I remember what this used to be like in the 90s now it feels less like a mall and more like the souless parkinglot strips that you find everywhere else. There is some good stores here tho read more

I paid $366 deposit and was denied on my application and haven't been given a refund. It's been over 3 months!!

This place is not so bad unless the apartment you get can have some uncalled for things like my toilet almost flooded my apartment but so far good it's nice the pool is fun during summer and lots a places to go to read more

Units are hardly ever inspected before management decides to put them up for listing causing residents to not find their issues until they can finally look at the apartment without someone over their shoulder once they've signed the lease and by then you'll never get your money back. Terrible plumbing system. Hidden leaks that are bound to cause serious damage or illness. Mold behind toilets. Maintenance say they'll come by and never do, despite still being around. Bugs everywhere and you're paying for a pest control service that never actually comes around, no matter when you request them. Save yourself the trouble read more

I'd do 0 stars if I could.. been living here for a while now couple nights after moving in I started to hear rodents in the ceilings and walls. Cheap appliances always break Black mold on the windows They don't even "clean" for new movers there was brown and yellow splatters on the walls and dust everywhere. The carpet smelt terrible Popcorn ceiling is from the early 2000's.... Rude neighbors / loud Car breakings almost every night Gun shots almost every night No body picks up their dogs waste The dog park is absolutely disgusting You pay for ballet trash but it's not guaranteed and YOU have to take it to the dumpster yet still paying for service. The "hard wood" isn't even wood it's plastic The decks are rotting and could possibly fall through BIG law suit Would NEVER recommend this place read more

The Commons - Black mold - Apartments Near Me - Federal Way, Washington

0 stars if I could ! moved into these thinking it was a nice community pictures of unit I seen were nice , price was nice , to good to be true honestly I'm young and a new mom was excited to move to a bigger place and give my son a nice environment to grow in but when I got into the unit in my first month more less week, I had a bug problem (ants) they sent a inspector as it comes there every Tuesday if not couple times a month because it's a known problem in these apartments, moved into used smelly carpets that started tearing as I vacuumed in the first month , still wet when I got into the unit , my dryer would not dry took 3 days to dry a load of laundry , because there was no air circulation to the dryer units leading under the house and maintenance never wanted to go fix the issue they replaced my dryer and ignored the real problem because it still wouldn't dry had to unhook the hose to lead under the house to finally get it to dry last 3 days I lived there can only imagine how long they'll hold up with all the moisture leaking into these buildings , and wait it gets better , months go by I keep telling them something's not right I've been sick since I moved in they kept saying they'll send maintenance to check it out witch does nothing because they couldn't even get the unit up to code for my move in , anyways I'm in the bath one day and boom I see it all behind my toilet was cover in black mold , removed my ceiling fan disgusting rusted dusty , mind you I've only lived there for 4 months at this point all that wasn't dealt with before I moved in no way these problems came from me I had just moved from a high rise clean and very nice community so I'm livid about this I feel like I got scammed so I stopped payin them unless they came to fix the issues , I go with all my evidence to the office they came and did a walk threw said they'd be back to fix everything and then never communicated back , never came to start working on stuff I told them I had the months I owed but I will not be paying unless my units fixed , I risked my health my sons health even family friends who would come stay got affected by the black mold , my point is these apartments are terrible , please don't waste your time or money with this community, police activity is also high in this area constant car break ins , shootings, just not a family friendly community not a healthy community and not one I recommend. Also a lot of other little issues like water constantly leaking from my sliding door cause my wood to rot inside under the carpet caused it to lift , also water damage under my sink and behind my toilet witch leads me to think it's under the house they told me it's from my shower .. I didn't even live there long enough to cause the damages they had been there since I moved in. So with them not wanting to fix the problems or move me units I had to move. the way they communicated was putting a eviction on my door , when they were completely in the wrong , forcing me to move into a hotel with my 1 yr old for a month n a half , but I can say since left my family is feeling way better living in that environment is draining quite literally read more

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Great community with awesome amenities. Close to local restaurants and shopping. Staff were always super friendly and welcoming at events.

