Everyone on staff has been super helpful and attentive. Couldn't ask for more! Pam read more

Stay away from Susan at Bob Schmitz Properties. This is probably the worst experience I've had with any business. When I expressed concern about a clause in the lease allowing them to enter our home at any time without prior notice, Susan promptly emailed my roommates telling them they needed to find a replacement even though my name was already on the lease, which Susan had previously said was unchangeable because it was a "legal document." (It was still an unsigned legal document!) We finally gave up and signed the lease anyway because there were very few three bedrooms on the market when we needed to move in. However, in February (3 months before the end of our lease), we received an email from Susan's email address (that she now says was sent by someone else) saying there would be some exterior work to our house over the next week. Basically, our lease allows B.S. to do maintenance on our property while we live there in a reasonable time. However, applying plastic siding over wood siding on 3/4 of the house is really more of a renovation than maintenance. Especially, when you wake up to pounding on the outside of your bedroom wall at 7:45 every morning for two and a half weeks. The contractor continually set up his equipment over our path to the car despite the ample yard space to set up and frequently left his drill on the step outside our door. After the siding was done, workers showed up regularly for two more weeks to do "yard work." I'm not sure why it takes two weeks to rake leaves and why you didn't do it until you were getting ready to list the property. After all the leaves have been there since before Thanksgiving. It's so great to finally be able to see the dirt under the leaves, especially now that's it's started raining and turned the dirt to mud. Last week, painters showed up without notice. (Thanks for warning us that people in an unmarked car without uniforms would be showing up at our house less than two weeks after a woman in our neighborhood Additionally, she was culturally insensitive, refusing to pronounce my name correctly. (Sorry I'm not white enough for you Susan.) Also, they kept half of our security deposit claiming that they had to paint the interior after we moved out despite the fact that we didn't paint anything in the place. You might think that we trashed the place or that this was an anomaly but they accidentally sent us someone else's refund, so we know they did it to them as well. If you must rent from them, take pictures when you move in and move out so you can fight them in small claims court. read more

My renting experience with Bob Schmitz Properties was a big disappointment. My rental house was minimally maintained- BSP refused to install a liner in the crawl space (despite the recommendations of professional exterminators), and insulation was so poor that in the winter my house was often the only one in the neighborhood without frost on the roof. I spent an outrageous amount of money trying to keep the house reasonably warm-- several hundred dollars per month more than the estimate they gave me before I signed the lease. But the worst thing about BSP is that they completely take advantage of their tenants and squeeze as much money as possible out of the security deposit for bogus reasons. I spent several days cleaning the house and left it sparkling, but they subtracted nearly $200 from my deposit for a "cleaning service." When I protested the charges, they clarified that the cleaning service was needed for things like "washer dirty inside lid" and "tiny trash on floor" (their words), which must have meant tiny specks of dust because I mopped the floors thoroughly. Never mind that when I moved in to the house I had to spend several hours re-cleaning it-- I wiped a significant amount of grime off the floors and there was a lot of cockroach grit in the cupboards, so it is clear that BSP just pockets the "cleaning service" fee and doesn't actually clean the house for the next tenants. I left the house in much better condition than I found it in, but that made no difference. Out of all the charges I contested, the only one BSP reimbursed me for was the $20 they charged me to replace the HVAC filter. I had installed a new filter literally one day before my move-out date. This just shows that BSP was hoping I would be too lazy or timid to bother calling them out on it. The moral of the story is that you're better off renting with Apple or another honest landlord agency. If you absolutely must rent from BSP, don't even bother cleaning your house when you move out because you'll be charged for them to "clean" it anyway. Also, in my opinion, the numerous 5-star reviews on CitySearch other websites are really not consistent with the experiences of other BSP tenants whom I know personally. read more

Updating my earlier review. I lived at two different BSP properties for a total of four years. I have zero complaints about them. They kept the places in good shape, quickly fixed issues that came up, and were fair and transparent when it came to returning my security deposit. I also personally like all the people that work there -- Rachel, David, Connie, to name a few, but all the maintenance guys were solid and kind, too. The lawn guys are sweethearts. I can tell from the earlier (pre-2016) reviews that BSP had some legitimate issues, but as far as my experience goes, they have been great. And I have lived all over (D.C., Spain, Vancouver, Florida, etc.). I know bad landlords. Would happily rent from BSP again. read more

I lived in a Bob Schmitz property for a year. My unit had its fair share of issues - a mice infestation and numerous plumbing problems, to name a few - but I was ready to give Bob Schmitz the benefit of the doubt because the employees were friendly and responsive about repair requests. However the company has an absolutely predatory security deposit policy. I wish I had read the reviews here before renting - it looks like many others experienced the same thing. It's worth pointing out that many of the 5-star reviews are tenants who have not yet moved out of their property and so haven't encountered the security deposit nightmare. I'm glad to see that some others took legal action and won. Don't rent with Bob Schmitz if you can help it. read more

