I am a second-time resident at Royal Crest Estates in North Andover, MA. The first time was from 1996-2000 and the second time (very temporary) began in July 2012 and will continue until February 2013. Some things have changed, some things have stayed the same. 1. Changes - They no longer provide security at the front entrance to screen visitors to the complex. Now, anyone can drive in here. - They allow cats and dogs to live here now. There is a monthly fee per animal. I don't have a pet so don't know the exact amount but believe it's around $45 a month per animal. - They charge you to park a vehicle here - currently $10 a month per vehicle. - On a positive note, they finally added a recycling bin. Prior to this happening, everything was dumped in the trash. - You can no longer have a barbecue outside. They provide communal barbecues near the swimming pool area, but that's not as convenient as heading outside your building and using your own. 2. No Changes - The apartments are referred to as luxury apartments. This would have been a stretch in 2000, never mind 2013. Nothing about the apartments has changed in terms of the HVAC system, appliances, bathrooms, etc. Everything looks just as it did 15 years ago. - You get what you pay for. My wife and I checked out other "luxury" apartment complexes in the area and can confirm that Royal Crest Estates is the most affordable of them all. We only needed a short term lease while we wait for construction of our home to be complete, so the monthly amount is higher than it might otherwise have been had we committed to a 12-month or longer lease. That said, we have a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1450 square foot apartment for much less than much smaller 2-bedroom apartments elsewhere. - The staff--especially the service team--are very friendly and professional. I was sorry to read other reviews that other people have a different view of the staff here, but my experience has always been positive. 3. Other Thoughts - The first time we lived here was in a basement apartment. Heating that place during the winter time was very expensive, in part because the HVAC system is electric and has a hard time pumping warm air to the bedrooms. This time we're in a 2nd floor apartment and have yet to turn on the heat this winter -- and it's December 1st! Perhaps it's because we're in-between apartments, but the temperature in our apartment has never dropped below 70 degrees. So if you decide to move here, opt for the middle floor apartment. Your wallet will thank you later. - We moved here from a single family home, so we really noticed the noise our neighbors make. Perhaps it's because I know I'm only here a short while that I truly don't care about the noise people make. We sometimes here the kids in the building get together and play in the hall. They're ages range from 4 to 10 or so (in my opinion) and they can get quite loud at times. But they're always quiet by 8pm so whatever, right? We sometimes here the people walking around above us, including a young child who seems to sprint everywhere, but again, it's short lived and just reminds us to watch our own steps in consideration of the people below us. For the most part though, no problems to report. - There are Merrimack College students living in our building. They have NEVER been a problem and I have never encountered issues elsewhere on the property from other students. If there were issues in the past, I suspect they were isolated incidents. - The approval process is as onerous as others have pointed out. I don't know how it compares to other rental communities, but if a resident is over 18, they will need to go through the same questionnaire, providing earning information, etc. If, like me, you're in a position where one salary is enough to cover the rent, then say that nobody else works. It's far easier and requires less paperwork. In closing, I would encourage potential new renters to shop around, compare prices, and then make a decision based on what they can afford, which school system they want their kids to attend (if applicable), how much space per dollar the apartment offers, etc. I believe it's possible to find somewhere quieter, smaller, more expensive, etc., and that may be okay with you. I won't say that Royal Crest Estates in North Andover offers the most beautiful apartments, but they are priced competitively for this area and deserve a look. Good luck and happy renting! read more

I lived there for 1 year and found something way better for the same price. We were paying $2685 rent, $45 pet, $75 parking next to building ( the $25 is far from building) and $45 for handicap parking. but I agree with a previous post in regards to all the following: -Infestation (mice, roaches, centipedes, ants, spiders, and more) -Floors were uneven -No communication (unanswered emails to the main office, no information given on construction/loud projects) -Predatory practices (auto enrolling in package lockers that are exceedingly difficult to get out of, paying for parking spaces, $600+ heating bills in the winter due to no insulation and being told to "fix it ourselves" -Merrimack College (being told that students were not allowed in the area I lived at and then MC buys the place and makes it effectively a dorm on top of families, the students are loud and disrespectful. It feels like we were tricked, we have another year of dealing with this with no way out built on false pretenses) -Trash-it was being thrown in the closet by the laundry room without bags and all over the floor. -Other misc. issues (mold, electronic locks only with the app sometimes just not loading making it impossible to get into your apartment without memorizing a 6 digit code, packages being stolen, no cameras anywhere but the leasing office) read more

