Willowbrooke Apartments

missnatalielynn

Resident • 2014 - 2015

I recently moved into Willowbrooke this past October and have been nothing but pleased! After reading earlier reviews it is quite clear that major changes have been made. The property manager, Tammy, is absolutely amazing! She was the first person I ever had contact with when I started on my apartment search and she helped me through everything. Not just her, but every member of the office staff has been wonderful. They frequently hold events for residents and really put time and effort into planning them. I can't brag enough about the staff! Although the property is older, it is immaculately maintained! In the short time that I have been living there, they have painted the exterior of every building, stairways, and frequently pressure wash the sidewalks and buildings. I have only had two maintenance requests, one for a leaking pipe underneath my sink (someone was sent out within the hour) and the other was a broken blind in my living room (wasn't urgent, but was still fixed by the next day.) I would definitely recommend Willowbrooke to anyone!

Current Resident 277807

Resident • 2012 - 2015

I have lived at Willowbrooke for several years and love it. The management and maintenance are amazing they always go above and beyond to help. The complex is extremely quiet, no worries about noise from your neighbors here!

lauramoore95

Resident • 2014

If you have children find another place to live. Mostly all adults living in Willowbrooke Apartments. They do not like children. You can hear your neighbors so going up and down the stairs the least bit of noise your neighbors will complain. The apartments are old so a lot of things break, however they are quick to repair. So plan of submitting a lot of repair request. I have lived here about 6 six weeks and already had to request more than 10 repairs ( 3 request to fix A/C unit finally got new air conditioner, three request to fix dryer, light fixtures burnt out, and many more.

amanda19911

Resident • 2013 - 2014

The experience I had with the staff was great and they were always pleasant to talk to when I lived there. The only issue I has was when I moved out, I has paid 2 months rent to move in and I just recently received my deposit. I was very disappointed when I only refunded 1/4 of what I paid after throughly cleaning the place. I tried calling management, CMC, but kept getting a busy tone all eight times. I am very disappointed with the service they have provided after moving out as they have not been helpful. I would not recommend this place to any of my friends and family due to this experience.

Labubske

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I'm in my second year and have been very pleased. The place is quiet and in a very safe area. I dropped my credit card beside my car and it was still there the next morning. I have three quiet and well-mannered children, I do not see a lot of unruly children running around. People seem to be respectful of one another, not a lot of noise or nighttime activity. The staff seem to have activities planned quite often, which is nice. I won $50 (gift card)for paying rent early. I am worried about the deposit like I have read from others. That seems to be the trend these days. I wish more people would post about that. I have really enjoyed it here and plan on staying for several more years. The staff is friendly every time I go in. They complete work orders fast. They are always updating the landscape. I just love the area. I love the safety and being able to take a nice beautiful stroll here. I would recommend it.

Current Resident 334123

Resident • 2013

AVOID THIS PLACE! I lived here for a year and it was nothing but PROBLEMS! The staff must be writing reviews on here because I don't know anyone that has been happy with this place. There's a reason the rent is so cheap! We constantly had plumbing problems and the maintenance man told me it's because the place needs to be completely re done with new pipes! Also, they nickel and dime you for EVERYTHING! Don't expect to get a penny of your deposit back and when they do send you the 5 dollars of your deposit you'll get back they even charge for POSTAGE! The office staff is incredibly rude and only nice when they're trying to get you to move in. Once you're in they're completely WORTHLESS! RUN AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AND DON'T LOOK BACK!

bubblyash

Resident • 2012 - 2013

Willowbrooke is an amazing apartment complex. The management staff is really professional and very nice. The work orders get completed within 24 hours and the maintance of the property in general is top notch. The one and only thing I would say is that down the road-some updating will need to be done to keep up with the times.

blondie8089

Resident • 2012 - 2013

Willowbrooke is my first apartment that I have lived at. They have more than met my expectations. Anytime that I have a problem it is solved the very same day. The property is very well kept. Management is friendly, knows everyone, and is reliable for any issue good or bad. Neighbors are quiet and friendly. The pool is always crystal clear. The tennis and basketball court is consistently free of any debris. I have yet to visit the gym, however, every time I look in it is clean. This complex is amazing! This is a terrific complex for anyone! I have lived here now for 7 months but have already decided to renew my lease for another year.

