There are good and bad things about the Mark.
The building looks great from the 70s with year-round heated pool and if you have a dog, one of the few that allows large dogs. The apartment is relatively large with a gas fireplace and a good-sized balcony. Other positives include the location to South Lake shopping and eating with a short walk to Caltech's Beckman Auditorium and beautiful campus.
But the small poorly designed kitchen and all electric utilities means poor storage and overly high utility bills. My monthly utilities are $100-150.
Some of the other bad things is the maintenance with Gross Rusty Brown water from the corroded pipes and ugly stained carpet in the hallways.
The revolving door of residential managers means that I have to report problems more than once! They have no idea who I am, and I don't think they care as long as the rents on time. Owners and managers are simply concerned with keeping the place full and making promises of repairs that never happen.
They've been promising to repair/replace the pipes and replace the carpeting for two years and still nothing happens! Now on the third residential manager in two years demoting the last guy because of vacancies.
You would think ownership would get a clue that high prices and poor maintenance (sick gross brown water) makes for a poor rental review and occupancy.
I paid $3-$400 extra a month simply because of the heated pool and so-so workout room over comparable apartment without one, nearby.
Even though they're offering a $500 referral fee and rent concession to new move ins I hear they are being very hard on renewal rate increases. So what they give you up front they take away on the back.
I will likely be moving at renewal time unless they are at market price or below.
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