We lived here for two years, always paid rent on time or early, kept our place clean. But we are glad to be out.
(1) STAFF: The main issue is with management. We have watched incredible staff turnover and people come and go. First week I got there, two girls got fired. Then more staff, who lasted about 3 weeks, and then some more. The lady there for the longest had been a husband and wife team, with the wife the primary office staff. An older fellow with a foreign accent was also around until recently. They were rude, inattentive, unprofessional, and hosts of other adjectives.
In the time we lived there we experienced several attempts to coerce us to pay the *management's* electricity bill. They attempted to deny us our safety deposit back despite an in-person walkthrough and polite-yet-firm requests for timely return. Worst of all are, I think, the innumerable snide, obnoxious, or creepy interactions with staff over the years. I hated paying rent but I ALWAYS did it in person in order to get a receipt. Don't rent here, but if you do, always get a receipt. Always.
(2) MANAGEMENT: The property owes several years of property taxes (this is public information through the Skagit County website). My guess is that they are either in financial trouble, are unscrupulous, or both. I have to wonder how long they will be in operation before yet another shakeup. The owner seems to be oblivious to the problems on his own property. Or perhaps the dysfunctional work environment is influenced by top-down managerial relationships. Don't know. It's a mess though.
(3) NOISE/ENVIRONMENT: The noise was just so-so for a large apartment complex. Occasional parties; kids screaming way too loud. Noise levels seem to be a 'luck of the draw' sort of thing. Hopefully your neighbor will be quiet. Don't rent here, but if you do, try to avoid multi-room apartments as these tend to have college kids with roommates and lots of noise. The best neighbor is a quiet neighbor.
There are trains to the rear of the complex but these are the least of concerns. People smoke a LOT so if you ever hope to open windows on a warm day, be prepared for second-hand smoke. Kids like to run around in the parking lot, which is annoying and dangerous. The trash compactor was always broken, so people would just leave their trash bags laying on the ground in the center of the complex. It was ""icky"", to say the least, to empty our own trash. It usually involved carefully snaking through or craning over rancid garbage bags left by other tenants. Thanks guys.
We had three, yes three, false fire alarms one summer. Evacuated in the middle of the night, and sat in the cold for an hour until the fire department came and figured out it was nothing.
(4) CRIME: We did have the ""excitement"" of living across from what we believe were drug deals. The tenants were there for maybe six months. In addition, cops make regular stops at the complex. Cars are often broken into. Don't rent here, but if you do, then get a garage for your car and always lock it. Live here long enough and you will start to notice the funny things that just make you go, ""huh, that's not right"". Don't rent here, but if you do, get a second or third floor apartment, always lock your doors, and keep your car safe.
As I understand it management has changed yet *again* although the new fellow sounds responsible. My hope is that he can continue his responsible ways and turn things around. Jim Lion, all my stars go to you. Thanks to him we did manage to get our deposit back. I fully expect that the previous management would not have given it back unless we'd taken them to small claims court. Good luck to him. But for the rest of you apartment-shoppers I would have to say, at this time: Don't rent here.
more