Highlands Nanuet

Current Resident 78395

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Avalon Communities are Robbers

DON'T MOVE HERE! We Have been here for less then a year and have nothing but problems. The only reason why we moved here was because of the convenience and that they allowed dogs, but they overcharge for everything!!! Rent is ridiculously high and then you have to pay extra for everything in the community even if you don't use it. We have had to call maintenance 12 times and they haven't fixed anything because everything keeps breaking. The carpet pulls away from the walls, the dryer doesn't dry, the fridge leaks, the dishwasher leaks, the toilet flooded our entire bathroom. Our first year is almost up and they've raised the rent ridiculously but are offering our same apartment online for cheaper then we already pay so when we asked them to to honor our current rent they said they would get back to us and never did. We are moving AGAIN and are not happy about it so save yourself the grief and stay away!!!!

Current Resident 441841

Resident • 2011

The rent increases are insane!

So we moved in here a year ago, out of convenience really. And we have paid a pretty penny for a barely decent place with constant issues...broken toilet that took 6 months to get fixed, a broken dishwasher that took three months to get fixed, a broken fridge that has STILL not been fixed, carpeting that's peeling up on the stairs, stained countertops, chipped cabinet faces, a major leak in our garage that had the ceiling falling in...shall I go on? And then this "Luxury" community that is overpriced has the nerve to send out a $405/month rent increase to renew? STAY AWAY!!!!

Current Resident 217525

Resident • 2009 - 2011

So, I'm a happy guy, not a complainer. I'm moving after two years. Here's the real deal...

So, bottom line is don't move here. However, I have been here two years and feel I have seen a lot. I do have good things to say about the maintenance guys and, unfortunately, I have gotten to know them well with the many (mostly small, but some huge) issues. The place is just getting old and no replacement plan until your ac unit/boiler/fridge/dishwashers break down (which they all did).. I did have toilets flooding and the like. HOWEVER< they were responsive.. Due to the age, it's to be expected, but I didn't really think about it before I moved in. I was seduced by the floor plan. Bottom line is that I really started to feel taken advantage of with the price. All true about the raising up to 5% per year and no negotiations. Take it or leave it. I would pay it if i didn't have to live with vinyl tile and formica tops and cabinets... I am jealous of my friends who play on granite and have real porcelain tile :-).. The reviews are true. the stuff is just cheap and one focuses more on floor plan, etc than on the quality of construction, etc.. They also make you look at the model and never can see the real unit. Mine came out nice, though. the drafts are huge and I agree it has cost me a fortune to heat it. I have a loft and the AC just SUCKED in the summer and would keep my place at best at 79 degrees.. This is with the ac condenser running full time. So, if I factor in the double cost here (and yes, it's much cheaper in a newer place to cool it), then I'm REALLY overpaying.. The pool rocks. NO mess.. The kids can be loud here and there. .Not bad.... The parties happen, but I don't hear them.. There is a hood element to the place, but all have been friendly and keep to themselves.. so, hope this helps.. This would be a great place if the rent was maybe 50-75% of current levels. I can't see paying 2500 bucks when i can get that in other places that were built in the past few years. HOpe this helps and NO I DONT WORK HERE

Current Resident 796359

Resident • 2011

Weekend

I just want to say what a great job the crew did over the weekend with clearing the property. The snow came fast and the plows were right behind it. If you moved your car, they would come back and clean up the spot. My walk was shoveled by the morning and eveything looked great. Nice job Avalon. It is a pleasure living here.

Disguessed

Resident • 2011

Don't, I say don't do it!!