I'm not sure where to even start so I'll make a list of issues that my partner and I have come across in our year here: -Infestation (mice, roaches, centipedes, ants, spiders, and more) -No communication (unanswered emails to the main office, no information given on construction/loud projects) -Predatory practices (auto enrolling in package lockers that are exceedingly difficult to get out of, paying for parking spaces, $600+ heating bills in the winter due to no insulation and being told to "fix it ourselves" -Merrimack College (being told that students were being phased out by 2026 and then MC buys the place and makes it effectively a dorm on top of families, the students are loud and disrespectful. It feels like we were tricked, we have another year of dealing with this with no way out built on false pretenses) -Construction (the front buildings in particular are bearing the full brunt of the 114 renovations and also doing some of their own it seems like, they tore down a ton of trees and the brick wall out front leaving no sound insulation, they park the construction vehicles right next to the buildings (on the grass), there is dust and debris everywhere) -Other misc. issues (mold, upstairs neighbors footsteps shaking lighting fixtures and pictures on the wall, water dripping through bathroom vents, sewer backing up and flooding the entire apartment (no reimbursement and we had to pay to run multiple industrial grade dehumidifiers to dry it out), electronic locks only with the app sometimes just not loading making it impossible to get into your apartment without memorizing a 6 digit code, packages being stolen, no cameras anywhere but the leasing office) In conclusion, I beg of you to consider other options, this place is not worth your money in it's current state, and I don't see it improving any time soon. read more

Trash all over the place. The visitor parking is limited and not even available half the time. The gym is the smallest thing in the world. The apartments are dated and smelly. Carpets are ripped in the hallways and the trash room stinks up the place. Then the locks on the outside doors don't even work like normal locks; Turning the handles does nothing all you have to do is turn the key and pull. Overall this place is teeming with college students, dirty, and not looked after. Let alone this pile of trash that has been here for weeks. read more

The Crest - Trash right near the road - Apartments Near Me - North Andover, Massachusetts

If I could give this place negative stars I would. It is so outdated, do not go by the pictures they post! Old laminate cabinets, wallpaper and a shoebox size kitchen. Hallways smell with old carpet and paint, holes in walls. Tennis courts are covered in dog poop! Just went up $700 in rent with NO updates! Shame on you! read more

I am living in the In Royal Crest Estates, North Andover Massachusetts since June 2024. I am more than happy to say that I am having the best experience. The management of the Royal Crest North Andover is the best without a doubt. I want to specially thanks to Maria Digiacomo, Marisol Pena, Carlos Cartagena and Jean for the best help and support there continuously providing me and my family. I am extremely grateful to them for everything. They are outstanding in every aspect. I highly recommend Royal Crest, North Andover Massachusetts to everyone who are looking for new place to live. Thanks again Maria, Marisol, Carlos and Jean. You are the best. read more

you decide for yourself: - several mistakes made on our lease documents that almost sent us out of our apartment a day earlier than we were promised, and then failing to keep their word on prices (that were consistently changed). . -an original move out ledger of abt 160 in damages and then the next day tacked on an extra 500 dollars- 700 dollars in damage charges. The only Damage in our apartment- a broken blinds and scuffs on the wall. -ALL YEAR we dealt with mice issues, MOLDING, and a pipe broke upstairs that sent raining dirty water into my closet, COVERING ALL MY CLOTHES. - the building we leased in is already being entirely renovated, the reason why we weren't allowed to renew our lease. What is the 700 dollars in charges for?? Paint jobs and renovations that were already needed to be done. - Other residents with the same damage? Charged 0 dollars in damage. -constantly smells musty. Don't live here if you want to live somewhere with professional management! the maintenance staff is what gives this place even 1 star. A+ for the the maintenance staff always responding to our needs in a timely manner. read more

These are some of the pictures I took in the buildings I lived in. And one was from a separate apartment in my building who wanted to share their issue. read more

See all

These apartments are old and outdated there were mice in the bottom pantry because no one came to deal with them. The residents at royal crest only get 2 parking spots which is inconvenient when you live with 4 people and if you get towed it is 226$ fine cash only and the towing company are not some people you would wanna meet. On move out day they gave us and estimate of a 90$ cleaning fee and aparently it came out too 1000$ due to it needed to be paitned again and the walls and the pair were never messed up. I don't recommend living here the people that run the place are a pain in the ass. read more

Despite being here sometime at 10 Royal Crest Drv, it appears that a tenant in the bottom apts smokes in the apt on regular basis for years and management fails to deal with this. I am a nonsmoker. so why do they allow this to continue... read more

Everything is wrong with this apartment complex. My partner just moved out of it, and I just moved in, both apartments are absolutely atrocious. Her apartment was disgusting, filled with mice that came from the walls, millipedes and ants came through the drains, and the tons of spiders that accumulate on a daily basis. The door to the building had no lock, and the mailbox didn't even close correctly. Parking is a nightmare because no one can only ever take 1 parallel spot. Your electric service is through National Grid, which is 10x more expensive than it should be. Royal Crest also charged my partner with a $50 "vacant fees" at the end of her time there, as well as an extra $215 for reasons we're still trying to figure out. In my apartment, the sinks leak, the kitchen sink doesn't turn off half the time, and the garbage disposal is shotty at best. The hallways in both of the buildings smell like mold and mildew, and the neighbor's kids ring your door alarm at all hours bc they're too young to have keys (meaning they shouldn't be alone to be outside? They're like 5 years old). Neighbors also complain way too much about the Merrimack Students when said neighbors are really the ones making the place worse. read more

