The Monarch apartments are a hot mess. Numerous problems resonate beneath the surface of what at first impression, is a luxury apartment complex. I was a tenant for four months and finally decided to leave. High rent, low occupancy, consistent trash issues and faulty appliances took there toll. The Monarch was simply not worth the price. My issues:
The Monarch has a high rent rate, and the rent seemed to gradually increase each month. My final rent was 1999.00 for a one bedroom. I decided to that money would be better served in a mortgage.
The Monarch occupancy is low. The latest rate posted was 18 percent. I can't blame the manager, she was very helpful, and really worked diligently for the property. The same can not be said for the other front office staff. Lack of organizational maturity mixed with an absence of personal skills caused an inability to effectively mitigate tenant concerns. Another issue associated with the low occupancy was low event turnouts. On average 8-12 people would attend scheduled events...so any expectations of meeting a huge swath of fellow tenants is simply wishful thinking.
The Monarch charges each tenant 25 dollars a month for garbage services. After numerous complaints ranging from locked access to the garbage/recycling bins and lack of personnel picking up the garbage..most tenants simply laid their garbage near the bins or near the dumpsters. This action doesn't reflect a 25 dollar fee?!?
Lastly, odds are the dishwasher will fail you because it was installed wrong. Expect a 5 day turn around to fix it.
Convenience seems to be the touted line but in reality the Monarch is very difficult to get to during rush hour traffic. Nestled in a far corner of the Waugh Chapel complex, the Monarch is surrounded on the south side by a booming housing development and in the north, by a busy shopping center. The traffic patterns are difficult to navigate during rush hour or holidays, especially on route 3. Want proof...go visit the apartment complex on Friday at 6pm.
On a final note...if you choose to take a chance at the Monarch...read the lease and ask questions. Those move in deals will be assessed if you decide to break the lease. I was told by the staff that to break the lease the fee would be 1900.00, equivalent to one month's rent. The finally tally was over 3800.00. Remember..the Monarch is in business to make a profit..your concerns are irrelevant if they cost the property profits.
On a positive note, the maintenance personnel are very nice, the gym is great and the propane grills are fantastic.
I hope this helps. Good luck. read more