RENO apartments. . .any suggestions? (Sparks, Spanish Springs: realty, luxury, showing)

[K.P.]

Does anyone live near the apartment complex called THE ENCLAVE? or THE VINTAGE? I've narrowed my search of apartments in Reno to those two (I think) Any residents of reno know what kind of area these complexes are in good/bad crime/gangs etc. . .or have you driven by either of these, how does it look from the outside?

[jwaters943]

My mother-in-law actually lives at The Vintage at South Meadows and I live directly across the street at Tanamera.
Reno Lake Tahoe Condominiums

Overall, I find it to be a great neighborhood with a good variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options nearby. It's also one of the cleanest neighborhoods in Reno with nice landscaping and beautiful views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In spite of all the businesses in the area, it still is more suburban than urban in terms of feel. FWIW, there is a major hospital just down the street and 3 grocery stores within 1-2 miles (Smith's is the closest and well within walking distance, WinCo is 1 mile away and Super WalMart is 2 miles away). The South Meadows/Double Diamond area is also right in between the regions' two major shopping malls (Meadowood Mall & The Summit Sierra).

The Summit Sierra - Home

Simon Malls | More Choices — Meadowood Mall Information, Meadowood Mall Gift Cards

The only downside for me is the low income apartment complex bordering the Eastern edge of The Vintage, and the often speeding traffic on South Meadows Parkway. There have been a few deaths at nearby intersections and even after increased police presence and installation of flashing crosswalks, I still see people nearly rundown pedestrians at least 2-3 times a month. There is relatively little gang activity. An occassion tagging here and there, but nothing significant. The last news story pertaining to gang violence involved a group of teens at the aforementioned low-income complex about a year ago. As for the Enclave, I wouldn't recommend it. The complex isn't nearly as nice IMO and it's adjacent to an older, slightly rundown neighborhood. You should also check out Horizons at South Meadows, which is located a mile North of South Meadows on Double R Blvd. from The Vintage at South Meadows. Horizons has the nicest kitchens and is the newest, if those things matter to you. The Vintage is a bit more scenic (particularly from the 3rd floor) and has a small lake in back with a walking path around the lake.

As for the future of the area, I'm not sure how long you plan on living here, but it is growing fast and traffic is a concern. A hot topic right now is the proposal to build four 30-story condo towers in back of The Vintage. It's still a good 10 years away by most estimates, but if it gets built should look something like this:



Either way, good luck with your move! Let me know if you have any more questions. I would be more than happy to answer your questions.

[K.P.]

Wow, thanks for you response...I reallyreally appreciate it!! I was reading on apartmentratings.com and found the below responses. Since you know someone living there, I was wondering their point of view on these comments?





You'd think the place next door was the armpit but the two have essentially merged. I watched this place change owners and its been a joke since. Maintenance sucks. I've had my tires flattened and car keyed. People don't clean up after their animals and there is dog poop all over. The lake is nice but the goose crap is everywhere making it impossible to walk around without messing up your shoes. Noisiest apartments I've ever lived in (15 years of renting) you always know where your neighbors are.

Yes I totally agree...right now outside my apartment here at South Meadow, a gang fight is happening. I have moved my kids to the back bedroom in case of gun fire. The management has no clue what goes on...luxury apartments...don't think so....

From: amy5212 Date: 11/01/2006
I agree as well!!!! When I moved in...in March I was told that the gate was broken and because of the crime we would be getting security for the 24 hours a day until the gate is fixed...that has NOT happened. We were told in Sept that the gate would be fixed...all we got was a tanning bed...like that will fight crime

From: renthm Date: 11/05/2006
Management company will not get the security...has nothing to do with the on site staff...move somewhere else like I did...and be happy...better management companies everywhere...



I've lived at the vintage for a while now and the location is good, but everything else about the place is really cheap. The carpets are especially stain prone and of the lowest possible quality. I honestly feel like my health could be compomised because of the amount of carpet fiber that ends up everywhere. Parking isn't usually a problem. The apartment is next to a rough complex and it seems like more an more violence happens around here all the time.

[K.P.]

....and this one was about the Tanamera.