This is the opinion from a person who rented out a 3 bedroom unit in Nanuet School district for short term. The rent is exorbitant but still people come to this place falling for the country club looks of the office building. There are couple of other reasons wby Avalon still get peopel to rent there. One reason is that there are n't many places where you can get a decent short term rental - especially if you have children. Also, the pet lovers cannot get houses for rent usually. I am thinking Avalon has also connections with agents of businesses so they get their clients like contractors to stay there for short term. I guess it is this business rates which cause regular renters rate go up. So, if your stay is not covered by the company you are screwed - from the beginning. Then it just gets worse. If you decide to extend a month or two, you will be hit with atleast 600 dollars extra per month. At the end, out of 900 dollars deposit, they keep 400 dollars, so they can clean up the apartment! I have never seen such money hungry attitude from any other place I had stayed before. I am just letting it go, but thought people should know. I did not have time to clean up. I also guessed that these people will be keeping my money anyways. I always used to clean the apartement very well when I moved from places. Here, there is no connection with Industry Standards or local rates applied to how they make their rent calculations. They play on people's situations. Yeah? so you are stuck here? now cough up another thousand. So, do you want it in November? you have to sign up right away. I understand they are doing the business for money. But believe me, Avalon group is cut throat and it is not worth renting here. I saw a lot of negative comments about the community even before I rented in Avalon Gardens in Nanuet. I realize that people are just feeling like they have been robbed. I have not seen any prostitutes or drug dealers as some commenters report, not that I looked for them. I have seen crazy people speeding and fighting. Forget about parking in the weekend, as there are no assigned spots for any apartment - no matter 1 bed room or 3 bed room. Then some crazies bring in their buddies in the weekend for parties and occupy the parking spaces, I guess. I would hate to be here in winter. There are plenty of houses for rent - in good communities. You just have to arrange for help with lawn or snow moving if you don't want to do the chores. Avalon Gardens - not worth the price.

Current Resident 458120

Resident • 2010 - 2011

Look Elsewhere

In all honesty, the community is good. The biggest problem are the main office staff. Since i have moved in we have had nothing but maintenance calls that needed to be addressed; wouldn't that strike you as an issue... Not to the main office! They smile and yes you to death just to make sure they get your money, but the second you ask for any reimbursement, you know because you do pay close to a mortgage here, the smiles turn upside down and you are basically told to GO F*** Yourself in kind and polite words. They display no business ethics, nor do they show any loyalty or consideration for their tenants. Its a shame with all thats going on with the world and economy today you would think that your "home" would be your comfort zone... not in avalon gardens. Your money is all they want; they could care less about your comfort and safety. It seriously is a shame that hard working people who for any reason need to rent are clearly taken advantage of in this apartment complex. Do yourself a favor, look elsewhere to live.

Current Resident 423803

Resident • 2008 - 2011

Horrible Maintenance & Customer Service

DO NOT LIVE HERE!! We have moved three times since moving in. The first apartment was fine, but the rent was going to go up if we didn't become a 'new tenant' so we literally had to move down the street in the same development for a bigger apartment for less rent/month. Rediculous- they do not care for their current tenants! The second apartment had water issues - so bad we had to have our bedroom furniture replaced. Water -issue- never fixed! The poor tenants in that unit now are going through the same issues! We moved to another unit, and MORE water issues! It has been 10 months now, and I still have an actual waterfall in the garage - not an exaggeration. Maintenance shows up unannounced, makes a mess, and doesn't repair anything. Even with the ongoing maintenance issues, no reimbursement of any kind if forth coming. DO NOT LIVE HERE!

Prospective Resident 495262

Prospect • Visited 2011

Not worth the money

I went to look at an apartment in Avalon Gardens yesterday. I assume with the price you would be paying, the place would be outstanding. Was I wrong. The one apartment we looked at, there was a tree in front which was uprooting and looked like it was ready to fall over. There was a hole in the garage wall. There were cabinet doors that did not close correctly. Also, do not go by the price you see on their internet posting. Look at about $250.00 more because they charge you fees for everything, including having your garbage picked up and cleaning up the snow off the walkways in the wintertime. They also charge you an additional $50.00 per month if you have a pet. They are already taking $500.00 which is non-refundable for your pet. Shouldn't that be enough. Trust me, if you can afford over $2,000.00 per month go buy a house. Not worth renting.

namoultri

Prospect • Visited 2011

The walk-through

My husband and I went to the Avalon Gardens last week just to see what the apartments looked like. In both the apartments we saw multiple issues. There were water stains on the ceilings and broken closet doors. If your trying to sell a product the first thing you do is make it presentable!

Current Resident 255264

Resident • 2010 - 2011

Avalon - The worst place to live.