Cascheese

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I have lived at Willowbrooke for a year and have been beyond pleased with my experience. The location is my favorite part! With Target and Publix next door and Lakeside Village across the street everything I need is within walking distance! The grounds are beautiful and the building is quiet. The staff is very friendly and always takes care of my requests in a timely manner. Overall, one of the nicest places I have lived in Lakeland (and I've lived in quite a few!).

Current Resident 491952

Resident • 2011 - 2013

I have been a resident for 2 years and this is a great place to call home! Both the office staff and maintenance staff are outstanding. They get better every year and trying to find new ways to please the residents and keep them comfortable. The maintenance crew is always making sure the Security lighting is working properly. That really makes me feel safer when I come home alone late at night. The customer service is outstanding! It is very quiet here and the surrounding grounds are park-like with many trees shading the buildings, several small lakes and wildlife to enjoy. Some residents even go fishing in the lakes. We are close to many shopping facilities (Publix, Target, Lakeside Village Mall, UPS) which really saves on gas. Everything I need is within a half mile of my home, even my doctor.

Scruffy1998

Resident • 2000 - 2013

I have lived at the WillowBrooke Apts since 1998. I have been extremely satisfied with the facility. The location is ideal and close to everything. The parklike setting is beautiful and well maintained. The pool area is lovely. Although I don't play tennis, I enjoy seeing people using it. Both the office staff and maintenance crew are professional,friendly and most cooperative. I'd be happy to recommend this complex to anyone.

IouliaB

Resident • 2012 - 2013

Willowbrooke staff are wonderful, they are always available and are very pleasant and caring people. The maintenance staff are always prompt in getting any issues fixed. The apartments are spacious and the area is very quite (you barely hear or even see your neighbors). The apartment complex is pet friendly (which was a big sell for us) and provides clean up stations for the pet owners all throughout the complex area. We feel very safe living in this neighborhood. We have lived here almost 8 months and truly enjoyed it. The amenities such as pool, workout room and tennis courts are well maintained. The apartment complex is very well kept with the grass cut and cleaned up weekly. The complex is conveniently located across the street from the Lakeside Village mall (you can even walk there if you like). Great place to live, highly recommended.

melon3

Resident • 2010 - 2012

I have lived at Willowbrooke for 2 years and it has been nothing but a WONDERFUL experience. When I first moved here I was "settling" because I really wanted a newer apartment, with a big walk in closet, that looked more modern. But I have really grown to love everything about this apartment. First off, my floor plan says its 700 sq ft. I think it's much bigger though bc I've been apartment hunting (I am moving to Tampa) and the "700 sq ft" apartments are wayyyy smaller than mine. This place has tons of closet space which I have reallyyy grown to appreciate!! The layout with the sink outside the bathroom is sooo convenient for me, esp when I have company over. The place is kept very clean, the staff is wonderful, and it is in the perfect location. I feel much safer living here alone than the north side of Lakeland. And being right across the street from the Lakeland Villages is literally the perfect location. Also, I never thought of this as being important before, but the outside layout with the lakes and trees is really a great plus. It's very peaceful, and much nicer than having pavement or another bldg right outside your window. Now I am looking for an apartment complex with a similar layout. This has definitely been my best apartment experience ever.

Dr.Gull

Resident • 2011 - 2012

willow brooke apartment

Hi! i have a very bad experience as a new comer to willow brooke apat. there are many concerns. First of all "HIDDEN CHARGES". They claim one bed is 575 when you see brochure but then you come to know its much more like additional water/trash charges, ok acceptable but then the MANDATORY INSURANCE and all in all this costs you 625-630 or more for one bed and this sounds like any other community. The point is its a very old community, with everything too old and rusty. Things are way too old that sometimes even maintainence cant fix. When i came here, i was new to US and had no CREDIT HISTORY and i cant forget how i had misunderstanding and they had me deposit one month rent and then refundable/ plus additional non refundable. Plus the office manager ---- was so impolite,. They appear to be highly professional but they are not. Believe me in this amount (625/month, excluding electricity), one can get much better place to live which is quite newly furnished. The parking lots are never cleaned and way too dusty. Then dogs are big problem. At times one can see cats freely roaming in the community. No regular spraying/insectcides. Bathroom taps, bathtubes are in bad condition. I think its not too big problem but for 630-650/month this is NOT worth it. THEY HAVE HIDDEN CHARGES (i CAME TO KNOW WHEN I HAD ALREADY PAID NON-REFUNDABLE DUES, SO HAD NO WAY OUT). Then, also the laundary is cheap and ruins your clothes. There is also cleaning problem, outside the apartment.Pool is smelly because of the ducks. There are other apartment's AC units, right outside of your window and they are like drilling sounds which never let yo sleep/.IN ONE SENTENCE THE QUALITY FOR 625-650 is not worth it.

