I have been a resident of Columbia Landing Apartments for just over 4 years now, and I plan on continuing to rent an apartment here for the foreseeable future.

-- Pseudo-Legal Disclaimer(') --

This an actual attempted full-scale review from a real tenant, not just a handful of sentences cobbled together about specific likes or dislikes. Readers bear in mind that in this review I can only account for myself, my apartment, my building, my complex (there are several of them overall), and my own experiences with the management and staff, and that each tenant or any potential future tenants considering renting with Columbia Landing Apartments may or may not have similar or different unique experiences or opinions about their tenure. I am a young professional businessman with several previous experiences in renting apartments including in other states and in overseas countries. I am not now and never have been a member of the management, staff, or ownership, nor have I ever had any kind of personal or private relationship with any of the management, staff, or ownership.

-- Management and Staff --

It's really a shame that the overall ratings listed by previous tenants aren't higher, but after looking through a number of the posts and reviews, I noticed that many of them were made during the tenure of the previous ownership and management. When the new (current) management and ownership took charge, they completely revolutionized how business was done within the complex. Right from the start, the management revamped the way that the tenants were viewed; no longer were we just people who showed up to pay rent every month, we (the tenants) became their investments. This paradigm shift in philosophy was a wonderful change of perspective, as people who have an investment in something (or in this case, someone) want to make sure that their investment is taken care of.

The new management took a long look at the property and the first thing they focused on was how they could improve upon the quality of life and the standards of living for their tenants, and even entertained suggestions from the tenants about what their concerns and needs were. They hired a full maintenance and ground-keeping staff, as well as cleaners who clean the common areas in and around the apartments daily. A lot of work was not only put into renovations of the buildings themselves (new roofing, new paint, new windows, replacement of old appliances) but also into beautification of the property grounds (trimming the shrubs, clearing the brush, building small flower gardens at the entrances to each building, adding and improving upon the lighting around the apartments and in the parking lots). A lot of the pre-existing policies also went under review, and there have been numerous changes made to improve the parking situation, reduce and remove undesirable or disruptive conduct or behavior, and vastly improve the responsiveness and quality of the maintenance and ground-keeping. They have also added a 24-hour on-site maintenance line for any issues or property emergencies that might arise after hours.

The management staff is composed of 3 young adept professional ladies who are some of the friendliest and most endearing people I have met. They are all very courteous and very concerned about the needs of the tenants. Every time I have been in their office they have always recognized me and the other tenants who come in by name, and they are typically found proactively engaged in seeing to the needs of their tenants. Even when they are busy taking care of other matters and managing the property, they will always stop what they are doing to take care of the customer. They are honest, outgoing, upfront, and down-to-earth, and my experiences with their customer relations capability are better than my experiences with the management staff at all of the other apartments where I have previously resided.

They do make about 2 inspections each year of all the apartments. This might seem like an area of contention for some, but I do not believe it should be viewed as such. Overall, I believe this is actually a good thing and I'll tell you why. They do these inspections not as an invasion of your privacy, but as a preventative measure for the benefit of all the tenants. When they do these inspections, they are checking to ensure that all of the appliances are in good working order, looking to identify any potential maintenance issues before they arise (such as ensuring faucets aren't loose and don't leak, smoke alarms are functioning properly, ensuring electrical outlets aren't loose or broken, replacing the air filters, checking the caulking in the bathrooms, etc.), checking the physical security of the apartments (to make sure doors and windows close tightly and are undamaged, and see if walls have cracks or holes in them), and to ensure that cleanliness and housekeeping are at reasonable standards to prevent bug infestations due to poor tenant housekeeping or dirty property hygiene as well as to identify and prevent any potential illegal activity. These measures have served to improve the overall quality of living for all of the tenants and have identified and prevented many potential maintenance issues before they developed into significant problems.