Never rent here. My wife and I have been here 6 months and have already had 11 maintenance requests. Five of which were leaks. The apartments are poor quality and the staff is even worse. I regret every day that we've rented here and I hate that we have 6 months to go.

Current Resident 670201

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Maintenance? What's that?

Paying 2285/mo is no small sum. You would expect that things would be kept up nicely and repaired in a timely manner. NOT the case. Railings have been busted out for a YEAR now. Also, I have now made two appointments to get appliances fixed and the maintenance people don't show up. I'm sorry, if I'm taking time out of MY work day to be here to meet you then you darn well better show up. At the very least call to say you need to reschedule. Oh and snow removal? I don't think they've ever heard of that before. If you complain about that all you hear is that they have 54 acres. Sorry folks, hire more staff. Lord knows you charge enough rent! DO NOT rent here.

gotskrwd1

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Rip Off-Go Elsewhere- RENTER BEWARE!!

We spent one miserable year at this place for $2100 a month-not chump change. When the lease renewal came up they wanted $2500 and didnt even laugh about that insane cost when we asked about it. the attitude was purely-just go and they wouldnt work on anything not even to have renters come back again-they could care less. The place is horrible-you hear neighbors fighting all the time and at night the streets have plenty of "hood type" thug kids and roaming packs packs of noisy kids in the wee hours after 12AM and yes there are drugs. We had what amounted to serious domestic violence going on right nearby and the shouts and threats were heard - many even walked right by when happening. Stories of parents that actually rented the place and are never there and with kids having parties are true and we had seen enough of them. The inside is made with the cheapest carpet and cabinetry and everything either falls apart or gets dirty real fast within the year. We had a toilet flooding problem for over a year that never got resolved and too many calls to for service/maint. required follow up calls and most times they were not happy to be there and did shoddy work and just wanted to get it over and done with. The utility costs were crazy because there is no shielding from the cold winds in winter (so heat is costly with constant drafts from windows and doors-our stairway was basically freezing) and in summer the AC had to go full blast to be felt and cost us dearly. It still required service calls and even spent a few roasting summer nights without because nobody came to service the system. The pool was always filthy and lifeguards that did nothing and barely skimmed the filth did not lead to much use and its crowded and loaded with punk kids. The entire neighborhood is like living in a fish bowl and one of the unfriendliest places-makes sense because everyone is so overcharged and underwhelmed at what they see and pay for. The biggest gimmick is offering enticing discounts upfront to get you in and then you are trapped. Their target is to ensure they keep your security deposit and then tag on additional expenses due to such things as spots on carpet-stains- tack holes- nails etc (anything you do to improve the place you will get ripped mightily for unless you are a single person with nobody visiting and have no life- you got a life and want to do things in the place? You will pay when you move out. We moved out with others(seems like a moving truck or 2 or 3 are always around to get people out everyday- and they had similar experiences and also got NAILED with large increase after a year (another catch). Like I said RENTER beware and in this area its tough but you can do much better just across the street in the Hamlets where you get actual quality for what you pay or just keep looking. This place is a trap run by a corporation that obviously believes in selling at all costs and then passing that cost TO YOU! Stay away-dont get trapped.

Current Resident 807080

Resident • 2008 - 2010

Could not agree more

I agree with everything in this negative review. We lived in Avalon Gardens for just over a year and had very high utility bills due to the drafty windows and doors. Had to apply plastic sealing on the very large windows to keep from freezing in the winter. The quality of the cabinetry, floors, appliances and lighting could not have been lower. Take a hard look at the unit you will be renting before moving in and document everything that is wrong or subpar.

