Bayview Apartments

I was really happy living here. The rent is amazing, especially if you are in one of the two bedroom with a balcony looking out at the sound. The apartment was extremely clean upon move in and in good working order. The few maintenance issues that came up were dealt with quickly. The landscaping is beautiful. The walls are surprisingly sound proof. The only downside is if you live in the Puget Street building, the traffic noise gets old. An extra bonus is the manager, Carol, who has got to be one of the friendliest people ever. She made a point to say hi whenever I saw her.

I have lived at these apartments for the past 4, going on 5, years and my experience has been all around fantastic. This is the best place I have lived so far in Olympia.
At Bayview the rent is cheap by Olympia standards and the utility cost low, the buildings are extremely clean and well maintained, the landscaping and overall maintenance is top notch. There is an on-​site repair person who is very responsive to any difficulties I have had (which have been very few). The apartment manager is also very helpful and responsive, in addition to being a genuinely nice person. The people who live here are for the most part very nice and/​or keep to themselves. I have never felt unsafe here, although there has been an occasional car break-​in or bike stolen over the years. The buildings themselves are well lit at night.
The only downsides would be if you are loud and/​or like to have lots of people over frequently. Most of the apartments house single residents, and the owners like to keep things quiet/​low key. Also, because the apartments are so clean to begin with, there is a good chance you will not get all of your deposit back– which I have heard people complain about. Honestly, I consider it a fair trade off when all is said and done– I have lived in many a moldy, dingy Olympia rental and this place has zero mold issues and is cleaner than any place I have lived in. I highly recommend this place!

A good place to live… if you like calling your landlord Warden.
The nitty gritty goes like this. First off the rent is fairly reasonable by Olympia standards ringing in at under $ 500 a month, electricity not included. The location however is a double-​edged sword, on one hand it’s only a short ten minute walk to 4^th and Capital, the heart of downtown. The other, dirty edge is the criminal element that exists in the surrounding neighborhood. I have heard numerous reports of people getting their cars broken into during their tenure here and personally witnessed the management’s lack of action to address this issue except for the appearance of «warning» flyers posted around the laundry rooms.
The complex itself is small in comparison to those massive industrial apartment complexes one is not hard pressed to find along America’s freeways. Matter of fact, the Bayview Apartments are actually rather cute as you drive in. The landscaping is meticulously maintained with a variety of plants, flowers, and bushes. It is in this single aspect you can discern that the owners care about the appearance of their property.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. How is this bad thing you ask? Well it doesn’t produce much of a problem until you as a tenant decide to change or vacate your apartment. It’s at this point that the owners turn into cleanliness control freaks. They don’t require you to clean you apartment, no they demand that you put your blood, sweat, and tears into polishing your old apartment.
Some of the things they require are ridiculous such as washing the exterior of your windows despite the fact that onsite maintenance never washes them while occupied. By the way, good luck if you live on the 2^nd floor. The owners are so particular with what they demand that let me just put it this way, every inch better be spotless… or goodbye security deposit hello $ 60 an hour cleaning fee. So to avoid this be prepared to have every inch of wall space, bit of window tracks, draws, blinds, and even inside your oven and baseboard heaters spotless and sparkling. This level of required detail to appease these people is so unrealistic that one can’t help but feel frustrated and defeated when done.
I mean really? REALLY? Moving is already stressful enough without this added, obsessive inconvenience thrust upon you by uptight, snooty snoot, landlords. So be warned, if you decided to move into this pedicured living estate be prepared to leave a wee bit of your soul behind because it might take a blood pact with the devil to get out here without paying an enormous fee.