I've never personally lived in a Bob Schmitz property, but my best friends have. This review is for my personal experience trying to get an appointment to see a Bob property. It's ROUGH. The woman who does property showings only shows homes/ apartments during business hours and I didn't find her easy to get a hold of. I called in, wanting to see a place, and she was out seeing another one. So I left a message. She calls back, I missed the call, I call back, she's not there, she calls back, we coordinate. The back and forth phone tag was infuriating. And taking off work to go see a place is also frustrating. Here's the thing. Bob owns hundreds of properties in this city. He's got a near-monopoly in slum-lording. So if you're renting in Durham, you'll probably have to deal with him at some point. Just be ready to take time off work to do so. read more

They took over 4 days to answer a simple e-mail question about a property. In that span of time I had driven to North Carolina, viewed 5 properties from other landlords, left North Carolina, decided on a property, filled out an application online, had my credit processed, paid for a deposit, signed the new lease documents, set up my water, sewer and cable, and contacted some movers. And even if I had decided to rent from these clowns, they only do showings during the weekdays 9am-3pm. Imagine trying to deal with this as a tenant, if you had problems. These people obviously do not care. read more

My roommate and I have been renting at Bob Schmitz properties for 1.5 years in Durham. The experience while living there have been subpar but by no means horrible. We did not miss a single payment throughout the years and generally took care of the place well. However, due to circumstances at the end 2020 we've decided to break lease and move on. We also found people to promptly take over our lease as soon as we move out to minimize vacancy time and save the hassle for the management. However, we did not hear anything back about the deposit until 30 days after moving out, and informed that we will NOT get our deposit(~$1300) back on top of owing them $200 with ridiculous and unforeseen charges. (1st Picture below) Bob Schmitz and I emailed back and forth in regards to the charges, however their attitude is dismissive and arrogant as a result nothing was changed. They have an excuse for everything that was listed. We were charged for.... Items that wasn't there to begin with (smoke detector) Damage that was there (Paints on the floor was left from when they last repainted the place. We have never painted anything in the house) Blinds ( they were in bad shape prior to moving in, we solely used our own curtains and never adjusted them) 48 nail holes for $350 (We've only had a total of 14 nail holes, all which were properly patched up with speckles. There were an outstanding amount of pre-patched holes when we first moved in) When asked, the attached picture below is their justification for the charges...obscure scratches and paint splats for $350.... Trash (We had to move out on a Monday in which we packed 4 big trash bags and placed them beside the garbage bin until the truck could come by and pick up thursday. Which we went back to the properties and took all the trash out to the curb the following thursday) Mattress (Mattress was left on curbside with confirmed certificates of notification from durham city to be picked up) With all things considered the property was extremely old when we first moved in. The house itself is pretty worn down, but we did not think much since the location and price was decent. But managements should not expect tenants to refurbish, replace or fix issues that the property already has. I've rented at a lot of places since my college years, and never had I once not had my deposit back or have such a bad attitude from an apartment complex. Never had I felt so cheated and ignored by the management. In conclusion, I highly recommend looking elsewhere, their properties are not worth the risk of them screwing you over. You're better off renting from somewhere else even if it's 10% more rent overall. I hope they change their structure, and more importantly no other renters falls into the same trap. read more

We ended up suing Bob Schmitz when they tried to steal our deposit after we moved out, and I am happy to report that we won. Everyone should read the NC Tenant Security Deposit Act of 1977. While our victory over the Schmitz Slum Empire was sweet, the whole experience of living in their properties was a nightmare. We lived in a Schmitz property near Duke's East Campus for two years. The problems started immediately: BS late fees on our rent when their automated payment system was down, a broken window that fell and crushed my finger, an unsafe front door against fire code that would have trapped us if there had been a fire. We decided to move out early because when there was a shooting across the street (at another one of their properties) and the police department came around with suggestions for improving our home's safety, Susan just insulted us and told us there would be no improvements made to the property. Her disrespectful demeanor was the final straw. She is nice when she is luring you in but then turns into a miserable person to work with. We won on our case on what amounts to a technicality. Schmitz policy is to return whatever remains of your deposit thirty days after the end of the lease. But according to the Tenant Security Deposit Act, landlords must return the deposit within thirty days of when you move out. Since we had moved out early to get them out of our lives, they were several weeks late in returning the deposit and had to pay it to us in full (plus court fees). Their apartments are cheapish and well located but renting from them was one of the worst choices I have made in my adult life. But wherever you live, read the law and know your rights. read more

