I spent many hours searching for an apartment in Observer Park and ultimately decided to pass. We…read morewere verbally told that the deposit we put down on one specific unit counted towards the building itself and we can have our choice of 3 different units after the elevator was fixed. 903 was our first choice- it had the best views in the building but had the double whammy of train noise and elevator noise, and at the time of our deposit the elevator was taken out of service in an "attempt" to fix this noise. Well, (perhaps intentionally) right after our three day refundable "grace period", we were told that the apartment we actually wanted (903) had already been rented and that we were stuck with one we did not like as much. We visited other Greystar properties like Grand Adams where the initial deposit was refundable until the actual lease was signed, but sketchy Observer Park refused to refund any of our deposit even with our special circumstance. Here's what I learned about the building in my time spent sitting in apartments wondering if the slightly lower prices were worth the nonstop noise: 1- Jay and management seem like good people, and I was shocked they wouldn't refund our "refundable" deposit given the fact that they were dishonest about the elevator being taken out of service to fix the bothersome noise. 2- The garden elevator noise is very noticeable and bad- almost like a vibration that rumbles through the walls and into apartments- you can even hear it from the rental office- listen up. 3- The apt is not well constructed and the walls are thin. Standing in a hallway at 7pm I heard every apartments TV, conversations, music etc. This is a very old building that has been renovated but sometimes feels like they put lipstick on a pig. Bad bones. For example, the windows and window handles were clearly not renovated and were old and fragile and not very insulated. Closet space is tight because as they renovate they are taking the hall closets and converting them to a W/D with no space left over. A true legitimate renovation of the building would include new insulated windows with new handles, new doors that insulate noise, and a new garden elevator that doesn't vibrate and scream every 3 minutes like it was built 30 years ago. On the plus side, I did talk to some residents who said they got used to the noise and lived with it and enjoyed the apt. The amenities looked solid- gym and courtyard were nice. Obviously proximity to path also nice. There's a reason Yelp and every apartment website has a ton of suspect reviews for this building more so than others. Where there's smoke there's fire. We ultimately sacrificed being close to the path for a quieter nicer apartment uptown.

I've lived in this building 2 years and used to love it. Greystar management took over the…read moremanagement from Bozzuto in Fall 2017 and it's gone way downhill since then. Since Greystar took over the building, here's what we've experienced: 1. Heat in common areas (lobbies, elevator waiting areas, stairwells, hallways) is often either way down or completely off. It's freezing in this building the minute it gets cold. You pay for your own electricity to heat your apartment (heat not included in rent). It also smells like urine in the stairwells (which you'll be using, as elevators go out of service regularly because they break or residents are moving in/out - no dedicated elevator for that). 2. Bozzuto management used to host regular community events to bring residents together: a summer BBQ on the patio, Grimaldi's pizza party, concert in an empty apartment. Since Greystar took over, these community events are basically gone. There was one attempt at a "resident appreciation day" where it was advertised that a "healthy grab and go breakfast" would be provided on your way to work, but that consisted of coffee, Costco croissants, and a bowl of apples. You pay a super premium to live in this building, and well planned, well executed, valuable opportunities to meet other residents used to be a part of what you paid for. Not anymore. 3. We wanted to renew and stay here, but Greystar is hiking all the rents to an crazy price (almost 3400 for a 2 BR) that does not reflect the local market. When we visited management office to negotiate a rent staying at the current level, we were told that the building is going to undergo renovation and they "need to make a profit." If this happens, you may be paying to live in a building with construction, elevators out of service, dust, and of course a ton of noise. And Greystar does not seem to value current tenants who are respectful, clean, and pay on time all the time at all. We were also told rents are not negotiable because they're "highly occupied", which is not what the online availability indicates. 4. Our move-out letter states that we'll be charged $5 to mail back our security deposit. A stamp costs 49 cents. It's quite the indication of where Greystar's priorities are to charge $5 for a normal cost of doing business. By the way, no option was offered for us to just pick up our security deposit from the office for free. $5 isn't a lot, but the fact that they do this says a lot about how they do business and what you can expect as a resident. A few good things about the actual building- well located, walkable to PATH. The apartments are just basic "box style", nothing fancy, stainless steel appliances that try to make it feel fancy, but it's really not an upscale building. It does have an OK gym and a nice patio for resident use. But none of this is worth dealing with the impersonal and inflexible management company that runs the place now (and feel free to look up other reviews for Greystar Management, you'll unfortunately find these sentiments echoed). I don't recommend you rent here.

Thanks Sonia Hondraki :)…read more It was my first time buying a property in NYC. I had no clue what it was like. Sonia helped me go through the whole process from the very beginning to the end with her great professionality. She made the whole process very simple and easy for me. She was very helpful, patient and professional the whole time. I am and will always be grateful. I would NEVER be able to have my own apartment in Manhattan without her! I have been suggesting Sonja to all my co-workers. You should call Sonia if you're thinking about buying a property. Taner Bozdogan

Do not work with them unless you would like to get completely taken advantage of. Don't be fooled -…read morethey don't want to help you find an apartment, they're just in it to make a quick buck for doing absolutely nothing. I was guaranteed an apartment, paid over $10,000 in first month/last month/broker fees, signed a lease, and then was pushed to the side for a higher offer (7 days before my lease was supposed to start!). Please do NOT work with these awful people. You're just a paycheck to them, not a client. If you do work with this company, do not work with Diana Romano. She did not disclose any application fees, and was unwilling to take the fees off her very large commission (for doing nothing by the way). I have never had a worse experience with a realtor than I did with Diana.

