Rewriting my review now that I have had the move-in, resident, and move-out experience with E&H! I…read morelived in one of their properties for about four years.
First, the viewing was self-guided. You get a key from a lockbox and let yourself in. It can be nice to have a guided tour to show you where building amenities are, but this worked too. I applied for the unit the same day. I was third in line as an applicant, to my dismay. However, the two applicants ahead of me somehow disqualified. Either their income didn't check out or they didn't bring the deposit check within 24 hours as required. Either way, I felt very lucky to have come up in the line, because that was a great condo.
Moving in was stressful from what I recall because you don't get your lease until the day you move in. Most places give you keys before that. So in my mind, I worried they would take it out from under me while all my boxes were downstairs in a moving truck. I would argue for changing that procedure. That said, now that I have had more experience with them, they are a professional company with clear procedures, so I would tell other tenants who worry like I do, not to stress so much about that.
During my tenancy, I tried to minimize the maintenance I requested because I didn't want to give reason to raise my rent by increasing costs, and also because it's a pain to have maintenance crews. The previous maintenance coordinator was a nightmare and I was relieved she left because she communicated so terribly. But then came Carlos, who is amazing. Carlos will have a work order in your email and a technician calling to schedule before you can even think about when you're available. He is friendly and professional. When I needed maintenance, E&H sent maintenance. There was no humming and hawing over whether it was necessary, whether I should cover it myself; they just dealt with it. During my tenancy, they replaced a water heater and a toilet without hesitation. This could be in part related to the specific property owner for my condo, maybe he was less cheap about things, who knows. But I do know that if something broke, they fixed it, and I have no complaints there.
My property supervisor was Lorenzo. Outside of the start and end of my tenancy, I had very little interaction with him. He is very direct; you won't find him small talking or sharing personal details. Nonetheless, he is professional, experienced, and by the book. If you want to know how your tenancy will go, read your lease; they follow it to the letter. Lorenzo helped make my move-out easier than he had to. I am appreciative of him as a property supervisor. You don't always know how things will go when a company has your deposit money. I wish I could tell my past self not to worry so much and that it was okay to trust what was being said to me.
The other office staff are hit and miss. Some are helpful and responsive. Some will ignore three emails in a row and just never acknowledge you. Communication could be much better, which is why this review is four stars instead of five. I wish they were proactive instead of reactive. I think E&H counts on their property supervisors to do too much, which results in office staff who don't have many answers and property supervisors who are stretched too thin.
I had to return my keys on a Sunday, so I was told to drop them in the mailbox. Unfortunately, the mailbox was jammed so I couldn't. I was leaving town the next morning, so there was no option but to leave them inside the apartment. I worried I would be charged a fee for this, but I was not. It did stress me out immensely though.
The payment portal is convenient, although there is a small transaction fee each month paid by the tenant. I like that you can view your entire account ledger in the portal. All documents are also stored there.
My deposit was returned in full, including my pet deposit, via check, mailed 19 days after I vacated, within the CA legal limits. No deductions were made. It was important to me to get a full refund, so I cleaned that condo to within an inch of its life. I have no idea what the standard is, but I left it cleaner than I found it for sure, with the exception of the carpet, which had normal wear and tear after so many years of use. I filled all the holes in the walls that I had made, and I painted over the spackle with a paint match even though painting was not asked of me. I scrubbed the cabinets and drawers inside and out. I made myself sick with cleaning fumes. In any case, I got all my money back, so it was worth it.
Again, I will say that E&H is by the book. They tell you what to expect. Read the qualifications for tenants before you pay your application fee. Use the move-out checklist they send you when you vacate. Communicate in writing. That way, you won't have surprises later.