Yet another terrible review on Bob Schmitz Properties. I have never lost my deposit on a rental property even when I was in college. Every other place I have rented has also been much nicer so it seems if I can get my full deposit back at a nice place then it shouldn't be a problem for a dive basement apartment (one that I did not mind living in but was just not full of amenities) We were charged for 3 damaged blinds. One I know for a fact had a problem so that is fine but the other two were over the kitchen sink. It would take work to damage those blinds--they were in just great, well dusted condition. We were also charged a cleaning fee ($150) even though the place was spotless and looked better than when we moved in. If I am going to go through the trouble of spending two days after work (6:00pm) until midnight cleaning and get charged a cleaning fee it shows me they believe their tenants are worthless. Bob Schmitz was very prompt about fixing issues we had. I thought for sure they would give us our full deposit because we were good tenants and work so hard to clean the place so that it would be little effort for them to prepare it for the next tenants. I wish now I had not spend all that time and effort because it was pointless. read more

Bob Schmitz Properties is complete shit, in my experience. They have quaint old houses that are poorly cleaned and upkept, in my opinion, within the greater downtown Durham area. In my experience they will make promises to do things to improve the home but as soon as you rent none of this will happen. I felt they have no intention of ever returning ours or anybody's security deposit regardless of how clean a house was kept. I would avoid ever doing business with Bob Schmitz Properties and would advise everyone to do the same based on my experience. read more

We've lived at a Bob Schmitz property for a little over a year now and I'm happy to say it's worked out fantastically. Our apartment is beautiful, perfectly maintained and we have awesome neighbors. They are the best landlords I've ever had. Period. I can't speak about the return of my deposit, but I will update this review when we leave and report back what happens. I've gotten my deposit back at every place I've ever lived and I don't expect this one to be the exception. But then again, I'm also older, not an undergrad, don't throw raging parties, don't have destructive animals and I'm really into making where I live feel like a home. The good: they own their properties. This means they take care of them. One of the best things for me is that they are so pet friendly and don't charge rip-off 'pet rent.' Some of their tenants foster rescue animals and they even go so far as to post them on their website. Almost all their apartments come with a security system you have the option to turn on (hosted by Alarm Man-- no contract and cheap, cheap). There are plenty of security lights outside. No dark parking lot if you come home late. Also, they run background checks and pretty stringent credit requirements so no sex offenders or scary felons in the apartment next to you (unless they happen to be visitors, of course). You can pay your rent online with no rip-off 'convenience fee.' A blessing, even though their office is just around the corner, so no biggie if for some reason the system is down (never happened in the year we've lived here) and you need to walk your payment over to make sure rent is on time (I don't get the negative review that bashed B. Schmitz b/c they were charged a late fee when the system was down. I mean, duh, there's more than one way to pay your rent). You can request maintenance online-- we've had a couple of small issues and the work has been prompt and the workers are nice guys who don't look like they just changed out of prison clothes or are trying out for the next serial killer flick. They're professionals, for sure. They're also good communicators who don't invade your privacy. You have advance notice if they need to get in your apartment-- fantastic if you've got two little squirrel dogs who would likely bolt out the door otherwise. We've dealt with Rachel Davis and Marcelle- they're both totally awesome-- friendly and professional. I'd also add that they're queer-friendly and Bob Schmitz donates to public radio. Also, they're really flexible--if you want to move to a different Bob Schmitz property during your current lease period, you can do that. read more

Contrary to basically every other review here, we've had a pretty good experience with Bob Schmitz so far (although note: we haven't moved out yet, so I can't touch on the dreaded "deposit" issue but I promise to update when we do). We've been living in the same house for 2 years, and we've had pretty good experiences. I'll go through major points chronologically: PICKING OUT A RENTAL: -my husband was out of the state at the time, so I picked out the rental myself. Susan was pretty accommodating with my work schedule, and drove around with me over the weekend to see everything. I'm pretty sure I could only meet at like 4pm on a Saturday, and she was available. INITIAL STUFF: -we were able to negotiate our rental rate a little bit (we aren't college students, and probably don't come with the same risks). So maybe the rates are higher than comparable houses, but we talked ours down. -The apartment was perfectly clean when we moved in. OVER THE YEARS -The company (we mainly communication through Susan) has been pretty amenable to all the work orders and repairs we've put in. I would say we are on the "needier" side of work-order people, and they always get filled the same day. After our fridge wasn't working, we requested a new one and they put it in the same day. -Our HVAC wasn't working this weekend (and its 96 out today, yikes). They came over to look at it, and once they realized whatever is broken wasn't going to be an easy fix, they installed window units throughout the house. Yes, I freaked out a little bit, but they definitely went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. -We've definitely asked for things over the years that are a mix between necessary and definitely not necessary (for instance, we wanted the front bushes re-mulched). Bob Schmitz has been pretty good about these things, within reason. They wouldn't bend to our request for a garbage disposal though! -I would also like to note that I've always been super comfortable with the maintenance staff that they send over. No complaints as a woman having strange men in her house. -We always pay our rent on time, but we are horrible about some of the other details (re-signing our lease, cutting our grass). Once again, they've been pretty lenient about this. I'm not sure what the big Yelp issue with Susan is. She's always been super helpful for us, whether we've called or stopped by in person. I don't think we've ever had a maintenance request that wasn't handled same day. Though I don't know the rental demographic of Bob Schmitz, I will say that we are out of college (late 20s), and super into our "home", so that may have caused the Bob Schmitz staff to interact more endearingly with us? We aren't renters that run the risk of throwing a rager (unless you count brunch as a rager). So overall I had pretty positive things to say about Bob Schmitz (maybe they are working on these things more?), and I will definitely update after we deal with move-out deposit issues! read more

