Mark Taylor Apartments (Phoenix, Chandler, Oracle: real estate, 2009, apartment complexes)

[pmurphy4]

I'm planning to be in the Phoenix area in October 2008. There are a large number of job opportunities in my field (Oracle Database Administrator), so I shouldn't have any trouble getting a job, but I'm not sure yet where in the valley I'll end up working. After looking for apartments, the Mark Taylor ones look really nice (although their website has only a very few tiny photos). They're scattered across the valley, so my plan is just to pick one nearest to where I'll work for the first year...then begin looking for a house after I get to know the area and have survived a summer.

This may sound a bit harsh, but it's the truth. I live in upstate NY and I've lived in 3 different apartment complexes over the years. In two out of the three cases, I was in a very nice community, paying full price, and neighbors moved in via government subsidy and I subsequently had to deal with screaming at the wife/girlfriend at 3AM, loud music day and night, slamming doors, etc. The other residents and I filed several complaints, the police came a few times, but nothing was ever done to evict them. I don't want to get locked into an $900 a month lease and have a neighbor like that. So, I have a couple of questions:

Are the Mark Taylor communities really as nice as they look?

Do apartment managers in Phoenix evict people who consistently behave with a complete disregard to their neighbors by behaving as I described?

Thanks for the advice and information!

[MaxPower123]

Originally Posted by pmurphy4

I'm planning to be in the Phoenix area in October 2008. There are a large number of job opportunities in my field (Oracle Database Administrator), so I shouldn't have any trouble getting a job, but I'm not sure yet where in the valley I'll end up working. After looking for apartments, the Mark Taylor ones look really nice (although their website has only a very few tiny photos). They're scattered across the valley, so my plan is just to pick one nearest to where I'll work for the first year...then begin looking for a house after I get to know the area and have survived a summer.

This may sound a bit harsh, but it's the truth. I live in upstate NY and I've lived in 3 different apartment complexes over the years. In two out of the three cases, I was in a very nice community, paying full price, and neighbors moved in via government subsidy and I subsequently had to deal with screaming at the wife/girlfriend at 3AM, loud music day and night, slamming doors, etc. The other residents and I filed several complaints, the police came a few times, but nothing was ever done to evict them. I don't want to get locked into an $900 a month lease and have a neighbor like that. So, I have a couple of questions:

Are the Mark Taylor communities really as nice as they look?

Do apartment managers in Phoenix evict people who consistently behave with a complete disregard to their neighbors by behaving as I described?

Thanks for the advice and information!

Mark Taylor apts are some of the nicest and some expensive in Phoenix. If you can afford it then go for it.

[ivanabacowboy]

I just moved out here in September. I looked at 2 Mark Taylor Communities. Shade at Desert Ridge. And Dakota McDowell Mountain. Both were very nice. Actually Shade would have been my alternative if I did not choose where I live now. My only beef with Shade was it was a bit more "modern" architecture, and while conveniently across from Desert Ridge and maybe 1/4 mile or so to the 101--->was also conveniently across from a lot of traffic. Shade was more "urban". Dakota was more "ranch" like.

[sablebaby]

I've lived in a Mark Taylor in the past and yes they are very nice. However, they are starting to age a little (at least they were a few years ago). But, definitely better than most in the valley. There are some new apartments called Trillium and are being built throughout the valley as well. A couple were just built and I'm sure are very nice. I believe the price will be in the same range.

I've had issues with neighbors and just complain to the mgmt until something happens. Usually, things get cleared up somewhat quickly. But, you WILL most likely run into plenty of pain in the you know what neighbors. That's just apt life. They probably won't be govt subsidized though.

[pmurphy4]

Originally Posted by sablebaby

There are some new apartments called Trillium and are being built throughout the valley as well. A couple were just built and I'm sure are very nice. I believe the price will be in the same range.

Wow. Sold. Those are the nicest apartments I've ever seen. I can't see paying $900 a month for rent forever, but I'd consider the $200 premium to live in a place like that for 12 months like the cost of a nice vacation. The $700 a month places are a bit sketchy on apartmentratings and the payscale difference for Oracle DBA work in Phoenix compared to Central NY is huge (70K in CNY vs. 80K - 125K in Phoenix) and my rent is already $610 here, so the extra $3,000 in housing costs will be fine.