Over a decade ago tried to lease here but they were full and didn't have anything available in the window when I was moving. To me, this was the cat owner's dream. The windows are low with a ledge so it is easy to place a perch for them to look out at all the action. The living room has a huge window great for a large tower for their pleasure. I have a cat tower or perch in every window and sliding glass. The second floor catio has plenty of room for catresses to lay in the sun and relax. Finally got in here a few years ago since it was overall the best cat place we could find in our price range. read more

I applied but after many attempts to sign the lease, I got frustrated with their customer service. In the firsts attempt the office was closed on a business day. The second, they were also closed with a sign they would return in one hour. The third, they made a big deal about the home owners insurance, even though it stated they were insured by USAA, they did not allow me to sign the lease. the 4th time, they had a customer and I could not wait more than 1 hour that they were taking and no one else to help the line. I got fed up and I cancelled my application. Even though they EMAILED me stating they were going to refund the $250 fee they said because I greed that it was not refundable they did not refund it to me. This place is a joke... read more

Go next door to the Cove Apartments. WAY BETTER. Better built. Better employees. Better complex. Long story short. This place is awful. Poorly constructed apartments leads to noise from basic walking around. I had the complex employees and the tenant downstairs make me walk up and down my stair case in front of them to determine if I was walking too loudly....... up and down my own stairs... You might read this thinking I'm another person complaining about a complex but I literally never write reviews, and have never had a single issue in an apartment, ever. Especially.... not at the Cove. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY AT THE COMMONS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!! read more

This is literally the worst place I have ever lived. Management changes every few months. The neighborhood is bad and getting worse and worse (I spent over a year in Iraq and Afghanistan so I'm not squeamish about a little bit of bad). My apartment flooded and they refused to replace the carpet even though the whole place smelled like mold. The toilet would fill up with some gross black water and they wouldn't fix that either. I'm fact just forget about them fixing or replacing anything, ever. Neighbors out partying and screaming until 4 am the next day, too damn bad. They claim they have security, they don't. Just spend a little bit more money and live literally anywhere else. read more

The racism myself, family and friends had to endure while residing in this place 2015. Moved out and glad about it. They have a high turn over in staffing. Thin walls and cheaply constructed building. Management towed my car away by accident, and I missed my doctors of appointment because of their error. read more

They are always welcoming and help with any issues that may arise. The maintenance are also great and fix a problem that day. Highly recommend! read more

This is the best complex I have ever lived and I have lived in and I have lived in many all over King County they have the most amazing management team they are very accommodating and sympathetic kind hospitable and they will do any and everything to help you and accommodate you as long as you communicate with them. they are always smiling and welcoming and have never made me feel any negative feelings at all. the maintenance is great the responsiveness is great the location is great I truly love it here and would recommend it to anybody and anyone except for I don't want to have crappy neighbors and have the quality go down ha ha anything that is negative here has nothing to do with the staff Or management they are things that are beyond their control this truly is a great place to live read more

Having lived here for over seven years, I have gone through several management changes. The current staff are very friendly, helpful, and respond to issues in a timely manner. I am currently going through the renovation process in my townhouse and it's a bit overwhelming to move possessions out and then back in after renovation done. Wish there was a way that management could give options. Close to public transportation for getting to the mall and grocery stores. Very close to Virginia Mason clinic for medical needs. All in all, The Commons is a good place to live! read more

My husband and I were driving around "apartment window shopping" and stumbled upon The Commons. We decided to walk in to the office and was greeted by Kaelyn. She was very nice & accommodating and was able to give us a tour and also answer all our queries. Currently waiting to tour another one of their units once available. read more

Thank u for helping me get in so fast w all the hard wk! I luv my place & enjoy the atmosphere I feel at home!