Bob Schmitz Properties and the employees of started out just like any other management company. They got repairs done in a relatively reasonable amount of time, and were responsive to calls. They were quite reasonable until they found out that we would not be continuing our lease with them. Since that day it has been a nightmare. Susan Cole not willing to admit she made a mistake and gave me the wrong information. Bob Schmitz calling me to stick up for Susan, and just repeating himself. If it was for anything more than $45 I would likely have a lawyer on their door tomorrow, but it's nickel and diming, and I would have to pay more for a lawyer to correct this. I would suggest going with another property management company in the area. Will update with return of deposit after the end of May. read more

My worst rental experience, by far, was with Bob Schmitz Properties. It seems that it is the company's goal to keep as much of a tenant's security deposit as possible. Indeed, the company charged me for things like replacement parts for the stove that I hardly used, and which I certainly did not ruin in the short time I rented from this company. I would never again rent from BSP and would certainly never recommend them to anyone I know. read more

I would love to receive a reply from Bob as he has replied to the 5 star reviews... Not sure how he can claim his tenants are his company's number one priority. The 6 of us living in our house certainly never saw that. read more

I have rented from Bob Schmitz Properties since 2009 so I obviously like the service they provide. Having lived in different apartments in Durham and Greensboro prior to finding Bob Schmitz, I can say their staff feels more hands-on than others. Anytime I've needed assistance, I'm comfortable with contacting them with my concerns or questions knowing that Susan Cole is going to jump on it. Going into the office, Marrilyn always smiles and warmly greets me and provides whatever help and support she can give. Maintenance is courteous and attentive; anything that I've needed done or worked on is usually handled within 24 hours. Since I'm still renting from Bob Schmitz, I can't review or speak of the security deposit issue that others have mentioned in their reviews. What appeals to me about my rental from Bob Schmitz is that his is more of a "home" rather than an apartment. The lease clearly defines what Bob Schmitz will take care of and what you're expected to do on your end, which I think a lot of people tend to overlook when signing the lease. Since this is more of a home rather than an apartment, there are things you have to do on your end to upkeep your unit. That being said, I like the feel of the apartment and that it's "my space" rather than a small, cramped apartment. The rental rate, at least in my case, is reasonable and competitive for Durham and the area of the city that I'm located in. Since renting from them I've completed a few customer satisfaction surveys and always see Bob Schmitz Properties actually take the feedback and make changes toward things they have control over. I've found from interacting with my neighbors who also rent from them that most of the negative vibes and feelings come from not communicating with Bob Schmitz. They have been good about addressing issues and even improving my unit over the years, from installing a better door with weather stripping to recently installing a ceiling fan in my bedroom after a comment I made on one of the customer service surveys. I'd definitely suggest looking at Bob Schmitz Properties if you're looking to move to Durham. As with any apartment, don't buy without checking out the unit first (which is what one of my past neighbors did which lead to some dissatisfaction upon arrival), tell the rental rep what you're looking for and what you like (they have a lot of units so there's probably something for you) and once you have moved in, continue to talk to and work with the people in the main office. You'll be surprised how being polite and respectful will make your renting experience better. UPDATE 5/31/2017: Just last month I moved from the rental I had at Bob Schmitz Properties. Through the end, my review remains pretty much unchanged. As I prepared to move, I was curious of what sort of experience I would have since many complained that they experienced some issues with getting their security deposit back after moving out. Happily I can report that I not only received my security deposit back within 30 days but received it back in full with no deductions. After alerting them that I was moving they provided a move-out list. I recommend you read it thoroughly as it clearly spells out what Bob Schmitz will be looking for upon move out and what you will be charged if they determine something hasn't been done or needs to be replaced. You will probably find it's cheaper for you to replace something like a drip pan for the stove or a blind than it is to leave it to them to replace. Also, I spent a week cleaning the apartment the best I could which helped. They were remodeling the apartment upon my departure, including adding a washer/dryer, redoing the counter tops in the kitchen and installing central air and heat (yes, I lived without those for 2009-2017 while at this apartment but had window unit ACs and a floor furnace) so my parting advice is to ask for these things before moving in if the property you're moving to doesn't have them-they'd have made a big difference had I had them during my stay for sure. read more

I would give zero stars if i could. The Bob Schmitz home I lived in was deteriorating everywhere, and the management was incredibly difficult to not only get in touch with, but to actually get the problems fixed. This was a perpetual problem all year long. Mold, mildew, bugs, leaking pipes, broken wood floors, non-functioning drains, broken stairs on the front porch. All of this was a problem upon move in that took most all year to resolve. Disastrous experience, horrible value, inconsiderate management team. Dont expect to get back your security deposit, even if you hire a professional cleaning service. read more