This place is about as crap as it gets. They want 2,300$ a month for a Two bed and two bath. Mind you they haven't been renovated in god knows how long, so you have cabinets falling about, dry wall peeling off, and showers growing Mold. The maintenance team is the only good part about this place, and that's probably because in the two years I was there I saw them more than my neighbours. Speaking of neighbours, if you love rats/mice, this place is for you! They live in the walls and you can hear them all night. Plus all this news now of people breaking into the buildings and trying to find unlocked doors to get into.... On the website they say "your new home features smart technology"..... all it is, is a door lock that you can lock with your phone. Great. Nothing else is. Also the parking situation is an absolute joke. You can buy a parking space but no one listens to them and the tow company is the worst company, fitting really for the apartment complex they work with. Honestly, even if you're desperate, don't live here. Hold out, you'll regret every minute you do live there if you do. read more

Worst apartment we have ever lived at, and the most expensive apartment we have lived at, paying about $2,000 a month for a 2 bedroom, with no washer and dryer in our unit. My husband and I moved from California to Massachusetts due to military orders and had to sign our lease before even seeing this property. I wish we would have known it was across the street from a 4 year college before we signed this lease. I will explain our bad experiences as well as our good. 1. Living next to a college, we have experienced loud music from the college all the time, along with fireworks at 9:50 at night when we are trying to sleep. We have loud college students above us that drink all night, climb on top of our AC unit to get onto their balcony, drunk girls sleep in the hallways, nd they smoke pot, which leaks down into our apartment. While no, this is not necessarily the apartments fault, it is extremely important to know when moving to this location. You may end up next to multiple college students who will keep you up when you have to work at 4:00am. 2. We have not had hot water for the last 6 months, in the morning or at night. Although yes we call and put in a service request, maintenance is not able to fix the problem until about an hour later. Which means we already had to go to work dirty, or if it's in the evenings, which we get home late.... we have to go to bed. This keeps happening back to back and although they continue to fix the problem temporarily, having no hot water has greatly effected our health and hygiene. 3. The building does not have insulation between floors, which makes it very loud if you live on the bottom as well as heating and cooling issues. We only found this problem out because our upstairs neighbor ended up having a leaking AC unit which flooded her master bedroom, causing our ceiling to cave in and become moldy, leading to sickness, vet bills, medical bills, and our property to be ruined. While yes, we have renters insurance and were compensated for our property, this experience is still continuing. It happened a month ago, and although they put in a new ceiling, there is new mold on the new ceiling, we are still sleeping in our living room because of the mold, and have such a poor quality of life, it's ridiculous. 4. The washer and dryers in the building cost $2.25 for each load to wash and $2.25 to dry but the dryers do not work so you have to run it twice to get it mostly dry. 5. We used to pay for a carport $75 a month, but every night we came home, a college student would be parked in it. It is also the ONLY property that has charged us to park for just a normal parking spot, usually it is 2 vehicles free and any additional cost money. 6. Although these things keep happening time and time again, management seems to apologize for the "inconvenience" of not having hot water and having to sleep in our living room. Although we held up our end of the lease agreement, it feels as if they don't care to hold up their end of the lease agreement. I asked if they could waive the last months rent as we don't feel like spending $2,000 for basically renting a room in our living room, exposed to mold, and no hot water to wash off the sticky feeling, and they just apologized for the inconvenience and told us that they couldn't waive our rent. BUT ITS NOT ALL BAD!! 1. Wesley and Han are two really great maintenance workers! These men both truly care about the tenants and do the best they can, and I know they are WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY over worked. These men show nothing but respect and genuine kindness to each and every tenant. 2. Maria was always available even through email and helped us many times during the horrible events that continue to happen. 3. I LOVE the dog park! I go almost every day with my 2 dogs and also love many of the other dog owners. 4. The ground are beautiful (if not covered in trash) and it feels like your in a camp ground. 5. Melissa, the girl up front was always a sweetheart and I truly loved talking with her every time I went in. We move in 11 days. FREEDOM!!! read more

The last few months have been the most frustrating months to leave here, and it's no use trying to reach out to management as they do their best to cover things up on their end. I have lived here for several years and never been pushed to the edge like this time.... maintenance issues not tended to for over a month.... mold and mildew constantly spraying to prevent this from happening. But now that I have small babies I can no longer continue spraying this strong stuff. Be very careful especially when you move in the downstairs apartments. Everyone has their own experiences but if could give zero stars I would. You clean your bathroom and walls daily but at the end this still happens. Everything is perfect at move in a couple months down and your endless list of problems start. read more

