Review History for kunzaito

Beach Park Apartments


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kunzaito

Resident 2010 - 2011

4/22/2011

We have a large dog, so this has always limited our choices in apartments wherever we live, as the fewest number of places accept them, and generally either the crappiest ones or the most expensive ones! So my disclaimer is that my reviews are skewed by that limited pool of options. Unlike previous housing searches, the search that led us to Beach Park Apartments did not take very long at all. We found out about it in our very first Bay Area search, but at that time they did not allow dogs over 40lbs. They changed that policy, and we checked them out during our last search, but they did not have any 2 bedrooms available at that time; it was actually down to a 2 bedroom at their sister property Miramar and our ultimate choice, Franklin Street Apartments. In hindsight, I think we chose wrong then! Nevertheless, it ultimately led to a very good renting experience here at Beach Park the past year and half. The Area: We typically like to choose places that are walking distance to stuff we like - grocery stores, cafes, entertainment, etc. Beach Park does not really fit in with that pattern for us. There are a few strip malls within a very short drive, but nothing that I would consider walking distance for a trip to the store, and certainly nothing in the way of night life. What you do get is the Bay Trail right outside your door, which is really nice - you are just a short bike ride from Coyote Point and other parks. And during the summer you can walk to the various festivals out by Leo J. Ryan Park. The Apartment: We traded trains for planes. I was much less bothered by the planes, really. They're mostly not routed too close. The units are a testament to what a little facelift can bring a place. Clearly older buildings, but the marble counters, Pergo floors, new cabinets and modern lighting fixtures make them feel very sharp. Big floor-to-almost-ceiling windows and lots of natural light. The electric heaters are a bit noisy but work well for the cold months; however, you may wish there was AC for the sweatiest parts of the year. The ground floor units have big, nice fenced in patios. Parking: You get one assigned, covered spot. In the back of your spot is a HUGE private, lockable storage area. Really great feature. Street parking is very, very easy. The Grounds: Very cute and very well kept, but with the common (for us) problem of the lawn care people always working loudly first thing in the morning. They take really good care of the pool year round. There's a nice little gym and sauna. More amenities than you'd expect, for sure. The Neighbors: For the most part the people are pretty nice, clean, well behaved. Couple of big parties a year that go on too long, but for the most part people wrap up the noisy stuff by 10:30. The worst noise problems, really, are people walking upstairs, and during the summer people letting their kids scream at the top of their lungs in the pool all day. Since EVERY apartment faces the pool, this gets old fast. Typical stupid issues with trash and recycling as I've seen other places. Some people are grossly inconsiderate about breaking down boxes, sorting things properly, or even bothering to put things that are clearly not recyclable (like furniture and appliances) in the trash. I guess it's just the way people are. The Staff: Shortly after we moved in, the complexes got a new manager, Ryan. He has been fantastic. Whenever we've had an issue he has worked his hardest to make it right for us if he could. He's been patient with our misunderstandings and quick to admit when they've dropped the ball. I would definitely draw a distinction between the local management, and the management company. The company sometimes does property walkthroughs and presents you with bizarre Stepford-ey edicts regarding exactly what you can have on your patio. But, if you have a high tolerance for the occasional stern letter and you are a clean, reasonable, respectful person, you will have no difficulties with the staff. Maintenance: Pretty good for most things. If they have to order parts for something and it takes a while to come in, occasionally you will have to re-request, but they usually fix most things within a couple of days. It helps if you submit entirely separate requests for each thing (don't just add several things to one ticket). We had one drawn-out plumbing problem that should have been handed off to a contractor much sooner, but the majority of our requests were handled promptly and correctly. Safety: Foster City is a very safe community. The biggest thing you'll have to watch out for is theft. (Word of advice - do not lock your bikes under your storage area - they *will* get stolen.) Foster City PD are very active up and down Hillsdale Blvd. as there is a school across the street. Miscellaneous: Had to put this in here because it became quite troublesome for me. Foster City has some kind of mutant mosquitoes. I have been bitten by mosquitoes all around the world. Even all around the Peninsula. But never have I had a reaction like the ones here. The bites swell up on me inches across and do not go away for over a week. I had such a bad reaction to one once that I ended up in the emergency room. There were several months of the year that I was literally afraid to go to sleep. Clearly it does not affect everyone this way, but it was pretty scary for me, so I'm at least forewarning - if you get a bad reaction, put up mosquito nets around your bed! Surcharges: As is typical around here, you're charged for all utilities, tacking on about another $90 for electric and $60 for trash/water/sewer per month. Pet deposit and pet rent. However, the yearly increase was not as outrageous as we've seen before. Having seen in the past as much as 25% rent increase "offered" to us, 8% was downright reasonable. It still adds up to a chunk of change, especially when you don't get a raise at work. But we didn't feel totally gouged, it was still within the "going rate" for the area. Move-Out: This section always seems to be where I run across the biggest negatives with apartments. Since we have not moved out yet, there's not much to say now. But I can say that, thus far, I think we have learned a lot from our previous bad experiences and are expecting no issues this time. Specifically, since painting usually causes a problem, we actually paid up front for painting and repainting accent walls by the property in pre-approved colors. And the management was very easy to work with in exercising our lease opt-out provision when we needed to use it. I will cross my fingers and update this section later! Summary: Out of all the places we lived in the Bay Area, this place was definitely the best. It was the only place we reupped at, if that tells you anything, and we are sad to leave. The rent is very reasonable for the Peninsula, the apartments are well-appointed and comfortable, the grounds are pleasant, and the staff is helpful. No place is perfect, but as far as apartment complexes go, for our needs Beach Park Apartments was just about there.

    Review 1 out of 10

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