I moved to Federal Way in July 2018 from Connecticut. During the several months prior to the move I began searching for an apartment. I had a list of criteria to rank and evaluate various properties, and did much of my research on the internet, including reviews on Yelp. Fortunately, for me, my ex-wife has lived in Federal Way for many years and is very familiar with the area. She (we are friends) was my eyes and ears. Many sites had beautiful photos of their complex and a list of amenities on their websites. When I narrowed my choice to several properties, she actually visited the properties, specifically to check on parking (a common complaint), trash, pets and children. Each time she would say to me, "You do not want to live there". However, she was very positive about the Commons. I leased a 2-bedroom apartment, with the front facing the BPA trail. It is quiet and the view toward Mt. Rainier is spectacular. My unit is two stories, about 1,050 SF. It is one of the units completely renovated with all new appliances, carpets, etc. I am particularly pleased with the response to my maintenance requests. I use the resident portal to request service. Every time, one of their maintenance staff (they are all jacks of all trades) comes and quickly fixes the problem. The leasing office staff is great. In conclusion, it doesn't get better than this. I highly recommend anyone who is looking for an apartment home, consider The Commons. read more

FINAL REVIEW Pros : Good insulation, nice porches, pretty park like area. Cons: MANAGEMENT Me and my family have been living in this complex for 5+ years now. We went ahead and stayed one more year. My mistake! The complex has gotten even LOUDER, the management staff is terrible, rude, and not at all helpful. The main reason we are leaving is due to the Manager (Brandy) mishandling a resent issue. I had a medical emergency due to a cleaning agent used in a downstairs apartment during turn over. I requested the apartment be allowed to air out so the chemicals used would gas out of the apartment instead of up into mine The request was refused by maintenance. I ended up having to call for fire get me out of my apartment and had to stay in a hotel for a week until my apartment and the one downstairs aired out. If that wasn't frustrating enough the next morning the Manager brought her maintenance team into my home to search my premises when she thought there was no one here. My husband did not have an issue and stayed in the apartment only to be woken up by his horrible woman and her little crew, bad mouthing my disability and tying to go through our stuff. When I tried to go to the office to speak with her about the issue she was accusatory,tried to intimidate and bully me, laughed at my disabilities (multiple chemical sensitivity and PTSD) and called me a lair. Going as far as to say she had never heard of it and so it doesn't exist. NOT ADA FRIENDLY! The new tenants that have been moving in are inconsiderate, loud, and allow their children to play hide and go scream all over the place. I get woken up regularly by loud music and horns honking people yelling and screaming at all hours of the day and night. For the last month my current neighbors have been having domestic disputes in the stairway. I regularly call PD on them. Nothing has been done by the management. Just this week it was so bad there was a trail of torn clothes and broken cell phone parts leading from their apartment to the parking area. The pool is EXTREMELY loud and regularly full of unattended children and pool furniture inside the pool. This complex is very old and bare bones. Our refrigerator has never been replaced and is broken. My dryer is broken, still. It takes 4 hours to dry 5 bath towels, according to the management and maintenance that is normal due to substandard electrical. My bath tub and sinks regularly plug up (2 - 4 times a month) again according to maintenance and he management this is normal along with the mosquitoes that come out of the drains... the toilet, tub, and sink were never sealed and so leak, create lots of mold, and rust is constant. There is NO HEATING IN THE BATHROOMS! They took out the heat to put in automatic fans that come one when they detect moisture. Such fun on a cold morning... The lights on the property are extremely poor. The crime rate has continued to go up in this complex. I had my tire slashed, items stolen from my porch including 2 door mats in, pots, and an aquarium I had set outside for less than 20 minuets, all in one year. I contacted the management and never heard anything back reports were filed. This complex use to be extraordinary. I would have never thought it could have gotten this bad in such a short amount of time. Congratulations on ruining a good thing guys... Do your self a favor and run away from this place. read more

Great place to live, very responsive team. Affordable, clean, and upkeep is good. Going on year four now. New remodeled apartments have a nice look, you should take a look. An avid fan. read more

Moved in a few weeks ago and have loved it. Neighbors are nice. The new remodel looks great. Super quiet and I feel very safe here. The walls are a little thin but it's an apartment- you're gonna hear your neighbors. read more

They inform you of everything late, management has changed multiple times, no one ever returns your calls no matter how many messages you leave, and they didn't tell me about my lease ending til two weeks prior to it being done. Then they say they need a 20 day notice to vacate, otherwise you'll be charged for another months rent. The staff is not at all helpful and constantly talked over me. read more

