Preserve at Carol Stream

DO NOT MOVE HERE. This place is disgusting, horribly maintained, the walls are thin, you will hear every step and snore from your neighbors, we’ve lived here for four months and we’ve had a terrible ant infestation from the very first day that two sets of management have ignored, the office staff is completely worthless, they will tell you that people are coming to resolve your issues and then they never show up. Something little that bugs me about it is they force you to use this completely inconvenient laundry system, laundry is twice as much as any coin place and the driers don’t even dry your clothes. Oh and our particular unit has all of the sinks, bathtubs, and counters PAINTED OVER. It’s disgusting and hard to keep clean. This place is seriously absurd, avoid living here at all costs.

Personally, I did not encounter any of these «horrible» problems the other reviewers say they had. I have to disagree completely (although it’s true the office won’t take UPS packages– but I think it was because of something UPS was doing wrong). We have had very few maintenance problems, and when we did have some minor ones, maintenance was quick to come by and fix it. They are also super friendly and very accommodating.
As far as the cops being called there often, not true at all. I don’t think I have seen one police officer or police car in the complex– literally, nor have I seen any suspicious or criminal activity. These are not low rent, section 8 units. It’s very difficult to find an apartment to live in when the only people who review them are people who A) never lived there in the first place, like half the reviewers here or B) have expectations far too high for an apartment complex OR exaggerate issues they had for one reason or another. My toilet overflowed once and our blinds fell twice. Does that mean the place is HORRIBLE? Of course not. If you want perfection with brand new appliances and management that runs the place EXACTLY the way you would want to run it yourself, you will have to buy a house. That is the only way you will get every single thing you want.
I put very little stock in these reviews by people who never even moved in to the complexes they review in the first place. People looking for a nice apartment in a quiet neighborhood with a small gym and outdoor pool/​hot tub with very little crime and a beautiful community park in their backyard should check this place out and see if they like the units. Personally, I am ready to move into a townhouse that has in-​unit laundry, but if that is not affordable, there is nothing wrong with this place that would make me tell you to stay away.
Pardon my irritation with other reviews– I am currently looking for a new condo or townhouse closer to my and my husband’s workplaces and run into these extraordinarily exaggerated and/​or biased reviews constantly, making it impossible to know what places are decent and which aren’t. The fact is, most people only write reviews online if they absolutely were blown away by the place or if they absolutely hated it (and even those that loved it are much less likely to take the time to write a review than those who hated it). Another facet is people getting evicted for their own actions, and writing terrible reviews about the complex for revenge, even though it’s their own fault (I’ve seen this many times in my search!).
Bottom line, this place is NOT «horrible” — far, far from it. It is in a beautiful setting, the apartments are clean, it is not noisy in the buildings themselves, parking is never an issue, management is very nice and the new manager was very accommodating to us as well. The clubhouse is nice and peaceful– not crowded ²⁴⁄₇ like many other complexes. I think rent prices are very fair for the area and the amenities. The last complex I lived in was constantly super noisy, with very thin walls and ceilings and we ALWAYS heard everything our neighbors did. We live in the dogs-​allowed building at Preserve and I don’t even hear any barking when I’m in my apartment. I don’t know anyone who lives there that thinks it is the nightmare other reviewers describe. Take reviews like these with a grain of salt– there may be an ulterior motive behind the bad mouthing.

