Secrets out... I live here. Almost rounding my 1 year anniversary, I just got the option to renew the lease and though there is a slight increase in our rent to renew, we're going to do it. Let's start with the positives: When we were in the market for an apartment, I was still living in Texas so the boyfriend was responsible for finding our love nest. He's pickier than I am so I trust his judgment (I mean, he is with ME, right? He must have good taste). So I found this place in my on-line searching and he set up an appointment to go meet with the Property Manager and see the digs. They showed him a unit that they were going to be renovating and asked him his thoughts on what he wanted done to it. Being an architect, he of course had an abundance of suggestions - but reasonable ones. I did not see the place before they renovated it, but they did everything he asked of them. So I moved in to a great space! Rent is a little bit higher than what I had in my price range originally. But for our large one bedroom with an updated, open concept kitchen, high as heaven ceilings, and an underground/garaged parking spot in the location we're at, I expect to pay every penny. We haven't had ANY issues with management or the much with the property (except the garage - see below). There has just been a change in management, however... so stay tuned for possible updates. Also worth mentioning is our ability to pay rent on-line (totally convenient) through Equity Residential (the management company) and we're accumulating "equity points", which we can use toward the future purchase of an Equity Residential home, if we wish. Now for the negatives: Before the garage renovation, there was some kind of rusty schmegma that would drip on to my car from the ceiling. This did not make me happy as I felt it was ruining my paint job, but they're working on the renovation which will prevent this from happening. The heating/air conditioning system could use updating - we only have wall units that are 1.) hideous 2.) loud and obnoxious when on and 3.) a HUGE energy sucker. All in all, like I said... we will be renewing our lease. When you're a stones throw from both Harvard and Central Square, it's hard to want to leave. read more

It took me 6 months to write this review. It took me that long to calm down. As much as I liked Johnta, Armand and Jackie doing the best they could with what they had to work with, I would highly NOT recommend living here. Between the sketchy tenants, the unprofessionalism of Equity Residential, please take this review seriously. Please believe all the one and two stars. It's not a joke. If location is your only concern and cost and theft and sketchy tenants and an old building with issues is not a problem, go for it. The so called upgrades are endless and the list is endless. I'll spare you the graphics. No response necessary, I read the others. read more

1. There are no clearly defined fire exits in the building. I could not exit to the ground floor on a normal day and imagine how difficult it would be to exit if there was smoke in the building. This is a MAJOR PROBLEM. 2. If you live here, you will have to go to the Post Office to pick up your packages, unless you want the contents stolen. Amazon delivers in the foyer and leaves packages under the post boxes. Thieves regularly come and punch holes in the boxes and steal the contents. There is a supposedly secure mailroom next to the management office, which requires a code to enter. Unfortunately, there are thieves that either live in the building or have access to the codes. (Likely, they live in the building). Packages are punched in, and the contents are stolen from that room, too. I have packages punched in or stolen from both areas. I have had 4 packages arrive that have had contents removed and at least one package stolen. There was approximately 350 dollars worth of merchandise stolen from these packages. 3. The plumbing is in a constant state of repair. There are many waterless days. 4. Beware! The cost of electricity is outrageous. 5. Great neighborhood, good new staff, good maintenance staff. However, owing to the above-given issues, I can not recommend living here. read more

The team here is phenomenal! They were all in from the very start. Worked smoothly with my Social Workers. .. and facilitated my move very quickly! I am extremely pleased read more

I just moved in here and already experienced the worst behavior of the management. I moved in here on the 8th of Aug I have not even received my mail keys and access to my packages. With my internet tool kit and other stuff locked in there. When I asked the management office they were so rude to tell me to talk to the upper management to deal with this simple issue. Keeping me from accessing my own mail and packages, the very basic apartment amenities I paid for is just simply the worst. I am highly sad that I made this decision to move in here. No one pays this much to be treated like this, I feel stuck with them for the next year, I wish I could get out of this lease. No one wants to live in a place with this kind of negativity. They were so bad that during my move no one was here on time and it took my moving team forever to get into my apartment which ended up costing me a lot. I wish I could get out of this lease read more

I recently lived at 929 House during graduate school in Cambridge. I regret not searching for a better place because this place was truly the pits. First, the lack of security combined with several floors of odd tenants led to strange people being let inside the building. Some barely had clothes, some seemed to have drug issues, and many caused disruptions in the elevator. I rarely felt comfortable doing laundry outside of normal business hours when I knew the occasional lawyer or researcher might be in the building (they are on the first couple of floors). Second, noise, cigarette smoke and other unseemly scents were frequently greeting you once you walked off the elevator. There were no clear exits in case of a fire or emergency. In fact, once there was a small fire and half of my floor got stuck on the 2nd floor because they LOCK the doors from the outside. We tried to escalate this issue to management but it fell on deaf ears. Part of the problem was that management was very fluid. Once someone knew and understood the problems, they were promptly moved to a different building or role. The rooms themselves were serviceable and well-maintained. But for the rent they are charging, I strongly encourage you to explore your options and select a different building. read more