From start to finish, this place has been a bad experience. When I moved about 8 months ago, the previous management company was a bad experience. I had filled out the paperwork for a 1 bedroom and was approved. The leasing agent called the next day to apologize as her co-worker had rented out the apartment underneath me and they were scrambling to find a new unit. In the end, I ended up with a 2 bedroom for more money. I'm still not entirely convinced that's was an "accident". The previous tenant had been evicted so she left the apartment in a state. The carpets were stained and filthy and not replaced. The countertops in the kitchen were slashed up and covered in stains. They agreed to fix that but the person who installed new countertops left my unit's heat on for 4 days straight (I hadn't moved in yet). My electric bill was outrageous. They refused to take responsibility for it. My neighbors above me are a young couple have the most ridiculous loud arguments constantly. I am very up on their relationship issues as a result. The person next to me has a toddler who bashes into the walls and screams constantly. I hear all of it. The appliances are very old. My stove is broken but they've never fixed/replaced it because it hasn't fully stopped working yet (the woman in the office who looks like she's 12 years old stated this to me when I asked). The dryers require several cycles to dry most things because they're old and the wiring in the apartment can't handle newer appliances (their excuse, not mine). Management changed several months ago with no warning. Online payments went down and didn't come back up for 2 months with no alternate instructions on how/where to pay your rent in the meantime. Greystar is very bad at communication and they reset my lease end date which I'm not sure is actually legal. I was planning on leaving anyway but this seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen. There are much nicer, less badly run places in Federal Way. Look elsewhere. read more

I moved in around 2009 and it was ~ 700$ a month. Then water and sewage+pickup trash was added, ok 800+ a month. Every year since its been at least 150-200+ a month, with little to show why. Management companies keep buying/selling the property; the net effect is that my rent has almost doubled (700 to 12000) a month; all the while the pool thats been a part of the "upgrades" has been unusable for the last 5 years. They still claim its some kind of bonus to living here but nobody's used it for a long time, and long time residence get shafted on new leases, its pathetic. It now costs you ~ 1200 a month to NOT have access to the pool, god help you if you don't have updated washer/dryer/refrigerator even if you don't have updated versions(black enamel versions) you'll be paying as if you had them.. Bring this up with them and they get very cold about it. TLDR If you can afford ameneties that don't exist... rent elsewhere read more

My wife and I moved in at the end of July and have been so happy here. Firstly, Whitney in the leasing office was such a friendly, personable person and a pleasure to work with. The Commons would be wise to keep her around! We ended up renting a townhouse unit, and couldn't ever imagine ourselves being so happy here. It's very quiet, nothing but trees out our back door, we have awesome friendly neighbors and overall the property feels safe. Not something you get at very many apartment complexes these days. The dog policy is a little confusing, there are the usual restricted breeds but people seem to have them anyway - one of the units in our building has three pit bulls. Not an issue or a negative point at all, but would recommend anyone moving in here with dogs to ask for clarification on that. Maintenance staff is very polite, and the parking here is awesome, especially for an apartment complex. Location is great, lots of good food and grocery stores are close by. Lastly, the rental rates are pretty fair and as long as they don't climb too much I can see us staying here for many years. Overall I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone, especially someone that is looking for some peace and quiet in these chaotic times. read more

We haven't moves in yet but we have had a great experience so far! The grounds are wonderfully set up and taken care of. The apartments are remodeled and modern... They even have a garbage service that comes and picks up your trash from the front door and the cost is included in the utilities! The service we received was outstanding and the office is beautifully set up... They actually have drinks and snacks for you while you wait (besides the reg coffee and tea). I will update more after a few months! read more

Great experience while visiting this complex. Family and I came to ask for information about 2 bedroom availability. Community is clean, quite and Amanda who greeted us at the office was amazing while giving us a tour. She was friendly and answered all our questions and was flexible with what our options were as far as getting us a perfect home that would fit our needs. Unfortunately appliances seem a bit outdated, but we left our information and hopefully we'll get a call/ email when they have a remodeled town home available. Soooo excited!!!! :) read more

