Review History for anonymous

Autumn Lakes Apartments and Townhomes


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anonymous

Resident ā€¢ 2007 - 2013

7/10/2013

I am about to finish my 6th year here and will move out at the end of my lease. If I weren't leaving the area, I would probably stay here until I bought a house. Here is a breakdown of my six year experiences with the community: THE GOOD: It's in a great location. Close to shopping but still on the edge of the country. I have always felt safe here, even at night. It's very peaceful. Still, it's good to be cautious. I am a single woman. Mostly a professional neighborhood with professional people and high renter standards. BEAUTIFUL grounds. Maintenance guys are the best. They have never made me feel silly about asking dumb questions and they are prompt and courteous. Office staff is very helpful. There were a few gals who didn't know which end was up, but they seemed to have left so everyone there now is helpful. Parking is plentiful and since I got a garage, I NEVER have to scrape windows, which is great. I've lived in other Edward Rose communities and even carports keep the snow off, so either one works. Gas heat is paid for! So is water/sewer/trash. Also, every unit has a full size washer and dryer. Appliances aren't the fanciest, but they get the job done. I also have lots of light in a third floor end unit, with that half moon window above the sliding glass doors. Outside storage is also included. THE BAD: While this is a mostly professional community, there are a few sketchy people who live here. There was a COPS like incident at the apartment below me involving a shirtless guy and a girl who complained that he hit her. I notified the office that I thought something was going on and oddly enough, they moved out a week later. Also, I occasionally see people come around here to dump things in the dumpsters that aren't maintenance people, moving, or general residents with trash. There have also been random people at the pool and other random people shooting off fireworks or squealing tires to try and look "cool". These people are few so it's not a big deal. Still, I have a suspicion that there are people who come out here to "use" the area who don't live here. They have a night watchman, although I've never seen this person. The internet service is OK but it's 50 bucks and month and they have a rule here for specific service, so you're stuck. The basic cable sucks and if you want more, you will have to pay for it with a dish and a contract. The sidewalks are shoveled early in the morning on snow days, but it can be several days before heavy equipment comes in to remove most of the street snow. It's annoying but not a deal breaker. You are, after all, living in the Snow Belt. Third floor living is interesting. There are lots of paperwhites (flying, stinging insects) that like to make nests everywhere, so it's hard to sit out on the balcony. Maintenance is great about taking down nests, but since this place is woodsy and so close to the country, they just come back again. There are also lots of wild animals around here which never bug me, including deer, snakes, frogs, beavers, raccoons, turkeys, and other furry woodland creatures. However, the geese are a problem. There are lakes here and the geese make messes everywhere and make it impossible to walk around the neighborhood when the goslings are born because they can be aggressive. I have a third floor end unit. They pay for gas, which makes the utility bill about $30 in the winter. Summer is a whole other story. I keep my air at about 70 during the day and 68 at night so I can sleep. If the summer is hot, those side windows are an issue, even with blinds. This place heats up like an oven and the air runs forever just to cool it off. My summer electric bills are anywhere between 60 and 100 bucks a month. This goes on from May through October. If the temp gets above 50 degrees, my unit heats up. THE UGLY There were several break-ins in this community in 2012. Someone took a metal crowbar and pushed back the metal door from the frame and then popped the deadbolt. My neighbors below me got most of their expensive stuff stolen. Someone was staking out the apartments and knew when people weren't home so they had to know the area. I was not pleased with the new manager's response when I called her because I was concerned. Her response was, "Do you have renter's insurance?" Their PR for this incident was terrible and the manager could use some crisis training. That said, it is a renter's responsibility to secure their unit. I have some security added to my apartment which would make it difficult to break-in and I am always vigilant. No community is immune to this but I think it could have been handled better. Lastly, rent has increased every year I have lived here. in 2007, I paid 615 per month for this place and it has increased to 650/month. I'm sure if I were signing another lease, it would go up yet again. I don't think this place is worth 700/month, given the metro area and amenities. Overall, this has been a nice, safe place to live. I think the greater South Bend/Mishawaka area, coupled with issues in the economy, have made this community a little bit less than it once was when I moved here. In this area there is a real division between the haves and have-nots and you pay a higher price for safety. There are only a few good, reasonably priced communities around this area and I would feel safe suggesting this place to another single woman. While it's time for me to go, I have enjoyed my stay here and I hope Autumn Lakes continues to hold the standard for residents and themselves.

    Review 111 out of 128

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    Autumn Lakes Apartments and Townhomes

    March 2024

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