I have lived in the Hamptons at South Park for about 8 months now, and it has been a terrible experience. I was previously in another apartment that was extremely old (built in 1940) and when I was shopping around for new apartments, I was looking for something a lot newer and nicer. I stumbled upon this place as I was driving from a friend's house to South Park mall, and thought I'd see what they had to offer. When I went by to discuss floor plans, their availability and prices, I was overloaded with information that I have now realized was very far from the truth.

-While expressing my need to be in a newer apartment, I was told that the apartments were around 12 years old. (Mecklenburg Country tax records indicate the property was built in 1986, meaning that they are now 22 years old).
-I was told that appliances had the chance of being updated after each renter moved out, especially if they were old. My apartment that I'm renting now is equipped with the original appliances. My microwave and stove are not digital, I have to turn dials to adjust the timers (and for the microwave to adjust power and heat).
-I was told that before I moved in that I would be able to see my unit to make sure that it was what I wanted before being forced to move in. The renters that were in my unit before me took so long moving out that I didn't actually get to walk into my apartment until the day I moved in when I did my walk-through inspection.
-Upon my first visit, I noticed the construction that they were doing to update the outside of the buildings. Because I am a light sleeper, I asked what times construction would be going on and how long they would be doing construction in the neighborhood. I was told that construction hours during the day were normal work hours (however, sometimes I was woken up very early to the sounds of hammers on the side of my building and my roof). I was also told that the construction would be finished by October of 2007.
My unit is located in the back corner of the complex, near where the construction equipment "bins" are located. They look like small trailer homes and take up about 6 parking spaces. There are a few of them going down the parking lot, meaning that half of the parking spaces outside of my building have been taken up. I was told that when construction was completed in October that they would be removed. October came, and the bins were still there, so I called the leasing office who took a week to get back to me saying that they would be gone by Christmas time. It is now early-mid February, and the bins are still in the parking lot. I spoke with the leasing office again who assured me that the bins would be gone by APRIL and that even though they aren't working on the apartments on this side of the complex, they still cannot move them. I am having to park in the lots outside of other buildings because finding a parking space at night is extremely difficult. When I expressed my concern of having to walk a great distance across a dark parking lot at night alone, the members at the leasing office did not seem to care and muttered a simple "oh, we're sorry."
-ALSO, DO NOT BELIEVE THEM WHEN THEY TELL YOU SECURITY DRIVES AROUND AT NIGHT. i stay awake fairly late at night, and I have only seen the security man drive through about 10 times in the past 8 months.
-My dishwasher has broken 3 times and each time it has taken a maintenance guy about a month and a half to get to my apartment because it wasn't a "top priority" because I am able to wash my dishes in the sink. What a load of crap!
-The refrigerators in the units are very tiny.
-The fitness center was redone with new equipment last summer, however, I have found that it is more worth my time to go to a different gym. The Harris YMCA is conveniently across the street.
-I am able to hear EVERYTHING that my neighbors do. When I am asleep in my bed, I am awoken by my neighbors getting in their SHOWER. I can hear where my neighbor 2 doors down has a dog that barks relentlessly through the night.
-The smell of cigarette smoke gets into your unit from other renters.
-The energy bill for these units are extremely pricey. I pay an average of $200 per month for a two bedroom apartment that I live in by myself. I'm not even home half of the time.


I hope this has helped. I will say that it has been nice living in the South Park area. It's definitely quiet and convenient, but i'm sure you can find something a lot better to put 799/month towards.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/07/2008
Great and thorough review. Very helpfull! Thanks.

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