Overall: I recommend this place as it met our needs. It is very safe and secure living environment but I provide it with strong caveats. Ask questions. This place is not for everyone. Dan and Gail were terrific, Liz was very sweet. But be warned of the family business owned idiosyncrasies/and lack of clarity on the rental agreement.
Positives
- Our 2 bedroom / 1 bath was $860.
- "Meow's" with deposit but no "ruffs" allowed at all.
- Convenient location with easy access from 88 and Orchard Road.
- Price is relative; could not find less expensive without driving all the way west to Dekalb.
- Parking never an issue/ample parking available and there was even garages.
- Double access doors and felt safe.
- Convenient shared trash chute in the common area, especially great in the winter.
- This is a mature living environment (mostly) and quiet quiet quiet. Never had party issues.
- Coin Laundry in all complexes. About $2 per wash and dry
- Staff were Highly responsive on both our move in and move out requirements.
Negatives:
- #1 Negative: (All respect to readers who smoke) but if you do not smoke, you are living in the same building as renters who do, and in facilities with zero active re-circulated ventilation in the common areas. Recommend smoking only buildings or adding positive ventilation to common areas.
- #2 Negative: Do not depend on the "advertised summer pool" operation schedule and/or the key provided for such. The complex, confusingly, has the pool managed?? or monitored?? by other designated residents?? who are assigned at the pool to monitor us "non chosen other" renters as we enter the pool. The monitors often did not show up we (no reason ever provided). When the monitors did not show up, we could not enter the pool as the pool was locked with a second key not provided to us "non monitor renters". Colony West advertises itself as a mature living experience. We did not feel treated as such in this instance. There likely is a significant issue of "other local apartment complex residents entering the pool when they should not". But the owners should hire security guards or institute some other process that ensures that all paying residents are still allowed entry into the pool during normal posted hours of operation.
- OUTDATED living with all CAPS intentional. Not even 1980's.. more like 70's. Rental price not representative of what you get for your money and instead representative of what is required to be paid in order to live anywhere close to Chicago. I respect location aspect and business acumen of the owners to charge what can be supported in the market, but we should have paid at least $100 less a month; or complex owners update these units.
- This leads to the last hard spot with Colony West. Due to dated facilities; the maintenance personnel were very nice and very helpful, however, the maintenance requirements of this complex are shared with multiple other Apartment complexes that Family owners also have spread across Aurora. Therefore, complex is not responsive in maintenance as the few maintenance personnel on staff are spread far too thin. Again, in a strong recurring theme, if owners do not want to update the complex, then the owners should hire enough qualified maintenance personnel to support all their outdated complex maintenance issue prone properties.
- The Aurora FF Station is less than a mile away. When they test their alarms or run out, you know it at any time of day.
- Water bill is shared with all the other residents. read more