I have lived in a one bedroom unit here for a year now. I update this review as I gain experience with the facility.
The location is very convenient; I rarely drive my car. A fruit stand, pet store, hair stylist, liquor store, Safeway, banks, day care, Gold's Gym and a few restaurants are within immediate walking distance. Missing within walking distance are a drug store and a good fish department. Downtown Campbell is easily reached by bicycle.
The rent is competitive. The pictures posted by management here on Yelp are accurate, except that things look even better now. The pool now has a new deck, and apartments are being renovated with laminate flooring and a microwave/ventilation hood. The 8' wide by 2' deep kitchen pantry closet you can see in the photo is very large.
The facility is located in a low crime area. The complex layout is conducive to security, where most entry points are plainly visible from several other apartments. Security is bolstered by a private security patrol. Watchful babushikas keep an eye on things, too.
Cats are allowed with an extra deposit and no additional rent. Many tenants keep cats.
Smoking is allowed, but not so many residents smoke. How bothersome it is depends on your location. When my neighbor's guest smoked on an upwind balcony for a few days, that was a mild annoyance. But I knew the rules going in, so I was prepared to tolerate it.
The Resident Manager Alla is agreeable, a pleasure to do business with, and very hardworking. Carlos the maintenance man is capable and cheerful. Maintenance requests are handled properly and quickly. All my neighbors are nice. The complex is quiet except for kids playing outside, but kids cheer up the place; I kind of like hearing their chatter.
Before I moved in, my apartment got fresh interior paint, a new laminate floor, new shower doors and a new microwave/ventilation hood. I see other apartments undergoing similar renovation between tenants. There are no ants, roaches, or mosquitoes. The residents' cats constantly prowl the grounds, providing rat control.
The floor plan is excellent. I very much enjoy my balcony. The place is teeming with hummingbirds.
The on site laundry facility is always spotless and in good working order. Weirdly, there is rarely even lint in the dryer lint filters. One weekend the laundry room flooded, but a few hours later it was sparkling clean and ready to use.
The apartments contain only electrical appliances. Residents pay for electricity used within the apartment. An additional variable fee of about $45 is assessed for your share of all the other utilities used by the complex. The apartment has a 220 volt outlet for your Jacob's ladder or your arc welder.
The prevailing north wind blowing through my apartment is cool and refreshing. In the summer I used the air conditioner just once. However, the buildings on the east and west of the complex are oriented such that they may not enjoy this benefit. They run their air conditioners more.
I carefully read the entire rental contract and found it reasonable.
The complex was built in 1978, so although well maintained, there are problems. I am deducting one star for the following:
* I have only a trickle of hot water at my kitchen sink. However, the important hot water is in the shower works fine. Plus, the cold water is not so cold; I suspect that the cold water pipes are warmed by the hot water pipes. Test the hot water in the actual apartment you are considering. Note the location of the hot water heater shack at one end of each building. The closer you are, the more likely you will get satisfactory hot water.
* There is no medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I must keep my toiletries in a drawer. Any toiletries that must be stored upright must stay out on the vanity counter or be stowed down low in the vanity cabinet where I have to stoop to get at them. Test the drawers because they have been heavily used in the past, and you will use them a lot (my drawers work fine).
* The complex badly needs exterior paint. Alla says this is scheduled.
I realize that the hot water problem can be solved only by moving everyone out and re-plumbing the building--a huge, disruptive project. I certainly don't want to move out and move back in just for the sake of more hot water.
With all due respect, the rules about which reviewer Lacey complains are reasonable. I find it hard to believe that management harasses people about expired car registration. Even so, responsible, credible people keep their registration current. Hot water is indeed the weak point of this facility, but management willfully cutting off hot water to a single apartment is technically infeasible.
If you like the location, price and facility, come and join me here. I recommend Appletree Square Apartments. read more