Tanamera Apartments Homes

33.0 %
Overall Rating

Parking:

Maintenance:

Construction:
Noise:

Grounds:
Safety:
Office Staff:

900 South Meadows Parkway
Reno, NV 89511
775-852-8989
I'm the manager
I'm a resident
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All show and no substance.
From: -Anonymous-
Date posted: 1/14/2002
Years at this apartment: 2000 - 2002


I must admit that my wife and I were taken in by the initial impression you get from the amenities (clubhouse, pool, surrounding landscaping, etc.). We should have been tipped off, however, by the leasing agent's cold demeanor while she was reluctantly showing us the model apartments. Having been "seduced" by the overall appearance and the desire to live in what was initially touted to be a luxury adult community, however, we signed a 2-year lease. Almost immediately you discover that what appears to be fabulous well-built apartments, really aren't. Doors and windows are not sealed. The carpeting has lumps where flaws in the foundation was simply covered over. Fixtures break easily. The biggest complaint, however, is the lack of concern the management has when you have a problem. When you first enter the office, are "greeted" with indifference if you are a current resident. Only new prospects by which commissions are earned are treated with any kind of enthusiasm. Rules, which in my opinion must be strictly enforced when a large number of people are living in close proximity, are ignored. Residents are left to fend for themselves. Paying rent which is at least double that of any other apartments in the area, I expected more.

[jwaters943]

Let's start with The Vintage:

I had heard some complaints about maintenance from my friend who lived there from 2004-2006. I think things have improved, at least on the surface. For instance, they repainted the apartments last Fall and the grounds seem quite a bit cleaner. The gates at the entryways are still unoperational though (and have been for 3-4 years!).

As for the duck/goose crap, yes there is quite a bit around the lake (which is to be expected IMO), but it's not quite as bad as the person made it sound IMO. I too would be a bit concerned about the low-income apartments next door. The person who posted that review must live on the Eastern edge of the complex and was referring to the teenage "gang" fight at the complex that happened last year and was all over the news.

As for Tanamera, I love it here. It's no longer an apartment complex. They converted to condos last year and are just over half sold.



As for other suggestions, again, I would recommend checking out Horizons at South Meadows. Also worth consideration is Triana South (up the hill from Horizons) and Fleur de Lis, which is a located at the back of Double Diamond. Both of these complexes are condos, but many are being rented out by the owners/investors on craigslist. Fleur de Lis was built by the same builder as Tanamera and is without a doubt the nicest suburban condo complex in Reno. All of the units at Fleur de Lis and Triana have attached garages as well.

Fleur de Lis:







Addt'l info:

Reno Magic


Triana:


Check out this site:
Reno Condo Rentals - Condo Rental - Homes and Condos - Long term condo and home rentals

[ladydi617]

Anyone know of any cheap safe weekly motels I am having to move soon and ones that will take my two dogs?

[K.P.]

...awesome suggestions, just looked at 'em ; )

Overall, do you feel safe in the area you live in? Reading the posts about Reno it seems like everywhere you look theres crime waiting to happen. Is it mostly a night thing when everything is weary? I'm kind of creeped out that even the nice places I'm seeing online (such as The Vintage and Tanamera) seem to be no better than anywhere else? Uggh. . .We'll be moving there in Sept. so I guess I'll gather an opinion then myself. . .but what do you think?

[jwaters943]

Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. I truly mean that, no matter where you are planning on moving.

With that said, I've lived in Reno my whole life (but I do travel quite a bit), and aside from 2 or 3 areas around town, there aren't many places I would feel truly unsafe in at night. Maybe I'm just crazy. FWIW, my sister-in-law just spent a year in Syracuse, NY as part of her Masters program and commented on how nice it was to come back to Reno and how safe she felt. She said she feels safe going out by herself jogging at night and/or early in the morning.

Still, Reno does have a significant criminal element, but I think you will find the majority of it limited to downtown. I suppose it's worth noting that studies have shown that in the majority of crimes committed in this country, the victim knew the perpetrator. I'm not saying you can't be the victim of a senseless crime by a stranger, because of course anyone can, but the company you keep and the choices you make play a big role as well IMO. I'm sure associations with or involvement with drug use is probably the single biggest contributor to crime. Unfortunately, the entire U.S. is suffering from a Meth epidemic, especially in the West (even once tranquil rural communities).

Anyway...enough of my rambling. I really think you should at least visit and look around for yourself if you're able to. There are several hotels in the South Meadows since you seem to be interested in this area (Marriott Residence Inn, Extended Stay America, Hampton Inn. Hilton Garden Suites should be open in a few months too).

To answer your question, yes, I feel very safe where I live. I've been in this area 3 years and love it. I used to live in the Spanish Springs area of Sparks and loved it there too (there are quite a few nice neighborhoods, one of which is Wingfield Springs). The only downside is the distance to most employers in the region. For most people, myself included, it's a 20-35 minutes commute.

Still, you might want to check it out if you're interested. Sparks has a more of a small town vibe IMO. Anyway, below is a link to a new and very nice rental community in the Kiley Ranch area of Spanish Springs. It's close to lots of shopping and near plenty of open space/walking trails:

View Caviata at Kiley Ranch Apartments For Rent in Sparks, Nevada - ForRent.com

More info on the area:

Kiley Ranch | Sparks, Nevada - Home

Wingfield Springs Realty, Sparks, Nevada