Lake Carlton Arms

karjo2000

Resident • 2007 - 2008

The Best and could get Better

I have been here almost a year and this is a great place to live. All apartment complexes have their negatives. Security may not be the greatest, but that is why tenants need to look out for each other. The community that works together has a safer place to live. If I see anything out of the usual I notify security and they come. The office has always been quick with maintanence issues. It is very quiet out here and security is very strict on teenagers hanging out, if they are caught just hanging around security will do something about it. Door alarms are a little as 10 dollars and makes your apartment more secure. Many tenants have been her ten years plus. Rent does go up as do other comlexes, but it is less than people have been led to believe, if it goes up they count it as yearly, if rent goes up 50.00 that is for the whole year, so just a few dollars more a month. Every year the office has a food banquet for all tenants and there is no charge. All carpets are very clean when you move in and they will clean it whenever you want for a minimal fee. This is a great place to live, I have been truly blessed here. Tenants must work with each other to create a safe and pleasant environment.

Current Resident 263017

Resident • 2007 - 2008

False Advertisement!!

We found LCA Apts in the apartment guide and let me tell you!!! The advertising is very false!! Now that they suck you into a lease, they DO NOT comply with anything!! The office staff is VERY RUDE and non compliant when it comes to repairs, questions and cleanliness!! There is alot of old and broken down things throughout the whole area!! They even let the tenant below us let his grass grow 4 feet high with large dog feces everywhere!! We had complained numerous times not only about that problem and still, nothing has or probably will be done!! Definately a huge bug problem now. They say that they spray one a month...Hahahaha!! We have been her 4 months now and not only has the repairs NOT been done but we have NEVER seen pest control!! I wouldn't recommend this place to a pig!!!

SingleMom02

Resident • 2005 - 2007

They gave a single mom a break--Great people

Got a divorce and moved back to Tampa in 2005. Had an awlful time trying to find an affordable, clean apartment for myself and two small girls. I had a good job, but I did not make enough (net income) to qualify at three times the rent. Carlton Arms took a chance and rented to me. Love my apartment with patio. Maintenance was there pronto...especially at midnight when my air conditioner quit. I always felt safe there. I moved in and had brand new carpet (which I understand they do after 2 years), fresh paint, etc. Unfortunately two years later, I had to break my lease and move back to Georgia or loss custody of my girls. Management even refunded part of my security deposit (they didn't have to) when I explained my situation and showed them the court order. Great apartment, great management team. Kudos to Charlotte and Susanne Grey and all the great employees at lake Carlton Arms.

livehere06

Resident • 2007

Wonderful

Love this place. Very quiet and homey. Beautiful lakes, and landscaping. Adequate facilities. Four pools and three are heated.

Current Resident 121922

Resident • 2007

Satisfied Tenant... so far.

The positive... This community is way better than most I've seen here in Tampa. The grounds are definitely well-kept, townhomes are great, plenty of parking, pool is big and clean, maintenance shows up same day. The townhouse was immaculate when first handed to us. Since they are old townhomes, I've had to call quite a few times since I moved in but they show up fast and take care of it, no problems. I had my fridge mess up and the same day they exchanged it for a new one. My neighbors have been quiet and nice. My next door neighbor placed a nice plant in front of my door with a note welcoming me to the neighborhood. The pool users have been pleasant as well. The negative... Security is not too vigilant but it's nice to simply have a set of eyes at the front gate. But I do see their security car driving around a lot. I love that they pick the garbage at the back patios. At other places you have to lug it to the nearest garbage dumpster. But being it's so quiet and dark at night, I'm a bit concerned about safety. Management has handed out letters about a man with his face covered standing in some ladies patio at night. Spooky! Tenants with dogs allow them to crap anywhere without picking up after them so don't trust the grass to walk on. As for the rent, it's just right. I come from New York City so to me this place is a steal. This place would be worth approx. $2,000 a month or more up north. I love it so far. I totally recommend it.

mocahkitten

Resident • 2004 - 2005

issues, but nice

I lived there for 1 year in 2005. basically there were ants no matter how namy times the exterminator came.i guess they did not mind the climb to the second story apartment. our new puppy became deathly ill one day.we took him to he vet to find out that he ate rat poison from the fire ant hill outside.the complex failed to place flags on the hills stating there was poison.imagine if that was a child.the people in the office were not very helpful as well.when we received our new lease it went up over $100.00.when we finally moved out,we received a bill for carpet damage for over $800.00.I had to call them about 5 or 6 times to fix the issue.basically the person that did the math did it incorrectly and stamped the owners name on the bottom.our bill was actually $100.00.we never paid it because of the inconviience they cause us.they never sent us a new bill and it wasn't even posted against my credit.