See all

Don't live here unless you absolutely have to. Merrimack college has completely ruined living at Royal. The students are terrible and have no respect for anyone else. Royal won't do shit about it, it's all about the money. The apartments are also disgusting and poorly maintained. Good luck having family or friends over to your home because guest parking is just nonexistent. And if they do park there, good chance they'll get towed because Royal/Valley Towing is notorious for towing you no matter what. Also the customer service is awful. The leasing center is completely useless. Either they are closed or will never answer the phone/emails. So sad to see such a used-to-be-decent place go to shit. read more

This place is disgusting ! And the manager Maria, is the most unprofessional person I've never met! Very rude !! Oh and you can't leave your car there for 5 mins without it getting towed. This place is trash! read more

RESIDENT 2017 - 2018 Not Recommended Reviewed vinesh patel building 30 appt 8 if there is minus ratings its apply to this , we have problem with hood in June 2018 we complains for that one of the genius came and said this is good there is no problem , after we see the oven and clock on the stove is not working we r keep complains regarding to this every time we put service request same answer we get GE will come and fix how many day you leave without oven? i told them we pay to you guys not GE but they stubborn people keep saying that we will call GE , please if someone want to rent here please stay away worse service ever read more

do not apply here ! keep your money and go somewhere else management sucks theyve kept my application deposit for the past 3 months 400$ they could careless to pay me. no one answers the phone and the one time a month they have I've been pushed off the phone and lied too! read more

After experiencing what seemed to be an endless year, I finally moved out. Where to begin (it will be random). It all went down hill when we got new neighbors who resemble human chimneys where they constantly smoked up a storm just outside our windows. So that basically took away the advantage of having screens on our windows, as they had to remain shut. Was it just those neighbors who were obnoxious? No. New neighbors moved in soon after just above us who seem to have forgotten that people live below them as they would stomp none stop on their floor, our ceiling. To paint you a picture of how tolerant I am, the previous residents of the apt above us had a piano, and THAT never bothered me - seriously. The previous residents made noise, but it was noise anyone would expect, as it was tolerable. But those who took their place were almost making a point that noise can be a constant at high volumes. To add on to it, some other neighbors found it necessary to turn the wall that was next to our window into a bike repair shop. While smoking away, and talking to this kid (it was more like yelling, but he wasn't mad, he was just very loud), we (myself and my gf) were just very happy knowing that we were leaving within the month. They were there for about 1 - 2 hours just blabbing away, smoking half a pack, and simply just being completely obnoxious. There is no empathy with these people. Scum of the Earth, people. I'm not saying that all who live at Royal Crest are like this. I have met some really nice, outstanding people. There was this really nice lady who lived in my building who always had a smile, and enjoyed saying hello...but I can't let people read this review and not know the horrors that live in the other apts. The horrors that take away any form of privacy, and pleasure one would love to have when spending a ton of money on rent for a place to call your home. I don't mind that People smoke as I have nothing against it...just keep that crap out of my face when I'm sitting on my own couch, or laying on my own bed. If you like trash around your home, rent an apt at Royal Crest, the trash does clash with the flowers and green grass, so hopefully they can buy enough salt to put in the soil to solve that problem, and then you'll see all the trash the eye can see. Have a pet? Good! You're in luck. now you can have an extra fee. Have two pets? That's twice the price, my friend. So, in the winter, you would think you'd like to be warm. Nope, even with the ACs sitting in the walls with a cover over them on the outside, they are still providing plenty of cold air with a nice draft that literally blows against your face even when your feet away from the device. Is this place expensive? In one word, yes. To break it down for you. You get a lot of space, and that's a good thing...up until winter comes. Remember about my drafty AC? Of course you do, it was just one paragraph ago in this novel. The draft will suck all the heat you just payed for (electric heat, so it's technically more expensive) right out the wall. The pet fees are insane. The laundry is $2.00 per wash, and per dry (as you'll read later on). And, they jack up the rent all the time. I was living in the basement, an undesirable location, yet they seem to think I'd pay more to stay. Also, don't expect to get much of the deposit back, they're keeping it...and I have the cleanest gf in the world. She has an obsession in cleaning. I'm not so bad myself. We didn't damage anything...but we wont get back anything nearly as much as what we provided as a deposit. Do you like loud noises? You're in luck, there's this horrible beeping noise that comes from the laundry room, it will keep you up if they don't shut it off at night. How about spending a lot of money on laundry? If you spend more, don't you get more? Nope, not with Mac-Grey being the provider. They jacked up the laundry prices just after we moved in from $1.45 per load (per wash, per dry) to $2.00, and boy, does it add up. By the way, the cleaning process didn't improve...my clothes were still damp after a dry cycle for loads there were almost half of what is recommended. Plus, the machines will charge you and not activate the machine. This place is a dump. read more