Whitney in the office is definitely helpful & knows what she's talking about & SUPER friendly! The neighborhood is beautiful & well maintained, the best of the three complexes in the neighborhood! They even knew how many trees are on the property! Definitely impressed & can not wait to move in!!! read more

I've been living here almost 2 years now. It's been a great place to live. Nice neighbors, quiet area, have a good sense of safety. Office staff is nice and willing to help whenever you need it. Maintenance services are death with quickly and done right the first time. read more

***UPDATE*** Just had a meeting with the management company I walked in and waited in the "lobby" and was not acknowledged by Jennifer because she was speaking to another tenant who, by the sound of it, was experiencing a similar issue. Some what understandable but I feel like if I was the person being helped, I would understand if the representative looked up and said "we'll be with you in a minute" or otherwise acknowledged my presence. I then stopped her at about 5:10 when she went to go look for the paperwork for the other tenant to let her know that I was here for a 5 o'clock appt and was told that Danielle, the property manager, was not there and couldn't be contacted to at least let her know that her appt was there waiting because she left her phone on the table. When Danielle finally walked in, she was rude and clipped, which I feel has a lot to do with the fact that I left a poor review (which I know she knows about because she made sure to mention she saw it). I guess I should have waited till after our meeting maybe she wouldn't have retaliated. Not only was she rude, unhelpful, and interrupting - she made sure to make my father feel like he was at fault when she just did not want to admit that all their bases were not covered in all of their conversations. She would refer back to different conversations when it benefit her and would try and finish my sentence for me because she thought she knew what I was going to say. Several times I had to request to let me finish my statement and explain again and again where I believe there was a misunderstanding but her response was, "I know what I said, I know what she said (referring to Jennifer) and all the girls in this office are on the same page so I know no one misinformed him anything" when I was not trying to imply or state that they misinformed him but that there simply was a misunderstanding. The defensive attitude definitely shows there's something wrong in that office. To say this property does not take care of their tenants is an understatement and the fact that even though it physically caused me pain not to say something to warn off the poor couple looking to possibly rent from them and I still said nothing is a testament to my self control. My father has lived in one of their Federal Way properties (The Commons) OVER 5 YEARS and were not even given a 2 weeks to decide to move to a smaller and more expensive unit that they can't view, increase rent by $400 for an equivalent unit, or move out. They said you have 20 days from the end of the month to notify what your choice would be on a letter, an employee in the office informed them they have until the 11th because there are 31 days this month so on the 10th he informed the office that him and his wife are considering the smaller, more expensive unit because they haven't found another option yet. A different employee informed them, if you're a day late in turning in your application, it's okay. So, on the 12th my father tells them he has found a new home that's more fitting for him and their budget and they so no, it's too late that the employee who informed him that he can turn in the application a day late was only allowing them the extra day for the application. Absolutely not taking ownership then they say they may offer him a prorated amount for the next month instead. Supposedly calls the landlord/owner and comes back to say, never mind, can't offer that either. Thank you for being a terrible company who doesn't take care of their residents and creates financial hardships for people. Thank you for hiring terrible employees who provide misleading information, who are painfully unhelpful, and who don't even try to maintain their friendly facade if you're not a new renter. Beware renting from this management company, from the other reviews as well, it sounds like they don't hesitate in taking advantage of people and their situations! read more

