Regent At Bellevue Way

Current Resident 559938

Resident • 2006

Unbelievable rent increases

First of all, it must be said that the new management (Pinnacle) is the epitome of giant corporate machine. When they bought the Northside last year, the promptly axed the entire staff, including Pete, a great maintenance guy who'd worked there for years and was known by everyone. They also quickly fired Brenda, an excellent manager who was pretty much loved by all of us.<br><br>Did you read that post below about the big rent increases? That's the truth! I know that person and I saw her new lease. Similarly, a nice couple (and baby) I know who've rented here for more than a year were told that they'll be paying $1600 a month now instead of $1200 - for a small 2-bedroom with 8-year-old carpeting!<br><br>Pinnacle is basically pricing out good tenants like that and trying to make the complex over into a very stale place with inconsiderate management. <br><br>The funny thing is, we found a MUCH nicer and CHEAPER place closer to downtown Bellevue. I'd suggest you all look there, too.<br>

Theregentrocks

Resident • 2006

You need to judge for yourself

Truly, The Regent at Bellevue Way is wonderful place to call home.....over 25% of the residents have lived here more than 10 years!! That speaks volumes about the community. Judge for yourself and come and see what a beautiful community this is. Great location, spacious floor plans and newly renovated interiors - a great place! As for the "Unpatriotic" comment, that elderly resident came into the office and apologized for her comments...she said she truly did understand why she was not able to display the flag in her window and commented that it now hangs inside proudly. She said that she loves it here and doesn't plan on making a move any time soon.....So you see - some times personal feelings get in the way of the true facts. So come check out for yourself!!

Current Resident 784936

Resident • 1993 - 2006

Unpatriotic

It was astonishing to believe that an elderly woman who has lived here for years put out an american flag to honor her grandson fighting in the war and was sent a notice that she was in violation of her lease!! the management didn't even have the decency to tell her in person. unbelievable. They have no class her at all.

Current Resident 996108

Resident • 2006

Jury is still out...

I have lived at Northside (OK “Regent”, if I have to) off and on since 1994. Loved the Black family, who made the complex like a neighborhood. The new management, who is Pinnacle Properties, a multi-billion dollar investment company, has been true to their word for remodeling empty units & showing “movement” by resurfacing the parking lots, but they have also started to make it a typical apartment complex vs. a nice, non-descript home-like environment. The Coke machine by the pool is tacky! They have loosened the standards of who they rent to; it’s all about the almighty dollar to Pinnacle. The street signage is nice; even though it faces across the street vs. down the street so people can actually see it! I think the office staff, although very young and inexperienced, are very nice. The new maintenance mgr. is great. All in all, they are trying very hard, but they need to shift focus back a bit to maintain the place like a HOME vs. your A-typical apartment complex. My guess, eventually they will be rolled over to condos. Just you wait & see.

Current Resident 360699

Resident • 1994 - 2006

response to "Nasty place..." comment

The new manager Heather is wonderful! She started about a month ago and what a difference she has made! She is professional, kind and good for her word. I have lived her for almost 12 years and found it hard to accept a new owner, but with all the positive improvements (yes, they are being done) and the upgrades they have done it is still the best place to live in Bellevue!! Come see for your self and YOU make the judgement.... Sounds like someone has a personal ax to grind. The Regent is beautiful, professionally managed and a great place to live. I know that 3 of the Mariners just made it their home, I have met several Microsoft employees and a UW professor - if that is lowering standards, then I don't know what the heck the previous person was talking about!! This site was created for honest and truthful feedback. If you interviewed us "old timers" you would find that majority of us are very happy. I will probably continue to make this my home for another 12 years!!

Current Resident 410082

Resident • 1999 - 2006

Nasty place since new management took over

They had all these plans to remodel every apt when it became empty. Don't be fooled by the display in the leasing office. None of it has taken place. The apartments are still in the late 60!s mode. Dark wood, Dark, Dark. They have also lowered the standards of who they rent to. Seem to be 3-4 adults in the 2 br and the noise is almost unbelieveable. Loud car radios and noise carries. People out on their patio late at night etc. The grounds are very well kept, but the management is very bad.