Don't live here. Ever judge a book by its cover? You can do the same with apartments. On the outside Royal Crest appears to be very regal with its flawless landscaping and superior amenities. The exterior of the apartments look gorgeous. Inside you'll find long, narrow hallways and many dark, windowless areas. There is a security guard watching the entrance to the complex at all times. So how did all of the locked up bikes (including FOUR belonging to my family) get stolen one night? They claim to have storage space available outside of your apartment in public closets within the building. Good luck finding space after your neighbors have decided to make it their personal museum. Oh, and don't even consider leaving anything in the hallway--even if it's muddy shoes on a rainy day or a new bike you don't want stolen--someone comes around to place little orange stickies on items that will be removed by management within 24 hours. They have pretty flowers, a lovely pond with fountains, a pool, and a mini-golf course. But that all comes with a ridiculously high rent, unsafe grounds, and a dungeon for an apartment. read more

This is the worst apt company which is AIMCO that owns all the royal crests to live for. horrible horrible company. Let me get to why i gave one star because of the size of the apts and the area it is located in. Other than that everything sucks about this place They advertise free parking . it is not anymore.. 5 bucks a car.. when asked why no straight answer or anything just some mumblings hard to get They changed the washers and dryers recently after raising the prices. Well the bad thing about it is that the washer are half the size they used to be. There want income and job verifications from people who are changing apt to a different apt in same community and yet there are drug dealers and cooks and janitors from fuddruckers living here. most of the times pest in the apts are no problems for the office. they call the pest company and they come with some raid kind spray and they are done. Reason for pest by apt manager is that" we live in wooded area so all the pest from around area comes to our apt community, i have it in my apt too ( hoe do i know if she does or not) but then why does other people in my building dont have it and i live on the top most floor. There are articles on this apts mishaps on eagle tribune almost every month.. robbery, drug deals and lots of other stuff. they have resident get mandatory home type insurance on the building and apt damage. this is not right since as a tenant u do not have insurable interest in their property to have them get u mandatory insurance since tenants dont own the property. another scam to get more money out of resident.. did i mention this is all after raising rents every single year significantly... These apts have gone downhill since aimco bought them read more

Horrible, Horrible, Horrible. Worse place I've ever lived in, every building is run down with no updates. Can't even get a damn parking pass for the three people on the lease which is baffling. That forces you to park at your own risk and yes you will get towed 10 times out of 10. Horrible customer service and you'll get charged for literally anything you do. Don't sign any leases here go to River Pointe down the road or anywhere else but here read more

I recently visited Royal Crest Estates with my girlfriend to view several units since we are planning to move due to several conflicts with our current landlord. My girlfriend had lived here several years ago by herself before we started dating and had nothing bad to say about her experience. Upon arriving we met with someone in the rental office who seemed distracted and disinterested in helping us. She began our tour by showing us the club house which was seriously worn and out of date. The woman from the rental office gave us some brief information regarding the apartment complex it's perks, fees, etc and then explained she only had two units currently available for $1,350 each. When I inquired about the other units they were currently advertising for as much as $300 less she informed me she had no idea what I was talking about and this was all that was available and that she wasn't responsible for updating their website or advertisements. We then inquired about what units she might have coming available in the next month or two and she brushed us off saying that she wouldn't know for another several weeks and that units rent fast so we shouldn't wait. She then took us on a tour of a model unit which included her standing by the door in silence as we wandered around the apartment alone. I will say overall that the unit did appear to be nice by the few minutes I had to assess it but the demeanor and customer service skills of the rental agent left alot to be desired and made me question what future experiences there would be like. My girlfriend and I ultimately decided to look else where as we are trying to save money and the price they were asking was more than we wanted to spend. We did view Appleton Square later the same day in Methuen, and had a great experience with Michelle who was friendly, informative and helpful. In addition the units and the complex were nicer, less expensive with fewer fees, and included washer/dryer in unit and are significantly closer to 495. Plus parking is included! Needless to say we were much happier with our experience there and wound up going with one of their units. read more

Absolutely deplorable for those that do not attend Merrimack College. Our apartment homes were turned into dorms for Merrimack and police had to be called several times. There was even a shooting outside of my apartment. The management people are unresponsive and lack follow through. I should've backed out of my lease when I moved into a disgusting apartment with dead and live mice. In the end, the joke was on me. The remaining charges were through the roof for damage the previous tenants did. I wouldn't go back here if they gave me free rent for 10 years! read more

I really enjoy living in royal crest. I am a student athlete at Merrimack and it is nice to be able to come home and go to bed without disturbances when I have to be up early for a lift or practice the next morning. Some people on here have bad reviews because they're stuck in a "frat house", well certain buildings/rooms are rented out by the school and they are filled every semester. I suggest you make sure you aren't going to lease a room that is in a building that is rented by MC. My roommates and I rented through royal crest and not the school because it is way cheaper. I love the place, people are friendly and they have made strides to improve the parking situation. I think the room is very cozy and the heating/cooling/electricity is quite functional. The only downside for me is having to walk onto campus but for the amount of money I'm saving, it's well worth the walk. read more

