It's been a long time since I've rented an apartment. So long in fact, that I forgot what it was like if you make a poor decision when determining your living geography. Brooks Landing hadn't been open long when I soon found myself in need of some temporary housing. There were few reviews online. The only ones there seemed to be positive with one lone griper. Now that the complex has had some time for people to move out, the truth (in the form of complaints online) seems to be pouring out faster than the exodus that's happening at Brooks Landing.
There are several options to consider when thinking about renting here and I'll spell them all out so that you might not make the same mistake I did. Before I have someone from the complex comment on me, I'll steal a move from Eminem in the movie 8 mile and dis myself on their behalf. I have been late on my rent several times. There. :) Now, there's nothing they can say. Other than that, I'm an optimal renter. I am quiet, keep to myself and unless there is something that makes it impossible to sleep, I don't call the security girl on night watch. She doesn't like it when she has to get out of bed to go bang on someone's door and I don't blame her. The girls who work here are polite and I have nothing negative to say about them. If you ask for anything at all to get done though, you will get the same response. Their hands are tied by corporate. It's an effective way to pass the buck to a Bermuda triangle. Let's begin our assessment now of Brooks Landing.
1.) So that was the gate. This is troubling because anyone and everyone can come and go as they please. This means people that live here and people that DON'T live here. There is no security guard that patrols and watches the parking or people hanging around your vehicle. The gate permanently stuck open means that thieves can enter quickly but most importantly, exit quickly.
Question to ask staff: "When will the gate be fixed so I can receive the security I pay for?"
Security for Brooks Landing: F.
2.) (Picture 1) While the view is picturesque, DON'T let it fool you. I took this picture to show where the roosters live. Every morning at about 4:30 a.m. and on weekends, the roosters crow for an hour or so. They do it nonstop and repeat every 4 minutes until they are assured that the barnyard and everyone at Brooks Landing is awake. There are four horses in this backyard that run around all summer long and kick up so much dust it makes Pigpen look clean. The dust settles all over the balcony and anything you leave on it. It also settles on the steps and all over the rails. If you forget, and you will, you'll get a handful of dirt all over your hand as you walk up the steps. It is an absolute nightmare if you have asthma. (Picture 6) This is where vomit used to be. It's been like this for about 5 months. Someone puked on the steps and left it there. As the puke dried the grease set in and stained the cement. I jump over this step.
Question to ask staff: "Is there a rooster that crows every morning at dawn?"
Cleanliness at Brooks Landing: C-.
3.) Either my hearing gets better as I get older, or the walls here are made of lace. The last two evenings I've heard people screaming obscenities at a football game below me. I'm sure it was TEVOE'D because it was 2 a.m. And I get to hear the couple argue next to me every single night. The fights are bad and the making up is worse. Move a little so your head isn't banging up against my wall. OMG. Two couples were fighting in the parking lot inside the complex for about an hour. It was about midnight when they started.
Question to ask staff: "Can I go into an adjacent apartment and yell and see if my spouse can hear me?"
Noise at Brooks Landing: D.
4.) Parking is always tough at apartment complexes. You have to fight for every inch, especially in the evening when you come home from work. Brooks Landing has assigned parking so that you will always have a place to park. (Picture 2) In the 9 months I've been here someone has parked in my spot an average of about once every two weeks. This isn't bad. It's only bad when you can't find a single other spot in the complex to park and end up parking outside the gate. (With the gate broken 80% of the time I guess it doesn't even matter.) This is a problem when it's pouring down rain and you have to walk a city block to your apartment. When your spot is stolen you can report it to the office. You are educated on the fact that the car in your spot has to be there 72 hours before they can tow it. This effectively negates assigned parking. If someone can park in your spot for up to three days before they're towed, they can simply park in someone else's spot for a day or two before they come back to yours. So the sign posted in picture 2 is just for decoration and to make it look like you'll get a spot. When you're spot isn't being taken completely, it's being taken enough where it makes it hard to get out of your car. I walked out into one parking lot and found 2 offenders. Many residents park over the line on a regular basis. This makes the spot next to them unusable except for an interesting game of twister as you try to slither out of your door crack. (See pictures 3 and 4) This doesn't seem like much of an issue but it is. Especially when the person who parks next to you makes it a habit of parking over the line.
Question to ask staff: "Am I guaranteed a parking place? What do you do if someone is in my spot?"
Parking at Brooks Landing: D+.
5.) The pool and spa area seem nice on the complex's website. And they are - when they aren't broken. I sat in the spa once since becoming a resident. Since then, it's had a blue tarp over it and has been out of operation. It's been more than 8 months since it's worked. It would be really nice to be able to use some of the amenities that help sell residents on Brooks Landing. The pool is clean and sparkly and when I tried to get out by pulling on the metal ladder, it swung around and came out of the cement. Apparently it's been broken for some time and nobody has gotten around to putting a small amount of cement at its base. These are all little things that increase the experience at an apartment complex and are reasons people choose to live here.
Question to ask staff: "How long has the spa been broken and what date will it be fixed?"
Pool and Spa: F.
6.) The interiors of the apartments are functional and ordinary. The units come equipped with a washer and dryer as well as a garbage disposal and dishwasher. I love the dishwasher and disposal. The dryer works well too. The washer is mysterious. I'm not sure where the water comes from but from the looks of my clothes (especially whites) it comes from water that was used previously by my dishwasher. Weird brown spots have appeared on my whites and lighter shirts. I've tried bleaching my whites but to no avail. They refuse to be white. The mystery was solved by frequenting a laundromat where my whites always come out sparkling and the browns that used be whites are getting less brown.
Question to ask staff: "Where does the water for the washing machine come from?"
Machine Perks: C.
7.) The temperature in the winter for an upstairs apartment stays right around 80 degrees. This is with the balcony door closed. It is January 31 at 7 p.m. and exactly 50 degrees outside. I opened the balcony door and bedroom window and it is now 77 degrees. If you run hot like myself, opt for an apartment on the ground floor. It's easier to get burglarized with the absence of the security gate but it's a lot cooler. I'd hate to see what happens if I were to use the oven.
Question to ask staff: "How warm does it get in the summer in an upstairs apartment?"
Eco-Friendly Design: C-.
8.) Free Lattes!! And, you can add Brooks Landing to your friends on FaceBook (according to their sign). (Picture 7) What can I say? I've never had one of their free Lattes but I'm sure if I asked...
Question to ask staff: "Where is my free Latte?!" and "Will you add me on FaceBook?"
Marketing strategy: A- (Cheesy but hey, free latte!).
In summary, this is just my experience since I've been here. I work long days and am not even here very often. But, the constant noise and bickering on my side of the complex, coupled with the rooster have given me reason to take my leave. When I Googled the apartment complex it appears the worst grade is yet to be given. The customer service when you leave the complex equates to a scam. People are being told one thing by the managers and then being billed the contrary by "corporate." Massive fees are being charged to couples who were told that their apartment looked great. Google the stories, there are many and frankly it scares the crap out of me. It looks like I'll be adding to this post when I leave.