MEANYME68

Resident • 2005 - 2006

JUST WANTED TO RESPOND THAT WE LIVED THERE FROM 2005-2006 AND SERIOUSLY THE MANAGER CHARLOTTE BROWN WAS VERY RUDE AND HAD A NASTY ATTITUDE AND NO!!!! WE NEVER CAUSED A PROBLEM AND ALWAYS PAID OUR RENT ON TIME. IT IS A LITTLE HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A DEMON CAN CHANGE IN A YEAR OR TWO. SORRY, BUT THE PERSON THAT WROTE A NICEREMARK ABOUT HER MUST BE A STAFF IF NOT HERSELF!!!I CANNOT AGREE. ALSO AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME WE LIVED THERE OUR BIKES WERE STOLEN. WE HAVE A FAMILY MEMBERTHAT HAS BEEN LIVING THERE FOR TWO YEARS NOW AND WILL NOT RENEW THE LEASE BECAUSE THE APPLAINCES ARE OLD THE BATHROOM ARE ALWAYS CLOGGED AND THE RENT HAS GONE SKY HIGH FOR THESE OLD APARTMENTS. WITH ALL THIS SAID I WOULD RATHER RENT ELSEWHERE AND PAY A LITTLE MORE BUT STILL BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT...GOOD LUCK !!

Current Resident 703974

Resident • 2007

Not bad for the price..

Very Clean, well landscaped and friendly office staff. People always complain, but very nice place for the location and the money.

baller420

Resident • 2006 - 2007

office staff

all of them have fake breast. The young ones are smokin hot though.

HappyatLCA

Resident • 2004 - 2007

Lake Carlton Arms

I have been a Resident at Lake Carlton Arms since 2004 and have found this to be the most affordable well kept property around. Charlotte the Property Manager and her staff are awesome and very respecable. From the momnent that my daughter and I went to check out the property, we were embraced by a very professional staff who pay very close attention to detail. The grounds are well kept and the landscaping is always looking wonderful. Maintenance is always johnny on the spot, if they cannot do something or need to do something, they will let you know. Charlotte will even call you herself! For running a 1900 unit complex (a small city) She is surely on top of her game! Honestly this is a wonderful place to live and I am NOT being paid to state this! I say it gladly because of the fact that the professionalism, courtesy, and attentiveness is top notch!

Current Resident 887852

Resident • 2006 - 2007

A Few Glaring Problems, But...