Not worth the price. I know what you're thinking - "it can't be that bad and the location is great" - no, it is that bad. Horribly managed, disgusting common areas, leaking ceiling, high energy costs. Don't do it to yourself. read more

I love this apartment building -- very well maintained, clean, and close to all the city stuff. Transportation, groceries, and plenty of food options. Super walkable area. The staff is very nice and if anything ever needs to get fixed they're always very quick about it. read more

I have been living here for a few months and plan on moving out as soon as possible. The big pro of this building is obvious: the location is awesome. But the cons are impressive and not immediately apparent when shopping for apartments. Cons: 1) Management is awful. The staff in the management office were all replaced simultaneously a few months ago and the place went from OK to bad fast. Completely unresponsive to maintenance requests, even when the maintenance involves potential safety issues. Unrelatedly, management made oral concessions about money that they later tried very hard to not honor (we're talking about a few hundred dollars - not a huge amount - but still). Plus a LOT of little problems, and the general feeling that the new management staff doesn't communicate between themselves. I cannot possibly overstate how unhappy I have been with the new management team. 2) Heating this apartment in the winter was a huge unexpected cost. The heat is electric and produced by the same wall units that produce AC. The heating portion of my electric bill last winter was about $600 one month (and that's with turning it off when I wasn't home)! And the air conditioning is not any cheaper than a store-bought window unit. Both the heat and the AC produce the same noise that window-AC units make, which gets pretty annoying over the course of the winter when you really need to keep the heat running. I typically listen to TV through headphones because I find the background noise of the electric heater distracting, but that's just me. Also, the heat isn't very powerful and the apartment got pretty chilly when it was cold outside. I invested in a few fleece blankets as a result (which I love). 3) The indoor parking garage is a mess. It is so narrowly constructed that it is almost impossible to not scratch your car against a pole or a wall at some point. Before you choose to rent an indoor spot, make sure to test out the garage by actually driving a car into and then out of it again. If you can get out in your first three tries with a normal-size sedan I'd be pretty impressed. It still takes me an average of 2 tries each time to get my small sedan out (and I'm not the only one). 4) The facilities as a whole are clean, but not nice enough to warrant the price-tag. Overall, these apartments leave a great impression on visitors and are in an amazing location but come with so many not-obvious problems that I would not recommend them. I'm looking forward to my next place, which will also be in the Central Square/Harvard Square area. This is actually my first-ever Yelp review. I hope it's helpful. read more

Mediocre apartment building. Probably not worth the price. PROS: Location. Nice rental manager. Garage parking. CONS: The apartments are small and the furnishings only a shade nicer than Ikea furnishings. The hallways don't smell great and are decorated like 70's hotels. The hot water is touch-and-go. Popcorn ceilings still. Exposed pipes in the bedrooms that are painted over with open holes where they hit the walls. The laundry room is directly off the lobby and the door to it is usually open, it also has floor to ceiling windows so people can watch you do your laundry as they drive by. No real mail system so packages get left in the open lobby. Rent is high per square foot for the area. Parking is expensive. There are nicer, newer buildings in the same area for comparable price. Keep looking unless desperate. read more

Having lived in the building for over 2 years, and knowing a lot of fellow tenants and their feedback, the current review (star level) clearly does not reflect the experience you can expect by living in this building. The building is old and dirty, so you can expect elevators rarely working, mold in apartments and even water coming in through balcony doors, pushing up the wooden tiles that have asbestos right underneath. Management is superficially supportive, yet you will find yourself having to chase answers and help for months, and in most cases never receive it. The only thing speaking for this building is its location, which you will have to pay for significantly. STAY AWAY. read more

Mediocre would be a compliment to 929. I lived here and this was my experience. Good: Great neighborhood, restaurants, nightlife, 5 blocks from subway made it convenient, nice management, garage. Bad: Smoking and pets allowed inside which would be fine under normal circumstances, but hallways and common areas were always dirty and smelled terrible. It probably would not have made my entire closet smell if the building was not a repurposed office building, fit for keeping spaces separate. There were also nearly semi-weekly electrical outings that provided us with a fun, all-day inconvenience...and warm fridge. If you do choose to move here, make sure you have lamps upon arrival. Not one single light bulb was supplied throughout the apartment, which made the move in very interesting...to say the least. Recap: Simply not worth the high price. read more

Management has clearly tried hard to remedy previous complaints and respond immediately to service requests. I appreciate Nicole, David, and Kristen in the front office and repair! read more