Current Resident 133963

Resident • 2004 - 2006

Terrible Management

Northside (now The Regent) got bought out by a big corporation and is poorly managed by Pinnacle Property Management (American Management Services). They treat you and your apartment like a commidity that is solely dependent on "market conditions." However, if the leasing manager were competent, it might be ok, but the lack of customer service makes it very difficult to endure. Lots of apartments need updating. They will try to get you into worse case scenario to maximize their profits. Bad Vibe. It's sad. Bellevue residents may be in for a rude awakening. Good luck!!

Current Resident 196273

Resident • 2006

Love to call it home

I looked at dozens of apartments in the Bellevue area. Though The Regent was not the newest or fanciest, it was so beautiful and had such great floor plans. I love my apartment and the quiet setting. Every one is nice and the management has been really professional and helpful. Great location - I just jump on 520 a few blocks away and head to work in Seattle. I love to come home!

Current Resident 876661

Resident • 2004 - 2006

increase rent by 40% suddenly when new management took over

The new management company increase the rent by 40% without merit. The buildings are old and got mold problems every winter!

Current Resident 57081

Resident • 2005 - 2006

Management Sucks . . .

This place sucks. We got totally screwed over when the new management took over. They re---- on deals that were part of our original contract. Twice now we've been stuck with the bill because of mistakes they made, now totaling almost $500. Asistant managers are very nice and friendly but the head manager is very rude and self centered. It's obvious she's new at this. She's very high on her horse and almost unbearable to talk to. The place was in a good location for it's cost but now that they are rasing the rent by over $300/month and taking away some of the current amenities it is definitly not worth it. For the new cost of a two bedroom you can buy a great condo or rent a huge house here in Bellevue. Don't give this place a second look.

Stesha88

Resident • 1997 - 2005

Excellent complex

The convenience of this complex to Bellevue, Kirkland, and downtown Seattle as well as its proximity to three major freeways makes this an ideal centralized location. Under the new resident manager Brenda and maintenance chief Pete, you could not ask for a warmer or friendlier management staff. These days, most units have all new kitchen appliances as well as full-size stackable washer/dryers. As concerns the price, I actually have a one-bedroom with den, but also included in the rent is basic cable, one covered parking space, and a huge storage space. However, even with all these goodies and its convenient location, it could be considered slightly pricey. Overall, I love living here and have no plans in the future to move anywhere else.

Current Resident 230921

Resident • 2004

Best one bedrooms in Bellevue

If you're looking for a spacious one bedroom apartment with no noise, lots of privacy and good management, this place is great!<br><br>Lots of great amenities too, including free cable, covered parking and a huge storage locker included in the price of rent.<br><br>The ground floor apartments are awesome in the summer--never had to open a window, pretty good in the winter, especially with the cozy fireplaces.<br><br>I hardly ever see my neighbors, but when I do, I'm glad to find friendly, older folks who stop to chat.<br><br>The kitchens are a little cramped if you're a foodie, but the new appliances were well worth the sacrifice. Plenty of other storage in the nearby hall closet.<br><br>This place will be hard to beat if I ever have to move.

Current Resident 12611

Resident • 2002 - 2003

Air does not circulate properly

We have lived in a 2 Bdrm townhouse for one year. <br> <br>The Bad, <br> <br>For some reason the air does not circulate properly in these units. You are either always hot or cold, there is not middle ground. <br> <br>There are not realy any windows to open. You get one small window near the ground that you can prop open, otherwise you have to open the screen door in both the master bedroom and living room. The second bedroom has only one window that opens, the rest do not. Very hard to cool the place in the summer even with fans in every room. <br> <br>Cell phones do not work in the complex <br> <br>The fixture etc are all very dark, making the place always seem dark and dingy, getting light is very hard here. <br> <br>You can count on having your car broken into at least once a year, both or ours were broken into. The management was very upfront about this, so extra marks for honesty. <br> <br>Changes; <br>Old manager was a hag, new manager is better <br> <br>The Good; <br>maintance people are very helpful. They try realy hard and come when you need them. <br> <br>Pool is always clean, and well maintained, very quiet usually <br> <br>Large storage areas <br> <br>Parking spaces are the biggest in Bellevue <br> <br>Since it is an older complex and quite well build, it is rare in the townhouses to hear noise from you neighbor. <br> <br>There is adequate provision for garbage, and recylcling, there is never overflow. <br> <br>Location is very convenient for 520 and 405, as well as shops. <br> <br>