Current Resident 358574

Resident • 2004 - 2010

Your not getting your moneys worth here

Let's with the hard water it destroyed 3 hot water heaters they wil not let you put in a softner, the water heater is outside on your terrace in a closet so in the cold weather ur lucky if you get warm water, forget about drinking it we had ours delivered. The walls are paper thin and so are the ceilings hopefully your neighbor doesn't snore, or don't expect to have a private conversation in your bedroom. It is nice if your a noseybody. The apartment is a home depot special, don't get the cabnets wet they will expand faster than a sponge. Our a/c broke down it took 2 months to fix. And when they did ihad no hot water Ha you can't make this stuff up. The apartment is drafty big time so much so we sealed the front door and just use the garage in the winter, the ppl who have lofts faceing the west have a/c bills that would choke a horse. Pray you have good neighbors that don't stay up late or do laundry late, or you will be up doing yours too. They love raising your rent usally 2% per year no looking back. The parking is good, the staff are puppets to the company they will blow serious smoke up your butt but when it comes down to it who signs there pay check. The gym is sub par, missing weights nasty carpet broken bikes and treadmills. They charge 10 buck across the street at the other gym per month well worth it. I'm moving out at the end of this lease, I'll be so happy thati won't have to go through the renewal system again. I hope this helps you don't make the same mistake I did.

Current Resident 92906

Resident • 2008 - 2009

no problems, just very expensive

I have not had any significant problems in over a year here. The maintenance has been fast and reliable. They do have oddly frequent inspections for fire safety etc. which is a minor nuisance if you have pets and nobody is home during the day. There is less noise than most other places I've lived. The only significant drawback is it's very expensive. I chose it anyway because of location -- it's very close to where I work which makes the cost worthwhile for me.

Current Resident 13019

Resident • 2009

Do NOT live in Avalon Gardens

Avalon Gardens in the WORST apartment community I have lived in, and I have lived in quite a number of them. Ridiculous so-called "maintenance checks" pretty much monthly... what they're checking? I have no idea. I find it very suspicious that they just have to enter your apartment monthly whenever they choose....regardless of whether you are home or not.. I have a dog. They say they are "pet friendly".. Pet friendly my ---.... i tell them over and over that my dog will bite if a strange person walks in... i have this problem with EVERY "maintenance check..." every month, after my 12-hour work day, i have to drive my dog an hour to my parents house just so they can do this stupid check while i'm at work... then go pick him up... Every time you call the office for anything, you always have to deal with the same guy "Greg." He is quite possibly the biggest --- I have ever dealt with. They are not accommodating on ANY issue. They overcharge you for EVERYTHING. I am moving out in two months (thank God!) and they tell us that if the apartment is not in the same condition it was when we moved in, we are getting charged all these fees.. First of all, it was disgusting when we moved in!! Nothing was fixed that was supposed to be. The dishwasher didn't work (still barely does..) they "replaced" it once by giving us an old one from another apartment.... gee thanks. Bastards... Dryer takes 3 cycles to dry your clothes..... When we moved in, they had replaced the carpet... I have lived here for 10 months.. this carpet is BRAND freakin' new... now they are telling us that because we have a pet, the carpet will have to be replaced when we move out for a $1435 fee. This is something they DO NOT tell you when you move in.... Even if the carpet still looks new, they say they go over it with a black lite and if they see any evidence of anything ever spilt on it, they have to replace it... first of all, our security deposit was only $500, i paid a $600 NON-REFUNDABLE pet fee, and a $55 a month pet fee.... and in the lease it says any charges for damage are taken solely from your security deposit. so good luck asking for another $1435 to replace your god damn brand new carpet. Another issue... this is a pretty large complex... and where are the dumpsters for trash? oh that's right. There's just ONE. Have fun driving your trash to the dumpster every time you empty your trash can... which reminds me, this "pet friendly" community has no pet waste trash cans anywhere... so residents literally have to have a trash can outside their door to keep ---- in... isn't that pleasant? Lastly, I am going to mention that I have never had so many bugs in an apartment.. My roommate and I are extremely clean people. My co-workers actually make fun of me because i am so neat and organized. It has nothing to do with cleanliness. This apartment has been immaculately clean since the day we moved in.... but we have had ant problems, wood spiders (the huge ones at that), centipedes crawling up the walls, crazy amounts of flies over the summer, weird wormy-looking things.... It's disgusting. Well, I guess I've written enough, even though I could go on for hours about how awful this place is.... I guess I should end with the good things..... Parking is good. That's about it.

Current Resident 503877

Resident • 2008 - 2009

Horrible Place to Live

In this economy no break on the rent to renew. I want to move to another apartment since not having a garage last winter was a nightmare as 20 steps outside to get to front door, and snow/ice removal was just HORRIBLE. Staff aloof once you move in, give you the total run around with everything. Maintenance well have to beg to get anything done here. Place is falling apart look at mail areas as an example. You pay way too much for what you get. Really not worth living here on any level. Do yourself a favor and stay FAR AWAY.

