Hi,
Sorry this is long....
I too went apartment hunting this past week. Here is what I found (keep in mind that I was only looking at studios and 1brs and I have 2 cats):
Also for any non-smokers or those sensitive to smoke keep in mind that almost all (~95%) of the apartment complexes allow smoking in the apartments in Florida.
Laurels at Jacaranda (Plantation):
The studio was really nice and clean. The price was OK ($863-1023 for 680 square feet). A big sticking point for me at this complex was the pet cost ($500 non-refundable per pet). The woman I spoke to said they *may* be able to reduce this but I would have to talk to Cesar the Leasing Manager. They do offer a 3% rent discount for all NOVA students. This place also has individual water meters in all the units which is nice. In most places in Florida each building shares one water meter and it is divided up by how many people live in the building. It also has a stackable washer/dryer in the studio.
They will not know about availability until May as they only require 60 day notice for tenants. They were currently running a special with reduced application fees, security deposit, and administrative fees but basically said during the busy season (the summer) these specials are not run.
As far as the smoking in the apartments the woman gave me an attitude when I asked about it and said that it wasn't her problem and the maintenance manager made the decision about carpets being replaced. When I spoke to Cesar on the phone I loved the place but once I got there and met with this other woman (who gave me Cesar's card when I asked, not hers) it went down on my list.
Jacaranda Club (Plantation):
On the phone it sounded fantastic and the price was awesome ($799 for a studio). It got the highest ratings on apartmentratings.com so I was really hopeful. Once I got there, not so much. The place is a DUMP! It was trash day and on trash day they take out the dumpsters from these cubbies that are next to some of the apartments and put them in the middle of the road. They are swarming with bugs and smell horrible. I can only imagine what it smells like if you are unfortunate enough to live next to once of the dumpster cubbies.
Some studios still have Murphy beds and have cabinets that haven't been updated since the 1970's. Also the kitchens have suspended ceilings that I am assuming were once white but are now dark brown (really gross). When you go on the tour they show you one of the nice, new updated studios (corner unit, new cabinets, etc.) but they only have very few of these and the chances of getting one are slim. The hallways are all concrete and really dark. This place has laundry facilities which are really expensive ($3 per load in really small washer/dryers).
I also didn't like the fact that when my father asked about safety the woman wouldn't answer him. When he pressed she said to visit the Broward county police station. This further concerned my father and he pressed some more. She eventually told him they have issues of stolen property and pets being stolen from cars (not a big deal but still).
Really cheap pet fee though ($200 flat for cats, and $500 for dogs) and the woman told me she knows everyone in the place and can put me in a unit in which there was little to no smoking. Oh there is also a $6/month trash fee. I am not sure what for as you have to walk down to the dumpster and put your trash in it.
I got the feeling there was a TON of vacancy and I just got a really bad vibe from this place.
Lakepointe at Jacaranda (Plantation):
When I went they didn't have a studio to show me so I didn't do a tour. It seemed nice enough but it was hard to tell without doing the tour. It is expensive here though for a studio. Currently standard studios were running $884-919 and "upgraded" were running $959-994 for only 635 square feet. There are also quite a few fees here:
$200/pet under 35lbs (refundable) on top of a $300/pet ownership fee (non-refundable)
All of the following are non-refundable:
$250 move-in administrative fee
$80 application fee
$30 guarantor application fee (if needed)
$40 Spousal add-on fee
$300 deposit on 1br ($500 for 2br)
$50 fitness center key
$30/month covered parking fee (if desired)
and something called a Short term premium for $50/month (not sure what this is and I forgot to ask)
This place is also on the opposite side of the street from NOVA (about 10mins with no traffic) and you have to do a weird u-turn and then turn around again to get into the place.
This place also runs specials but won't be able to say what they are until the week before you sign your lease as they change weekly. They also require renter's insurance with $50,000 coverage.
Sunforest (Davie, 5min. walk to school):
I was really hesitant to look here because of the reviews but I am glad I did.
I was really impressed by the office staff and the complex. The 1br is HUGE (838 square feet) and has W/D hook-ups in the unit. The big selling point is the proximity to the school. I gathered from talking to some students and staff in the bookstore that there is a major traffic issue on University Drive. A quick 10min. drive can quickly turn into 25-30mins. depending on the traffic lights. I was also told that there is a parking issue at the Med School as well and that during the morning rush it takes a long time to get into the garage (I saw this on my interview day; a line of cars moving very slowly trying to get into the garage). This complex is a 5min. walk to the school.
However, this complex does have a lot of fees and is more expensive ($945-1080/month for 1br but nearly 200 square feet larger than Lakepointe and Laurels for about the same price).
Here is the breakdown on fees:
Refundable:
$600 security deposit ($700 for 2br)
$100 holding deposit ($150 for 2br, refunded if application is not approved, otherwise applied to your 1st months rent)
$50 amenity key fee
Non-Refundable:
$500/pet (however, I was given a break and got both for $600)
$350 Administrative fee
$75 Application fee (per applicant so if you need a guarantor it is another $75)
Also:
$25/month valet trash service (pick-up outside your door)
$40-95/month for water/sewer depending on usage (there is only 1 meter per building so it is split between all occupants)
Renter's insurance is also required here with $50,000 coverage.
The thing that sold me on this place was the office staff. I specifically asked about the extremely poor reviews on apartmentratings.com and the supposed mold issues. The assistant property manager Cheryl was horrified to hear this and made me show her the website. It was the first she had heard about the terrible reviews and called the maintenance manager over to read them himself. He explained to me that the review about mold was in fact mildew due to the extreme humidity in southern FL and that it is an issue everywhere. The person who wrote the review did not wipe down the windows as instructed by the complex to help prevent mildew formation. The maintenance manager said they will come in and clean-up mildew and install a dehumidifier for a few days if it does become an issue. He also suggested that using a dehumidifier is common and recommended in all complexes due to the humidity in order control mildew formation. Cheryl also saved the website to show to her boss. I was impressed by her professionalism and her ability to address my concerns.
All in all, I am renting here at Sunforest. All the 1br apartments are corner units which was nice. However, there is already a waiting list and I am 4th on the list for a 1br so if you want to guarantee yourself one you may want to call.
Take the ratings on apartmentratings.com with a grain of salt as people are most likely going to post when they are mad and angry. Also, I would highly recommend going down and taking a look around at several complexes to get a feel for what works for you.
A note about renter's insurance. $50,000 coverage runs about $118/year. You can also be added to your parents home insurance in your home state for MUCH less.
I hope this helps! Feel free to PM me or shoot me an e-mail (
[email protected]) if you have any other questions.
Allison