bo46

Resident • 1998 - 2003

TOO EXPENSIVE

Northside is a poorly managed, overpriced, low quality apartment complex. I lived here for 5 years and slowly watched the place go to hell. Here are the positives and negatives: <br> <br>POSITIVES: <br>Close to shops, freeways, Kirkland, Lake Washington Blvd., etc.. <br> <br>Large units with adequate space, washer and dryer in unit. A nice storage locker downstairs. <br> <br>2 balconies in some units - off the living room and master bedroom. However, Joanne the manager doesn´t allow plants or other things that require watering on the balconies. <br> <br>NEGATIVES: <br> <br>Manager is out of control. The woman Joanne that manages the place is a total jerk. She is totally inflexable and is not willing to work with you on any issues. She is totally by the book and quotes the law often. she yells at you for the most absurd reasons. For example, leaving nasty messages on your voice mail if you forget to come down to the office to pick up a package. She threatens to send packages back and does all sorts of things to upset even the most low key well behaved tenant. If you have guests over past 10pm and make a peep expect to hear about it. I found her to be obnoxious, unkind, rude, and worth avoiding at all costs. <br> <br>The heat in this place is horribe and I froze my butt off for 5 yrs. The heat is in the ceiling (doesn´t heat rise?) so it never properly heats the place. The bathrooms are not heated at all and a tiny heat lamp does not provide any warmth. The electric bill was very pricey. <br> <br>I had my car broken into 3 times in a period of 5 yrs. There have been numerous people who have experienced this and many people have had their tires slashed. Northside has done nothing to beef up security/safety. <br> <br>The water is rusty because the pipes are old. This problem has never been resolved and when you turn on the water in the bathtub or bathroom sink you have to wait several minutes before the yellow brownish color fades. <br> <br>Even though this complex is in a high tech area DSL and Broadband are not available. There are no alternatives to this problem as I explored all avenues to correct this problem. Cell phones do not work in the apartment or in the parking lot. Caller ID is not available. <br> <br>Pool is very small and only available at limited times. There is no gym. <br> <br>Appliances are old and outdated. I had many problems with the dishwasher, range, refridgerator, and oven. The hot water tank and garbage disposal both had to be replaced while I was there. They would not replace the other appliances. Counter tops are old and stain easily. Kitchen and bathroom floor tile is very 1960´s. Cupboards need to be redone and kitchen storage space is limited. <br> <br>Don´t move into the bottom or middle floor because noise overhead is horrible. The management doesn´t seem to consider the fact that having children on the top floor may create noise for people below them. Loud stompping noises when one walks from the floor above. I had pictures fall of the wall in my apt. just from people slamming doors upstairs. <br> <br>Carpet is ugly, low quality and shows everything. Requires cleaning almost monthly with a steam cleaner rental and I have no children. <br> <br>Stairs up to complexes are steep and make it difficult to move in large pieces of furniture as well as those trips to Costco. Staircases, walls, and common areas are ugly and brown. <br> <br>Conclusion: <br>It appreas there is now a very high vacancy rate due to all these issues. Many apartments are vacant and mangmt. is always advertising. Rents increase every January and all of this for the low low price of $1175 per month. What a RIP OFF!!! <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>

Current Resident 451600

Resident • 2000 - 2002

Varies from unit to unit

We lived here for just over 2 yrs. Mgt was curteous and maintenance was good. In some units, cell phones don´t work and water is brown with no pressure. Don´t try to have it fixed, Mgt won´t do anything about it. Some units have old appliances, yellow counters and others have new counters and cupboards. Some have caller ID and most don´t. For being a technology advanced community, this place was poor. No DSL or Broadband. Because the phone lines are so old and can´t even get caller ID, your internet is very, very slow. Tried to have that fixed but it would have cost over $150 out of pocket!! As far as crime, postings were put up to watch for crime but nothing was done. My car was vandalized. I saw another tenant get their tires stolen from their car. The security guy comes at about 4pm once a day.(The most crime prone time, right?) The complex is over 25 yrs old and shows. Very convenient to downtown and major freeways. Quiet for the most part.