I am entering into my second time renting with Bob Schmitz Properties. Previously, I was moving from out of state, Susan was very accommodating with the hour I had to see properties. I signed a lease that day and everything was beautiful and clean when I moved in. I lived in that property for almost 3 years before moving across the state for school. I am not sure about the deposit complaints as I got everything back except for a charge for a dead battery in the smoke detector. Couldn't really complain about that. Recently, I had the opportunity to move back to the area and I immediately looked at what Bob Schmitz had to offer. I did not want to go through anyone else. Their properties are especially great for dog owners as they typically have a large yard and BS is excellent about allowing large dogs in their properties, something which can be uncommon. Their properties are always clean, have hardwood floors and accessible laundry. Everything I could ask for. I worked with Rachel, the second time around. She also had assisted in my "move out" the year prior and was already familiar with me. She showed me a number of places and was then very patient with me as I waited for the logistics to sort themselves out on my end. Concerning repairs, I have never had to wait more than 24 hours for a work order to be filled. This included the time my dryer broke and they had to replace it with a new one. The maintenance guys are fantastic and get the job done quickly and efficiently. I would highly recommend Bob Schmitz Properties to anyone as a rental choice in the Durham area. read more

Here's a long-overdue review for sucky Bob Schmitz. When my boyfriend and I rented a house from old Bob, we did so under some duress as he was about to start cancer treatment at Duke Hospital. The agent promised us that the company was going to create a safe walkway up to the house (which matter to us since my bf was on crutches/in a wheel chair/using a walker during treatment) but once we signed the lease, no one could remember having said that. Of course we lost our whole deposit. When we moved in, the attic and basement were full of boxes and also repair equipment that belonged to Bob's contractors. However, when we moved out, we were charged for removing that garbage. I was also charged a cleaning fee of $35 because I left a box of tissues on the back of the toilet in the bathroom (trying to be nice in case someone came to look at the house and needed to pee). We cleaned meticulously on moving out, but still had to pay outrageous cleaning fees and repair bills for damages that didn't exist. When I went to dispute the assessment of fees and ask for receipts from their contractors, I was told that they would not even discuss it and that all communication would have to by writing. No surprise that my letter went unanswered. Advice to the wise - take a million pictures both upon moving in and moving out. I know it seems like a huge hassle, but unless you just count on forfeiting your deposit every time you move, you must. They'll probably still steal your deposit, but at least you can stick it to them in small claims court. Or just let them know that you have pictures of the property and quotes from repair/cleaning services before they do their assessment and maybe it'll scare them. Oh, or just have some fun and trash the house when you leave and at least get your money's worth. read more

Do not expect to get your security deposit back - even if you go so far as to hire a professional cleaning service

What started off as a positive experience ended poorly, I'm afraid. The "nickel and diming" mentioned in a previous comment correctly expresses how I feel. I wrote the following note to Bob Schmitz Properties contesting my security deposit: To Whom This May Concern: Nothing written in this letter is meant to be construed as a personal complaint towards any one person. These comments are completely focused on the Landlord-Tenant relationship between Bob Schmitz Properties and myself, the tenant. On Friday, June 8th, I received a check in the mail for the sum of - - - - dollars which is what the Landlord has unilaterally considered to be the refund of my portion of the deposit for the rental of - - - - - - - - Durham, NC 27701. I vacated the premises and returned the keys at the Landlord's main office on April 30th, a total of 40 days prior to the receipt of this check. When I was given possession of this unit by the Landlord, it was I who completed a checklist as to the condition of the unit and dutifully turned it in as was requested of me. At no time did I witness a delegate from the Landlord's office perform and document such an inspection nor did they verify the inspection checklist that I turned in. At the time I was vacating the unit, and I personally returned the keys to the office, I asked the receptionist of the office if someone could come to do a walk through with me but was told that it would be done at a later time as she could not leave the office at that time. I explained to her, the work I and my father had done to leave the unit clean and was told that it should not be a problem and that I should be receiving the full amount of my deposit, which was - - - - -, and if not, then "something very close to that amount". For the past year, from April 2011 to April 2012, I have been a good and loyal tenant that has always paid her rent on time. I called the office sparingly regarding maintenance and other issues, and have never had a single complaint filed against me. My father and I took great care in sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping the floors. Corners and closets were cleaned. Vents were changed. There was no trash left in the bathroom. Windows were washed. The tub and tiles were scrubbed vigorously and to the best of anyone's ability.I fail to understand how I was charged $90 for "cleaning" and $45 for a "brown streaked tub" that was not brown. I paid extra attention to the cabinets and in good faith placed newspaper or cabinet lining paper in the kitchen more out of courtesy to the next tenant, seeing as how there were scuff marks and blemishes in the kitchen when I first moved in. I fail to understand how I was charged $50 for the simple removal of the paper. Holes and nails were left as they were and spots on the walls were left unpainted as suggested in the "Move Out Instructions" in the attached email from the Landlord. I understood the Landlord's instructions to be a practical and cost effective way to handle this issue that would benefit both parties. The Landlord states in the "Move Out Instructions" that their "Goal is to get our house or apartment back in great shape and be able to return all of your security deposit". The holes were minor and I refuse to accept a charge of $275 for "repair walls and touch up paint". The fact that no one contested the checklist I did of the apartment's condition when I moved in, nor did any representative do a walk through with me at the end of my lease makes it very difficult for me to accept these charges. Also seeing that I followed the email with the "Move Out Instructions" sent by your office, I fail to understand why so little of my security deposit was returned. To summarize, it is my opinion that the apartment was left in better condition than when I received it. I would like to request that your office review their documentation and expenses for their validity and for a more fair resolution. I find the costs to be inflated and if necessary, I feel that it will be my right to inform and provide photos [taken at Move Out] to the North Carolina Fair Housing Center or the Durham Human Relations Commission, requesting they consider my current situation as described herein. Thank you for your consideration of my request. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, ~Sabina ** This email resulted in absolutely nothing. If you wish to do "business" with BS Properties do not expect to receive much or any of your security deposit back. Their definitions of "fair" and "clean" are very different from the average person. I highly recommend that you not even bother cleaning the place upon exiting. I cleaned and scrubbed my ass off... and all I got was this lousy t-shirt... ::holds up t-shirt with initials B.S. on it:: Best of luck to you, ~Sabina read more

