1. Parking-
Even though some of my younger neighbors like to have parties, I haven't had to park far away from my building at all. I feel very secure walking in the parking lot at night, going to and from my car.

2. Noise level-
My previous apartment was on a college campus, and it was awful. I could hear my neighbors get up and use the bathroom! Steeplechase is nice in comparison, although a picky person could reasonably complain. My neighbors have never kept me up, even though they can be noisy. The tenant above us has three large dogs, but unless they're barking at something outside the window, I can't really hear them.


3. Grounds-
The management company does a good job keeping things neat, but it's nothing special. I wish other tenants would pick up after their animals. I live right next to the dog walking area and even though there are always bags in the waste disposal boxes, lots of tenants just let their dogs do their business and walk away. The office has sent several letters, and there is less poop on the ground, but still a bit more than I'd like. I bet the owners would shape up if they were sent the bill for the extra man hours it takes to clean up!


4. Safety (Outdoor lighting, layout enhances visibility, shrubs are cut back from walkways, etc.) :

I've always felt safe here. No problems at all. All of the locks on my apartment work, and I don't keep anything of value in my car to be stolen in the first place.

5. Construction-
This is probably the greatest source of my displeasure. These buildings are 20-30 years old, and they just don't measure up to some newer apartments. The boiler system, while partially effective, makes hot water unreliable. I get cold blasts in the middle of my showers no matter what time of year it is and my sinks don't get hot at all in the winter (of course, I never waited longer than 12 minutes... that's too long). I also don't like having to pay for other people's water use, since they just divide the total bill by the number of occupants and figure your bill that way.

While I like the floorplan, I also dearly wish my kitchen were bigger. I don't have enough room for my dishes as it is. And the lack of a pantry just makes it worse. The bathroom that's attached to the bedroom is also so small that my roommate can't close the door when he's on the toilet- his knees are in the way!

The carpeting also leaves a little to be desired. It's just tacked under at the edges... there's no little gold stud or anything, and the strings are trailing out onto the linoleum. The new faux wood flooring looks nice, and we considered getting it, but it's not worth the rent increase that comes along with it.

Also, I could wish for better weather stripping, and ceiling fans. Both would help on the energy bill. It's nice that maintenance will install a fan for free if you buy it, but having to leave the chords running up the wall is depressing. I'm sure it's common in cities where there are old buildings, but it's not typical in the suburbs.

6. Maintenance Service quality (maintenance people fix problems correctly) :
I love the maintenance! Whenever I delivered a maintenance request (in writing, as stated in my lease), it was taken care of on the same day (note that nothing ever broke- I just needed filters changed and stuff)! The maintenance guys live on the property, and are very friendly. One of them had to come out at 2 am to let my cat out of the empty apartment next to me, where he had been trapped after the painters left. The maintenance man with the key was very nice for such a late hour.

7. Office staff
They're great! The office staff is what makes this complex special. They really care about their job, the property, and you, long after the ink dries on your lease. They bend over backwards to help you, even if your requests seem a bit strange. They helped me get in touch with the exterminator to ask if he used a certain chemical in his insect repellent that my cat is allergic to.

8. Overall
I think Steeplechase is the best deal you can get for the money. Most other apartments cost more than this one in rent by at least $50/month, and they don't have the staff or the maintenance to make it a good deal. This complex is also very pet friendly (as you can tell from my stories)! I'm moving because my roommate finally got a job and we can afford something closer to my office, which is in a newer, more expensive area.

9. Would you recommend this apartment community to a friend'
I would and I have.

User Responses
From: yep20011	Date: 01/17/2006
I have to say out of all the ratings I have read this one is honest and very detailed. Other renters lie because they messed up on their part and some renters tell the truth, but not the whole truth. I only wish you lived in every apartment in North Dallas, just so I can get a clearer picture of how these apartments really are.

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