I'll start with the good thing about this complex. The grounds are very nice, and kept clean. There is easy access to the river...
I'll start with the good thing about this complex. The grounds are very nice, and kept clean. There is easy access to the river trail, and lots of playgrounds scattered around for small children to play on. The grounds earn this complex a star above one.
Everything else is disappointing. The apartments have a lot of features that should be good, but there is always some drawback that neutralizes that feature. For example, the furnaces and air conditioners are effective, but the weatherstripping is subpar and lets out the cool/warm air. There are washer/dryer hookups, but the room is smaller than a standard laundry room, so standard size appliances (just barely) don't fit. There is a small movie theater off the leasing office, which should be cool, but you can only access it during business hours. Turns out none of my friends though movie night would be fun if we had to be out before 6:00.
There are also several features that are just plain drawbacks. For instance, the pipes aren't properly insulated, so for six months out of the year, you have to let your faucets drip all the time (and you're paying the apartment for water based on use). In addition, the large and apparently well equipped fitness center sucks- I went in twice a week and they never managed to have all the treadmills going, and at least half the time none of them worked.
The absolute worst part of this complex, and the reason you should definitely look elsewhere is the staff. First off, if they can add in a fee or charge, they do. And it is NEVER for a reasonable amount. In order to "save you money" water, sewage, and trash is billed monthly..... but it's for way too much. My cheapest bill was for FOUR TIMES the most expensive fixed rate charge I found when my lease finally expired and I was free to move out. And I'm not counting the other fees that they bill you for. The on site laundry room charges double what you'll pay at an off site (not counting the five bucks for the card you have to buy to use them), and it's very dirty and usually infested with spiders. I went out and bought a high end washer and dryer and they paid for themselves in about ten months at the Faristone's rates. In addition, they are very bad at doing their math. Of the thirteen months that I lived there, they screwed up the bill four times. So count on having to pay even more than they bill you for one month out of four. I'm not sure who the folks that compliment the maintenance staff spoke with, but for me it was terrible. When my air conditioner didn't work at the beginning of the summer, they didn't get it fixed for two weeks. And fixing it left a hole in my ceiling that didn't get fixed for the rest of my lease. Whenever I asked, I was told that someone would be in tomorrow, but it never happened. Also the tear in the floor in the bathroom that I complained about in my move in inventory was never fixed. I spent my whole time there worried that I'd trip or rip up a whole section of flooring every time I had to pee. Factor in that they require 60 days notice instead of the normal 30 to move out at the end of your lease, as well.... I told a couple of potential landlords about that and most of them broke up laughing at how stupid that is. Until you actually sign paperwork at move in, all these fees and charges are described as "average," and by the time you see them, you don't have time to look elsewhere. Don't even visit these people.
RESPONSE TO OWNERS RESPONSE
First off, the request for me to contact Fairstone to work out my problems is phony. I intentionally waited to write my review until after I spoke with the management about my concerns. Julie, the assistant manager who was the only person I was told could help, refused to listen to one word that I had to say. Everything I said was ignored, and I was told that since I made the mistake of signing the lease, I was screwed. Of course, she said it in a friendly tone, so I guess I got good customer service after all.