Camden Shadow Brook

Current Resident 1323

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

excellent...

excellent

Current Resident 1274

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

The experience I've had...

The experience I've had with this apartment hasn't exactly fits the description "Luxury". Dogs stools everywhere. Being charged for $40 extra dollars for trash valet which is truly unnecessary, especially when trash bins are within our reach. The gates has been malfunctioning for a long time. Maintenance entering my apartment before I ever approve of it, and it's often. Microwave fell apart, and maintenance drilled it together instead of giving me a new replacement. Refrigerator slams open. Noticed people have been moving out of apartment complexes instead of re-leasing them. When people move in, I feel bad for them. I look forward to move out if here as soon as my lease is up.

Current Resident 1262

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

Staff To rude and Gates...

Staff To rude and Gates always not working

Current Resident 1261

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

I've had a great experience...

I've had a great experience so far. Every problem that I have had has been dealt with professionally and responsibly.

Current Resident 1252

Verified Resident • 2009 - 2012

Shadow Brook was a good...

Shadow Brook was a good first home for me in Austin, but once Camden purchased the property it all went downhill. From the time I moved in (under a different management group) to the time I moved out, my rent was raised over $450. I assure you that the value is NOT there. Once Camden took over, the property grounds stopped being cared for as well as they were before and we got new neighbors who were outrageously inconsiderate. It isn't Camden's fault that the property was built poorly, but the walls are paper thin. You can hear everything that goes on in the adjoining rooms - for me that meant screaming children who never seem to sleep up against my bedroom wall and adults who fought a lot. There was no peace & tranquility, only a countdown until the end of the lease. I also never understood why I was forced to pay for valet trash service (of $30 a month) when I lived about 5 steps from a dumpster. The kicker was when the lease renewal came and they tried to raise the rent by over $100 again and then add a monthly pet fee. These people will nickel and dime you to death. I always felt very safe here & liked the location and the overall features of this apartment, but there are too many downsides to recommend. Camden has ZERO interest in maintaining long-term residents.

Current Resident 1234

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Overall a very good property,...

Overall a very good property, and I am quite happy with my decision to join this community. Everything is functional and friendly, and the staff have been great. Be aware that the walls may be a little thinner than expected. If your neighbors have a barking dog, a crying baby, or watch their TV loudly or listen to music you will most likely get a bit of bleed through. Turning on your own TV will drown it out, but when you are looking for quiet time you may get ambient noise. No problems with upstairs neighbors footfalls, but you DO hear them when they go up the stairs themselves, and since those are connected to my bedroom I get heavy footfalls if they come home when I am trying to sleep. Also parking can be an issue if you get home from work after 10. Many of the buildings do not have parking but on one side, which makes spaces a premium in those areas. But walking an extra 30-60 feet or so on occasion isn't a detriment, just noting my experience. All of that being said, I still recommend this location to prospective renters, as I am very happy with my experience so far, and do not have plans to leave anytime soon.

Current Resident 1214

Verified Resident • 2012

Overall, this apartment...

Overall, this apartment complex is very nice in my opinion. We were very happy to be moving in here at first. After a while you might notice that the walls are pretty thin and there's not much you can do about louder neighbors. Also, it's rather frustrating that there is a $30 charge every month for valet waste that I hardly see anyone use. On top of that, this is apparently one of those complexes that likes to raise your rent significantly after your first lease is out, so plan on signing as long a lease as possible to avoid the hike. I really do like our "home" here, the staff (while not always able to fix everything understandably) have almost always been more than happy...I just think there are a lot of unnecessary charges and rent for a one bedroom apartment should NOT be raised by so much. Don't give new renters all the deals...save some for the renters you already have that want to stick around for a while.

Current Resident 1170

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

Great complex, friendly...

Great complex, friendly staff. Parking issues at times with people who take close parking and never moves cars, people dobt always pick up after pets

Current Resident 1158

Verified Resident • 2009 - 2013

love this complex, been...

love this complex, been here 3 years

Current Resident 1141

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

I would like to advise...