While I like the location and the size of my apartment (rent is expensive but that seems to be the case everywhere in this town), I've found that my experience with Royal Crest has been more frustrating than helpful. They are a smoke free area but my apartment constantly smells like smoke because the elderly couple next door smoke like chimneys. They once got an angry letter saying to stop smoking from management, but they were never fined or told they need to stop or leave as the lease specifies. Two other apartments are smoking apartments in my building too. All of the air conditioners are not set properly in the walls and the window settings are cracked, I sealed them myself because my first winter electric bill was over $400! The carpets in the common areas actually smell and my mailbox is perpetually broken (on the up side I don't have to take my mail key to check my mail). Despite the fact that I literally saw lawn-care, maintenance, and garbage disposal workers walk past it every day it took them two weeks to remove a very large branch that fell across the sidewalk leading to my building. The branch only fell because the property managers failed to inspect and have trimmed or removed a mostly dead tree outside my building before the winter storm season. My car was damaged in a similar branch incident. Finally, and most annoying of all: I purchased a camper. It took them two weeks to give me a parking pass because the front office lady I originally spoke with said "I'll send you the updated lease right now" and she never did. Even though their online system would have showed that I had a pending parking pass that needed approving. I went back and a manager approved my pass which was filled out for a "Recreational Vehicle/Motor Home" and then 6 WEEKS LATER I get an email that I have 24 hours to move my "motor home" because they aren't allowed, even though it was approved as such, even though I have proof that they approved it, even though I repeatedly told them in person while they were approving it that it was a travel trailer. AND it is not the only one on the property. DON'T LIVE HERE if you value have property managers that follow their own rules. I've never been so happy to be moving soon, worst rental experience I've ever had! Out of 7 rentals! UPDATE: Just got an email offering me incentives to post a positive review! Pictures below! Ignore positive reviews! It is just people who are trying to win some extra spending cash! read more

See all

Great place to live! The community is very friendly. Very quiet community. The leasing agents were awesome! Always looking to better the renter. Would most definitely recommend living here to anyone. read more

I had a great experience with the maintenance team at Royal Crest. Quick to respond and always thorough with repairs.

Lived here in 2015/2016. The rent was over 2k/month, but the amenities including being a smoke free community, gym, pool, snow removal, and a tennis court made it seem reasonable. We lived in a garden level, 3-bedroom apartment. The positives we experienced were: - The pool is large and only 4 feet deep. The lifeguards are wonderful! - 3 bedrooms have laundry in unit - Lots of green space for kids to run around and play - Quick walk to the Franklin Elementary school park (path through the woods makes it easy!) - Convenient to shopping, Merrimack and the highway (93/495) is not too far - Well lit parking lots always had spots available in our lot - All the staff we interacted with (maintenance and office staff) were very nice Some of the negative things we experienced: - Residents smoking cigarettes and what smelled like other illegal substances directly outside of our building with no care for who was around - My daughter's bike was stolen by a young girl who swore at me when asked to return it - Men urinating on trees in broad daylight one Sunday afternoon - Targeted at the pool by a resident who asked if my kids were mine and requested that lifeguard check (The woman told me that she "wanted to be sure" they were all on my lease and was unhappy with people bringing their large families to the pool) - Dirty cat litter left on the walkway for over a week (We did put in a maintenance request) - Filthy gym equipment that hadn't been cleaned seemingly in months - A group of DOC Work Release Prisoners left unsupervised in the gym's male restroom (approximately 9 of them) for 10-15 minutes. The three officers waited outside for them. I was the only person in the gym at the time. - The hallway carpet is run down and smells, common area doors, railings and walls were dirty and dented. The common area was not thoroughly cleaned or touched up with paint during my 13 months there, but when we moved out - they expected me to ensure they have little to NO work to do to prepare my apartment for new tenants. At move out, it was made clear that unless we used their cleaning package, the Service Manager has the authority to deem my cleaning inadequate and take a $95 fee out of my deposit to "hire a cleaning crew". They also are starting a paint fee. Meaning, they'll give you paint and you can try to touch up your apartment yourself, but if it's not up to Aimco standards they can keep more of your deposit. It's all in the lease so read CAREFULLY when you sign. It's evident they had zero intention of refunding my full deposit. Had they said there was a fee for cleaning when I rented, I would have been prepared to loose that money and not spent ANY time cleaning at all. It's a catch 22. The Royal Crest is one of the only places to rent in town so they are the monopoly. I realize the manager is probably bombarded with complaints, but rather than improving the safety and security of the community, he said he feels these are matters for the police. I would have liked to see them hire a security staff rather than installing a dog park. To be fair, the leasing office staff and maintenance staff are positive about the property. They all seem so genuine and nice. It's unfortunate we aren't leaving with an overly positive experience. Bottom line, it's a low-average apartment complex with some nice amenities which are not all well cared for. For over $2000 per month, I expected so much more. EDIT: 10/01/2016: I did reach out to the Business Manager and further explained my complaints. I also filled out the MOVE OUT survey I was sent and outlined my complaints. I received an email yesterday that the Royal Crest is going to refund my $95.00 that was withheld. I feel that is extremely fair of them. I do still recommend people READ the lease before signing and be clear on what is expected. I also told the AIMCO corporation that I recommend they review their policies and potentially REVISE this area to be more explicit. EDIT: 01/07/2017: As of today, I've received a refund of .32 cents. I never got a check for the full $95.00. I do not know why I never got the refund they promised and have followed up with them regarding this. read more

