Griffis Lake Washington

Current Resident 10058

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Great place to live.

Great place to live.

Current Resident 10038

Verified Resident • 2010 - 2013

Great location and if...

Great location and if these were condos I would buy. Staff treats everyone well and knows your name. Elevators are my only gripe. Slow

Current Resident 10036

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Very happy so far, staff...

Very happy so far, staff have been excellent.

Current Resident 9988

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Very nice staying with...

Very nice staying with a very reasonable price

Current Resident 9980

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

TL;DR Don't judge a book...

TL;DR Don't judge a book by its cover. Despite being a nice looking complex, the management staff and business practices are dubious at best, dishonest at worst. The apartments are new, so the interior is nice. The community amenities are pretty decent: the business center is handy for printing out documents, and there is public wifi. The gym seems okay, but I've never needed to use it, and the vending machine prices are reasonably set--so they're not trying to gouge you. I'm not sure what social scene is like, unless you wanna hang out in the target parking lot. You live by the Landing, but that scene gets pretty old, pretty quick. Most of the tenants that live here are generally nice, but there are a few self-entitled pricks who try to sneak into the parking garage, despite being told to buzz themselves in. The grounds are nice, but there is a problem with a few people not cleaning up after their dogs, on the sidewalks. Plumbing seems to be a constant issue--my shower doesn't drain effectively. I assume because the laws of gravity don't apply in Renton. The maintenance, custodial, and grounds keeping staff are friendly enough, and the general order of things works well. However the Managerial/Leasing Staff engage in dishonest practices, and for that reason alone, I would avoid living here. If you can't trust the people who are setting up your leasing agreements and explaining terms to you, that's a pretty big red flag. My personal experience: I moved in, 14 months later, my lease was up, and my rent was raised. Dislike, but not unexpected. The kick to the balls was that the lease-term was set at 9months. So not only is rent going up, and in 9 months, I could expect another rent-hike. As I asked the leasing consultant, they explained that their "head office" is only offering 9 month leasing. I was able to confirm with two different sources, that they were in fact also doing 12 month lease renewals. So what might have been a decent community is ruined by terrible management and business practices. If you're gonna subject yourself to this, might as find a more cost effective apartment community. After all, it's Renton, and you'd be pretty silly to pay $1400 for an apartment in Renton.

Current Resident 9930

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Great apartment implied...

Great apartment implied with many amenities. Unfortunately, at least one elevator/parking garage gate are always being fixed. Other than that, I live living here because my son and other children have a great playing ground to frolic from store to store.

Current Resident 9896

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Great location. Great...

Great location. Great staff. Nice apartment. Public spaces well maintained. Nice.

Current Resident 9867

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

My husband and I lived...

My husband and I lived here for a year and a half the place was nice & well kept, but for what your paying it should be. These apartmebts are nice but very expensive and the elevator was out every other week as well as the parking garage gate that was an inconvenience for us. We loved the gym and te location! There was a couple of tunes the fire alarm would go off in the middle of the night for no reason if your on the goth flirt you won't be too happy, overall 1-10 I would give this place a 6 because of cost, things always broken. FYI if your a none smoker you should not move here the tenants outside smoke will creep into your apartment from the balconies.

Current Resident 9830

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

Overall it was really...

Overall it was really good. The price was based on location. It wasn't very quiet because it was next to The Boeing Plant. Staff is very nice. The grounds was kept nicely but the neighbors would drop stuff and not pick it up. The dogs would leave surprises...but that wasn't the staff's fault. It was the people's fault.

Current Resident 9815

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

Price is a little pumped,...