Overall, I've been very pleased with this complex. I moved here from Suitcase Alley on the other side of town, and you certainly do not have the thump-thump music late at night or the drunk college students having sex and puking in the swimming pools. And the rent's actually cheaper here. Hmmmm. The maintenance staff is incredibly prompt. Broken faucet, broken air conditioning, gaps in screen doors- I've had it all since I moved here, and at all hours. Someone comes within a few hours. The apartments are older, nothing special, but they're generally well-kept and I appreciate the on-call service of the staff here. My sole complaint on this point is the way my pre-move-in staff didn't bother to finish the bathroom sinks. I don't know if this is standard, but the sink tops are really rough and trap ink dye from whatever product I happen to accidentally leave out. The bright pink label from a plastic bag of cotton balls is the most stubborn stain, yet. Even Ajax won't get it out. The office staff could be divided into two groups: the really nice and the really snotty. You can't take the snotty ones seriously, and they're usually the ones zipping around the complex in the golf carts with potential renters. There's one in particular- not Charlotte- tall with long brown hair, gaudy fake nails, and short skirts. She's probably the most frigid person I've ever had two minute's contact with, and she has a pitbull (she strikes me as the type), which is apparently forbidden? Snotty or not, all the girls know what they're talking about when you have questions. When you go into the office, prepare to be made to feel like you've just put someone out by asking them to do something (even though they'll do it), and also to see someone's dark underwear through a sheer, too-short skirt, plenty of blood-red lipstick, mom jeans, mismatched shades of beige, Kohl's Sunday church dresses, shellacked fountain bangs, and lots of cheap gold jewelry. All of this behind the desk, of course, but the tenants usually look the same. Which brings me to my next point- my neighbors. Really comfortable people. Biggest offense is taking their dogs out to poop in this huge field across the street and not cleaning it up. I've heard there are parts of the complex where they put the Section 8, and there's lots of crime and vandalism and loud music and domestic screaming spilling out onto the lawn, but I don't see a lot of that. Thank god. This place is huge and there are going to be all types of people, this being Florida and not, say, Wyoming. I don't care who my neighbors are or what they do in their spare time as long as I don't hear it, smell it, or have to kick the aftermath from it off my front stoop. Now- the problems. There are little pint-sized night-prowlers in this complex. The first group- raccoons. Be prepared to have your (single) trash can rifled through by these nocturnal bandits. Being prepared means tying up your trash bags (hint hint) and keeping the lid on the cans. No big deal- you're living on a nature preserve and they tell you that upfront. The second group- street urchins, meaning children whose parents don't care where they are at eleven o clock on a school night. They're loud and tend to appear under a streetlight kicking a soccer ball back and forth. If only they were so innocent! Check the scene after they've left, and you'll find damage to your property. Cars seem to be their favorite target. We've had a few cases just in my building- you know: my quiet, unassuming building. My neighbor's plastic jeep windows were just slashed a few nights ago, for instance. Thank you, ignorant parents. For your information, there are vacancies in Suitcase Alley where you will be kings and queens of all who do not give a s*** about respect and cleanliness. As the office assures me there is a waiting list a mile long for your apartment here, you will not be missed at Lake Carlton Arms. Another problem- front gate security. It's a handy feature, but only if the guards are actually doing their job. More often than not, you don't even see a guard. You see a guard's head inside the little shack eating a piece of pizza or talking on the phone. It's either a crotchity old geezer or a paunchy, beer-swilling, Camel-smoking chauvinist. Either way, they'd rather die that double check your vehicle for the LCA decal. Veeeeeeery professional. The most recent problem has been a guy breaking in through people's unlocked patio doors after dark. Well, perhaps not "breaking" as the morons he targets have left their patio doors either OPEN or unlocked. The office has been sending creepy memos about the guy standing there in other people's living rooms watching them sleep and such. My last issues- the water is disgusting. I ALWAYS have rust problems with the water that comes from the kitchen sink, and it smells awful. I've reported this a few times and always get some excuse that they're doing pipework (plausible, I'm sure, considering all the construction outside the complex) and to let my water run for a while and call back if it hasn't improved. So far I haven't had the patience to test this theory. Also, the washer and dryers are itsy-bitsy. I've heard I should count my blessings, but when you can't even wash your COMFORTER by ITSELF, it's hard to feel blessed! And, also, the outside companies they hire to maintain the grounds- including companies like Brighthouse (whose staff is the most ignorant I've had to deal with in Tampa outside of every local Panera Bread) can be really rude. They're loud and use foul language, they walk in the middle of the street when they know you need to pass in your car, they gawk, and, the worst offense, they tailgate through the back entrance. I've had one guy from Brighthouse actually ask ME for MY personal gate code, like it was no big deal. Screw that! The office doesn't even trust its residents to enter the back gate after 7 PM every night- if trustworthy renters have to drive through the whole freaking complex in broad daylight (over TEN gruesome speed bumps which will be the death of my shocks), you think I'm gonna give my personal code to some gawking sweathog who will probably mess up someone else's service at the same time as trying to fix it? Unfortunately, it's not just a Brighthouse issue. It's a Man-In-A-Big-Truck-Don't-Wanna-Drive-Around-To-The-Front-And-He-Didn't-Realize-There-Was-A-Security-Gate-Oops issue. I'm not going to be living here forever, and having registered my complaints to prospetive renters, I do want to say it's not a bad place. In fact, it's one of the better places you could live- it's sort of removed from all the new construction, so you don't feel like you're living in Strip Mall City, but at the same time Dale Mabry is just five minutes away and they've put in some brilliant eateries at Van ---- and DM. The dog park is seven minutes away, and Citrus Park is twenty. The apartments themselves feel settled- not like tract housing with all-new jacuzzi tubs, etc. If you're loud and messy and dramatic, you probably don't want to live here because someone will eventually find you out and report you, as you deserve. I won't be here long enough to see if Section 8 takes over the nicer parts, as is the general fear, so I'll refrain from comment. It really doesn't matter how you pay your damn bills, people, as long as you're clean and quiet and keep your children in line. You will, as a rule, see a lot of down-to-earth people around- and as long as they're clean and quiet, who cares? Bugs aren't an issue unless you're a slob. Etc. It's fairly tranquil. Definitely better than any of the complexes I've seen or lived in in Tampa. I'd move back here if I ever live in Tampa again- but here's hoping I won't. :-)