I can't get out of this place fast enough..... I am bartender and work late nights, I get home between 1:30 and 2:30 some nights, as a single woman who at 2:00 am doesn't feel safe having to park far away from building, and since they don't enforce the parking rules there are many nights that there is no parking in my buildings lot, so I who own a truck, put it on the dirt, so I can safely walk into my building..,,, well guess who the towed.... The person who does not live The building...? On NOOO. they tow the person who's does, and will not do a thing about it.... I'm am on my way out of this hell hole and it can't come soon enough.....I didn't want to resign my lease because I was looking to move and they jacked my rent up over $400.00 a month more... So get this, I'm paid$2300.00 a month ,I can't get a parking spot and they towed my car ... Great place to live...NOT!!! Do not move here, there are better places around oh another thing I forgot... When my friend moved out, they charged her $2990.00 in fees after she moved... Now Suing her for the $ and another person was charger almost $8000.00 after she moved... I would now like to add to this lovely review of Royal crest that instead of dealing with the problem they are trying to imply that I am not a current resident.... Are you kidding me... I will b living here almost 3 years..... read more

It should be known royal crest offers incentives for positive reviews online. Worst place to live, infiltrated with Merrimack college students so families have that dorm life experience, rude management and zero safety concerns. read more

I honestly do not see why all of these people are so negative about RC North Andover. I've been here for 3 years, and have been happy and well accommodated when needing something from maintenance and/or management. Since Maria came on board ALOT has changed...and she has helped out so much . That woman goes above and beyond to make sure that these petty complaints are taken care of and much more then that. I would recommend it and do not plan on going anywhere anytime soon... Mold and mildew...college kids....noise... etc.... these things come around any home/complex/living quarters and can be taken care of. The girl complaining about the rent AND size of the apartment--- YOU KNEW THIS WHILE THAT PEN WAS SIGNING THE LEASE. Really... anyhow. Maria ... KUDOS to you! read more

I moved in here about 3 months back and since then there are issues and issues. No one cares for your problems, there is no staff to fix the issues and even sometimes they take 3-6 weeks to fix the problem. But they need rent on very first date of the month and even for open on road parking, you need to pay. Laundry is also paid. Gym equipments are too old and no maintenance happens. Water gets clogged inside the Gym, Believe me it is true. I would suggest never move in this apartment. It is most worst Maintenance I have ever seen. I have escalated to Management but no body listens here. They will just cancel your Service Requests without fixing the problem but Survey will come for sure to rate them. Even after my feedback, if you choose to move in here, its an foolish decision. Rest is up to you. Thanks Nalin read more

I am totally disappointed with Royal Crest in North Andover. If you want to rent an apartment here, please read this carefully before you do so. I moved out on May 18, 2015. Yes, that was just a week ago. Now I have received an email from the Royal Crest urging me to pay $2,699, which includes a $2,004 Notice Fee, $600 Damage Charges, and $95 Cleaning Charges. And if I do not pay this amount of money to them in a few weeks, the pending charges will be doubled. Here are the facts: (1) About the $2,004 "Notice Fee": We have been planning to move out in May since this January. In February, my roommates and I went to the lease office for at least three times: I went there twice, once by myself, once with my roommate. My roommate also went there twice, once by himself, once with me. We were trying to notify the lease office that we are going to move out in May, or say, 3 months later. But each time, we were told by different people that we came here too early and that we should only notify them 30 days prior to the day we move out. I had been so convinced that 30 days would be an enough period for a written move-out notice, because the gentlemen and ladies working there said so. HOWEVER, now they say they are all 100% sure that we should notify them 60 days prior to the move-out day. And they are going to charge us $2,004 for the so-called "Notice Fee". In my humble opinion, this is deception. How do they calculate the "Notice Fee"? 32 days times a market value of $62.63 per day. For nearly two years, we are paying our rent at $1,457/month. That is roughly $47-$48 per day. I really do not know what this $62.63 market value is based on. Make Your Profit. (2) The $600 Damage Charges is attributed to "the burnt counter top". The is one of the most common "reasons" they use to charge you something more. Many of my friends have exprienced the same "reason". Let me just quote Varshnya S. written on 4/15/2014 (http://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-crest-marlboro-apartment-homes-marlborough-2) It seems that Royal Crest in Marlboro has a lot in common with Royal Crest in North Andover. (3) $95 Cleaning Charges. I am pretty sure that we have cleaned the whole apartment from the inside out. Of course they can have a different opinion. (4) What is ironic is that when we had their people inspect the whole apartment and their response was: EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT. Dear Royal Crest, why didn't you tell it to my face, at the time when you do your inspection, that I OWE YOU such a LARGE AMOUNT of MONEY?! read more

