I've lived at this apartment complex for over a year now, so I think I can offer a fair assessment of the place. The building has about 20 units and the location is pretty solid. We're right on the border of Russian Hill and Cow Hollow... a couple of blocks from plenty of shops and restaurants on Polk St, and a short walk to Union St. If you go 6 blocks north, you're at the water. So definitely, the location is great.
Regarding the complex itself, I've got mixed feelings about it. For one, it is pretty pricey. We're in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, and we're paying $2725. Add 1 parking spot, and you can make it an even $3K. The place is a good size, but nothing remarkable. It's comfortable, but we can't throw any big get-togethers.
Each floor has a washer & dryer... they are rarely being used whenever I'm doing laundry, though we are only allowed to use them from 8am to 10pm due to noise. There is also a small elevator, allowing for easier moving.
The apartments are decent. Our window faces Van Ness, so it's a bit noisy, but that was expected. The bedrooms are in the back and away from the street noise. However, the walls (and ceilings/floors) are very thin, so I can hear pretty much everything that's going on around me (and I mean everything, you frisky kids above me). Our bedroom windows also open up into an airway shared by 2 or 3 other complexes, so we can hear noise coming from across the way. My roommate has said he gets the smell of cigarette smoke in his room, as somebody from another complex smokes on their patio.
The apartment management is mediocre. The place is run by a family, and one of the daughters lives on the first floor. She's an interesting lady, and a bit anal when it comes to certain things. We've been told multiple times not to have guests park in our spot... if I'm paying $275 a month for a parking spot, I think I'll let whoever I want park in it, ya know? My spot isn't even covered, as it is in the back of the lot and extends past the bottom of the complex. I was also told I needed to buy my own garage remote for $50 since they didn't have any left. Yea, pretty sure I'm not gonna shell out $50 for a remote I may only be using for a year... especially when others in the complex got them for free.
Maintenance has proved to be an issue, as I have put in multiple requests that get ignored. One time, I got a response a month later, asking me if I still needed something done. Whatever, I fixed it myself already. The blinds that came with the place are really easy to break, and the toilet sometimes runs. Both things that have not been fixed even after multiple requests. Oh, and the mailboxes are also too small, so my mail is always crinkled up and jammed in there. Cool entry-way though (dig the chandeliers, mirrors, and the stone dolphin statue... haha).
Overall, the place is decent, but there's nothing awesome about it. I'm hoping to find a place that offers more and is cheaper... after living in SF for a year, I know they exist, it's just a matter of getting in.
4 stars for the apartment & location
2 stars for the management, maintenance, and price
3 star average read more