Drakes Pond

Love it here.

From: tshae44
Date posted: 6/22/2006
Years at this apartment: 2004-01-01 - 2006-01-01
2 responses

I'm a single woman. I have lived here for a year and half. I have had a few minor maintence issues, things break. . but they are always here within 24 hrs, usually the same day, to fix it. No problems with the men. Snow removal is top notch too!
As far as the pool goes, they're great! A heated pool in the winter rocks! The hot tub is great too. In the summer everyone goes to the pool. There are people of all age's, todlers to seniors laying out and swimming. It's really nice.
There's two brand new elipticle machines, and two brand new tread mills, and many brand new other pieces of gym equipment. The gym was recently all replenished.

There's lots of parking for both tenates and guest. The visitor parking is strewn throught the complex, so your guests don't have to park somewhere in the back and then walk 15 minutes to the apt like most other complex's. I have never had a saftey problem, but as a woman I'm always aware of my surrondings too. We do have locked buildings too. Garages and Carports are available.
The grounds are beatifull, and we have ducks and bunny's, and chipmunks running around. In addition to the gym, there's sand volleyball, tennis courts, racket ball court, free taning bed, indoor/outdoor pool and hot tubs. We even get free continental breakfast. There are dog buildings, and NO Dog buildings. I even have a firplace in my 1 bed room. So cool. There's a spot in the living room for a celing fan if I buy one. They will instal it for free if I ever choose to do so. They even said I could paint, as long as I paint it back to white before I move out. My neighbors hace been here for years (one lady I met has lived here over 12 years), and they love it too. Many people move here between selling and buying a home, many while they attend WMU, and others because easier than buying a house, and you get all the amenities and maintence taken care of for you. Very quite. I'm on the second floor. I can hardley hear anything above or below me. It's Home.

Some of the reviews mention a water fee, it's 10.00 flat. They explain that with your rent. I do have central air, no messy air conditioner! and my own water heater, so I can control my heat/electric bill, and don't run out of water because my neighnbor did laundry 5 min. ago. I have a full sized washer and dryer too. If you own your own allready, they will remove them for you, so you could use your own.

Also, the office staff is great. We have pool parties etc. . throught the year, paid for by the office. all office staff lives on sight in different buildings. I am not an office staff member, as one reviwer accused reviewers of! We are happy with our homes, and will gladly reccomend them. When people find out where I live, they're like "ooh those are nice" and they are right. I found this site because a friend of mine moving here from Chicago asked me to check out a few other complex's he'd seen online. He wanted to be sure of his choice, and comparison shop before making his final decission. I'm so glad we looked at the reviews. The other complex's had the same terrible, specific complaints that went on their entire leasing period.

One non reviewer was an employee of the AIM corp, which is known widely in Kalamazoo for being the SLUM LORD corp. Several different times I have been moving within Kalamazoo, and looked at several properties from them. oh my god. Year after year, apt. after apt. I was afraid and discusted with their "apts" for rent. They are almost always apts. within a house, with holes in the walls, old riped up stained carpets, no ammenities, missing appliances, one was even missing a toilet ("we'd get that fixed after you move in" they said) and little to parking. Horrible customer service. All of them were still is desperate need of housekeeping when they gave me the keys. So un-professional. Their apts are in the "ghettos" of Kalamazoo. (hey, every town's got a "ghetto".) Be leary of a review that never lived or even seen an apt. from anywhere.

One last thing, the one reviewer complainmed they used parts to fix her washer from an empty apt. If you have to order parts for a washer it takes days to get fixed, they put her needs first and got her washer fixed same day, so she wouldn't be inconvienced. I would be so thankfull in that same situation.

Drakes Pond has always, and continues to be a great place to live. I love it here.

Recommended: YES Overall Rating

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