Do NOT trust Kevin Klepper, and especially don't give him any $$ up front "to order fixtures". In…read more2001, he stole $7000 from my mother, and we received NOTHING in return. He did NOT order fixtures for her handicapped accessible bathroom, He put it in his pocket and disappeared. I only wish that I could have gotten anyone in law enforcement/government to do anything at the time. Now, weasels that do such things get prosecuted!

I had A 1 made extensive renovation of my apartment. They changed my hardwood floors and fixed…read morewalls. They also repainted my bathtub and fixed tiles in the bathroom. Great work! Loved it! Strongly recommended!

Their website is incredibly outdated and frustrating to navigate. It looks like it came out the…read morefirst year computers were made and hasn't been updated since. It's impossible to tell which units are still on the market and you can't enlarge any of the 2 thumbnail sized photos in each listing. PLEASE update your website.

Even though Williamsburg and now Greenpoint are sort of embarassing and passe' and filled with…read morehipster doofus rejects, I really like living here because there is really good vegetarian food and smiley elderly Polish people. Anywho, I was looking for an apartment for Nov. 1st in Williamsburg so I walked into Williamsburg Realty on October 5th and was approached by a friendly Austrian realtor T*(name withheld because he seemed like a nice person, just in a disorganized company) who offered to show me an apartment on the spot. I fell in love with the special apartment and put down a deposit. I thought my search was over. Happily! UNTIL... Almost 2 weeks later, this Realtor T* told me the "bad news" that the landlord of the apartment rejected my application and that a) there was nothing he could do and that b) sadly, he had no other apartments left in the area for a comparable price but "suggested I move to Queens." On a side note, when I visited this special apartment, a nice Mexican workman was doing repairs and the nice Realtor introduced him as "the apartment slave". I am certainly not politically correct by any means, but I felt like this comment was in very poor taste. And that he wasn't such a nice Realtor. WIlliamsburg Realty should not be allowed to take deposits for apartments until they are sure that their tenants do in fact have the apartment. It is so stressful and I do not recommend this agency. I had to scramble to find an apartment a week before my lease was up and Realtor T* never returned my calls when I asked him to recommend any apartments. Only when did I visit the agency and cry in front of the Realtor T* did he apologize to me for the stress his lack of communication had caused me. Lastly, anytime I went into Williamsburg Realty, everyone working there seemed gloomy and unfriendly. Just really bad vibes all around, but on a positive closing note, they did have nice pillows of a map of the world at the entrance which I wish I could go in and ask where they bought them but that might be a little AWKWARD considering the aforementioned incident! Sorry but it's true!

My experience renting with 225 Grand has been nothing short of fantastic. I want to especially…read morethank Angelica and Tiarra, the property managers, for always going above and beyond to assist in any way they possibly can. The level of care and attention that they give each and every tenant is phenomenal. I unfortunately have to break my lease to relocate for work, and Angelica has made what normally would be a daunting process smooth and easy. The doormen and maintenance workers are also great - I've interacted closely with all of them and have nothing but positive things to say. The location is another added plus - you're in a quiet, residential area but less than 5 min to the PATH and the shops, bars, and restaurants of Downtown JC. You also have access to the path along the waterfront with amazing NYC views about 3 min away, which has been amazing!

We've lived here for 3 years and are so sad to leave!…read more - AFFORDABILITY: You will not find more affordable rent for this much square footage in a doorman building anywhere in the nearby area. For instance, we pay $2600 for a ~900 square foot 1-bedroom apartment on one of the highest floors in the building with an unbelievable view. The building also has a gym, monthly social events, and an outdoor pool. - LOCATION: 3 minute walk to the Grove Street Path and the main area of Jersey City (aka Newark Avenue-- they close this area off so cars cannot drive there and it's filled with tons of shops/restaurants). 225 Grand is also a 5 minute walk from the water, so you can walk to the pier and take in the beautiful views of the Statute of Liberty or the NYC skyline. - QUIET: thank goodness there is no nearby construction, so it's quiet here! Which is saying a lot for Jersey City! - AMENITIES: you pay a ~$600/year amenities fee for monthly building events (i.e.: summer bbq party, holiday party, etc.) and access to the pool and gym (all equipment is state of the art with televisions, and they host yoga/pilates classes). The doormen are also incredibly friendly, and I've never had an issue picking up a package. If you'd like, the building also has its own parking garage attached to the building that you can pay for. Lastly, you can rent out the lounge for free so long as you post a notice about it on the 225 Grand building app. - MAINTENANCE: all of our maintenance requests were dealt with promptly and efficiently. The building is also kept in great shape (admittedly, the hallways of the building are incredibly strange-looking). Word of advice: when looking for a unit in this building, I would highly recommend an interior unit (aka one that faces the pool area) on a higher floor. Not only is it quieter, but you get AMAZING sunset views. The units that face the other directions (either Manhattan or 18 Park) are noisy. For instance, the side that faces Manhattan is right next to a school, so you can hear football games and crowds cheering in the late afternoon/weekends. On the 18 Park side, you will hear loud garbage trucks between 1-2 AM. All in all, if I did not have to relocate for work, I would stay here for another 3 years!