I'm currently a tenant in a Bob Schmitz apartment, so I can't speak to some of the security deposit issues mentioned in some of the previous reviews. All I can say is that my own experience has been positive so far. I moved to Durham from NYC, so when I came to look for apartments I had a very limited amount of time to take care of everything. Laura Grey Taylor was incredibly helpful and made sure that everything was set up prior to my arrival and was really friendly every step of the way. She really goes above and beyond to be helpful: when I was out of town (without a copy of my lease) and needed some documentation for my car insurance company, she faxed a copy of my lease directly to the company at 5pm on a Friday! Every time I have had any maintenance issue, Bob Schmitz has sent someone over either on the same day or the next day to take care of it. They seem to be very reasonable as long as you communicate with them and take care of your space. They are pet friendly and let me paint (as long as I told them beforehand and agreed to restore the walls back to the original color before I move out)...no complaints on my end! read more

I've got nothing negative to say about BSP and the staff there. I've found everyone I've come in contact with (from Laura who showed me places when I moved to Durham, to everyone at the office) to be extremely professional, courteous, and responsive. I've had only 2 issues with my duplex and both were fixed very promptly and have not given any problems since (small leak in the fridge and toilet continuing to run even after the top tank was filled). One thing, I have heard that BSP can be very harsh in terms of your deposit. I heard this from acquaintances and these other Yelp reviews seem to confirm that. But I can't speak from personal experience, I haven't moved out yet. (I will certainly update this review if it ends up being a bad experience). But all in all, so far so good. I've been very happy renting from these folks. read more

Where to begin.... First off, they charge WAY too much for what you get compared to square footage and storage you can find elsewhere for cheaper. Second, they will come up with weird things to add on to your deposit... I paid one month's rent, plus the pet deposit (fine I understand that) then after all of that they asked for additonal 250 dollars for an additional pet fee.... Hmmmm okay. I have a small dog that has never caused any problems and is house trained, keep in mind this was BEFORE I even moved in. I should've known then it was going to bad news. Third, I had constant issues with my neighbors stealing my packages from my front door as there is no generally delivery for packages like most apartment complexes offer, there is no option to have packages sent to the main office, so your packages that can't fit in your mail box just get left in front of your door. My neighbors were extremely shady, constant traffic of all hours of the day and night. Fourth they give you one washer and dryer for TWENTY residents to share, the washer and dryer room was disgusting, there was always trash everywhere and the washer and dryer were also disgusting, I'd have better luck washing my clothes in the river. FIfth, cockroaches. I was on the second floor, and I kept my apartment spotless, and it didn't take long for those things to show up. Also, they won't give you your deposit back. So, if you want to spend a lot of money and get ripped off then Bob Schmitz is for you. It's sad because I would rather live in a renovated home, and some of their properites are quite beautiful, but they are way overpriced and are only out for your money. I'm going back to the dreaded suburbia style apartments, but at least I will get more for what I pay for and what have to deal with the deplorable conditions and prices. read more

