I'm writing this review because I am searching for a new apartment closer to work and all I can find are terrible, terrible reviews and I feel as though when someone does something right, they should be acknowledged, not just those that don't.
Cliff View Gardens does it right. I've only been living here for the past year, but I have to say that it is the cleanest, quietest, most convenient apartment I have even lived in (and I've lived in several). The only reason I am leaving is because it is a cool hour plus drive from my new job and I just can't do that every day between the time and gas.
I first found out about it from my mother, who was already a resident. I was looking in the area and she suggested CVG as a potential, but I thought I would be priced out of it as I was looking for a 1br for around $1,000/month. I was wrong, this place is priced incredibly well for what you're getting. Let me describe it for you...
When I first moved in, I already knew that they were working on the apartment to get it ready for me, but I didn't know the extent until I started to settle in. I always scrutinize each apartment I move into, take pictures, and catalog any potential issues that may come up when my lease is up to cover my a$$ - I was hard pressed to find any.
It was obvious that they had cleaned the entire place, top to bottom, *before* painting and refinishing the floors. They had installed brand-new windows (this place really doesn't lose any heat in the winter or air in the summer, and if you get one of those foam dealies to slide under the front door, it's practically air-tight), a new vanity, new oven, new dishwasher, new sink (gorgeous sink) and re-tiled a portion of the bathroom (tub/shower area). My only complaint I could conjure was that whoever installed the face plate that covered the cable hook-up glued it to the wall instead of just screwing it into some mollies, so when Cablevision went to set me up, they ended up tearing a portion of the wall off. Also, some of the screens on the windows have small holes in them, nothing big, but holes nonetheless.
As far as the grounds, I think that during the spring/summer/parts of fall the landscapers are there everyday - it's immaculate. The trash is never over-flowing, WasteManagement comes twice a week, I think, and there is a co-mingled recycling dumpster on each end of the property. There is tons of parking, and garages for rent. You never have to struggle to find a space, and there's usually a spot close to your entrance to not have to walk more than 50 feet or so. There are multiple laundry rooms, so there's never a wait, and all of the machines are modern and in good repair.
The maintenance guys and management (Jamie) are very responsive and get back to you pretty much within the day. I had a problem with my water pressure about a month into living here and they fixed it the next day before I got home from work. Aside from that, I have not had a problem that even needed maintenance. Another plus is that the management doesn't really play games or try to cheat you out of your money - I feel as though I've always been treated fairly and I doubt that that changes from tenant to tenant.
As far as the location, you can't beat it. Hackensack St. runs parallel to Rt. 17 (about 15 minutes south of the Garden State Plaza and 15 minutes north of Route 3/NJ turnpike) and CVGs location on Hackensack is about 5-10 minutes (depending on traffic and lights) from the entrance to Route 80, probably 20 minutes (no traffic) from the GWB. Pretty much any shopping you'd want to do is within 20 minutes, tops (Lowes, BJs, Staples, GSPlaza, Stop & Shop, Shop-Rite, restaurants etc) and all of the take-out places in the immediate area are pretty good (I recommend Hasbrouck Heights Pizzeria and Fujian for chinese and sushi). Also, and this is something that you really can't dismiss, there is a 7-11 right next to the development, so if you really need something but can't make it to the store, it's *right there*. The neighborhood is very good, as it's patrolled by a generous amount of police between Wood Ridge and Hasbrouck Heights. I'm comfortable enough leaving my windows open during the day when I'm at work - it's that cloistered and safe-feeling to me.
Lastly, your neighbors are the best kind (in my opinion). They keep to themselves, keep chit-chat to "Hello"s, and all take care of the property like their own. Many of the tenants are seniors who have been here a long time and there are barely any (if any at all) children, so it's very peaceful. Also, the insulation and soundproofing between units is very good, you can really only hear the people upstairs if they are banging something very heavy against the floor - that's it.
I know this is long-winded and almost too positive, but it's all true. Take my advice, check this place out - you'll definitely want to stay. I really would if it was closer to work. Thanks for reading! read more