AndyTaylor20

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Best staff in the buisness!

I've have been living at Willowbrooke in Lakeland, FL for the past seven months. I could not be happier. Love my 1 br 1 bath apartment. The location is perfect: located directly behind a target and publix, right across the street from Lakeside Villages shopping and dining. Also right off of the Polk County Pkwy. Most importantly, the staff could not be more helpful. I believe the place was built in the early 90's so little issues do come up. The new management team, however, has already begun addressing these issues and updating the units. Any issues that I have had, the team has fixed THE NEXT DAY without exception! Again, I cannot say enough how pleased I am with the team Willowbrooke has in place. The office staff and maintenance team go above and beyond. Most importantly, they do so with a smile on their faces! They have made my stay here a joy.

Current Resident 396515

Resident • 2012

Would Reccomend.

My overall experience with Willowbrooke has been great. I have had relatively few maintenance problems since I moved in. The problems that I had were very normal and expected and all fixed within a timely manner. When shopping for apartments in Lakeland last year, I found that Willowbrooke was the best deal for the price and it was also in a great, convenient location. Also, I especially enjoy the property. It is landscaped very well and full of beautiful, old trees. The staff has always been very accommodating. The leasing agent, Kristin made things especially easy for me when I was moving in, as it was my first move. I would definitely recommend this apartment complex to others.

nickyc13

Resident • 2013

I have been living here for over 3 years and love it! I recently moved into a two bedroom from a one bedroom. The floor plans are great. Very spacious and feels bigger than they are. The maintenance crew is very friendly, fast and knowledgeable. The office staff are also very friendly and always helpful. They plan various activities for the community like yard sales, wine tasting and other social events. The grounds are well maintained and very pretty. I enjoy looking out my apartment and seeing the pond with ducks. I rarely hear any noise from other neighbors and feel completely safe here. The location is very convenient to shopping and the interstate. I would recommend living at Willowbrooke to anyone looking for a great place to call home.

dr1978jay

Resident •

Nickeled and dimed

As with earlier reviewer, this used to be a decent apartment. I just moved out and of the $300 security deposit, the company gets to keep $150 for cleaning, painting, etc. No problem. When I got my check for the remaining $150, they had deducted $3.29 for the cost of postage to send me the certified letter (eleven cents postage due) and they deducted another $75 for "cleaning." This is a larger corporation nickel and diming who knows how many lessors to make a few extra bucks. When I asked about a walk-through at the time I returned my keys, I was told that wasn't standard procedure. So, I have no way to know what they think was extra cleaning needed. My earlier lease with the previous owner/manager specified the right to walk through with the lessee for final inspection. I'm checking to see if the new lease says the same. I am contesting this and will follow up with how things went. FOLLOW UP: Ok, folks, read your lease before you sign it. By the lease I signed, I gave this company the right to nickel and dime me. The lease says they will charge postage against your security deposit. Also, the lease says the lessee will STEAM CLEAN the carpet before vacating it. Contemporary Management Concepts, through their largesse (read that with appropriate amount of sarcasm), did not charge us to steam clean. The problems they saw with the apartment's cleanliness were, for the most part, normal for living in it for three years. Overall, the $150 they kept from my original $300 was plenty to cover what they needed to do. But, my wife and I signed that away. So, does it change my feelings for this company? No. They are nickel and dimers. Go ahead and rent at Willowbrooke, but just watch very carefully what they will charge you for.

Current Resident 293386

Resident • 2011

It's definitely not the greatest.