Probably the worst people I have ever rented from. wish I could give them 0 stars. Susan cole has not changed one bit it sounds like, and the entire experience was miserable. Every single person who lived in my house would have moved within 6 months had there been even a remote change or getting off the lease. Unattended issues included a rat infestation, leaking pipes, etc. The house had the worst central heating system with a combination of poorly placed/ broken vents and a lack of insulation. As a result our gas bill was through the room. But guess what?! Bob Schmitz includes in the contract that you cannot locally heat your house (ie space heaters) costing us ~300 a month more. Also, it seems security deposits are like signing bonuses for Susan cause she never wants to give them back. Thinking we might save some money by paying a cleaning service to professionally clean it, we spent the worst 100 dollars ever. If you make the unfortunate (but sometime necessary) mistake of renting from here, do not make any effort to clean. We ended up getting about a fourth of a pretty large security deposit back. Some of favorite things we were charged for: $25 for unscrewing a brita filter, $30 for replacing light bulbs, $50 for taking off duct tape from the end of a loose door, and $75 for sweeping the front porch. oh and $300 to clean the house... again Handymen looking for a job? call up Bob Schmitz and ask to talk to Susan, looks like you'd be making about 2k for 3-4hrs of work. read more

If only I could rate these people less than a one-star then ABSOLUTELY I would. I was not only disappointed but outraged by the lack of care the people at Bob Schmitz provide. If you have any type of problem with the property you're renting, from small to large, they will NOT get back to you. Only with persistence and incredible patience on my part was I able to get things resolved, like say a FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Mind you I was with them for three years (I'm surprised I stuck around for that long, but financial reasons left me no choice), and their lack of professionalism left me so bitter. So please, if you're reading this, please consider other property management before Bob Schmitz...and I mean if they were the last standing property management in the COUNTRY. Save yourself the trouble. read more

They're petty, nickel-and-diming thieves. There's no other way to put it. I cleaned the hell out of my apartment and they still charged $145 for a cleaning fee. The house was dirty when I moved in. I left it in much better shape than I found it. Good job dickwads. They're all very unpleasant people, too -- except the maintenance guys, who are great. Not great enough to get their employer more than 1 star, though. read more

I'm not sure what's up with all the one-star ratings. I rented a decent, affordable duplex for two years in a good location a short bike ride to downtown. It wasn't perfect, but had a washer/dryer and central AC. And they allowed me to have my dog. The drafty old semi-stuck windows were a downside in what NC considers "winter," and I really do like to be able to open windows when it's nice. One corner of the bedroom would get mold behind the furniture in the humid summers, which they would clean and repaint upon request, or I just cleaned it myself once. Maintenance was always prompt and courteous. One time, my neighbor locked me out of the main entry while I was sitting on the porch. I had no phone or key on me, so I broke out a window square from the front door to unlock the inside bolt. Five minutes later, a handful of Durham's finest were at my door. I reported the broken glass to the landlord and asked them to charge me for it, but they fixed it for free instead. I lived in Durham for about 20 years, owning one home, renting others. I lived in a loft in West Village for five years, which I loved but it was 2X the price and noisy. I usually get all of my deposit back. BSP kept a small amount of my deposit for something I don't recall, but that was OK. I moved out because the rent was going higher then I thought reasonable. Today I live in Pittsburgh, and the rental/landlord situation is SO MUCH WORSE here that it makes BSP or anywhere in Durham seem very reasonable. read more

I am so appreciative of and impressed by the service I've received from Bob Schmitz Properties -- from good yard upkeep, to consistent and timely responses to requests for maintenance, and more. Rachel and her team go above and beyond to keep their tenants happy and healthy! read more

I now live in my second property with BSP and have never had a problem. In fact, here are the reasons I continue to rent with them, even though the rent is a bit high: 1. Every time I have even the slightest complaint, someone comes to fix it or look at it. The maintenance crews are always polite and clean up after themselves. 2. They let me transfer my lease to a new place before my first lease was up, and also let me extend my current lease by a few months while I was figuring out my living situation. 3. I cleaned my apartment thoroughly, but not crazily, and got my full deposit back. Maybe in the past they were stricter, but I've never had a problem. Yeah, they're strict, but they also rent to a lot of undergrads, so they have to be to keep their property intact. 4. Each of the apartments I've lived in has been recently remodeled and is in good shape (both were in apartment buildings, so they may be different from the crappy old houses other reviewers were living in a year or two ago). 5. They've cut me deals on my rent because I'm a return tenant, which is a huge bonus and, to me, shows they care about keeping good tenants around. To prove that point, my little complex is very diverse, both culturally and socioeconomically: young families, older couples, grad students, even a few undergrads, and everyone is very sweet and neat. I don't know why my experience is so different from the older reviewers', but I do know that in my experience, Bob Schmitz has been easy to work with a straight-forward in all their dealings. read more

Bob Schmitz takes slumlord to a new level. I had a good experience with Apple (surprisingly good), but Bob Schmitz and his employees who answer the phone are terrible--rude, insulting, and incompetent. Their properties are a mess and he does whatever he can to take advantage of renters. He should be embarrassed to show his face around town. read more