Price is a little pumped, but these are almost new apartments and if you're able to land a good deal I'd recommend. Not as luxury as advertized, kitchen equipment is cheap, and I absolutely hated black granite counter tops that needed to be cleaned all the time, and I mean ALL THE TIME. Walls scratch easily, so be careful there too. Amenities are nice, but only if you use them. Not everyone is using them, but everyone is paying for them, keep that in mind. I did get hit with some fees I felt were unfair when I moved out, another thing to be careful about. I made a mistake for not being there on the walkthrough when I moved out. So, yeah, these are nice apartments to live in, but like everywhere else, it's all about money. As soon as you sign the lease you'll start noticing things you hate, and surely, it's too late by then.

Current Resident 9793

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

I like living there,...

I like living there, just wish people with animals would pick up there s*** cause I'm tired of stepping on them.

Current Resident 9778

Verified Resident • 2013

Good apartment for the...

Good apartment for the price. Very good location. Management team are very good in solving problems. I really recommend

Current Resident 9669

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Great place to live,...

Great place to live, though the grounds could be better maintained and the hallways could be cleaner. Overall, I really enjoyed living at the Sanctuary because it is close to quite a few restaurants, target, and the highway. After moving out, I had a few extra charges that were taken out of my deposit that aren't mentioned in the lease. I've had trouble working with the office to get my phone calls returned, after the manager said she would need to speak with the corporate office about getting my money back. Basically, when you live there you get decent service, but after you move out they stop taking your calls. In sum, I'd recommend the place on the condition that you keep track of paperwork and follow up on your deposit after move-out. Hopefully others have had a better experience than I have.

Current Resident 9633

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

This was a nice community...

This was a nice community when it first opened but the management has since been replaced and they are not nearly as good. The management and residents do not care much about the property and it shows.

Current Resident 9419

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

I've lived here for over...

I've lived here for over a year and a half now. The community has gotten better as far as past vandalism but the buiding seems to always have issues with the gates. There are continuously people parking in the garage without permits so parking is always an issue. They can't fit tow trucks into the garage and nobody seems to have the brass to start ticketing intruders. Notes on windows aren't doing the job at all. The staff has improved, some maintenance staff are great, but quality of elevators, damaged areas don't seem to be a priority for such a new building and high rents. The quality speaks for itself sometimes and rising rents are not the reflection that fit the building quality and upkeep, nor how the staff deals with problem guests. Great location, lots to do and very convenient. But there comes a time when you have to balance high rents, and lack of prestige when looking at these apartments for what you're paying. We've never had any issues with the apartment itself, everything is in great shape and new, apartment layouts are really nice! Beware of the pool/courtyard areas in the summer, the units can get a little toasty and leaving windows open at night is pretty much impossible because people are always in the courtyard all hours of the evening being loud and partying in the summer. Lots of times drinking. I say that out of frustration because cops have been called numerous times and nothing changes. So the staff probably should look to set a precidence on how they want future residence to reflect this community. Its very close to being a highly reccomended community for me, but there are a few little details that could change how this place is viewed and what will be tolerated and what won't. That's all that sets it apart from the reserve next door.

Current Resident 9418

Verified Resident • 2010 - 2013

The apartments are a...

The apartments are a little pricey for their size but you are paying for the location, shopping, 10+ restaurants, parks and trails, and quick freeway access. I love living so close to work and being able to take a short walk to get more cat food, light bulb, milk or whatever at 9pm.

Current Resident 9416

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

Roomy living spaces and...

Roomy living spaces and good amenities. Great location in the vicinity of Lake Washington with shopping venues, entertainment options and freeway access nearby.

Current Resident 9412

Verified Resident • 2013 - 2014

I couldn't be happier...

I couldn't be happier living at Sanctuary. The staff was well informed when I came to tour the property and, now that I am a resident, they are always available to help. My apartment is so quiet. When I get home from work I can relax and not be disturbed by noise. Indoor secure parking is amazing and my 2 dogs were welcomed.

Current Resident 9406

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

Excellent location. Family...

Excellent location. Family friendly.

Current Resident 9309

Verified Resident • 2012

These apartments are...