Current Resident 727392

Resident • 2007 - 2008

Definitely NOT!!!

I wanted write a review on this place to honestly help others not fall into this trap. In the area of Rockland Avalon Gardens is a decent place but they have a lot of shady things going on. I read through all the negative comments and I couldn't agree more. First, you really don't get your moneys worth here. The complex is 10 years old and it seems they have no plans to even try an improve on it. When it opened in the 90s everyone in the area looked at the complex as a "luxury" complex because when it first opened it was. Ever since it opened it has just been on the decline. While I lived in the complex they actually changed the signs and took down the "luxury" title because by todays standard they CAN'T consider themselves luxury and the front office openly admitted they are not luxury because of how outdated they are. Now, you would think that they pricing would change because they don't have that "luxury" that they once had but they continue to charge a luxury premium for a plain run-of-mill apartment. The flooring, the appliances are soooooo out-dated and it really wouldn't cost them that much to updated it but they are honestly trying to take advantage of people and hold on to this status they had that is far gone. It is a common problem in the complex to have the toilets back up and it isn't because people are stuffing toilet paper it is poor plumbing. There were countless things wrong in my apartment and I could only bear to stay one year and then I was out because the office didn't make the effort to help me out. I had problems with plumbing in the entire apartment not just the toilet but my sinks would back up. None of my appliances ever worked properly. They gave me the apartment in a clearly dirty condition and then wanted to deduct from my security because my oven was a little dirty but I gave them the entire apartment back in better condition then they gave it to me. They will honestly try and get every dollar they can out of you. So I can guarantee these people writing the positive reviews are far and few between and that haven't experienced the hassle of trying to move out of the hell hole. The maintenance team is honestly a bunch of lazy people who just ride around all day in those stupid carts doing nothing. Every time they would come in my apartment to fix things they left it like a bomb went off in there. They never cleaned up after themselves, the one time the guy must have had gum on his shoe and walked all over the apartment and I spent weeks trying to get gun out of the carpet and they wouldn't even compensate me for having to get the rugs cleaned because they made then dirty. If you are planning on moving in here you are taking a gamble, just make sure you buy a bottle of Asprin because you are going to need it. Try and avoid this complex if you can a lot of shady stuff goes on here, make sure you read all the other comments and you will see.

Current Resident 139069

Resident • 2008 - 2009

nice place

I've lived in AG for a year now and I have yet to experience any issues. Staff is nice, maybe not the greatest, but when I have questions or issues they get it done right away. For those that complaint about the toilets backing up...try not stuffing half of the toilet roll in the toilet. Not everyone has a positive expereince in all that they do, but I must say that AG is a nice place to live. And no, I am not one of the workers.

Current Resident 80665

Resident • 2004 - 2009

We love living here!

I have lived here for 5 years with my husband and hild. The school district is great, the staff at Avalon gardens is always professional and friendy. This is a great community for families. They have a pool, tennis courts, BBQ areas, playgrounds, fitness center and plenty of acres to walk, ride bikes, etc. Since living here we have had to call maintenance only twice that I can recall and our issues were resolved quickly. I would recommend living here.

andreasinusa

Resident • 2009

I can't wait to move out

Low quality equipment. Maintenance orders almost every week necesarry. Overpriced. I regret that I signed for one year. Moving in condition = moving out condition. Extrem Dirty, broken items everywhere, see photos.

Current Resident 266241

Resident • 2008 - 2009

Avalon Gardens the home of scam artists!

Not much to say but if you have a chance or choice to live in this place i strong urge you to think things over. I have never had such a horrible living situation in my life. Granted the apts are somewhat new and have nice layouts, however never judge a book by its cover!!!!! i had my toilet flood 3 times and had to deal with thier HORRIBLE maintenance dept. Who are the laziest bunch of A**holes this side of the mississippi!...dont even try to get the head office to help you unless you have some money in your wallet. ANY PET OWNERS BEWARE OF SECRET INVESTIGATIONS BY MAINTENANCE AND SCAMS TO MAKE YOU FORK OVER ALL OF YOU SECURITY IN THE END OF YOUR LEASE TERM...Hope you listen to my warning! BTW ignore all the awards in the lobby they are over 10 years old and do not apply to the state that avalon is currently in.