I would like to advise that I am very happy to be here and that i found Camden apartments as my home to be. The only problem i have is unless you pay extra to have a permanent parking space it is on a first come first serve basis, i understand that people have friends over and even people that spend the night therefore taking the parking spaces that are available for us that live here. i have come late from work and i have to park far from my apartment.

Current Resident 1128

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

Great place to live....

Great place to live. Loved the energy efficient community.

Current Resident 1103

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

I've lived in Camden...

I've lived in Camden Shadow Brook for a little over a year now and I really love it. The office staff has always been very friendly and professional. Always helpful if there's a problem, which there usually isn't. Would recommend to everyone.

Current Resident 1096

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

I love living here! Maintenance...

I love living here! Maintenance always comes within a day of requesting it. Everyone who works here is very friendly. The grounds are nice and so are the apartments themselves. The only downside is that they're a little pricey and the walls are super thin but I've lucked out and have had quiet neighbors so its never really bothered me.

Current Resident 1046

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

It was nice when it was...

It was nice when it was Verde Shadow Brook, but ever since Camden took over it became a horrible place to live. The staff all look like they hate their job and they treat you like you are bothering them. The rent went up for a one bedroom and you get charged 30 dollars for useless valet waste when there is a dumpster just across from your apartment. The parking is horrible. You are supposed to purchase a carport but many residents ignored these rules and just parked there anyways. People constantly speed through the parking lot. My car was hit several times by speeders. I was charged a cleaning fee after I already paid 85 to have it cleaned by Camden. So I was charged twice. I only got back 200 from my 700 dollar deposit, which I still haven't gotten from them by the way. I paid a pet deposit which is useless because they will still take out money from your deposit for a pets. The gates never work. All in all it was nice when it was Verde but Camden ran it to the ground. I do not recommend this place at all.

Current Resident 1033

Verified Resident • 2010 - 2013

Pros - Walk-in showers...

Pros - Walk-in showers are great. Salt water pool is great, even though both pools are too small for # of units. Fitness centers are great. Really like how buildings form courtyards. Maintenance team is responsive and efficient. Cons - online bill/pay is a nightmare. Covered parking is too $$. Needs work on grounds - there's a new sprawling weed that is taking over the grounds and trips people/kids/pets. Since Camden took over, the landscaping has suffered.

Current Resident 717690

Resident • 2011 - 2012

WORST APT COMPLEX I HAVE EVER LIVED IN!

It was just fine when it was Verde, now that Camden took over it seems that they are all about the money and don't care to keep their tenants! I was offered a renewal price that is $300 more than what I currently pay! Shouldn't they offer a deal to someone who has lived here for over a year??? Ridiculous! On top of that, the apt is not even that nice. The light bulbs in the the kitchen blow out at least once a month. It's a pain having to schedule maintenance ALL the time. The maintenance staff is the best thing about this property! The office staff is just cold and not very welcoming. The walls are paper thing! No joke. I have lived in many many apts so I am used to some noise from my neighbors but the noise here is outta hand. I can hear when my upstairs neighbor showers, flushes the toilet, ect...I can hear them talking, laughing, walking. So loud you'd think they were in MY apt. And they're not loud people b/c I have met them! I will never ever live at a Camden property again. At least if they were offering a deal on renewal, it would make some of the little things worth it. Total rip off! Don't live here!

nicole58

Resident • 2012

Great place, great price

I have lived here for five months and really like it, actually. Pros: -Price -Spacious -Appliances & amenities (garden tub) -Well-landscaped -Fitness centers & pools -On-site laundry -Maintenance, usually -Proximity to grocery, gas, theater, restaurants, etc. Cons: -How far south it is relative to my job up north -Sometimes can hear neighbors playing music (isn't this standard in apartments?) -Maintenance has been unable to fix occasionally noisy freezer fan -Dog off-leash problem (small dogs--I haven't seen any pitt bulls near my apt. . . ) for a while, though improved since management sent out several notices -Sometimes, late at night, parking is scarce. Have lived in much worse parking situations before, though.