My boyfriend and I moved to Willowbrooke Apartments in January; we only picked this location because we work in the Lakeside Village mall, and we only have one vehicle, so the convenience won us over. There is an "income requirement" in order to live there. The main person on the lease must make 3.5 times the rent, and any additional people living there must make at least 3 times the rent, unless they're children. They offer an alternative solution if you don't make enough to meet the requirement (we just missed it), which is to pay upfront. Now, that's a lot of money, so we worked out a deal to pay six months in advance, and then the the second six months half-way through the lease. When the apartment complex was bought by another company, we learned that our deal for paying rent wasn't really documented. It was quite a hassle to straighten this out. We live in the smallest floor plan available, and I love the spaciousness, but it's not worth the price. The picture of the floor plan on the website says there is a door before the sink area in the bathroom, but there isn't. The appliances are very, very outdated. Our fridge sometimes makes weird grinding noises, and the dishwasher doesn't clean very well and is VERY noisy. Our A/C broke within the first 3 months of being there, and it still doesn't run as well as it should. After a series of storms, there is water damage on our bedroom wall. The monthly pest control must be spraying the apartment in less than a minute, because it seems like they open the door, walk down the hall, and then leave. The key for our front door doesn't match the doors on the porch or storage room, which we didn't even get keys for. If you want a pet, look forward to a $300 dollar non-refundable pet deposit fee plus an extra $15 dollars a month, per pet. But, parking is never an issue, there are always spaces available. It is, however, relatively quiet. All in all, I would not recommend this place. It is definitely not worth the price.

Current Resident 334202

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Nice apartments, could use updating

My wife and I lived there for a year and I personally loved it. Faced one of the ponds and loved to hear the ducks in the morning, rent is comparable and it includes most utilities except electric, internet, and phone. Kitchens are outdated, no w/d (but had hookups). I would recommend it. Staff was always nice to me. Remembered my name since day 1. We moved to another apartment close by but regretted it ever since. The rent is comparable for what you get. No complaints there. I highly recommend this place.

seanbrat99

Resident • 1998 - 2009

manager

I disagree with others reference the manager, Kara. While I lived at Willowbrooke she went out of her way to meet any needs I had and was always pleasant and easy to talk to. I never had any trouble reaching her if I needed to talk to her about anything and I would most highly recommend Willowbrooke, as long as Kara is managing the complex. I very much enjoyed my years there; it is lovely location and they updated my apartment and put in new appliances on a more timely basis than other apartments I have lived in. I would not hesitate to recommend Willowbrooke to a friend.

Current Resident 573226

Resident • 2006 - 2009

Nice outside/falling apart inside/poor management

I have lived at Willowbrook for a long time. In that time, I have seen plenty of terrible management decisions. Including, re-landscaping in the Winter just so everything can die, adding a security guard at the gate due to burglaries and then getting rid of them once the residents are pacified etc. I will admit that the recent superficial changes are appreciated (painted outside of buildings, new landscaping) however, that does not make the manager of this complex any more approachable or the fact that these apartments are falling apart on the inside any less of a reality. The manager, ----, has never been approachable, nor does she make sure that the Office is opened and closed on time. Frequently, one can try to go by at 8 AM, 1PM, or even 4:30PM to find that the office is closed. In other words, the staff comes in late, takes a long lunch and leaves early. It is this lackadaisical approach that personifies ----'s management style. If you rent an apartment here, expect to find water running down your wall or out of your fixtures from a leaky hot water heater, air conditioner, or refrigerator and/or one or multiple appliances breaking. The money that management has invested into refreshing these apartments recently is clearly meant to attract new resident, not to keep old ones. Finally, like most complexes you will find your rent raised year after year only to find that new residents are paying less...

Current Resident 107048

Resident • 2007 - 2009

Just plain sucks....

The office staff sucks. The old staff had some serious issues but the new property manager (Kara, I think) and the leasing agent are worse than the old staff. They are so rude and unprofessional. The location is great. That's what attracted me to this place. The apartments are also spacious, but if you expect curteous service and professional treatment, this is not the place for you.

Current Resident 754084

Resident • 2009

Willowbrooke....What A Disaster.

I've lived at Willowbrook for almost 2 years now and cannot wait for my lease to end this summer. It started out as such a great place to live. One of the big selling points for me was the fact that they had a security guard posted at the entrance to the property. He was responsible for stopping all cars and ensuring that they were residents or invited guests. Well, that lasted a short while. For over a year now, there has been no one in the security shack up front. Thanks Willowbrooke. And please don't say that you can't afford to pay someone to be there. There are 300 units, and I live in a one bedroom unit that I pay over $700 a month for. Also, the office staff sucks. The old staff had problems with violating confidentiality and now the new staff...property manager and another lady are unattentive, unavailable, and just plain unprofessional. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE. DON'T DO IT!

Current Resident 4855

Resident • 2004 - 2008

You can do better

Willowbrooke started out as a wonderful place to live. It is close to everything and looks wonderful; the down side is the maintance is aweful and the office staff is unfriendly and unhelpful. So much effort is put into making the grounds look beautiful that the inside (pipes, electrical) is falling apart.