Current Resident 266024

Resident • 2008

Just Say NO! to Avalon Gardens

That's right, just say NO! to Avalon Gardens. If you have thought about moving into or are planning to move into Avalon Gardens in Nanuet, please stop and rethink your decision. I am only writing this to truly help other not fall into the 7th circle of hell a.k.a Avalon Gardens. I have read the other reviews on this site and I would say that most are correct when they say this place is a waste of time and money. First, as another reviewer wrote the leasing office acts so sweet and nice to you slowly tryig to reel you in. Once you sign your name on the dotted line you might as well have signed over your soul to ----- himself. All I had was issue after issue with this place. So, where do I start? First, you will need to pay a ridiculous yearly $600 amenities fee - what that gets you is a smelly gym with equipment it looks like they got from charity or out of a dumpster. You get to use a pool that is only open a couple month out of the year and it tends to get overcrowded. If you are a pet person, yes they allow pets but again you have to pay a ridiculous $600 fee for the "privledge" of having a pet in the apartment and they will also charge you $50/dog and $30/cat. Now, if the pricin, etc doesn't turn you off then the service you will get from the complex will. I had countless problems in my apartment from leaking sinks, toilets blowing up (maintenance stated that it is a pretty common occurence), appliances not working and them refusing to replace, even down to the light bulbs...i had to replace all of them only a couple weeks into the place (they are all suppose to be brand new when you move in). I tried and tried to get resolutions to my problems but to o avail it is very difficult to work with this place because the leasing office, home office, and maintenance dept are all managed by different groups and they don't communicate with each other at all. Needless to say this was not a place I decided to stay with and after my first year lease was up I was gone. After leaving I never felt so used and was so mad about all the money that was spent on rent and they didn't meet one promise of luxury or peace of mind. I would look elsewhere if you really want to enjoy the time you spend in the place you rent...JUST SAY NO TO AVALON GARDENS!

Current Resident 809828

Resident • 2008

Don't Waste Your Time Here!

Ok. I would caution everyone who is thinking about moving into this development. They will do every song and dance, and make it seem that they will make living there so peaceful...THIS IS NOT THE CASE. From day one of me moving into the apartment I had issues and after they had me locked in with a contract they could care less about helping. My bathroom flooded multiple time, some of the appliances in my apartment didn't work and it was a battle to get replacements. They charge so much for "amenities" which consists of an over crowded pool in the summer and a small gym where it is not uncommon to find broken equipment. When I originally moved in the sign out front stated that it was a luxury community, that sign has since been taken down. When I asked the front office about it they stated that compared to other developments nowadays they are not considered "luxury" but they sure are going to charge you a luxury price to rent. It was battle after battle until they had frustrated me so much that within 8 months I was looking to get out of my lease because they are horrible. The front office is a separate dept from the maintenance dept and they never know what the other one is doing. The maintenance is HORRIBLE more then half of the time I had to go to the hardware store and fix things myself. Most of all... BEWARE when you want to move out, this is when they try REALLY REALLY hard to suck every last penny out of you and YES they will try and list whatever they can so you don't get your security back. They are the worst I have every had to deal with. Please do not be fooled and if you want to save yourself the headaches, look somewhere else! This development is clearly on the decline and they have no intentions of trying to bring it around it seems to just keep getting worse. AVIOD AT ALL COSTS!!!

Current Resident 782982

Resident • 2008

Total Rip Off Waste of Money STAY FAR FAR AWAY

I have not even lived there one month and today's snow storm HORRIBLE clean up; they did not shovel the steps all 20 of them up to my apartment and it was almost 10PM. There are NO heat vents on the floor only on ceiling so yea hot air rises. The are all talk no action they do not care about anyone; rent is way too high, gym small, place really really really sucks. Now to go to an attorney to break the lease. Also going to local TV stations to show other possible tenants to stay far far away.