Current Resident 629044

Resident • 2001 - 2002

What is good is very good and what is bad ....... :-(

We moved here in 2001 and had almost no time (1 day) to find an apartment. These guys did work with us and we were able to move in quickly. At the time I was just grateful to have a place to stay. We have a 1 bedroom, end-unit townhouse. <br> <br>OK - the good. Joanne is a bit of a hard-*ss, however, when our first lease was up, she was plenty willing to negotiate with us and lowered our rent by 10%. <br> <br>Only having one neighbor, our unit is very quiet. It is light, bright, and spacious. I love the floor plan in our unit and we actually have all new appliances. So I do think that they are updating. The townhouse is huge - we would have to rent a 2 bedroom anywhere else to get the space we have here. Also, we don´thave a little storage closet off the deck, we have a large storage room in the basement of our complex. This has definitely come in handy. <br> <br>At any rate, the unit is lovely and very fun to decorate. We have a neat little patio that seems very private as it is surrounded by greenery. <br> <br>The neighborhood is really nice, lots of good little routes to go walking and right up the hill from Lake Washington. Feels quite safe. 11 blocks north of Bellevue Square and only a minute or two from 405 and 520 and also pretty convenient to I-90. There is a little shopping center about a block away with a gas/service station, QFC, sushi restaurant, salon, etc... It is very handy to be able to run to the grocery store, grab what you need and be back in 10 minutes. <br> <br>The maintenance crew has been excellent, especially compared to other places I´ve lived. They are timely, efficient and neat. <br> <br>and now the bad..... <br> <br>The countertops are just aweful!!! I don´t know what they are made of but ours are a very neutral beige/cream color and they show everything!!! They are fairly nice-looking, but you don´t dare set a newspaper down. They seem to stain pretty easily - baking soda is your friend. <br> <br>The plumbing is pretty old and we get brown water out of the pipes every so often. Also, don´t think of getting so much as a sip of water when someone is in the shower! <br> <br>As someone mentioned in an eariler review - there is radiant heat installed in the ceiling. What Einstein thought that was good idea? We have a Cathedral ceiling in the living room and OMG! talk about a nasty bill in the winter! We paid $150/mo for electrical during the winter months last year. There is a ceiling fan that will circulate the air and move the hot air down, but you know you are losing a huge chunk out the roof. Plus then you are paying to run the heater AND the fan 24/7. <br> <br>As for the quality - well some things appear to be of good quality such as the walls (solid, not paper thin)and the cabinets (solid wood, not cheap laminate), however it seemed that they skimped on every little detail possible. Like the wookwork, or the window screens, etc.. They didn´t skimp on the really important stuff but everything else they did. The carpet appears cheap and should have been replaced before we moved in. Odd dark spots appear, but are easy to get out, so we are a bit worried about mold. <br> <br>We also have quite a few spiders, they don´t bother me, but someone else might say there was a bit of a problem. This is probably due to poor fitting screens and the fact that they don´t cut the ivy back from the buildings, nor do they trim it often enough. <br> <br>We would have moved after our first lease was up, but this is close to work, and after they reduced the rent, it didn´t pay to move elsewhere, even taking the large utility bills into consideration. But it was close, and since there are lots of other apartments offering attractive move-in deals - I think we will try to find someplace else this time around.