Worst rental experience I have ever had! Hard to imagine Susan has managed to keep her position this long. Never did I ever feel like any of her actions were in my (the customer's) interest. Reading the reviews below, I am quite worried about the deposit that I gave them when signing the lease. STAY AWAY and save yourself plenty of headaches! read more

In this review I will try and spare you a rant. On the positive side, Bob Schmitz did replace the dishwasher in the house upon a request/service call (I would guess it was 20-25 yrs old). This last winter however, as you may know, was pretty cold, and the old house was incredibly drafty. Also, about 20 feet of water pipe was plumbed outside of the house to the kitchen which meant it froze on at least two occasions. I'm pretty sure that is against code. The major gripe I have with this company is getting back the security deposit. I left the place spotless (swept, mopped, etc.) and more descriptively exactly as it was when I moved in. There were nail holes from hanging pictures which is incredibly common. Yet they charged me about five hundred bucks to repaint and clean the house. This rental company definitely lived up to there reputation. My friendly neighbor explained to me the first few weeks I was there that they don't give security deposits back....go figure. If you know Durham at all you'd never rent from them because they are completely overpriced for the age of places (think post-war homes with new paint). I would not rent from them again. I also think the positive reviews are likely disingenuous. read more

Fine until something serious goes wrong. They are quick to respond to maintenance requests for the "easy stuff"... if your stove stops working, they will replace it. But if something major is wrong with the house (roof leaking, floor caving in, significant mold issues, electrical problems... basically anything that can't be fixed by their $10/hr maintenance staff), forget it. They'll lie about repairs, insist that everything is safe, and find a way to charge you for it. Moving out is a nightmare, no matter how well you clean the house they'll keep your entire security deposit for existing problems that they were too negligent to fix. read more

The home that I rented from BSP was built in 1935 with evidence of deterioration and negligence of maintenance over the years. When black granules and particles were falling through the ceiling, they did minimal work (largely cosmetic) to repair it and repeatedly tried to "wash their hands" of the problem. Due to concerns that there may be harmful substances falling through the ceiling (asbestos, silica etc.) given the age of the home, I asked the city inspector to assess the home. The inspector reported at least 3 housing code violations. Upon receiving this report, I went to BSP's business manager, Kim Wierzel, with my concerns. She said that that report did not prove that the home was uninhabitable or unsafe. I wanted to sleep and live in a safe place so I asked to break the lease, but she would not allow that and told me to pay the fee to break the lease ($200) in addition to paying rent while they searched for a new tenant. I am appalled by the way they handle business. My biggest concern is that they own 340 homes in Durham and their lack of concern for tenant safety worries me about the safety of residents throughout Durham. If you are currently renting from BSP I would encourage you to consider the safety of your home, as most are historic homes and may have not received the proper maintenance. If you are considering renting from BSP, DO NOT DO IT! I still have not received my security deposit, and the manager is proceeding to send me invoices to pay rent even though I have not lived there for 2 weeks now. I will be reporting these issues to the Better Business Bureau. read more

i have rented from this property management company for years, they have been flexible with moving to other properties, maintain properties very well management and staff is reliable, professional and friendly, would rent from them again without a doubt read more

I moved from Austin, TX to Durham, NC earlier this summer and had to find a place to live sight unseen. Laura was super helpful through the entire process and took into account my unique needs, given that I was moving from out of state and have a 4 year old little boy. When I found a place that I really liked, I told them it was a little more than I was looking to pay and they helped me get into the place by dropping the rent a little bit (it wasn't much, but it was every little bit helps!). When I moved in, there were a few things that were less than perfect about the house but I made note of them on my move-in checklist. When they saw the things on my move-in checklist, they sent the maintenance guys over the very next morning! Instead of doing a shoddy job "fixing" the things, they completely replaced them! One thing was the front screen door which was slightly warped at the top corner, and the other thing was that the refrigerator door didn't seal properly. I got a brand new storm door on the front door and a brand new refrigerator! The maintenance men were very nice and personable and even locked up my house when they were finished with the installations. They also included lawn service which was great - I never had a problem with the lawn guys knocking over plants or making a mess on my porch or disturbing any of my stuff that was outside. After a few months, my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to get a place together. He also rented from Bob Schmitz sight unseen (he also moved from Austin, TX). We asked Bob Schmitz Properties if we could transfer our leases in order to get into a bigger house together. Not only did they approve it, they also agreed to install ceiling fans in every bedroom, and slightly lower our rent on our new place too! Laura, again, was super helpful and showed us places she thought would best suit our needs. The transfer has been quick and painless. We are very happy with our Bob Schmitz experience. Additionally, I had several friends who also moved from Austin to Durham this summer. We all rented from Bob Schmitz with the exception of one. We are all very happy with our choice - we love our houses, we love our neighborhoods, and we love the staff at Bob Schmitz. The people who did not rent from Bob Schmitz have a lot more problems with their apartment including A/C issues and old fixtures that were not updated by the property owners. Bob Schmitz homes that I've seen so far have great energy saving upgrades, even in the old historic homes. read more