Current Resident 99022

Resident • 2007

Excellent Community, Dont Believe the Nay-Sayers!!

This is by far the best apartment complex I've seen!! The grounds are kept extremely neat and clean, the landscaping is awesome and the buildings are made of brick which makes me feel safer in our hurricane-prone state. There's also ample parking and even car-ports and if you want to pay the small fee. Inside my apartment the paint is white as can be and the carpet is brand new. There's a very cool built in bookcase in the living room that looks awesome. I have a medium-sized one bedroom that is very reasonably priced. Maintenance has always responded quickly and effectively. Last but not least I love the ample swimming pools, laundromats and location. Just far enough north of tampa to somewhat escape the hustle and bustle of the city. You will not be disappointed!

Current Resident 165464

Resident • 2007

Dilemma

It's really not a review but more of a question to current residents. Please tell me the rat story and huge yearly rent increase is not the norm. I currently live in a 86% rating apartment but was moving to Carlton because I could get more for the money. But if the two reviews are true I guess I will stay where I am..I have put down $50 for the waiting list so if a current resident reads this please answer right away.<br><br>The office staff seems nice enough but aren't people always happy when they are trying to get you to spend your money. How are they once you have signed on the dotted line.<br><br>Note: I had to answer some questions that really doesn't apply but couldn't submit my requet until all the questions were answered.<br>Thank you to everyone or anyone that responds

JLOPEZSAILFISHDR

Resident • 2007

Stupid Complaints

I moved in here in Feb. 2007 and I Love my townhome. I can honestly say I am one of the pickest people in the world and I think the office people are very nice and I have had minor things fixed right away (not to mention the maintenance man was very nice). The people who complain on here are probably those who pay rent late and have caused problems. To the one who wrote about rats not saying you are dirty your self but rats go where there is something they want, so maybe one of your neighbors were dirty and attracted them to that particular area. Regardless of the complaints (there will always be something if you don't like that idea then buy your own house) everyone should remember to treat everyone as they would like to be treated.

