I moved here a year ago despite the high price ($715 for a one bedroom...more on that later) because the place really had a community-like feel. I felt rushed to pay deposit on a second-floor unit since the management made it sound like the apartments were in high demand.

I totally regret not living on the top floor.

I?ve heard most apartments have a problem with noise. However, I don?t think any apartment could be as poorly built/insulated as this. Not only could I hear my upstairs neighbor?s footsteps but whenever he walked, the glasses in my kitchen rattled. Even more embarassing, I could hear bathroom sounds (not just toilet flush). My apartment, which is the smallest 1 bedroom floor plan, has such oddly shaped living room that you can?t fit much furniture there. Also, the kitchen for some reason is not open at all, but has this low-hanging wall that blocks light and the ability to see into the living room. Anyway, I noticed that despite what the management made me believe, there were actually a couple of vacant apartments in my building, one of which was a top floor unit. I asked to transfer and was given a whole spiel of penalty fees, contract breaches, etc. Basically they hit me with so many monetary penalties that I decided to bear with it and switch once my lease expired.

Unfortunately, things got worse. At some point a bunch of solicitations and advertisements started appearing jammed into my front door. Strangely, even Pinnacle Ridge management used this as a way to contact us about community events or even for something as important as rent! Forget about Pinnacle?s hoity claim about being a "gated community." The gate merely serves to force exiting cars to leave one-at-a-time. Anyone could walk in on foot. At night when the gates were shut, cars would just follow each other in. I don?t know if security was an issue but during my one year here, there have been three notices regarding strangers posing as utility workers in order to gain entrance into apartments, as well as "peepers."

Management changed about three times during my stay as well, which to me is a bad sign. The new manager and her team are absolutely horrible. Great at talking sweet on the phone but horrible in person. In May I asked to be put on the wait-list for apartments opening in Aug. Sure! they said. However, in July when I asked what my status was, they said my name WASN?T on the list! I spoke with the manager, who apologized but then told me there were about 40 people already on the list. I came back three days in a row to see if I could even break my lease early and move into a new apartment, and EACH time, the manager didn?t remember my name. During one visit one of the desk girls rudely introduced me with a nasally, "She?s here AGAIN." Once again, rather than encouraging me to stay, the manager listed all the penalties and fees I'd have to cough up if I wanted to change apartments. Well, without motivation of course I found a new place to live.

Pinnacle Ridge has recently lowered prices dramatically in order to fill their many vacant apartments. However, this has changed the types of people who live here. Before I saw many students and young families with children. Now I?ve noticed shadier people here. There?s also been a wrecked, junky car parked outside my building for the past couple of months, as well as a car with no wheels and a car with a flat all just sitting around that no one seems to care about. Management is so ditzy that when my friend moved in, they messed up spelling her name on the lease three times.

I?m trying to think of good things to say about Pinnacle Ridge. It is close to Duke University and is convenient to a bunch of supermarkets and restaurants. The landscaping is pretty. However, you could get all that, plus a decent sized apartment for the price of a Pinnacle apt. Dont? be fooled by their super sales. Besides, after a year you?ll be back to paying the ridiculously high prices. The place is going downhill and the surrounding areas are slowly turning into ghetto.

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