These apartments are pretty nice. I like the access to shopping (Target, Fry's) and restaurants (Pot Belly, 5 Guys Burgers, The Rock). They are all within walking distance. There are a couple of things I did not like. 1) The front doors are thin and you can hear conversations, TVs, etc. when walking down the halls. 2) I lived on the east side facing the Lowes. The road noise is a little annoying because it echoes between the buildings. Even though I was on the 4th floor it would get a little loud. It wasn't enough to give this place a bad rating though. Overall, pretty nice place to live. A little pricey and they will stick it to you if you go month-to-month. I'm sure it is like that anywhere though.

Current Resident 9114

Verified Resident • 2010 - 2013

Nice place to live can...

Nice place to live can be quiet if you are not on the side where the pool is.The price seems a little high but I guess it is because of the area it is in.Close to shopping and restaurants over a nice place to live.

Current Resident 9083

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2012

Nice newer community...

Nice newer community in a convenient location. The biggest drawback is very slow elevators and very dirty foyers in front of the elevators. The stairwells are filthy and smell like a kennel with urine from pets on the carpet/concrete and random poop left behind. Maintenance needs to add the stairwells and foyers to the cleaning schedule etc.

Current Resident 9036

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

Great overall - however,...

Great overall - however, the price is getting steep (over $1000 for a studio, almost a 10% spike since my last lease.) The parking areas / spaces need better cleaning along with the elevator areas.

Current Resident 9032

Verified Resident • 2012 - 2013

Nice spacious apartment...

Nice spacious apartment and friendly, hard working staff. But the building is poorly built (doors that don't lock) and sound of noise travels well where you're able to hear residents upstairs going to the bathroom and flush their toilet. They have garbage compactor that runs 24/7 inside the building on the second floor (first two floors are parking lots) and if you live above where it's place, you can hear it go off, loud and clear, anytime during the day and night. For the price you pay, it's not well maintained either. Dirty parking lot - stain from trash by the elevator and some spots on the floor and odor coming from huge trash bins they keep inside the parking lot on the first floor. I've seen clearer apartments with fraction of what I pay for this apartment. I can't wait till my lease is up and I would not recommend this apartment to anyone.

Current Resident 9029

Verified Resident • 2011 - 2013

As with everything there...

As with everything there are pros and cons. Honestly this place is literally just "Ok". Pros: Close to everything, right next to Coulon, Maintenance staff is very prompt! CONS: Where to begin...for this being a "luxury" apartment building that is fairly new, there is nothing luxurious about it. The apartments are WAY over priced. I promise you that you are better off renting an apartment in Bellevue that is actually luxury for the price of this place. For as much as you pay for these apartments you would think the benefits would be amazing. And if you are a long time tenant don't think you will ever get a break on rent or an incentive to stay. Walls - THIN AS PAPER. I can't tell you how many times I've been woken up to my neighbors alarm clock, people just enjoying their balcony or using their shower! You can hear EVERYTHING. Can't get too mad at your neighbors because you know realistically they probably aren't blasting their tv's anyways. The parking garage is awful to park in. The elevators are BEYOND SLOW. Take the stairs. Which people smoke in the stairwells...classy right. People with pets don't clean up after their pets. The workout room is a poor excuse for a Gym. The tredmills are always breaking down and for a building that big you should have a gym 3 times that size with better equipment. You are better shelling out the money to go to LA Fitness. The halls often smell from the trash rooms. Walk around the halls...notice how the base boards and walls are dirty? The pool is shaded so quickly in the summer and is very small. You won't be able to really enjoy it because in order to do that you need to go super early on a weekday and even then give it an hour or so before it is full and no longer relaxing. If you cook, like most people do....open ALL the windows near the kitchen and cook with the vent on because 99% of the time your smoke detector will go off. Yay for the smoke detector, BOO for how sensitive it is. Trust me, you are better off renting somewhere else that at least will 1. give you a better quality apartment for the money or 2. have better amenities.