condensation is unchanged. I do not know about the units on different levels though. It must be better. So my advice is avoid the first floor at any cost!

We called for maintenance just a few times in the beginning of lease as most tenants would do and stop calling because the maintenance people were not competent. They just tried to argue about the problems we found. Especially one guy who does most of the job, even after he said that he would fix it, mostly did not come back. Nobody treated us badly but very forgetful. It is pathetic that we have to fix every single thing because they cannot deal with it. There goes the advantage of getting on-site maintenance. Only advantage living here would be indifferent package receipt service by the office.

One more problem to go through: We had serious dust problem since we moved here and wondered what was wrong. The carpet is supposed to make less dust than non-berber. We were having unusual itchiness of lifetime with no reason at all. It was not even cold. And allergic reactions too-- Could not go on a day without Claritine. One day we tried openning the air vent to see how bad it was. I dropped my jaw for a minute there. Everything inside it was covered thickly with white dust. We had to wipe all the dust and vacuum it up for a few days until we saw most of it gone. Why do we have to go through this' We have lived in newly built ones, but never had this problem. Well could be also just this unit's problem. Just my luck...

And the noise proof is not satisfying at all either. But it is very usual in all new buildings I noticed unless you build it really carefully on your own. I rather prefer old concrete buildings for soundproof. We thought that we would be OK here since we had had hell of neighbors upstairs before we moved here. But when you hear people stomping around and watching TV or something loud enough to wake the dead all night long (It does not end even past 7 AM mostly, and it happens all week long except a day or two), you cannot ignore it. We thought maybe the person fell asleep watching TV until we heard other loud noises. We are putting up with this thinking that it could have been worse. And the noise from outside whenever people pass by or park/start cars is not pleasing either. But that is also just usual in the first floor in an apartment building.

There was nothing to complain about parking-- There is always a spot even if you have to walk a little. Only thing that deserves the price.

You will also find soggy cookies that give you instant stomach ache in the kitchen and no disposable cups for coffee at any time which bothers me to think if the open kitchen is really for the tenants or the office staffs with their own cups alone.

The decision to move here is the biggest mistake and disappointment to us considering the price and quality we get. It will be very hard for the management to improve their services and quality with the maintenance team that do not have much to offer but to change air filters periodically. So far indifferent mostly, nothing impressive or better at all. But the appliances are new and working well. Besides there must be much worse ones out there. In my opinion, this apartment is definitely not worth the rent, despite the "Southern Hospitality", and I would not recommend it to my friends. So the risk is yours to take.

User Responses
From: billericaliving	Date: 03/31/2006
I would have to agree with you but take it one step further. I feel that my entire experience has been sullied by the lack of pride and renterships other tentants in the complex have. The corridors are dirty, neighbors loud, garbage, cigarette butts and gum on the sidewalks, and stairwells. The bigger issue is that it seems that the 40% Houseing rule in Billerica is all at the Villas at Old Concord. It's terrible to me that I have to pay full rent while almost everyone else living at the complex pays a much lower amount. It really doesn't seem fair. I was quite prideful of living here, now I can't wait for my lease to expire and get out
From: MindYaBusiness	Date: 10/10/2006
I disagree with jhagopian! First of all, who are you to judge anyone by what type of vehicle they drive. Just because someone has a nicer vehicle than someone else does not mean they are any more of a clean or respectful neighbor. Everyone has a responsibility to keep their neighborhood orderly and up to par no matter what age they are and it isnt necessarily the younger generation. So what you pay a little more. GET OVER IT. you probably make ALOT MORE!!!!!. I love everything about The Villas especially how they allow the "not so wealthy" people to live there as opposed in some dumpy area. If you dont like it, when you lease is up...leave!!!!!!
From: move4work	Date: 11/29/2006
I live here and my complaints are few. The people with their Dogs - one lady with 5 - that urinate in the stairs and on the rugs, people who feel they are too good to pick up the poop.(none of which are the 20% - who are on Plan B- by the way, most of these are military people. Seriously, they give their lives for us-you are going to bash them for their Hondas? Perhaps if we were taxed more, they could afford more. Other's who get a break here are teacher's - again.. more taxes would enable them to afford a home. The BMW and Lexus drivers that race through the parking lots - not caring about others. That is what is bothersome. If you are so well endowed ... buy a house.

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