If I could give zero stars I would and I never even got to move in! My first visit I encountered a girl in the office who didn’t even care to show me an apartment. She showed me floor plans and said there was a choice between standard and upgraded apartments. She gave me the prices and I inquired about the two bedroom they were showing online for $ 1040.00 a month. She stated she didn’t have any at that price and said they were out of mt budget! Than gave me a brochure and sent me on my way.
I really liked the outside grounds and kept receiving alerts on my Truilia account for a two bedroom priced at $ 1040.00. So I called again and spoke to a diffrent women who said that’s not true, she insisted I make an appointment because she was looking at several two bedrooms available at this price. We scheduled an appointment for the upcoming Saturday at 10am. She called me the day before and pushed the appointment to 10:30am, I explained I had a viewing at another property at 11:30am so it would be cutting it close. She said no problem we can have you out in time. I was there on time but still was asked to wait while she showed a walk in an appointment. I waited until 11:15am and she came back. I explained the situation and she told me to go to the other appointment and come back. So I did.
The model unit I saw was great! I loved what they had to offer and applied for the unit. It was $ 160.00 of which $ 100.00 would be refundable if it didn’t work out. I emailed the manager Kathy my paycheck stubs immediatly from my seat as her child ran through the office obviously ready to go swimming. The «leasing agent» I was speaking to ran back and fourth between the manager and I discussing which units were available. I was told I would get an answer by Monday. Monday came and went so by Tuesday I called to follow up. I was told I would get a callback… nothing. Finally, Thursday I received a voicemail from Kathy around noon welcoming me to the community and she would be emailing a letter regarding my move in on June 19^th??? That call was placed on June 12^th… obviously…I could not plan a move by than. And we never even discussed a move in date??? I called around 5pm that day after not recieving any email. I spoke to the agent I had been working with, she yelled to Kathy that I was on the phone. To which Kathy yelled back I am sending it now! I voiced my concern that I need to plan for movers and was told «don’t worry everything you need is in the email». I didn’t ever get the email.
That Sunday I stopped in the office to see what was going on. Again, same leasing agent. She stated several times that the apartment was mine already… it’s in my name??? I told her again I have received nothing nor signed anything. I than requested to see the unit. She said agreeded. Still a nice unit but didn’t have the amenities we had discussed that previous Saturday. It had one balcony instead of 2 and and 2 air conditioners instead of 3. I brought this up and she offered to take me to another unit. Still didn’t have what we originally agreed on but it was ok. She told me the price was more but Kathy would have no problem honoring the agreed price. Kathy was to call me the following day (Monday) to discuss.
Monday came and went so around 5pm I called the office. Kathy called in that day. No problem people get sick not a big deal. Tuesday she calls me leaving a voicemail about me moving in on the 19^th (now in 4 days) and wants to discuss my upgrade. I called her back and explained what had occurred. She told me my leasing agent means well but she’s actually working for a temp service. She will honor the price if I move in the Fourth of July weekend because the unit wasn’t ready. I told her the week after would be better since finding a mover on the fourth wouldn’t be easy and probably costly. She said they can only hold it 3weeks from my application date. This is understandable except it took them over a week to even come to a decision. She apparently thinks it’s not a problem to pull a move together in two weeks notice on a holiday weekend. I brought it to her attention that she said the unit would not be ready before than. She replied with «it can be ready in 2 hours it just needs paint and a carpet cleaning» Obviously, I was confused by the sudden change and called her on it. She got very defensive and rude. This lady refused to refund my application fee and when I told her I will complain to the corporate office she said «you do that» and hung up!!! I have never encountered such horrible, confusing, unorganized people in my life. Don’t bother with this property it is a lot of wasted time and unnessasary stress!

Iv never lived there, but we made and apointment on Wednesday through the online chat for 2pm. we get there, shes on a lunch break till 3. come back and at 3:15 someone comes back and tells us there isn’t a leasing manager on Wednesday. OK.
so we make another appointment for Saturday at 10am, we get there and wait till 10:10 for someone to show up. doesn’t acknowledge us. A resident is there and tells us that the management at the place is HORRIBLE. he gets into a fight with the girl, cops are called, still no acknowledgement or anything from either of the women. now we are just wondering if we should go. but we wait and 45 min later nothing, so we left. oh and there was another resident waiting and said that the management was horrible too!
This place has ALOT of problems to take care of and i wouldn’t recommend it. if you do, good luck trying to get an appointment to even see the place!