My daughter and 5 other girls moved in as part of the Merrimack housing. I came up from Virginia for a week to help them move in and get settled. First of all there's more to this community than meets the eye. I was incredibly pleased with not only the size of the apartment but also the amazing staff. Not only were they extremely prompt at fixing the issues upon move in but they were completely professional and friendly and in my opinion went above and beyond. As being a mom that lives hundreds of miles away it gives me a great piece of mind to know that they're looking out for my daughter. As well as making sure her quality of life is the best they can offer. Shout out to Hans. He has been spectacular. Also Mr John and Mr. Rich who spent hours fixing the air condition unit and stayed in constant communication with me during this situation. Honestly John, Hans, and Rich make this such an easy transition. We are a military family so moving as part of our life and we've moved more times than I can count so trust me when I tell you customer service like this is very rare these days. Thank you again for all of your amazing help. You made this mama's heart Happy. read more

Not even worth 1 STAR ! The management is ignorant and uncaring of the residents. They seem to care until you sign the lease. If you have kids this is a very unsafe place to live. The Merrimack College kids have parties most weekends, and the management does not care. Their look is that residetns have to monitor the safety after business hours, and "their job is to lease apartments, not control the safety after they leave for the day." If they would stop renting to irresponsible people then this place would be how it was before. read more

RUN WHILE YOU CAN! Centipede bugs the size of mice run the apartments, what ever you do you CAN NOT kill them, they will always come back. The master bedroom shower wall is rotting from the inside out and the tiles are hanging off and some have fallen, I have bleached the inside to kill most mold and mildew. We called maintenance several times, do you think they have come to fix it, NOPE. But they did inform us if we fix it on our own we WILL be fined. Want to plug some things in the outlets in your own apartment? Good luck finding one that works. If if you find that at least 50% of them are broken don't expect maintenance to fix that either. We have been counting down the months of this lease and CAN NOT WAIT to get out of this filthy, disgusting excuse of apartments. read more

My experience so far as has been, on the whole, positive. Some comments: Noise: We're on the third floor in a two-bedroom. It's been relatively quiet. I've not heard a noise from another apartment yet. Safety: I left my bike outside for two weeks (with no lock) and no one touched it. We've walked around the area and feel completely safe doing so. Amenities: Nice pool. Large, but roughly 4' the whole length. Weight room is large. I've not used it yet (I run outside mostly). Maintenance: I've put in four service requests. It took a few days, but a nice man came and took care of the requests. No troubles there. Management: The people in the leasing office are quite nice! The Apartment: I'm living in an apartment that was been updated. Nice appliances. The layout is decent as well. There's no central air, only separate wall units in the living room and one of the bedrooms. The other bedroom gets toasty on hot days. Some of the apartment could have presented better. Our washer had some creepy goo in the fabric softener dispenser. We had to clean that out. There's a lot of wear and tear on the apartments. We've tried to document it all so we don't get hit with any damage fees when we move out. We'll see how that goes (there's a lot of horror stories about this issue). One thing to consider is that a number of the walls appear to be cinder block, making it quite difficult to hang things. Although, it helps with noise! The Area: Love the area! Lots of shops within a 5 mile radius. Also, there are wonderful trail systems very close by. Check out "Friends of North Andover Trails" on google. If you're an outdoors person (get out an enjoy those large New England rocks!), there are some decent options with minimal travel involved. The Price: Yes, the price is steep. Expect to pay 2k a month, including parking. Adding internet and TV (your options are Xfinity and Fios, neither of which are particularly cheap) hits the pocket book as well. But the cost of living is high in North Andover, so you're probably looking at a similar price at other places. All in all, I'm happy with the place to date. If things change, I'll update my review later. read more

A lot of pets in this community..almost every apartment have one or two pets, and this makes the building smells too bad. The management staff are friendly, also the maintenance is fast and professional. The apartment is clean and luxury. read more

If 0 stars with an option I would use that . worst apartment complex in the history .Merrimack students are living here there's no parking spot because four people in one apartment so for cars plus boyfriends it's retarded also I mentioned they fix nothing it takes 6 to 8 weeks. Can't wait to get out of this crap hole read more