The maintenance staff is well-equipped and professional. They are well-trained and seem more than capable to quickly handle any mild to moderate maintenance issues that might arise. They are also reasonably prompt in respect to their timeliness in responding to, and providing solutions for, any non-major maintenance issues that one might have (I have not experienced any major maintenance issues during my stay, and cannot make any comment about their capability to handle them). Of the few maintenance problems that I have experienced (all due to normal wear and tear), they have all been taken care of either on the same day or on the next business day.

The dedication of the management, and the staff that they employ, to the respective tenants is amicable and is certainly above and beyond what you would expect for apartments in this price range.

-- Apartment and the Property --

The apartments are surprisingly spacious and well equipped with amenities for the price range of the rent. I live in a 2 bedroom apartment, so I can't offer any personal insight into the other apartment styles, but I was impressed as a potential future tenant when I first went to take a look at the apartments. The model display apartment is a good place to start, and it gave me a good idea of what a furnished apartment might look like once filled with all the furniture and trappings of what makes an apartment a home. What really sealed the deal for me was when I went to check out what one of their empty apartments actually looked like.

As I mentioned earlier, the apartments are surprisingly spacious and for the most part have an open and unconstrained feel to them in comparison to over a dozen other apartment properties in Columbia I had visited that week. Immediately upon walking into the apartment, you will find a decently-sized closet in the foyer that is more than satisfactory for hanging coats. The foyer opens up into the living room, which is very large and well-proportioned (clearly bigger than the other properties I had visited) and was a big selling point for me. In my apartment I have managed to fit in a couch, a chaize, coffee table, two end tables, personal home gym machine, and a full-sized entertainment center with all the bells and whistles - all within the living room, and without it feeling overly cramped. This would not be possible with any of the other apartment complexes I had inspected in Columbia at that time.

The living room opens into a dining room of a respectable size, and comes equipped with a ceiling light and fan, as well as a large window. The end of living room also has a large sliding-glass door with comfortably-sized balcony. The balcony has access to a small outdoor storage space, but it does not get any use in my case. As much as I wish I could, I can't speak for all the of other tenants when it comes to the absolutely superlative view I have from my apartment's balcony, which was another big selling point for me. I really lucked out in this regard. A mere stone's throw away, my balcony overlooks a large wooded area complete with a trickling little stream, and there is even a paved hiking/biking trail that snakes around off in the back. In the Spring time, the view explodes into a wonderful and colorful display of flora and fauna that plays host to numerous kinds of wildlife - I have seen almost twenty different species of birds, rabbits and squirrels visit on a daily basis, and I have semi-frequently spotted some larger mammals including deer, red foxes, and the occasional gopher. In the hustle and bustle of the go-go-go business and professional attitude many of us experience here in this region of the U.S., it has been my distinct pleasure to be able to kick back at the end of a long week and spend a little time unwinding by watching this diversity of wildlife in the woods behind my apartment. I wish every apartment-dweller everywhere could have this kind of scenic view.

As much as I enjoy the notable view, it doesn't really cover living area within the apartment itself. Back to the layout.... The living room and dining room surround the kitchen, which is more or less in the center of the apartment. Like the living and dining rooms, the kitchen is large and open, especially when compared to the kitchens from the other apartment complexes I inspected before deciding to live here. It is well-designed, and features a lot of cupboards above and below the large countertop area. It also features a full set of amenities, including a dish washer, oven/stove, microwave, and refrigerator, and the sink has a garbage disposal in it (I mention this because I have seen other properties that don't). I read one previous review made by another tenant where they said that there was no vent over the stove, only a fan. My stove has a fan complete with vent over it, and even though it takes about 30 seconds for it to get fully warmed up, it works just fine for me. Perhaps the problem the other individual encountered might have been a vent that had clogged without him or her realizing it.

