My girlfriend and I worked in the apartment industry for 5 years. The company we worked for has all "A" properties and we lived on these properties during that time. We moved to Summerwalk initially because of the great pricing. Even with our discount of 20% with our own company, Summerwalk's rates were still better.
Because of our experience in the industry, our expectations were very high. Our initial impression of Summerwalk was good. They had very good curb appeal even with large scale projects happening at the time, (painting, siding, etc.). The aforementioned projects have since wrapped-up and I must commend them on the incredible transformation. Newly painted buildings, resurfaced parking lots with new striping and curb paint, new curbs - all increased the appeal of the property.
The apartments are up-to-date and very clean. The walls are painted in a tan color which is a nice change from the traditional off-white....Summerwalk uses the same paint supplier, (Sherwin Williams), that we used, so I can say with confidence that the paint they are using is more expensive. It may not seem like a big deal but I know many companies try to cut costs by using cheaper paint.
The appliances are standard for the industry. They are newer appliances and perform well. We have yet to have any major issues with the appliances. We did have better appliances in one of our past apartments but we were also paying 2100.00 per month with our discount and to be honest, the fridge did not keep the food any better than our fridge now, and the stove did not cook things any better. Keep in mind when you are looking at apartments, (especially if you are moving from a house), that you are going to get appliances that are functional. They may not be the best but they do what they are intended to do. Summerwalk gets an "A" for their appliances.
Bathrooms and fixtures are nice and up-to-date. The carpet that Summerwalk uses is better quality then what our former company used. "A" for carpets as well.
Noise - We live in a unit that is tucked away in the back corner of the property. It is very quiet. There is the typical "neighbor noises" but this is apartment living. I have yet to live in an apartment where stray neighbor noise was not an issue. The only way to avoid this is to live in a mid-rise or high-rise where the construction is different. I can't tell you how irritated I was when tenants would complain about noise from other apartments. If you choose to live in an apartment then get used to it.
The office staff is very friendly and professional. I feel that they have bent over backwards for us on numerous occasions..."A "
The maintenance staff is also very friendly and professional. They respond very quickly to service requests and are very approachable.
The only issue that I have had is an occasional parking issue. There are enough spots for all residents, but if you have guests it can sometimes be a pain. Keep in mind though that there is absolutely nothing the office can do about this. This was purely the fault of the people who designed the property NOT the office staff!
One of the best things that Summerwalk does do to manage the parking issues is to empower their after hours security via towing privleges. We had an issue where someone parked in front of our garage and the security was here within 15 minutes to address the issue. The towing company was backlogged though and we were told that it may be an hour or so before they get out. Fortunately, the offender moved their vehicle prior to the tow trucks arrival. Another FYI though.....response time may vary for parking issues. Security companies typically design their routes so that their patrol officers are covering a fairly wide area which means you may have to wait awhile before you are initally contacted. Also remember that the tow companies are often backlogged. Again...there is nothing that the office or maintenance can do to expedite this process.
To wrap it up....Summerwalk gets an "A" It's a good choice at a good price.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/15/2009
1. How do you know the paint supplier of an apartment you just moved in to? I've rented at several places, leased out homes, and such... and the last thing on my mind is to ask for their paint supplier. Strange! 2. The apartments are *not* up to date. The "updated" interiors are cheap! There's no other way to describe it but cheap! The pressed wood in the kitchen isn't properly sealed and will absorb water and bulge. Mold is a problem. Look up at the ceiling for cracks. I have the dreaded dripping-ceiling-of-Summerwalk problem, as does my neighbor and some other reviewer. Calls to ask for a repair yields the repair guy saying he can't replicate the problem upstairs. I asked if he tried turning the water on and he said he did visual inspections. Oh really, he can see into the floor? 3. The appliances are not "newer appliances (that) perform well". The dishwasher is cheap with drainage issues. The stovetop elements are warped. From the renter's POV, I rate Summerwalk's appliances as "C" rather your incredible high marks. By the way, the fridge somewhat fits in the slot it's situated in. To get it in they had to set it at a tilt which blocks the drawer from opening. Straightening it out blocks the laundry room sliding door. How is that Grade A? 4. The bathrooms are filthy: Mold, stained floors when you move in, toilets that don't completely flush. 5. The carpet is cheap! I've been in several units and the carpets were cheap and old in all of them! When we moved in, there was a moldy smell and it was crispy. It was like someone starched it and felt like walking on stiff frozen grass. The leasing manager said to give it a little while to air out. Of course that didn't work as no amount of airing out makes old, worn-out, moldy carpet new again. What's gross is that they do not steam-clean before you move in. I always do that myself - whether or not the apt. mgmt. says they did - and was disgusted with this complex. It was obvious they didn't do much of any cleaning. The water was black with filth and the steam cleaner sucked out so much hair (human and pet). My experience with the carpets is the exact opposite of yours. They are OLD and FILTHY! 6. Noise! To put it plainly, choose a top-floor apartment or you're screwed. The construction on the verticals was done well. We don't hear neighbors on the same floor one bit. Plan on listening to your upstairs neighbors' every footstep. The floors are squeeky! I've lived in several apartments and Summerwalk is the worst. 7. Maintenance Staff: Mixed bag. Some of them are pretty nice and very competent while others will lie to you to get out of work...like the aforementioned dreaded dreaded-leaky-ceilings-of-Summerwalk problem. To fix it, they have to rip open a floor and that screws over two tenants (you and the guy above you). 8. Parking isn't so bad unless you have visitors. I recommend renting on the side the leasing office is at. You can park on the road. Assigned parking isn't well-marked and visitor parking is blank. We've had only one incident of someone using our space but they were gone the next day and never did it again. These are just points you brought up. I have a couple more things, but for the sake of brevity, I'll just stick to giving another view to the points you bring up. Having worked in "the industry" and having rented here and elsewhere, Summerwalk rates a "D". The pricing is decent, but trading it for poor-quality, sneaky management, and so-so comfort. Potential renters: Ask people who live at Summerwalk what their experience is.

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