Research in Charlotte housing (Matthews, Wilkesboro: real estate, apartments, lease)

[coralsand2]

I am visiting CLT next week to check out housing for relocation. These are all for about a six month lease to check out the areas. I need help just to know if these apartments are in the same area to prevent driving up and down the roads. Can anyone help me put my search in order to keep from wasting time and gas to cover these places in an easy shot., then I can go to MapQuest for my directions.
Post Ballantyne
Providence Park
Preserve @ Ballantyne
Strawberry Hill
Plantation Park
Blakeney Apartments
Any suggestions or comments, experiences about these places would be helpful also.
Thanks

[south.charlotte&union]

Except for Strawberry Hill, all are in the same area (off of Ballantyne Commons Pkwy). Strawberry Hill is about 20 minutes away, closer in to town.

Blakeney Apartments are brand new, and I have not been inside yet, so I can't give you an opinion. Of the remaining, I like Providence Park the best. Marsh properties is the management company (the same as in Strawberry Hill) and I have heard very good things about them. My parents rented in Strawberry Hill for almost 10 years and they were very happy there.

[eddie1261]

Originally Posted by south.charlotte&union

My parents rented in Strawberry Hill for almost 10 years and they were very happy there.

Make your next web visit to this URL:

Strawberry Hill Apartments Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Charlotte apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com

and read the reviews. They speak of cockroach problems and cars being broken into at an alarming rate. Who do you believe?

This is EXACTLY what I am going through myself. Extremely inconsistent information. The apartment review web pages make me want to stay in Ohio IF the reports are not over reaction. Right here we have a real estate agent telling us how happy her parents are there, and the link I posted makes it sound like the worst dung hole on earth.

How do you know what to believe?

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by eddie1261

Make your next web visit to this URL:

Strawberry Hill Apartments Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Charlotte apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com

and read the reviews. They speak of cockroach problems and cars being broken into at an alarming rate. Who do you believe?

This is EXACTLY what I am going through myself. Extremely inconsistent information. The apartment review web pages make me want to stay in Ohio IF the reports are not over reaction. Right here we have a real estate agent telling us how happy her parents are there, and the link I posted makes it sound like the worst dung hole on earth.

How do you know what to believe?

You just have to filter such things as reviews. We have discussed this many times on this forum. Most of the people who post on such websites are disgruntled. Most satisfied people never go to the trouble to seek out websites and post a great review.

My DH and I had a six month lease at Strawberry Hill and were totally satisfied. In fact, we had high expectations and our expectations were exceeded. The management company was superb in addressing any concerns and any requests were quickly addressed.

So you just have to decide who to take advice from and then make the best decision you can. What did people do b/f we had the internet and access to all these online reviews and info? We just did the best we could, LOL. At least we have access to info that others may share now. Just filter it out.

[sheenie2000]

I live in Strawberry Hill and there are no roaches here.
I was very concerned about that review I had read online before I moved in as my previous house I was renting in Wilkesboro had roach infestation (and mice). I was sooo worried.
Thankfully, these apartments absolutely do NOT have any type of insect/rodent issues. They are very clean apartments and we are very happy here.
I also have never seen any breakins since I've been here either. It's a quiet community and very well maintained.
We had an A/C issue a few days ago and they came right away to fix it.

It's hard to judge the reviews, you never know, sometimes they are spot on, sometimes they are wrong.

[eddie1261]

Originally Posted by sheenie2000

I live in Strawberry Hill and there are no roaches here.
I was very concerned about that review I had read online before I moved in as my previous house I was renting in Wilkesboro had roach infestation (and mice). I was sooo worried.
Thankfully, these apartments absolutely do NOT have any type of insect/rodent issues. They are very clean apartments and we are very happy here.
I also have never seen any breakins since I've been here either. It's a quiet community and very well maintained.
We had an A/C issue a few days ago and they came right away to fix it.

Here is the review of Strawberry Hill.