RoxanneC

Resident • 2007

Complainers make me sick

1st i would like to address the complainers, if you don't like it here then im sure that there are ppl here that wouldn't mind moving your happy ---'s out. We don't want you here either, as much as you don't want to be here.<br>2nd if you don't live here or if you do why do you find the need to hide behind a comp screen and be anonymous instead of giving your name,,tff,,that just shows you must have either done something wrong and that is why your not here anymore or your just a coward.<br>3rd lets talk about maintance. Yep ill agree they don't have enough maintance at this facilty. But I'm sure its hard to find ppl with experiance in electric, plumbing, etc etc. But anytime anything has gone wrong the problem was fixed in a timely manner and it was done correctly.<br>4th lets talk about security. Nope your right again there isn't enough security specially at night time. But if you think that you can do a better job then maybe you should apply for the job. Its hard to have security in one place when you have ppl locking themselves out of there apartment,,how the hell you do that is beyond me. Or maybe we should take care of your problem before they take care of the little kid that just locked themself in the bathroom and tell the panicing mother that your problem with your neighbor is a little bit more important,,,they take care of gator problems, snake problems, vehicles being broke into, ppl jumping the fence, residence giving out their security code to the back gate, to worry on your petty problems. Maybe you should apply for a security job and see how much you can secure on such a large acreage.<br>5th lets talk about Charlotte Brown, I think that, that was probably the most funniest one of them all, how someone could even start to complain about such a fine person. It's hard to over see everything and still have a smile on her face while trying to hear about the complants that ppl like you think are important. I have never had a problem with her,,,,matter of fact everytime I have visited her in her office I have been warmly welcome and always left with a smile on my face. She always seems to be smiling when visitors are present.<br>The office ppl are supurb they always go out of their way to help you with as much as they can.<br>I'm having a hard time believing the complant about the ppl that moved in and the apartment was nasty,or the one with the rat problem,,,lmao,,i have lived in a apartment and a townhome in LCA and each one was spotless with new carpet and nothing was out of place or broken. The cleaning ladies are probably the best at making a new apartment or a townhome look supurb. Im just trying to figure out how they get out the door with out leaving feet prints on the carpet,,they are like little elves,,,lmao.<br>Neighbors lets talk about them. I have annoying neighbors but you know what if i let them get to me then i would be in your shoes, any place you go, even if it was a house that you chose to move into, your going to have neighbor issuses everyone does, that was just pithetic. I have to find the good in people and just listen if thats what they want. You just have to find the good in ppl and live with it. Don't be a hater. No one likes them. God said, Love thy neighbor not treat them like slime.<br>I have lived at LCA for the past two years. My husband works for the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office and he trys to help out as much as possible even on his days off if they need him for any reason. If they are having a serious problem and it cant wait for a sheriff to come 20-30 mins later they know they can call him noon or night. <br>This place has been nothing but great for me, my husband and our children. Yes i could sit and complain about a few things but nothing that can't be fixed. With a smile on their faces and making you feel at home.<br>

ginnita

Resident • 2005 - 2007

Im a resident!!!!!!!!rude office staff they are veru picky so as the old people this complex should be a senior comunity everything is old DONT MOVE DONT DO THAT MISTAKE!!!!!!!

Current Resident 255500

Resident • 2006 - 2007

I WOULD RATHER LIVE IN A BARN

FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE PAST 4 MONTHS I HAVE HAD A RAT PROBLEM IT GITS WORSE EVERY DAY I CANT TAKE IT ANY MORE THE OFFICE STAFF TELLS ME THAT ITS NO BIG DEAL... 4 PEOPLE THAT LIVE NEXT TOO ME ON THE SAME STREET HAVE ALL HAD BIG FAT RATS IN THE APARTMENT, ONE OF THE PEOPLE HAD 7 RATS IN THERE APARTMENT IN JUST 1 WEEK...EVERY TIME I PAY RENT I FEEL LIKE IM PAYING TOO LIVE WITH RATS!! IF I WANTED TOO LIVE WITH ------- RATS I WOULD GO LIVE OUT SIDE..AS FOR THE OFFICE STAFF YOU SUCK!!! YOU SAY RATS ARE NO BIG DEAL YOU SAY RATS WONT HERT YOU OK THEN YOU GO SLEEP IN MY ------- APARTMENT AND SEE HOW YOU FEEL!!!

reese62299

Resident • 2000 - 2003

GREAT PLACE TO LIVE PROMPT AND FRIENDLY STAFF

My husband and I lived here for a little more than two years before we bought our home. We rented a 2 bedroom apartment and also a 2 bedroom townhome. This was by far the best apartment experience ever. <br><br>All the staff in the office and the maintenance crew were very friendly, prompt, and things were fixed the right way. One time our disposal came off the sink and they were there same day and put in a new one. When we move in we let them know the refrigerator was a little dry rotted on the inside and they came the same day with a new fridge. When my son was born, I thought the kitchen floor was a little too dingy for him and I called the office and they came and put down a new kitchen floor the very next day. We wanted our carpets cleaned after 6 months of being there and so we paid only $30 and they did such an awesome job cleaning the carpets. <br><br>I wish there were more Lake Carlton Arms around. They only thing I wish were different would be having 3 bedroom apartments!!<br><br>Security is great. They may not be the nicest but hey they are security and that is their job to be stern and straight to the point. I called them a couple times because of a noise I heard and they came right out. It was just the wind but the quick response was great.<br><br>Oh also, the pools are cleaned every single day so that to me is awesome.<br><br>Beautiful landscaping and well kept. Well worth the price. If you decide to live here, you will not regret it one bit!!