This is by far the worst apartment complex I have ever rented in! It is now under new management - Greystar, which is a nightmare. All the comments about park like setting - I think not any longer, they used to come 2-3 times a week do yard work, clean the porches of the buildings, trim trees etc. we have seen them come twice, and one of those times was to pressure wash the roofs, which left piles of junk all over the decks/patios which are still every where. Crows bring in trash from the bordering complex which is piling up in the green spaces and along the black berry patches that line the complex. With in a few weeks of Greystar taking over I went to the leasing office to inquire about mold issues that the previous management said were being addressed (because the website was suddenly taken down and you couldn't follow up on maintenance requests). Greystar told me that mold was listed in the lease my responsibility - really after only living here for 2.5 months and it is under and around fixtures and under the paint it doesn't scrub off!?! I understand it is the PNW and mold is every where, but they should have painted with a mold resistant paint, not whatever cheap stuff was on sale. The counters that are "renovated" are spray painted with something like Krylon textured paint and not finished so you look at them too hard and the paint chips off. The heat doesn't work very well as it is in the ceiling and we have had to buy space heaters, the water heater never gets above body temperature and we have complained that there is no real hot water in our apartment for months the heater is from the 90's and most water heaters need to be replaced after 15ish years, this one is most certainly cheap and needs to have the heater or heating element replaced but they say it is because of the wiring in the building, I buy that as the reason that the clothes dryer doesn't work and is low wattage, but the water heater too? There is no heat in the bathroom, only a fan that never turns off so showers are awful and I now take them at work or the gym. In a few months it went from pretty and well kept but slightly older to awful. It is going to turn into Panther Lake/campus view apartments that border it which are well - terrifying and built at the same time - same exact layouts etc. Before you rent here drive around the adjacent apartment complexes or ask for a tour of them for a feeling of the quality and what the interior is like under that fresh paint. The commons exemplifies the saying of "you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig." The office is always closed because they don't have enough people to staff the office - they sent us a nice letter apologizing, but nothing about adjusting the rent for the inconvenience. Can't wait until my lease is up in October and I can get out of here! Definitely not what was advertised!!!! Not really renovated just painted, looks pretty but after living here a few months not at all. read more

not the best apartments, love the location BUT these apartments are so over priced for what they really look inside. staff is rude not all, one in particular cant recall her name, they have a newer staff and i miss the old. neighbors are crappy making noise past regular hours (running up and downstairs, having loud conversations in the middle of the night mind you 2am is not a good time to be chatting super loud when people have to be up early to go to work) and nothing being done about it by management. and not to mention getting my packages stolen or not delivered, when i show tracking as delivered but apparently the office doent deal with that. do not recommend moving to these apartments at all. read more

I have been living here a few years, Rent increased 25 each year for the first two, this year it jumped 115. I will be moving. The grounds are wonderful, but the appliances are dated. Dishwasher is old and doesn't work and they will not replace it. I will not be renewing my lease, The last mgt team was great, the new mgt team are rude. Brandi is not easy to work with. The pool is full of kids from the surrounding apt complexes and mgt says they are doing what they can, but hasn't improved. I wish I wouldn't have renewed my lease. read more

UPDATED REVIEW: I had a LOT of problems with this place when I moved in last summer, as I mentioned in my initial review. With irresponsible staff, bad management, and a dirty apartment that lacked quality (especially for a just recently "renovated" unit!). Everything was just sloppy and a mess. The Commons were previously managed by Greystar and management was intimidating, unapproachable and abrasive. That said, since Avenue5 took over a few months ago, I have seen some improvement. The Property Manager, Danielle, is fantastic. She is kind, understanding and easy going...but also definitely isn't afraid to be direct and "lay down the law" in order to get sh-t DONE (which is crucial for a PM). The other office ladies, Khrystina and Jennifer are also kind, empathetic and helpful. I am still not completely happy with my apartment, as I feel like it was very sloppily renovated by the prior maintenance company with Greystar (paint splatters everywhere, old and worn moulding, porcelain chipping in the tub and bathroom sink, etc). Former maintenance clearly cut A LOT of corners with these so called "renovated units". But in my experience thus far, I have found that Danielle is generally receptive when I raise concerns to her and she is willing to work with you to fix the issue as best she can. The new maintenance team is thorough and reliable. The only other major complaint I have is that the walls are thin, insulation is not the best and if you have noisy or inconsiderate neighbors, or neighbors with out of control/feral children...you're pretty much screwed and it will make your life hell. It's also on the pricey side, but in their defense...rent is pricey EVERYWHERE right now and it sucks. That sajd, I have faith that the new management team will continue to work to make improvements to this community over time, and are doing a wonderful job so far, considering what they inherited. read more