How much do you trust apartment rating sites? (Kissimmee, Haines City: apartments, safe area)

[America097]

I am moving to Kissimmee/Davenport/Cagan Crossings/Champion's Gate/Haines City or somewhere near there in August (want to be within 30 minutes of Disney and need $625-$750. I will start teaching next fall in Polk or Osceola County). But I am having a hard time deciding where would be a safe area and how the nice the complex really is compared to the websites. I tried using apartment ratings but it seems 98% of the reviews are negative. I think I have limited my selections to the following complexes: Alta Corners in Davenport, Heron Lake or Academy Vilage in Kissimmee, or Legends at Champion's Gate. Anyone have any other suggestions or specific advice as to where to live? I wish other seekers had posted where they finally decided and if they liked it--- I would love some first hand accounts. Thanks!

[s8film40]

I have always found apartmentratings.com to be a good source of mostly unbiased information. You have to take everything you read with a grain of salt, there is always going to be someone who had a bad experience and usually a few fake reviews thrown in by the apartment managers. Once you read over all the reviews you usually come away with a good sense of the quality of the individual complex.

I'm assuming based on your budget your looking for a one bedroom. You might also consider a garage apartment in Celebration, the one bedrooms are usually a little higher than your budget but they include utilities. It's a little more work looking for one since there all individually owned but some are very nice and the area is convenient.

[annerk]

If you don't already have a teaching job lined up I wouldn't even bother to look. Teachers are being laid off left and right.

[Dee2e]

If a site is rated by the public, you'll often find the posts to be done by annoyed people who won't post favorably. Then there are the fake posts made by the staff done to offset those post. I find the best way to determine if a site is good or not is to go there during the weekdays, week nights and weekends. Watch, listen and talk to people who live there. Also seek out the local police station and ask for the call log for that site for the last three months and review it. Then be the judge for yourself.

[florida2012SUN]

AMERICA097 - Since it's been 2 years, where did you end up moving? if you chose either of the apartments you were looking into. I've been apartment searching and came across legends at champions gate and alta corners as the 2 I thought were the best.... just looking for any type of feedback. Thanks!
*FLORIDA*