Current Resident 575371

Resident •

look somewhere else, believe the bad reviews

I would love to answer to the last reviewer who says he think people are judging others based on appearance. The break-ins are all real, and based on ACTUAL facts, nothing to do with look of people. Please do not write reviews with silly comments if you don't actually know the facts. First, the management posted signs everywhere and distributed fliers to each door to let people know of the wave of break ins that affected this complex. The police was patrolling the parking lot few months ago, putting stickers on cars to let them know if they had left stuff on sight, etc. Even the management had organized days of "crime prevention". The main gates are ALWAYS broken and that is sure not a detterent for bad people to come in. Just next door there are low income apartments, and many of the kids who live there come in here and use the facilities. Cops are here to get people out of the pool because they don't have the wrist band to use the place. I witnessed several times when police was here and arrested people for drugs, or break ins. Cops are always here, especially for noise disturbance, or worse. My neighbors wait until 10pm to turn loud music on. Management is bad because they don't enforce the rules at all. Anyhow, the crime report is posted at http://spotcrime.com/tx/austin. Also, the business area is a joke, if you ask for paper to print they will make comments that you are using a lot of paper. Toner always empty too. As for the maintenance guys, they are good, but some of them (Claudio in particular) have received complain against because they would come to your apartment and be snoopy, and stuff was missing. As a matter of fact I think Claudio was either fired or he doesn't work here anymore. They make you pay valet trash and there is no way out of that, it is mandatory even when you don't use it. We even complained with the corporate managers and they NEVER returned our phone calls or letters. They simply don't care!

Current Resident 368973

Resident • 2010 - 2012

awful to say the least!

I agree with all the bad reviews. The walls are very thin and we had to move to a different apartment TWICE since we signed the lease to finally find an acceptable place. ALL the downstairs apartments are awful, you will hear every movement even light from upstairs neighbors. The worse is the management, ------ the head manager is a ------... SHE IS ALWAYS RIGHT, and not only she is uneducated and not sensitive, she will literally tell you in your face that what you are explaining is YOUR FAULT, no matter what it is. The really dont care. The old Verde Shadow Brook was at least organizing things to do, and they were a bit nicer, this one is the worse property around. It makes me mad that they claim to be luxury living, it is ------ and if you dont beliebe me please come and look around, to see what kind of people live here. It was so bad that cops had to patrol the complex and I would see people getting arrested for drugs all the time.. please dont make the mistake i did make. Very expensive, being in a nightmare ever since i moved here.

Current Resident 368136

Resident • 2012

The worst renting experience ever.

I have lived here since the new side was built (when it was a verde property). I fell in love with the place and had no issues at all with the property until Camden took over. Since then, the people they have allowed to move in are not of quality at all. They allow up to four people to live in a one bedroom who throw trash on the ground that stays there for weeks (rotting meat) and I get a note on my door about my dog pooping on the porch (like my own dog would poop on my own porch and I wouldn't clean it up and I am the only one of my neighbors who has a dog... Right... Unless you count the pittbulls that are in the property that the lease I signed specifically states cant be there). The landscaping has not been done since the Camden take over except in the front. The walls are paper thin and I hear my neighbors upstairs washing clothes, fighting, and doing whatever else in the middle of the night. Management since the take over has changed DRAMATICALLY. I had no problems with anything when I moved here. If I needed something or had a question, I was greeted nicely and was treated with respect and got results from my being there. Since the take over, they are FAR too busy to help with any kind of situation you may have. I don't even feel like I am being talked to like I am there. They do not care about keeping residents or making them feel at home or welcome. Whatever you do, make sure you don't rent from here- I promise you will regret it. The entire back side of the property who have leases expiring are all leaving.

