Sienna

 

I'm able to compare Sienna fairly because I've lived in many different apartments in my life.

As a kid we moved around all the time, and lately my wife and I have seemed to "apartment-hop".

We are looking for a decent apartment that we can stay at while we save up to buy our first home, and so far everywhere we have found has been terrible.

We are hoping that Sienna will be different.
So far, it's been the best place yet.

It does have it's downfalls, as all apartments do, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.

The positive things we have noticed in our couple of months here have been: good open parking (though no reserved spot comes with your apartment, there is still ample open parking near your building, even during the evenings and weekends).

It's a fairly small complex (only 7 or 8 buildings).

It's quiet (both inside and out.

I don't hear my upstairs neighbors stomping around, doing laundry, dishes, and flushing their toilet like I did at other complexs.

I actually wondered for a few weeks if that apartment was vacant because it was so quiet, finally I noticed people going in and out.

It's just much better insulated that other apartments.

As far as the outside goes, there isn't large groups of rowdy kids playing noisly unsupervised, or cars with loud bass going through the lot at all hours of the day and night).

The complex is pretty new - I think it opened up in 2002 - so the appliances are nice, new, and energy efficent.

There full sized washers and dryers in each apartment.

The apts have nicely laid out floorplans.

They have also been running good move in specials.

We got 2 months free off a 12 month lease, which they spread across it to lower the rent.

It actually worked out well, because the rent to begin with was pretty high ($900-$950 for a 2 bedroom), but the special made it more affordable.

I think your really do get what you pay for though.

I have lived at lower rent complexes, and I have found them to be much noiser, way more full of rowdy teenagers, loud cars, appliances that weren't kept up, etc...

So I figure if you have to pay more to get peace, quiet, decent parking, etc...

then so be it.
There are a few negatives to consider though.

There is only one maintnance man, and he does get backed up, so it can be awhile before something can get done.

When we first moved in there was a different manager than there is now.

Not too long after we moved in, she left, and a new one took over, and this was NOT a good change.

The old manager was very caring and responsive - always willing to help.

If the tenant came in with a problem, she made sure it would be fixed, and she made sure you would be as happy as could be about it.

The assistant manager is also like this, and luckily she is still there.

Unfortunaltey a new manager is there now, and she "forgets" to take care of things she tells you she will.

She changes the rules on a whim without telling anyone.

She is just not very competent.

She seems to care more about getting new tenants in, than taking care of the tenants after they sign their leases.

You feel like a bother when you step into the office to talk with her.

I have gotten around this, by talking with the assistant manager instead.

Overall though, I don't think that would be enough to keep me from renting here.

Compared to everything that is good here, I can overlook those couple of problems, especially compared to some of the other very undesireable places I have looked at, and some not so great places I have lived at.
It may seem like Everett has a lot of apartment communities to choose from, but when you do a lot of research, and really look at them, and live at a few, you realize that there are very very few worthy of living at, and Sienna is one of the best.

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