You will also find a personal washer and dryer for your clothes located in the corner of the kitchen (yes, it's really a big kitchen). These two amenities are personal-sized, and cannot hold a great deal of laundry (although they are significantly larger than the ones I had when I lived in Japan). They strike me as being a similar size as those found in other rental properties, at least the ones that have washers and dryers within the apartment itself. The washer actually hooks up to the sink faucet, which might be seen as a minor inconvenience to some. I have to manually pull out and maneuver my washer a few feet to get access to the sink faucet, but this is made relatively easy and requires little effort due to the wheels mounted on the washer. Some people might complain about this, but I consider it a small sacrifice; I would much rather have my own private washer and dryer within my apartment than to do my laundry in a larger industrial-sized washer/dryer in a centralized, communal, or coin-operated laundry room. A private washer/dryer is certainly a perk that not all other apartment complexes can proclaim, and it is much more convenient to me to be able to do my laundry at a time of my own choosing in my schedule, within the comfort of my own home, and without having to worry about any of my clothes walking away on their own, so to speak.

I live in a 2 bedroom style apartment, with one bedroom being a little larger than the other. The larger bedroom is a pretty good size, and comfortably fits a queen-size bed with chest of drawers and a night stand on one side, and a dresser on the other - all with several feet of space between them in which to walk around or maneuver. The main bedroom also features 2 wide closets side to side that run most of the length of one wall. Also found in the main bedroom is a small door that provides side access to the bathroom. The smaller bedroom is of reasonable dimensions, and in my case, has more or less become an impromptu storage room. I had originally planned to use it as an office/computer room, and I put a desk in there, but I never quite made it that far. As a bachelor with no children, that works fine for me. It has an average size (width-wise, at least) closet in one corner, but it makes up for its smaller width by being significantly deeper than the other closets in the apartment. Both bedrooms also feature very large windows that occupy most of one wall in each room, and in my case they both overlook the parking lot. At the junction where the two bedrooms meet, you can find a convenient linen closet.

The bathroom is the smallest room within the apartment, and it is separated by a door into 2 rooms within itself. The first section of the bathroom features a large wide sink with lots of counter and drawer space as well as a large mirror. A mirrored medicine cabinet rests on one side wall, and towel rack is mounted to the other. There is a door that separates it from the other part of the bathroom which contains toilet and shower/tub. This area is somewhat on the small side, and can seem a bit cramped. The bathroom area is perhaps the weakest aspect within the entire apartment. It is long, in that it runs the same length as the entire wall of the main bedroom which it is immediately adjacent to, but it is not very wide. I do, however, like the broad sink and counter area with ample cupboard space below it, and I find it to be much more convenient and useful than smaller or skinnier bathroom sink designs.

The apartment itself is pretty quiet actually. I live in a middle apartment; a nice lady lives below me and a family lives above me - which would place me in a prime position to have the most exposure to any sound bleeding in from outside sources. The buildings are of an older construction, so there might not be as much insulation or sound proofing built into it as you could find with a more newly-built facility, but I have never really had very much reason for complaint with any sound levels. As a matter of being a courteous neighbor, I had a discussion with the lady who lives below me within a few weeks after I moved into the apartment. I own a full entertainment center, and I wanted to make sure that the sounds coming from it or from any of my other activities within the apartment were not a nuisance or inconvenience to her. She assured me that everything was fine, and that she could barely even tell that someone actually lived above her. As far as my experience goes, I can hear the occasional muffled bump-bump-bump when the child of the family above me goes bouncing around the apartment, and I can sometimes hear the hoots and hollers from the gentleman of the family whenever the Ravens score a touchdown (he's a VERY big Ravens fan, and I suppose I can't really hold that against him), but I've never really experienced anything that I consider any kind of nuisance or inconvenience to me or my peace of mind. I have heard that some people in the past have had some noise complaints, but the new management has instituted policies to contain any noise concerns that may arise. I have not experienced anything to complain about, and none of my neighbors have anything to complain about me. All in all, it has been a very quiet and peaceful 4 years here for me.