Current Resident 817

Resident • 2012

Lease end cannot come SOON ENOUGH!!

I've lived here for about 3 years, from when it was Verde Shadow Brook and then to the corporate take over of Camden Shadow Brook. It's constantly a battle to have anything done at this place. They nickel and dime you for everything! I live right by both a recycling bin and a trash bin, yet they charge me for "valet trash service" whether I want it or not. The trash service literally picks my trash up and walks it to the dumpster. AND, I have watched them throw the special "blue recycle" bags in the normal trash, and vice versa. I can do that and not be charged $30 for it. Heck, I'll pick up all the trash around my building and they can PAY ME $30 per apartment for the service. When I last resigned my lease, they quoted me the 12 mth rate. I asked if it was cheaper to renew for 15 mths, and I was told "no, this is the rate for 15 mths also, so you better lock in this rate for the 15 mths before it goes up". Only to find out, the 15 mth lease was cheaper. Super, hope the leasing agent enjoyed that commission! A few days later, I called to see if they had a renewal bonus for consecutive renters, like getting my carpet cleaned. I was told that I could have my carpet cleaned FOR FREE, and all I needed to do was schedule it. Since I knew I had no intention of staying after my 15 mth lease was up, I decided to live with the dirty carpet (I've lived here 3 years and never had the carpets cleaned) and just have them cleaned for THE COMPLEX when I moved out. Fast forward 15 mths, I email the leasing office to confirm my carpet cleaning...and they will not honor it. The community manager keeps emailing me saying "we do not have any specials at this time". Good thing I am not inquiring about current specials...just the one I was told I had 15mths ago. You would assume the agent I spoke to would make a note in my file concerning my previous inquiry but I guess that is not protocol for such a "luxury living" situation. I have plenty of other things to say concerning the property itself, but from previous reviews, they have been noted. I do not recommend this complex at all. I was really impressed when I toured and signed my first lease here. They are really good about putting on a show. Just think it through before you invest your money into this place.

Current Resident 535476

Resident • 2012

DON'T RENT HERE

We moved in last summer and have had problems since. First we explicitly said that we had our own washer/dryer so we needed an apartment without them. Of course we find out on moving day that they rented us a unit with a washer and dryer. So they gave us a new unit in the back facing a ditch that smells because insurance policies dictated they can't move those appliances around. We attempted to pay rent online but entered my account information wrong they charged me an extra $130. When I went into the office the manager came out and condescendingly explained that my check was returned(Thank you but I can READ the note you left my in my door). Thanks for barging in on our conversation, thanks for not even listening to what I said, and thank you for screwing over a Veteran. You can hear everything through the walls: -people below likes to watch movies in THX surround sound -people next door have a pit bull kenneled(sometimes till 3am) that cries loud enough to be heard in every part of my apartment -the couple across from us are borderline domestically violent -the girls on the other side like to laugh and giggle in voices that go up to 11. In summary this has been my worst renting experience.

Camden_Blows

Resident • 2010 - 2012

Never Again.

