How does your apartment complex rate?

[JonInKC]

While looking at apartments online I found this site. If someone has written a review of your apt., it's on here. If not, write one of your own.

http://www.apartmentratings.com

There was some funny stuff on there about mine.

[aephi alum]

I've lived in a house for the past 5 years, but I looked up the apartment complex where my husband and I lived before moving into our first house. It was very nice when we lived there... good maintenance, well-kept grounds, friendly neighbors, nice and quiet (except for one couple who lived near us and argued all the time ), etc. But according to the reviews on that web site, it's gone way downhill since we moved out. They started providing apartments to welfare recipients, rent-free - which would be fine if they behaved and obeyed the rules, but apparently they don't. It's noisy and dirty, drug deals are frequently conducted right out in the parking lot, and dead bodies have turned up around the place a few times. I'm so glad we moved out before this happened...

[kddani]

I think the people that tend to post on those things are a little dramatic or usually only seek to post a review when they have something negative to say. I've lived in my apartment complex for over 2 years, and the reviews that they have on there are kinda silly/way overexaggerated. There are some things that I agree with- the one office manager woman is rude to a lot of people, and they ding you to death on BS stuff when you move in/move out. But other complaints were just crazy. Saying the maintenance guy never came- everything has always been done for me same day, sometimes within the same hour! Some people want everything. I'm familiar with a lot of the complexes around here, and I think people's expectations can just be insane.

[JonInKC]

Someone commented that the quality of the tenants moving in has gone way downhill so you feel like you're in the ghetto...lol Also, that unless you like the smell of curry the hallways are disgusting on a hot day. It's funny cuz it's true...

True story - I noticed this WEIRD smell one evening. Never smelled anything like it, like some weird chemical. Apparently one of my neighbors noticed it too, because I looked out the window and lo and behold a fire truck has pulled up next to our building and two firemen are questioning some fellow down on the first floor. I looked down from the top of the stairs to see what was going on and one of my neighbors yelled up "It's ok, it's just one of our nasty neighbors!" Now that I think about it, what if he was making some kind of bomb or something. Eeesh.

[ADqtPiMel]

I used this site when we were moving to DC - I think people exaggerate.

[Jill1228]

I am taking a look at it now. Pretty interesting reading. I read the reviews on the last 3 apartment complexes I lived in...

they were pretty much right on the money

[AOX81]

My apartment complex did not get a very good rating, lol. Oh well, I'm barely there. I spend most of my time at work. My apartment is just an overpriced storage facility for all of my shit.

[valkyrie]

Okay, I've never lived in an apartment complex in my life -- but are they ever not gross or creepy, at least some of the time?

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

Okay, I've never lived in an apartment complex in my life -- but are they ever not gross or creepy, at least some of the time?

no, they are pretty much sketch, at least around here...apt. buildings are a completly seperate story...but the complexes yeah...if you like living next to where coke is turned into crack they are great, if not don't live there

[Emory Kappa]

I work in the apartment business, and we HATE this site. Hate, hate, hate it. It's like a great big bathroom wall on the internet where anyone can write anything without accountability. Since the postings are anonymous, this allows competitors to write anything bad they'd like to about other properties.

We once had a job applicant allege in a post that our company discriminates against renters. (We are among the more fair-housing friendly companies around.) It was obviously not a renter's post, but apartmentratings.com refused to remove it, even though their terms of use prohibit inflamatory or defamatory statements.

We've had applicants with really lousy credit whose applications were denied go online and post that our leasing staff is "INCOPITENT." (We were really, really glad to not have them as residents!)

So, our site offices monitor apartmentratings.com regularly, and exercise damage control. Whenever they see that, say, a resident has posted a nasty review, and coincidentally was recently told not to park in the handicapped parking spot, they post a glowing review as "anonymous." Most of my colleagues in the industry across the country engage in this practice.

[sdsuchelle]

That site is stupid.. almost every apartment building on there has awful ratings.

Someone on my apartment's page bitched about the smell and noise of dogs in the complex. HELLO, if you don't like dogs, why did you move to one of the only complexes in the neighborhood that takes them?!