I lived here for my final year of college at SMU.



LOCATION: The location is great, wonderful area, one of the safest cities in the US. A nice shopping center is only a half mile away, ranches just past that to the north, plus all those other niceties mentioned in the previous review. I?m a runner and would often go running by myself well after midnight (college, remember') and felt perfectly safe.



PARKING: Plenty of parking, though a covered space is going to cost you about $20 each month. Those are reserved, so you always have a spot close by your unit. Otherwise, if you live toward the middle you will end up parked about 200 feet away if you get home after everyone else. Always spaces available, though.



THE UNIT: I had a single bedroom upstairs unit. Don?t let "Vaulted Ceilings" fool you, it?s about 8 feet at the bottom and 9 feet at the peak, over the span of the living room, so you don?t really notice it. Also, you can?t have any ceiling fixtures on a vaulted ceiling. Appliances all worked fine, water heater is outside in the storage closet on the balcony. The balcony is small compared to what I?ve seen. About 6x4, and covered. Identical patios below. Good soundproofing, EXCEPT in the floor/ceiling interface. My downstairs neighbor left their stereo on LOUD all night once, and I called the police who wouldn?t do anything since no one answered the door. It didn?t sound bad from outside, but it was shaking the floor of my unit. That was my only complaint, though. Once I talked to the neighbors, they were courteous about it. Communicate with your neighbors and you?ll be happier. Side neighbor had dogs, never heard them, really. Overall, a very nice unit, spacious, clean, some subfloor damage (a dent under the carpet), outside lights can be a little bright when you?re trying to sleep, the cable plug is under a window so you can?t put a tv in front of it without blocking the window, you can?t use the security system without some sort of paid service, some doors are sticky, sprinklers used to hit my window (2nd floor) but I think they fixed that. Careful on the first floor, check to see if they?ve fixed all those before choosing a unit if you like to have your window open.



MANAGEMENT: Very nice people, always friendly and ready to help. At least some live in the complex, don?t know about the rest. After one year, they drop your rent (mine was from 595 to 529). Water bills are communal based on size of apartment. You all split one water bill. I don?t like that, there?s no incentive to use less water because if you use less, you?re paying for other people?s usage. Only about $10 per month, though, one bedroom. If you need help getting to know the area or finding services, ask the management. If you want a block party, tell the management. They stopped having them due to lack of attendance.



GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE: Prompt maintenance, just fill out a request form and it?ll be done that day or the next, usually. Emergencies are acted on immediately, such as power or your a/c in the hot weather. Clean pools, only 5 feet deep, with low child resistant fences and gates. Clean hot tub that always has hot water, under a gazebo. Tennis net sags due to a broken pole. Putting green looks pretty cheap, but oh well, it?s got holes. Wild rabbits frequent the grounds. Locking mail room and laundry rooms. Parcel lockers so you don?t have to wait till the next day to pick it up. 8-10 washers and driers in each of 2 laundry sites, both disconnected from the actual apartments, so no noise.



MOVING OUT: I moved because I graduated and left the state. I got charged a $20 carpet cleaning fee because I left a really bad stain. A stain on the wall, small holes in the walls from pictures, scuff marks, all part of wear and tear. They encourage you to make yourself at home and put up decorations.



I wish I could find a place like this here in Los Angeles. Cheap, nice, and spacious.

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