Let me start by saying I would give the staff at the Cedarview/10th and College office a 3/5 and PJ would get a 5/5. She is super helpful. The rest are nice whenever I go in or email them. i do have issues with my lease signing process initially that I elaborate on below.
The 2/5 is mostly for the actual quality for the apartment and the prices you pay/them keeping my money:
1. Price: The prices here are high - I live in a one bedroom apartment at the Horizons building that went up in August 2012. I was the first person in my apartment. Aesthetically, they are pretty nice. But compared to say the Mercury, where a couple 100 dollars more can get you a 2 bedroom and a more centrally located building, Horizons is definitely overcharging us.
2. Additional costs: Anything that you have to have checked/fixed in your apartment seems to run $40 - why? Is nothing covered in my $1000+ rent?
3. Clubhouse costs: This additional charge is ridiculous - the pool is closed most of the year, the gyms are small - $300 annually is way too high.
4. Water pressure: SO disappointing. I always check the pressure in a building before moving in but I couldn't because this building was still being constructed when I signed my lease all the way from NJ. The water pressure is so weak you wonder if you aren't using the knobs right
5. Thin walls: You can hear EVERYTHING, I mean eeeeeverrryyyyything your neighbors are doing if youknowwhatimean, whether you want to be a part of it our not. I can here my neighbor's iPhone buzzing, their tv, whether they're watching tv or playing a video game, music, and above me this year my neighbor could be Shrek and it sounds like he's always bowling or at least attempting to bowl with a 16 lb. bowling ball.
6. Packages: You get a package during the day and it doesn't fit in your mailbox or in the boxes near the mailboxes it will be delivered to the 10th & College office. They are only open 9-5 so getting those packages can be a hassle and when you are ordering things to your apartment, it would be to get them at your apartment instead of having to go to another place to get things you had shipped to you.
7. Misinformation: When I signed my lease remotely, I was advised that the 4th floor apartment was the same as the 3rd floor in terms of the ceiling height and so I opted for the 3rd floor. That is incorrect and I would've sprung for the 4th floor had I been informed correctly.
8. Lack of information: Not once when signing the lease was I told there was an open courtyard in the building and no interior space. I was never told that my apartment would open the door to the outside vs. an internal hallway. This would have been important information to share with someone. In a state like Indiana where it's cold 70% of the year, why would you build an open courtyard building and not mention it? Probably to get me to sign. If I had known, I wouldn't have signed.
9. SECURITY DEPOSIT: After two of us cleaned the apartment, I was still charged almost half my security deposit. I understand needing to replace a couple stove plates (I cooked a lot) and needing to paint and dry wall (I had a lot of paintings up and scuffs). What I don't understand is a $40 carpet cleaning charge. The carpet was vacuumed and cleaned, and is only a room about 12x12. They also charged $70 for cleaning overall. I get cleaning behind the stove and fridge. I'm one girl, I can't move this stuff around but the amount is outrageous given I cloroxed, mopped, swept, swiffered and vacuumed everything from window ledges to bathtubs. It costs me $50 in Chicago to have my apartment that is ALL carpet and 200+ sq ft bigger, to be cleaned. I had the Bloomington apartment cleaned once and it was $60 for two women and they did an outstanding job.
Most buildings in the area take advantage of students when it comes to getting all the money they can out of us which I think is beyond obnoxious. Horizons is doing it too. I am not interested in getting into a lawsuit like other students and buildings but they like taking your money when they charge 4x what they are actually paying.
Thanks, it'll make my student loans much easier to pay off. read more