The thing that worries me is buying a $230,000 house in 2009 and having it drop 30% in value because it is overpriced to begin with. I've never understood real estate pricing...how can houses go up 50% in cost when wages have remained flat? It simply (and obviously) can't be sustained and that is what we are seeing now.

Thanks again for the suggestion!

[cxray]

I've lived at 2 Mark-Taylor apartments and several apartments during my 20's and I wouldn't live there. 10 years ago, they were the newest and nicest apartments available. Most of them have gotten old and are not nearly as nice as they once were yet are more expensive.

The management is horrible. Mark-Taylor loves to hire beatiful Barbie dolls as property managers and office assistants. A lot of guys go in there and see these ladies and decide to lease an apartment from them. Sure, they were great to look at but were horrible as managers. They were lazy and irresponsible. They would leave early; do nothing about problem neighbors and take a long time to address work orders. They would often sit in their cubicle and surf the net or the manager would have her door closed as she talked on the phone. They also have a lot of attitude particularly to female residents. I didn't have heat in my apartment for 2 weeks and they gave me the runaround and felt no urgency to address it. That's how bad they were.

You are just paying for a lot of fancy gift wrapping with no substance. If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought a house or just went to nicer yet less well-known complexes.

[ivanabacowboy]

Shade is brand new. Just finished construction.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by pmurphy4

Wow. Sold. Those are the nicest apartments I've ever seen. I can't see paying $900 a month for rent forever, but I'd consider the $200 premium to live in a place like that for 12 months like the cost of a nice vacation. The $700 a month places are a bit sketchy on apartmentratings and the payscale difference for Oracle DBA work in Phoenix compared to Central NY is huge (70K in CNY vs. 80K - 125K in Phoenix) and my rent is already $610 here, so the extra $3,000 in housing costs will be fine.

The thing that worries me is buying a $230,000 house in 2009 and having it drop 30% in value because it is overpriced to begin with. I've never understood real estate pricing...how can houses go up 50% in cost when wages have remained flat? It simply (and obviously) can't be sustained and that is what we are seeing now.

Thanks again for the suggestion!

Cool, I'm glad that works for you. It was a very rare sight to see new apts going up when there are a million condo complexes being built all over the place. I thought it might be a bad idea, but with the housing the way it is it may be pretty smart!

Our housing going up by 50% was easy as it was a lot of people from CA and other areas wanting a cheaper place to live (and invest). I lived in a home (rented) that was sold $60k more than it should and a CA investor swooped right in and bought it as it was so cheap (to them). Then boom, that market went up by $60k overnight! It kept going until they stopped. That $285k cute little house would have cost double at least in CA. So you can see why they did this (I would have).

[uconn99]

I have also lived in 2 Mark Taylor properties and 1 of the new Trilliums.

Mark Taylor is nice, for the most part the apartments are new, when they get older the company usually sells them off. I lived in San Brisas on Rural and Ray in Chandler. Nice complex but is getting to be close to 10 years old now. A 2 bedroom 1st floor unit cost me $900 a month in 2003. After looking at Mark Taylors web site it looks like they sold San Brisas.

I also lived in the Palazzo Town homes @ Cofco Center (202/44th st). Stay away from this community at all costs. The management team is horrible, the location is right in the ghetto, and while the apartments are decent, the selection for TV/internet is limited to QWest only. I couldn't even get DSL from Qwest there, instead I had to use a in-community T1 line which was so SLOW. You are also limited to DirectTV through Qwest and they charge you a $10 month service fee. I instead went with DirectTV directly and saved some money. You can not get any Cox service in the community.


Stay away from Trillium on Washington and Center Parkway. It looks nice but is crowded with loud and rude college aged kids. There was a good amount of professionals who lived there but most have moved out like I did. Also the management team is worse than any of Mark Taylors.

I can't speak for the other Trilliums, but from my past experiences with them I would stay away, mainly because of the bad experiences with management staff.