It seems a shame to leave a middle review when our experience was wonderful! However, there has been a change of hands on the executive level recently, and the wonderful property manager of ten years quit. It seems her years of dedication in making Prairie a coveted spot on the Lake-Kenosha rental scene were discounted by the very recently added supervisor of property managers. I wonder how long it will take Bear Property to find somebody of Kathy's caliber, if Bear does so, and how long it will be before Prairie is just another complex or worse if Bear does not? Apartments are grouped in subbuildings. All subbuildings have 12 apartments that have one set of service doors, with one key. There is a ground floor, which is really the first floor, then the first is really the second, and the apartments with a 200 number are really the third floor. There are no elevators, so really think about it if the only offerings are apartments in the 200 range offered, should you be out-of-shape or have health issues. Each 12 apartments share exactly ONE washer and ONE dryer, in the basement, in what appears to have been a small maintenance room or large closet at one time. Tenants are responsible for the lint traps, and the cleaner does the rest. Most tenants take their laundry to Holiday Village in very nearby Paddock Lake. Holiday Village has brand new washers and dryers, installed in 2022, and an app to operate the washers and dryers. Holiday also provides drop-off service, but has trouble keeping staff. So if you drop off, don't expect your clothes any time soon. No, that demolished building behind 8703 does NOT belong to Prairie or to Bear Property! It would be good if Bear had the funds to buy it and turn it into more parking, but that hasn't happened. The county tax assessor's office shows who owns the property. It's the same people who own the rather unkempt apartments next-door to Prairie. The apartments are small. They are sturdy, clean, and well-maintained, although the bathroom could do with an update in the tub and toilet area (1985 and hard water). Space is at a premium in these units so plan accordingly. The master bedroom has an epic closet and holds a queen size bed with room to spare. The balcony is a nice feature from March through early November. Some tenants decorate their balconies for the season. Kathy encouraged it. It made it very pleasant for the tenants, particularly at Christmas. Grilling is OK as long as the tenants are on the ground (no balcony grills at all!), and the grill is propane (no charcoal, allegedly by village law). There is a lone public grill in the park area, but it requires charcoal. The park area does have a playground and bike rack. Joey keeps the outdoors area cleaned and well-maintained. Catherine cleans the inside public ways such as halls, and vacated apartments, and she is the best cleaner ever! Currently, Mark is in charge of maintenance. He has much skill, and has everything working, though I hear his list is long. There are single-car garages for an additional fee. Some tenants turn their garages into little retreats away from their apartments, especially men as man-caves. It makes tenants happy, and provides for cordiality. NOTE: No chest freezers or anything that must stay plugged in 24/7 in the garages. Prairie pays for the electricity in the garages, so it's only fair. Note that the water at Prairie comes from a well. This is either a feature if you are health-conscious, or a problem if you cook for yourself. Most of the year it's potable but "hard" water. Around January through March, the water develops a smell, very stinky, almost like garbage with a back odor of sulfur. At this time of the year, the water looks rusty. But the rest of the year, it's just fine, drinkable. January through March, smart tenants have a water service come. Add a bottle of Rust-Out and rust remover powder or tablets to your regular shopping list. Kathy did an excellent job of picking nice people to live here. She didn't merely fill a spot. Neighbors look out for each other. There is no theft, particularly of packages. Kathy encouraged several community gatherings during the year, so neighbors had a chance to meet each other and chat. There was also a food drive for the local pet shelter at Christmas. Ultimately, an apartment isn't just a spot to fill to make money for the owner. It gives people a place to live, their home, for however long that is. Kathy realized that. I don't think Bear Property does at this point, anymore. Perhaps Bear needs to be reminded that people, tenants, property managers, maintenance people, are human, and to treat them as anything less than fellow travelers in this world is not just courtesy. It's vital to good business. read more

The people who live in Prairie are just the nicest people! But with Kathy gone, and nobody at Bear stepping up, the residents are pretty much on their own. Kathy was the property manager. She made living at Prairie gracious. There were events, get-togethers, charitable drives. But after 10 years, Bear Property Management (BPM) managed to make Kathy and several other property managers leave. What Jan said, the other reviewer- I can't place her, but I know a lot of people there- pretty much holds true. You might want to check out Bear Property Management for yourself. https://www.bearpropertymanagement.com/ They seem to be forgetting their smaller complexes, such as Prairie and Lakewood Village, and concentrating on their high end and Wisconsin Workforce properties, such as Brookstone and the Lofts. There is currently no regular property manager assigned to Prairie, and there is no assigned maintenance worker. Plan to wait awhile if you need a repair. When Kathy left, the independent contracted cleaners left. For awhile, the halls and common areas were disgusting. BPM did hire somebody who vacuums once a week or so. But this firm doesn't really clean as well as Catherine, the former cleaner, did. They don't clean the glass doors, nor do they get the nooks, crannies, knobs, and laundry rooms. Most residents take their laundry to Holiday Village. There is ONE washer and ONE dryer for every 12 apartments. The machines at Holiday Village run on an app, bills, or change. The ones in each sub-building run on quarters. The water is better at Holiday Village, as well, gets clothes cleaner. The water, from late November through late March, has a smell between garlic and sulfur. It is well water. The water tanks were supposed to be changed. That never happened. There is a landscaping service that is contracted to do the greenery and remove the snow. The one currently contracted is great at greenery, lousy at snow. When Kathy was there, she made the service do a good job. Now? BPM's answer to the situation was to send residents an email to watch where they walked, after an elderly resident slipped, fell, and had to call for help. The floors are numbered G for the first floor (Ground), 100 for the second floor, and 200 for the third floor. There is no elevator. You should know this if you have trouble with stairs and rent online instead of visiting the property. Garages are available for an additional monthly rent. There are some families who use the garages as "man caves" or to grill and socialize. You never know what the chefs will cook up! Make friends and join them. Both dogs and cats were allowed there when I lived there, but I noticed on the BPM website that now BPM only wants cats. The dogs who lived there were lovely, well-behaved animals. Their owners took special care with them. It took 25 days to get back my deposit, despite cleaning the unit, replacing coils, drip pans, and racks in the stove, even getting under the stove and refrigerator to scrub the floor. I was told that it was because there was an "address discrepancy." This was despite the fact that I supplied my new address when I gave them notice, again through email, yet again through email, and in a paper note when the keys were returned. Everybody has to live somewhere. You very well might have to live in Prairie for a time. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't know what's going on before you arrive. read more