I moved into a 2-bedroom, 1 bath island apartment with a walk-out in early December 2005 (first floor, no balcony and the bath is equipped for the disabled, so it's larger than the usual bathrooms).

I loved it at first. The office staff was amazingly helpful and the leasing agent who assisted me with my move was terrific. She had maintenance come to my apartment in less than 24 hours to repair a cabinet which was damaged prior to my move-in; someone must have jammed the stove against the woodwork and the entire cabinetry fell apart. It took two maintainence trips, but the problem was corrected. However, some of my cabinets still don't close properly, mainly those on the lower level.

I have two Cocker Spaniels and I currently work from home, so I know my dogs are quiet during the day, but other residents' pets bark constantly in my area. No one seems to care about this issue, although we're all receiving notices about the lack of pet clean-ups in the area. I'm strict about cleaning up after my dogs, but I can't tell you how many times I've had to wipe off my shoes and clean my dogs' paws after our walks because we accidentally stepped in others' messes.

I have joint custody of my two children and while they don't live here 24 / 7, a two-bedroom was required for obvious reasons. The rent's $644 per month (with my pet fee -- the base rent is $619), not including the minimal monthly water bill, electric and gas. JMV Realty also tacks on charges for trash removal, etc. The utility fees are decent thus far and I have no complaints, but the rent.....the carpet was stained (I believe from the previous tenant's pet(s)) prior to my move-in and I reported it in writing to the office. It has yet to be fixed and I will keep harping about it, since I don't want to be charged when I move out in December. I only intend to stay for my 12-month lease and that's it. My original leasing agent has since moved on to another job elsewhere and the remaining staff is clueless. The manager is okay, but he's clearly playing to his bosses and not his residents. That's to be expected.

The parking' You receive a carport space in addition to overflow parking directly in front of the units. I don't bother with the carport, since my spot is located at the other end of my unit's area and it's one heck of a walk to my apartment. The port numbers ae not clearly visible and it's almost impossible to find your spot at first unless you know where to look. I park in front of my unit and I leave it at that. It's easier, although it's a royal pain when the snow falls and the plow comes through. Everyone is blocked in and we're reminded to park in the carport during the winter months. I would, but who can find their spot' No one from the office has offered to help and my requests for assistance have gone unanswered. I just know the spot's general location and others tend to park in everyone else's carport spaces, anyway. Again, complaints are ignored.

My sole neighbor (at least for now -- I think the other two units in my building will be rented soon) is very nice. She blares her TV at all hours and her boyfriend and friends tend to visit or stay overnight frequently, but I never hear anything unless they're entering / exiting the building. The doors are loud and I can hear everything, even while inside my bedroom -- which is in the back of my apartment and usually quiet.

Northview Harbor could be worse. I'm not accustomed to apartment living, but it's not terrible. It's an adjustment. I don't expect instant service, although the rent is little steep, in my opinion. It's a spacious place, but considering the carpet issues and the fact that the children's room is about half the size of my own, it doesn't seem quite right. The kitchen's very small, but adequate. The living / dining area is combined and quite large.

I wanted a laundry hookup in my unit, but one wasn't available in December. I use the general laundry area in the leasing office, which is open 24 / 7 and accessible by key. The floors are a little dirty and it's $1.25 per load (for the washer and the dryer). Don't expect the dryer to actually dry all of your clothes / linens if you have a large load -- use two machines. I try to do laundry during off-times, meaning later in the evenings on weekdays when it's not crowded. Expect to find forgotten laundry piled on the tables. It seems a lot of residents forget to claim their clothes. Items can and will stay in place for a week or more, even though the complex has a rule that all unclaimed laundry will be discarded after 24 hours. No one cleans the dryer filters, either.

As far as location, Northview Harbor is fine. It's close to the major highways and right next door to the Plainfield Library. Stores and restaurants are less than a mile away. The snowplowing is decent and timely.

The units are older and the building exteriors are dated, to say the least. They're not horrible by any means, but when you're paying almost $700 per month, it'd be nice to see some updates. The walls are covered in that bumpy, inexpensive plaster which flakes off if you attempt to hang a portrait, so alert the office if it happens to you. Don't pay for damages that aren't your responsibility. They should have used better-quality materials.

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