MusicShowcaseGirl

Resident • 2006

Nice Older Apartments

I have lived in Lake Carlton Arms for over a year and while they aren't new and luxurious they are spacious and the patio is not found at any other apartment in this area.<br>The closet space is a little sad and the bathrooms are very small but it feels like you live in a house.<br>The staff is very nice for the most part and treats you like family.

Current Resident 146899

Resident • 2005 - 2006

We are some what happy

Overall it is a nice place to live. However there are a lot of older people living here who are picky and will complain if you make any noise at all. I have spent over 500.00 in detailing my patio and so I loved to sit out back and talk on the phone and enjoy the view. Well once on a weekend at around 9:30 pm I was told that I should move my conversation inside. I was pissed I mean does my neighbor pay my 921.00 to live here every month. I also find that the maintenance team is not always ample in their performance. We have recently bought a house and are moving but I thought to comment on this place. I do feel that they over charge to live here there is security here but they will let anyone and their brother through. So I really don’t see paying extra money for that. We would recommend maybe a short stay here but to be renting here at these high rates and such for the long run I don’t see the point. Not to also mention there was a robbery at gun point here and many thefts and damage to property. And wait don’t we have security, I’m sure you can see my point.

Current Resident 245541

Resident • 2004 - 2006

Disappointed........

1. There are a few rude staff & one extremely rude in particular.<br>2. Inside the apartment: fixtures are very old and break often. The 'maintenance' staff that has serviced my apartment has performed 'shabby' service. They need more knowledgeable maintenance personnel and they need to replace items more frequently rather than putting a 'bandaid' on the issue.<br>3. The walls are very thin or I just have inconsiderate neighbors whom like to play their stereos extremely loud & late.<br>4. Landscape/Outside: It is pretty for the most part; however,,,, they are very lax in maintaining pest spraying in all the areas of the complex. The pool/laundry areas need to sprayed more frequently & as well as outside of the apartments. <br>The POOL area: POOR. The furniture is disgusting, filthy, old, and frankly JUNK. <br>5. DISAPPOINTED.......

Current Resident 787793

Resident • 2004 - 2006

Things get stolen

It is extremely RIDICULOUS! I have been living there for years and almost 15 plus motorcycles have been stolen or numerous attempts were made, a jet ski was stolen and even some pets off of people’s patios were taken!! What kind of community with a secured environment has numerous items stolen on a regular basis?!? I have EVEN seen postings of little kid’s bicycles being stolen. This community is supposed to have security guards but with this much going on I am starting to wonder what they are actually doing!!! So be careful by triple chaining your bike because it seems like one is not going to work!!

Current Resident 406932

Resident • 2003 - 2006

I have had a very pleasant experience

I have lived in this complex and in the same apartment for three years. I have had a very pleasant experience. In renewing my lease, my rent went up $35, but in looking at the rent amounts for other apartment complexes in the tampa bay area, my rent is still cheap! The housing is going up considerably in this area, but Lake Carlton is still the best deal! The neighborhood is nice. I have not had any problems with maintenance and their facilities are very accessible. I will be here for a long time!!

Current Resident 880853

Resident • 2006

Pleasant Place to Live

I moved to the area from out-of-state about two months ago, and arranged everything on-line. During the process the office staff was VERY pleasant and helpful, making it less stressful for me. When I arrived I was pleasantly surprised at the lovely grounds; it really did look like it did on the Internet!<br><br>The apartment, though older, is very well maintained, clean and very spacious. I did have some minor problems when I moved in - damaged kitchen tiles, malfunctioning dishwasher and a toilet that didn't quite work right - but the maintenance staff fixed everything quickly and correctly. I have no insect problems whatsoever which, coming from a state that only has bugs in the summer, was a concern.<br><br>My apartment is not on the lake, but the view is still beautiful. The pool near me is clean and well kept, as is the laundry area. The washing machines and dryers all work efficiently. There's only one fan though (no air conditioning) so it does get pretty hot in there.<br><br>The area is pretty quiet, even on the weekends, and the neighbors are friendly and considerate. Living alone, security was a consideration. I feel the guards and courtesy patrols are well worth it, and make it a safer place to live.<br><br>All-in-all, a pleasant place to live.

