Review History for StormGryphon

Oxford Courts Apartments


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StormGryphon

Resident 2012 - 2013

2/12/2013

I moved into a townhome at this complex July of 2012 and I must say the negative reviews on this site DO NOT AT ALL reflect the current state of the property. First off, this complex is under entirely new management. I hear that the old people were slumlords but this company is anything but. The grounds are maintained very well and people who dump garbage onto their patios or stoops are fined. While the grounds can use some tlc in terms of landscaping and other small repairs, they are overall kept in a very acceptable condition. The dumpsters are empties just about every other day so it's very rare you run out of space to toss in your trash and maintenance sweeps the area around them daily. I've seen it myself. They are currently in the process of tearing down all the carports which I personally think is one of the best decisions they ever made. Carports attract criminals and I want to be able to watch my car from the windows of my townhome. I have had absolutely zero issues in terms of criminal activity in and around my set of buildings and feel that this is part of the reason. Another bonus is the space that used to be taken up by the carport storage units has been converted into sidewalk space. This makes our sidewalks HUGE and is a great bonus for people that have kids on scooters and bicycles. They have also made a couple other changes to the complex. The entire complex is dog friendly and the private park by the pool is going to be converted into a dogrun later this year from what I heard which is totally awesome. They also have been installing new lighting in the parking lot and sidewalks which helps for peace of mind when coming home from work at night. Now, as for the unit itself, I like it. No, it's not the best unit in the world but it has it's charm. They completely gutted all the townhomes in this complex and put down new floors, paint, appliances, etc. and as a result my unit looks very very nice. They are also in the process of putting new windows into all the units and I just got my final set installed in the master bedroom in November, sweet! There have been multiple maintenance issues since I've moved in however. I've had my waterheater break, bathtub leak, bathroom floor buckle, dishwasher leak, electrical box sizzle, sink leak, and a host of other small little issues. While this may seem like a major source of disdane, and it could have been, it actually has turned into a source of satisfaction for me. In EVERY single circumstance of significance, weather it happened at 2pm on Thursday or 1am on Saturday, I had a maintenance tech in my unit within 45 minutes and all repairs were completed promptly. The maintenance staff here are VERY professional, courteous, and are skilled in what they do. Because of the quick and professional manner in which my repairs were handled, I really can't complain about them. The townhomes are quite spacious which a lot of cubbieholes for you to store odds n ends. The kitchens on my mid-size model doubles as the laundryroom and has plenty of space for my stackable washer-dryer combo, chest freezer, table, and all typical kitchen appliances. One gripe I do have tho is that the hood for the range does not vent outside so if you are cooking something that produces any significant amount of smoke, you may want to open a window lest you desire to hear the fire alarm going off. My power and gas bill averages about $130 per month yearround on the NIPSCO budget plan. My waterbill is about $35 per month and is paid bi-monthly thru Indiana American Water Company. Internet is about $35 thru Frontier Communications and TV is anywhere from $12 to $200 depending on what provider and package you choose. I personally have a bundle with Frontier and Dish and pay $70 for everything including 3 tv's. Since this complex is in South Haven, IN, be prepared to pay a tad more for insurance on your car though my renters insurance policy was actually lower than expected due to the low crime rate of the complex. South Haven is pretty nice though. We are about 1/2 a mile from the local community park and less than a 2 minute drive from the elementary school. Middle and High school age kids go to Portage, IN schools, all of which are within 10 minutes of the complex. The nearest major shopping center with a Wal-Mart, Meijers, etc. is only 10 minutes away and this property is within 1 hour of Chicago and is 15 minutes from the Dunes Park South Shore Line station that I use to get to work. We also are within 5 minutes of a healthclub and we get an offsite pool pass to use just for being a resident. Onsite coin-op laundry is also available if you walk to the apartment buildings. Living in this townhome complex is quite nice because the first two cars in your household can literally park right behind your back door. So I park my car and get to walk about 5 feet before I'm home. It's VERY convenient when it comes time for the weekly grocery store trip! Additional cars can park in the middle of the General Parking lot and I have yet to see us run out of parking spots. My only real big complaint with my townhome is the design and placement of the HVAC system. The furnace and a/c unit are located in the upstairs utility closet. This causes some annoying issues. First, in the winter, you MUST shut EVERY SINGLE VENT on the 2nd floor of your unit. Don't just close the flaps, get a magnetic vent cover or stuff towels into the ventpipe. If you don't, the result will be that your lower level will reach the comfortable temperature you want and your upstairs will be 92 degrees. Closing all the vents help with this issue. In the summertime, the exact opposite is true. Cold air is heavier so as a result the lower level stays nice and cool while the upper level doesn't cool down much at all. You'll have to end up setting the thermostat very low to counteract this OR shutting some of the downstairs vents. A strategically placed fan in the stairwell helps as well! Lastly, I have to say that perhaps the thing I like most about my complex is the property manager and her staff. If ever have any issues, especially with fellow neighbors violating rules, screaming kids, etc. she will listen to your complaints and will take action on them. It's refreshing to stay a complex where the rules are actually enforced! Plus she makes herself very accessible via phone, email, etc. which is a nice plus. Overall for the price I'm very happy staying here. Having 24 hour maintenance, good property management, and a nice unit in a good area are all major pluses in my book. I have friends living elsewhere that are paying significantly more per month and don't receive 1/2 the level of service I do here. The complex is definitely worth consideration if your looking for reasonably priced housing within 1 hour of Chicago.

    Review 16 out of 30

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