I've been at Petoni for 2 years now. In that time, maintenance staff has changed a few times, and the property manager has changed (now -----). ---- has always been very nice and helpful, however, I prefer the old property manager to -----. Here are some pros & cons to living here:

Pros:
1. Minimal move-in costs. I only spent about $500 to move. I used the Sure Deposit option for the security deposit (about $130) paid under $400 for 1st month rent. They had a $250 off 1st month rent special going on at the time, so that was very helpful! Much better than paying a full month rent & security.
2. Additional storage space & cats at no charge.
3. Ample parking (although when the lot is full, sometimes people park along the sides where they shouldn't be and block other cars). Hopefully that will be resolved.
4. The grounds are well-kept. Property is off the main street. Quiet, safe neighborhood. Friendly people.
5. The pool is a cool perk!
6. Good transportation nearby: R3 station is a 5 min walk from complex. The bus stop is right at the corner of property.

Cons:
1. Limited washer/dryers. There are 11 residents in my building & only 1 washer/1 dryer. There should be at least 2 or 3. I haven't had too many problems when I wash (mainly because I do it in the evenings), but gets annoying sometimes to wait for others to finish their laundry (during the day/weekends).

2. WATERBUGS! Just the sight of them makes my skin crawl. However, I only see them in the summer when it rains. (It doesn't help that the complex is next to a small creek). The ground floor apartments (like mine) are more vulnerable to it. Here's a tip: Check the corners/walls in your apt thoroughly. Then have maintenance or you yourself seal any openings/cracks in the walls/closets with caulk or some other sealant. I had this done and I didn't see a waterbug for over a year now. Potential residents: try to get an apartment thats not on the ground floor (midlevel is good).

3. Maintenance is not bad, but needs to be more consistent with staffing. Pat or Steve usually took good care of me when I had a problem. However, the response time could be a bit better (especially for emergencies or clearing walkways in the snow).

4. Residents who have cable MUST go with Comcast, who in my opinion, sucks and are too expensive. The complex doesn't allow satellite dishes because they don't want to "ruin the beauty of the property", as I was told. Give me a break! Also, since the wiring throughout the complex is aluminum and not at least copper, you can't get a DSL modem (which forces you to stick with Comcast for a cable modem).

5. Rent increases each year. I started at $647 in 2005 and has increased about $30 each year. Although originally told that it usually doesn't rise more than about $10/year, I've been told recently that the larger increase is due to rising energy costs.

I hope this info was helpful for all who are considering Petoni. Overall, it's not too bad. I saw about 40 apts throughout Philly, and this one was among the best that I saw (regarding price, transportation, and neighborhood/safety). Good luck!

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/21/2008
NRT-couldn't resist, huh? Buzz words are obvious

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