A few women have complained about a variety of issues at 929 House: Safety-break-Ins while they were away and out (one woman's daughter caught someone trying to get in-possibly from maintenance or someone else with access)-each time they noticed things had moved in their apartments, nothing ended up being taken luckily---Other environmental issues in the works, it seems this mgmt team will work better than the previous ones. -Be aware of sex offenders and voyeurs (if you live there and ever get the feeling of being watched or zoomed on by your next door neighbors or so--it happened before and guy got arrested in a property not too far from this one) -Apartment Buildings Voyeurism' teams usually are well organized and have the abilities to get your keys duplicated, access to your apartment especially single women; usually with ties to someone in the property or being themselves residents and passing undetected. They would also have the equipment and tools to spy on you and creep the heck out of you if they choose to so to keep you from being vocal about it. Usually cases of voyeurism such as these are hard to detect. But be on the look out. -Be aware of groups of people going on and off various floors (usually same individuals or groups) with heavy suitcases. Otherwise, what a great view and convenient location! read more

If I could give you one piece of advice, look at other buildings before you get fooled into selecting this one. I have turned people away from this building and I will continue to do so that others do not make a mistake of signing a lease here. The only pro for this apartment building is the location. Cons: - Get used to smelling cigarettes and weed 'smoke-free' apartment unit. The smell would travel up the vents and into each individual apartment. Management said that they would take care of it but the problem kept resurfacing over and over again. - Overpriced. They charge the same rate as a luxury apartment, but the sq footage is small, there's no security, heat is not included (they will try to hide how expensive it is when you're looking at apartments), and there are no amenities (e.g. gym). - Expect your electric bill for heating in the winter to be at least $300+. We would only heat up one room at a time and yet we were paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars each month. Management is aware of this and they do not care their excuse is that it is an 'old building'. So whatever your rent price is, add several hundred of dollars to that price. - There is always something wrong in this building. Someone warned me when I moved in and I will give you the same advice. Expect random fire alarms and water to be turned off for multiple days (this is real example) leaving you unable to cook, shower, etc. Management's poor response to that is 'sorry'. read more

I think I'm well qualified to review this place because I lived in two separate units within the building. Oddly, my experience was quite different in the different units. For my first year, I lived in a 1BR on a high floor on the Centre-Street "facing" side of the building. I had great water pressure and consistent hot water. The kitchen was weird because there were beams that basically blocked the view from the living room, but the living room was big and there was a beautiful balcony. While the walls were a bit thin and there was insufficient counter space for two people to be in the kitchen at once, the place felt good overall. My second year, I lived in a 2BR on a lower floor on the Mass Ave side of the building. For over a month in the wintertime, I had to wait over 30 minutes to get hot water. The company investigated in an unexpected way - they did a whole-building search to see if people had installed washing machines. After what felt like about 45 days, they got a team to investigate who quickly found that the pump that circulated hot water had failed, which is why it took so long to get hot water. More notably, the heat pump / air conditioners were not large enough for the space they were supposed to serve. In order to get a warm apartment, we had to use the baseboard electric heat. This was expensive, reaching ~$400/month for electricity in October. We decided to cut back and started wearing heavy clothes indoors, but even when we just used the heat pump for heat at night for sleep, we found ourselves spending $700/month for December and January! This was absolutely not a problem in my apartment on the higher floor. My strong advice is to call the electrical company and figure out how much the prior tenants in your exact unit spent before signing the contract, because it will become an important piece of the overall rental cost. If you are in the right unit in the right part of the building, the place is reasonably affordable and a good overall value. read more

I have been living here for about 2 years, and just during those 2 years experienced: - power equipment burning down in the garage, whole house evacuated at 3 am - a drug addicted neighbor knocking on ALL doors in the house, one after another, asking for money. At 1 am. Several nights in a row. - water is being shut off for several hours on the average once every 2 weeks, sometimes more often, sometimes less. - house management stores old boxes and trash containers right around bike racks. As a result, several times I had to seek help to free my bike, because it was blocked by construction stuff or containers with trash, too heavy for me to lift or move. - our parking spot was inaccessible due to renovation for several weeks. How did we know? One night we came and discovered that it was under construction. We never got even a note from house management about that BEFORE they started the whole thing, nor did we get any temporary parking spot. We just had to park next to others, leaving a note and hoping our car would not be towed. - this summer, since end of June, every morning we had to spend behind the closed blinds, with boxes from our balcony stacked in our living room. Thanks to workers, painting walls and balconies with a pretty white color. - in the mornings we now wake up to swearing and singing, because the workers have moved to the other side of the building, where, unfortunately, our bedroom window is, etc. Everyday brings something new here. We are looking for a better place to rent, and as soon as we find, we hope to move. read more

I was surprised that the ratings of 929 on Yelp were so low, when the rating on their website by tenants was so high. After visiting though, I see that yelp was right. I was in the area looking for apartments, and thought I would drop by. The leasing agent was not happy to see me, implied that I was an unfit candidate, and seemed annoyed that he had to waste his time with me (a recent college grad) instead of another individual (an older probably more fiscally established woman) who also dropped by. He straight up asked me, "Do you have a trust fund? Because that's the only way you could pay for this with your job". Also they don't take cosigners or guarantors in initial applications, making it difficult for anyone in college or recently graduated. Overall, a very condescending customer service experience. read more