First of all, I've been here since the apartment was Verde Shadow Brook (TWO YEARS). In the summer of 2011, the property was bought and Camden took over. Camden Shadowbrook is by far the WORST apartment community I have EVER lived in. I've been in apartments for 8 years now in various areas: college, professional, etc... 1. The property is dirty - trash is everywhere, dog crap, dirty pool and fitness areas. 2. The noise from neighbors is unbelievable. The management allows: stomping, yelling, SLAMMING OF THE FRONT DOORS, loud music and tv, extra prolonged guests who are not on the lease, parties from 11PM-4AM, SLAMMING OF CABINETS AND DRAWERS, and general noise issues that distrupt every day life. When Verde was in charge, they issued lease violations to wrongful neighbors. Camden does nothing. They do not care. In fact, the management violates the Texas Laws of "Right to Quiet Enjoyment". 3. They allow everyone to anyone access to the apartments by means of broken gates. It takes weeks to repair them. My TRUCK WAS BROKEN INTO. Several cars have been vandalized. One woman was arrested TWICE after drunken disorderly conduct and trying to break into my apartment. 4. The manager is HORRIBLE. The worst person I've ever dealt with, even in trying to reason with noisy neighbors and/or lease questions. Every person in the front office, with the exception of the maintenance crew, are complete jerks. They do not care about you. They LOSE YOUR RENT CHECK. They claim you DO NOT PAY RENT ON TIME. They offer NO HELP when dealing with any issues with neighbors. 5. The security officers DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU. They date or are friends with certain residents and PICK AND CHOOSE who they want to help. They are worthless and should be let go. It's a shame that peace officers do not help the common good of the public. They drive around very fast, slam doors, knock loudly, offer horrible advice, generally and wrongfully INTIMIDATE YOU, and flash their lights when not necessary. 6. The construction is shoddy (not Camden's fault, but when taking over a new community they should assess their current situations). I HATE this place. I cannot stand how the management nickel and dimes you every month. My water has been as high as $100 and as low as $15. I hate how the front staff acts so nice in order to grab commission off of your rental unit, but when the first issue comes up, they want nothing to do with you. Go ahead, try to contact the regional office, they will just keep redirecting you to the horrible property manager. The next time I wake up form noise I will call the Austin Police Department since nothing seems to work anymore. Maybe a threat of a lawsuit being filed would help, who knows. I cannot wait to be out of my apartment and on to better things. I wish no one has to deal with the situations I have been put through. DO NOT RENT HERE. PERIOD.

Current Resident 942605

Resident • 2009 - 2011

Camden Criminals

Camden recently purchased this property and have made it to where I cannot wait to leave. The place had a lot of problems before (unless you have very quiet neighbors, you will hear EVERYTHING in your next door neighbor's apartment), but there was a lot of charm. That's gone now AND they've raised everybody's rent. We've been told that there are NO concessions for anybody now. Regardless of how long you've lived here. My rent was raised $200 a month which practically makes it 'downtown' prices. These people just don't care, they want as much money as humanly possible. They're greedy and shady and you don't want to rent from them. I'm really glad I can pay $200 more a month to hear my neighbor slam his door and run upstairs like a herd of elephants 12 times a day while the security gate sits wide open to let in any number of strangers because it never works properly. This place is NOT WORTH THE MONEY. Save yourself the headaches, go someplace else. I will never rent again from any Camden property.

Current Resident 942264

Resident • 2009 - 2011

this place is a dump! bad management and criminality

I just left this place a month ago, and i am so glad! this place is a dump! Luxurious is just a word on the name of the place but reality is there is nothing luxurious about Camden. First of all the ladies at the office have no customer service skills, they are rude and have attitude even when you ask just basic questions. They do not reply to your email and ignore any request for repairs and others. Noise has always been a major problem here, people constantly call police to resolve disturbances due to noise. The walls are paper thin, and you can hear any noise, people snoring, radios, slamming doors, etc. Neighbors are very disrespectful of basic stuff, like not using radios out loud at 1 am or so. People arrive at every hour of the night and blasts music with the car stereo waking you up with their hip-hop crap. Criminality is another major problem, please check spotcrime.com to verify what I am saying. Lots of break-ins in cars, bulglaries, drug dealing. Just last week a guy was arrested in front of my friend's windows with bags of stuff in his pockets. It is so bad that police officers now live at property. They had one week end when there were 10 car theft/break-ins. Maybe because the entrance gates are always down and broken, at least 5 times in the last year alone. People come from outside to use the pool, so in summer you will see a cop going around and throwing people out of property because of that. Complaining is no use, they make you feel like you are not important, and they forget that their salaries are actually paid with you rent money!!! save yourself headache do not rent here! they increased the rent of $150 to anyone, and most people left, no discount, no matter how god of a client you have been.