I have lived at Seven Oaks going on 3 years. My first year, I lived in the South Building. This building is one of the older ones in the complex. The walls, floors, and ceilings are quite thin. You can hear your neighbors all around you without having to strain to listen. Likewise, they can hear you.

I had a negative experience in the South building, living on the second floor. My neighbors below me constantly reported my roommate and I to the office or complained to our neighbors that we were loud and kept them awake at night. The truth was, even if I walked around the apartment, it sounded like we were stomping around carelessly to my downstairs neighbors. I couldn't even THINK about exercising for 5 minutes before they banged on my floor. We even got a personal letter from the neighbors complaining about our alledged loud living habits. It goes without saying that we were experiencing the same with our upstairs neighbors, but we realized that many apartment complexes were like this and had the courtesy not to constantly complain.

The parking near the South Building was always a problem. There just isn't enough parking for the residents in that corner of the complex. However, the leasing office has been working with the West Chester Borough to allow us to have another parking area. On that note, the staff is extremely helpful, and maintenance has always responded to my issues in the same day.

I moved into a smaller apartment during my second year. The difference between the buildings is simply amazing! The North Building is a newer building, and although the walls are not sound proof, they allow much more privacy than those in the South Building. I now live in a ground-floor apartment and can exercise to my hearts content. On occassion, I can hear my upstairs neighbors walking around, but it is hardly a disturbance. It is actually quite quiet and peaceful. The parking for the part of the North Building in which I live is excellent. I often acquire a spot right next to the entrance, and the visitor lot is only a short distance away.

In regards to the general mechanics, I am also pleased that Seven Oaks has a 1-time fee for residents' cats. This is opposed to many other apartment properties where an extra charge is tacked on top of rent. I am also pleased that heat is included in rent. This is a big money-saver during winter! There are no problems with bugs, except for the occassional catepillar you might have to catch and throw outside during the summertime if you live on the ground floor. Nothing outside the normal realm of apartment living. The windows, however, are a bit finicky. While living in the South Building, I was always too hot. Now that I live in the North Building, it gets awful chilly during cold nights. It's nothing I can't live with, though. One thing I must warn is the water temperature. In the South Building, it was scalding!! I had maintenance change the shower head once thinking that would do the trick, but it didn't help at all. A neighbor suggested I buy my own showerhead, but that didn't help either. I assume it must be something with the plumbing/water heater. Once I moved into the North Building, however, I had no problem controlling the temperature of the water.

I would say that my experience in the North Building has been above average. However, my time in the South Building was below average. But if I had to do it all over again, I certainly would if it would permit my comfortable living in the North Building.

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