Current Resident 866380

Resident • 1998 - 2002

Sadly it has not aged well

Once upon a time Northside was a very nice apartment complex. It no longer is. It is old and not well maintained and lacks the newer features of almost all other apartments in the area. They used to have high quality residents....now it is whomever will pay their prices. <br> <br>It is over priced. It would be a better value at two thirds the rent. With the increasing vacancy rate, they may well soon have to lower their rents to attract tenants. <br> <br>One of the worst features of Northside is the heating. It is in the ceiling. When you have it on, your head gets hot, but the rest of you stays chilled. I guess when these units were built they hadn´t yet discovered taht heat rises. What a stupid place for the heating to be, especially in a cold climate. We do have a nice working fireplace, although of course it generates essentially no heat. Lots of ambiance though. <br> <br>The management is rigid and unconcerned about helping tenants. Completely unbending as well as unpersonable. Inflexible to a fault. It´s the main reason we are moving. <br> <br>In the middle floor units you can hear noise from below, above as well as your side neighbors. The front doors feel very flimsy and make me insecure if I am home alone. <br> <br>The kitchens are outdated and the appliances are old and ugly. The 70´s yellow formica in the bathrooms and kitchen are impossible to decorate around....short of a retro look. There is a stackable washer and dryer in the unit. <br> <br>No up to date things like DSL etc. <br> <br>They do have a pool but no gym eqipment. <br> <br>Overall you can do much better for the money anywhere in Bellevue, Kirkland or Redmond. I would have to say I would NOT recommend Northside anymore. It´s a shame to have seen it decay so.

Current Resident 937153

Resident • 1996 - 2000

Not worth it!

When we first moved here, management was professional and curteous and anything you needed was done in a timely fashion. Then came Joanne (the current manager). Uncouth, obnoxious and I think related to ------ is some way or another. Would move children to the top floors and put single, quiet professionals on the bottom two floors (great planning!). If you plan to live here, do not expect decent internet access nor cellular phones. Expect your car to be broken into in the summer time by smarmy little punks. Don´t plan to have other people over for small gatherings unless you invite management - they will give birth to small farm animals. You also should expect to lug everything either up or down their old, crappy brown and steep stairs. I cannot believe what they charge for these apartments. If brown is your favorite color, or you have a fascination with UPS men, perhaps this is the place for you!

Current Resident 240023

Resident • 1996 - 2002

DOWN HILL....

I have lived in this complex for 6 years and have seen many changes. This used to be an older but well maintained and managed complex. This place has completely gone downhill. There vacancy rate is very high and it is showing in the what used to be well maintained grounds, clean common areas, etc.... I have started to notice many changes. The grounds look horrible and are no longer well taken care of, the place desperately needs to be painted, there are huge gouges in the wood staircases, the paint is chipping off all the mailboxes and I noticed this past Christmas was the first year they didn´t put the lights up. The water in the kitchen and bathrooms has been rusty and brown from day one. The attempted to fix this problem but it was only resolved for about 6 months - it is really gross. The manager (Joanne) is very difficult to deal with and expects everyone to live without making a sound. Trust me, if you do make a sound, you will be sure to hear about it! There is absolutey no flexibility in regards to moving out - which I am doing right now. They have done nothing in the 6 years that I have been there to maintain the apartment. It needs new carpet, new paint, new tile, new kitchen cupboards, 2 new balconies (which have dry rot), etc.... <br><br><br><br>I also feel that the rent prices (NOW start at $1200 for a 2 bedroom) are too high for what you get, considering the age of the apartment. I would not recommend Northside to anyone that I care about. In my opinion they are poor property managers who have no people or professional skills what so ever. Also, DSL and AT&T Broadband are not available in this complex.

stretchblt

Resident • 2001 - 2002

Keep Looking (~o´O~)

The complex is older then many around and the look of 1960´s brown needs to go. The general look is not great and is badly maintained. The wooden structure is dark ´n dirty, it makes the apartments dull, even on the brightest day. If you have a cell phone cancel the service before moving here because it will not work once inside the complex. If you want the latest internet technologies forget it, no DSL no Cable. The stairways and out outside carpeting need replacing and yes the dull brown is even here. The management is very difficult to deal with and pretty much read you a list of rules that you are expected to follow or you’ll feel the wrath! The price of what you will be paying per month is very, very expensive and you could find a newer better maintained complex for the same per month or less.

Current Resident 448715

Resident • 1998 - 2001

older yet superbly managed apartment complex

well maintained and very well managed. No gym, but a nice pool and sauna. Washer and dryer in apartment unit.