The physical location of the apartment complex is very convenient. It is just off of 175, which not only goes straight into the heart of Columbia, but also provides direct and easy access to some of the main roads of transportation in this area such as I-95 and 29. The apartment complex is also just a short drive from some of the other commonly used roads including 100, 108, 32, 1, and 295. There is a grocery store, gas station, and convenience center just a couple of blocks farther down the road on Tamar Drive, it is just a mile down the road from the several shopping areas and restaurants near Dobbin Road, and 175 will take you directly to the Mall in Columbia. There is access to a bus route, and there are schools and parks in the neighborhood.

Overall, and with the exception of the bathroom, the large rooms within the apartment have a nice design and setup, and the open feel of of the rooms, especially within the common activity areas (living room, dining room, kitchen), give it the impression that it is even larger than it actually is. The floorspace is very respectable, and price range for the size of the apartment and the featured amenities very very good. The cost of rent at other rental properties in Columbia for a similarly-sized apartment with the similar amenities is generally $300-$600 more per month, making Columbia Landing Apartments one of the best deals in town for what they have to offer.

If you found this review to be helpful or informative, and it influences or inspires you to come out and see the property for yourself, please make reference to it when you meet with one of the leasing agents. I'd like to know if I've been able to help anybody out with their apartment hunting, and referencing this review will allow me to get a little bit of feedback if I've been able to make positive impact on someone. Thanks, and I hope that you will be able to enjoy Columbia Landing Apartments as much as I have.

User Responses
From: nesmith	Date: 08/08/2009
Any issues with roach, rodent, spider or bed bug infestation? Not a fan of the bugs!
From: Anonymous	Date: 09/24/2009
I personally have not experienced any kind of pest problems during my 4 years here, and I don't know of anyone in my building who has experienced them either. I bought a can of bug spray as a "just in case" precaution before moving into my apartment here, but I've never once had to use it. The only bugs I see are the occasional ones that sneak in while I open the door to step out onto my balcony. The management does arrange for a pest control & prevention specialist to make a precursory inspection of each apartment once or twice per year in order to ensure that there are no existing pest problems or take proactive measures to remove them if any issues are present or have the potential to develop. While this undoubtedly plays a significant part in mitigating and reducing the risk of a possible infestation, I would recommend contacting the front office for actual statistics about the number of pest problems reported by tenants. As an alternative, you could try asking the management for the name of the pest control company providing services to the property and inquire about any pest problems with them. In my opinion, based solely upon my experiences here, I would say that the likelihood of encountering a pest problem is fairly minimal. However, one cannot completely rule out the possibility for some kind of pest problem of any degree to develop based upon the common sense practices of individual tenants to, or not to, prevent them by their own conduct (ie- leaving the doors open all day, leaving food or rubbish strewn about in the open, etc.) The management does take proactive preventative measures to reduce the risk of pest problems, which is much more beneficial for the tenants than to take no action and wait until an infestation is rooted and in full swing before addressing it. I am sure that any reported issues that do develop, or conditions outside of a tenant's control (such as a hole in the wall, or windows/doors that don't fully close) are acted upon swiftly when brought to the attention of the management.
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/03/2009
The poster is MANAGEMENT! DO NOT BE FOOLED! One of the WORST places to live in Columbia! Over-occupancy is a hugh issue at Columbia Landing. And because of this roaches are plentyful. As for a washer and dryer in each apartment - very small. And the dryer does NOT vent outside. Although there are some apartments that do but management stopped venting newer ones. Noise - Where do I start. If you want quiet(not talking about the normal apartment living noise) forget it! Crime - someone tried to break into my apartment once, had my car broken into as well. Cars are always being stolen at Columbia Landing. People are ALWAYS hanging around in the parking lots drinking beer and urinating by the dumpsters. And the smell is aweful! They hired a security patrol for the summer (09) and all they did is drive around. AGAIN - DO NOT BE FOOLED by the poster. It is Management of Columbia Landing. The poster did NOT live here for 4 years but worked here for that long. Does it really sound like someone telling you about their time lived here or someone "selling" you something? If your looking for a good apartment to move to I suggest looking somewhere else than Columbia Landing. I have moved and love my new place! Peace at last peace at last!

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