"My husband and I have lived in Strawberry Hill since we moved to the Charlotte area in May. Within the past six months, we have contacted the main office to address large roaches in our home on at least four separate occasions. Our recent issue, however, pertains to the repeated incidents of property crime. Within the past three weeks, we have filed two police reports for vandalism to our vehicle. The first incident resulted in the replacement of our car window, after someone broke into our car and stole our radio. Now, someone has busted in the lock to our driver's side door. Following the first incident, we contacted Strawberry Hill to discuss this issue. We requested that the complex management do something to augment crime prevention. Since that time, nothing has been done and we are victim's again! We beg you, do not waste your money on this expensive locale."

Now of course I have no way to know who posted that, but 2 car issues in a short time makes me wonder. And according to the poster, the management did zero about it.

Now here you are saying that crime is not an issue and that there are no roaches.

I can't NOT believe either one of you, but who SHOULD I believe? I tend to believe someone who goes out of their way to be positive before someone with an axe to grind, but 2 breakins that close together makes me wonder. Maybe they have a car like a BMW that is popular on the parts theft list. I don't know.

I just don't deal well with punks stealing radios.

[anifani821]

Well, three of us have weighed in now that Strawberry Hill is a great place to live. We never had anyone mess w/ our cars, either, but crime is random and so who knows. Might be totally true but - just b/c a parking lot somewhere got broken into once it doesn't mean that is an ongoing issue.

[VaTechKA]

My best friend's dad lived in Strawyberry hill for YEARS and it never seemed to be a problem at all. I parked my car there overnight numerous times with no problem. My friend and his father both never had their cars vandalized or robbed in the parking lot. I never heard of any types of roaches or bug infestations either.

[eddie1261]

These posts about housing and neighborhoods are starting to concern me. May I ask you about specific places?

Let me state this "given" criteria, that quiet and safety/crime are my primary consideration. As soon as I see comments about people hanging out drinking in the parking lot, I cross it off. All of these are based on proximity to where I would be working, which is on Galleria Blvd in Matthews.

Paces Commons seems to be my first choice. The reviews are pretty good. I can afford it, and it seems like enough room for at least the first 6 months (what I will sign on for no matter where I go) or so.

Galleria Apartments are attractive because it is literally across the street from the office.

Colonial Village has the advantage of a police station right across the street. Presence is the best deterrent I know of.

Chambers Ridge also had good reviews as far as my primary criteria.

There are more that are in the "maybe" category and I will see them when I am down there. I have eliminated 4 already due to the negative reviews. I don't want to live in a dorm or with so many little kids it's like a day care. I want to find a quiet place with mature people like me (57) where I can just live and not be irritated every day by noise, kids hanging out doing damage, etc....

Is there one of those? Or maybe even two?

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by eddie1261

These posts about housing and neighborhoods are starting to concern me. May I ask you about specific places?

Let me state this "given" criteria, that quiet and safety/crime are my primary consideration. As soon as I see comments about people hanging out drinking in the parking lot, I cross it off. All of these are based on proximity to where I would be working, which is on Galleria Blvd in Matthews.

Paces Commons seems to be my first choice. The reviews are pretty good. I can afford it, and it seems like enough room for at least the first 6 months (what I will sign on for no matter where I go) or so.

Galleria Apartments are attractive because it is literally across the street from the office.

Colonial Village has the advantage of a police station right across the street. Presence is the best deterrent I know of.

Chambers Ridge also had good reviews as far as my primary criteria.

There are more that are in the "maybe" category and I will see them when I am down there. I have eliminated 4 already due to the negative reviews. I don't want to live in a dorm or with so many little kids it's like a day care. I want to find a quiet place with mature people like me (57) where I can just live and not be irritated every day by noise, kids hanging out doing damage, etc....

Is there one of those? Or maybe even two?

It's a no-brainer for me - if you are already going to be working on Gallaria, live at the Gallaria Village apartments - they are VERY nice Plus, you could WALK to work - think of the money you'll save on gas!!!!