Current Resident 219559

Resident • 2004 - 2006

My experience after 2yrs living here

My daughter and I lived here in a 2BR 1.5 BA townhome for 2 years and just recently moved out because I'm relocating out of state. The townhome was fairly nice and very roomy. The cabinetry and appliances are a bit on the old side but in good shape. Overall, I've had a good experience living here.<br><br>First off, the grounds crew do a good job of keeping the grass mowed and the leaves picked up. Generally, the public areas are clean and well kept. You know when it's 8am when you hear the lawnmowers.<br><br>When I first moved in, I made sure to detail anything worth noting on the inspection sheet and their maintenance crew were quick to take care of those items that needed fixing. A few days in they were there to fix a drippy AC at the top of the stairs. About a year later they promptly replaced rusted springs which broke on my dishwasher and they replaced a broken refrigerator with a new one. Their maintenance guys seem to be really good. You just have to let them know when you find a problem. <br><br>Office management also seemed very polite to me. I never had to wait longer than a minute or two for someone to help me even when it was busy. I've always been polite when dealing with them and they were always the polite and courteous in return.<br><br>The exterminators came once a month to spray the kitchen, bath and patio door areas. I really didn't have any bug problems to speak of inside the apartment except for a brief outbreak of flying ants which the exterminators took care of. They do knock first before entering. If you keep a clean place and you keep your doors shut, you shouldn't have any bad pest experiences. <br><br>I've never had any problems with break-ins or theft though I occasionally heard of a few incidences. The management will send out warning letters if there is a reported incident to remind you to secure your belongings. As a single father, safety is a major concern of mine. If I didn't believe it was relatively safe for my child to live here I wouldn't have moved there in the first place.<br><br>Security at the gate are very friendly. My last apartment had a gated security fence. Not only was it easy for someone to follow in behind a resident's vehicle, but the gate was constantly broken. I'm sure having security at the entrance does a better job of keeping intruders out and a record of who is getting onto the property than a gate would be. <br><br>There was little noise in my area. The first year I was there, there was practically no noise at all. During my 2nd year, I got a neighbor who often was quite loud, sometimes partying and playing the stereo at 3am. It didn't bother me too much since I stay up late but I'm sure other neighbors didn't approve. That neighbor is moving out next month and I suspect they may have been asked to leave.<br>If you like it quiet, don't rent near a playground or pool area. It's less likely to be noisy there. If you have school-age kids, look for a place near one of the bus stops for the school.<br><br>When I moved in I was paying $689/mo which was very reasonable for a large living space, free basic cable, trash pick-up and free water. When I renewed the 2nd year, my rent was $716, still very reasonable. If I were not moving, I'd be paying $760 this year. I've paid much more for much less apartment and horrible service at other places.<br><br>Some residents like to drive over the posted 15mph limit and don't stop for the signs. Most of them obey the rules though.<br><br>The laundry rooms can get crowded and messy at times, especially the weekend. The laundry room doors are always open and insects like to come in. It is also not air-conditioned. The best time I found to do laundry was just after 9am during the week. That's when they get cleaned and it is still cool. If you're looking at apartments here, I would recommend renting a place that comes with a washer/dryer. The rent is higher but it's worth the convenience.<br><br>If I was staying in the Tampa area, I'd be happy living here a while longer. Apart from some normal wear and tear, I kept my apartment clean and in good condition. I haven't been refunded my security deposit yet but if there are any surprises there I'll add to my review. Otherwise, I would highly recommend living here, especially in a townhome which comes with a big patio and no upstairs neighbors. <br><br>As for insects, crime and bad drivers... this is Florida. You'll find that wherever you choose to live.<br><br><br><br><br>