Enso Apartments

I recently moved into Enso Apartments and the experience has been great so far. Sarah who is the community manager is very helpful and friendly. She showed us the place around by spending a lot of time with us and giving us a tour of all the available apartments. While I was apartment shopping in North San Jose, I found Enso to be a very good deal in terms of location, price and square footage. I was moving in from Atlanta and Sarah was very helpful in making the move-​in process very smooth for me. She was very quick to respond to emails and I felt that I was being taken care of :)
Thanks Sarah! I would recommend this place for my friends in the Bay Area.

It’s been about a year, so I thought I’d update this.
I had high hopes that things would be better after Essex took over for Fairfield, and we decided to stay in the apartment when our lease renewal came up. Essex has fixed some things. The fire alarms are no longer a problem, and in general little things around the complex like the dog park and the landscaping are actually getting attention now.
But this place still has issues.
As someone else mentioned, the office staff seems to change on an almost weekly basis. They never learn your name or apartment, so you have to show I.D. to pick up a package. If you’re like me and don’t have the same last name as your partner, you have to wait for them to look up in the system to make sure you live at the apartment in order to pick up a package for the other person in your apartment. The complete lack of knowing the residents is absurd for a complex this small. Despite the major beefs I had with Fairfield management, at least they knew my name.
I haven’t personally had issues with security here, but as you can see from other reviewers, a lot of people have. I’ve come down to the parking garage in the morning to see windows of my neighbors’ cars smashed in, which is pretty upsetting. Supposedly there is a security guard, but I’ve never once seen him, so I’m not sure how effective he is.
Essex also made the hours of the business center and clubhouse from 8 – 10 pm instead of 24 hours. For someone like me who frequently used the business center at 6 in the morning so I could get work done away from my toddler, this is a HUGE inconvenience. I asked about it and was told that the new hours were so that there was always staff around when the center is open. This is weird because I’m pretty sure there’s no staff here at 10 pm, or on Sunday for that matter. So basically it’s a BS excuse. Plus the business center is restricted to entry by a resident’s keyfob and there are security cameras in there, so I’m not sure why they need to have staff here to monitor it.
Parking is a mess. Spots aren’t assigned, so it’s kind of the Wild West in the parking garage. I frequently have to park on the second level and the only elevators that go up from there are on the complete opposite side of the complex from my apartment. This is a big hassle when I come home and have to get four bags of groceries and a wild toddler to my apartment. It would make more sense if they assigned people spots near the elevator that their apartment is closest to, like other complexes do. But that would probably require too much actual work. The parking situation is worse now that they made several spots near my most convenient elevator into electric charging stations, which can only be used by electric cars while charging. These are often empty, so it’s a pretty big waste of prime parking spots.
Stuff still takes a long time to fix. As I write this the parking garage gates are broken (meaning the gates are permanently open and the garage is unsecured), the pool is closed because the pool gates are broken, and one of the two treadmills in the gym is out of service, so good luck getting in a workout at prime workout times. These issues have been around since last week, so it’s definitely not something management gets taken care of quickly.
The bottom line seems to be that this complex becomes the lost stepchild of whatever management company it belongs to. Stuff just doesn’t get taken care of because this small complex becomes low on the priority list.
I moved here because I wanted the smaller community feel where residents and management know each other. That’s not happening. Additionally, unlike some of the larger complexes down the street, if one thing breaks there isn’t a backup. There are no extra gyms, extra pools, extra business centers, etc. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t ever use amenities you might not be bothered. But for someone like me who actually does, it’s beyond annoying. I’m paying the same as I would to live at larger complexes, and getting much less service.
The only reason I upgraded my review to two stars is that the new onsite maintenance guys are awesome. If there’s something that’s in their ability to fix, they will do it. They are super professional, nice, responsive, and helpful. So there’s that. :)

Move in Process:
We moved in under the old management (Fairfield). All documents were online. The procedure was smooth.
Just wish they had a truck loading dock or dolly’s we could borrow to transport stuff. There are only a couple of elevators that you can use to unload and take stuff up — which slows down the process. But it’s a small inconvenience all in all.
Apartment:
It’s a really nice apartment. Since the community is new, things look modern. Most apartments we saw had plenty of closet space.
Maintenance:
We did not have too many issues. When we did, we just had to open a ticket online and they took care of it.
Cleanliness:
I found the new management (Essex) got the place back in order. The common areas are very clean. The stairwell and windows were cleaned. Gym looks tidy. They have put good signage everywhere.
Security:
This was a concern for a couple of months. Despite the community being gated, we too had our car broken into. BUT… the management was super responsive and heard our woes. They sent an email to the rest of the community about what was happening and tips to avoid break-in’s (they did not try to cover anything up). They also started a patrol service and increased the security, and since then I haven’t heard of any break-​ins.
The responsibility of security is as much ours (the residents) as the managements. We, the residents, were allowing cars to tailgate after them. I saw doors propped open as people walked their pet etc. So I would not lay the onus of security entirely on the Enso management. And they did step up and respond to the issue.
Move out process:
Going through it right now. Seems fairly smooth so far (again, everything online, you can schedule an inspection, the management gave me a list of things they would check beforehand)…but will update the post with more info after my move out is complete.

There were a few reasons I gave this moderately new apartment 2 stars.
Pros:
1. After ESSEX took over from Fairfield, the management started to fix up the place such as cracks on walls, cleaning up the place (power wash the floor, and clean up the grass area where dogs’ poops used to be seen everywhere), and ensuring the trash area is cleaned up often.
2. Administrative efficiency has improved. The on-​site staff have been friendly and follow up with discussion within a day or two.
3. A notice about courtesy patrol was put on the door of all the units after cars were stolen and broken into.
Cons:
1. Despite the mentioned courtesy patrol, I have only seen the guards twice in 3 months. Also, unlike Fairfield team who kept an open communication by informing the residents about the current crimes, ESSEX team played the corporate game by keeping their mouth shut about the broken and stolen cars incidents. To this date, I still park my car at the guest parking instead of parking my car at level P2. What an irony!
2. The onsite staff rotate so often that I do not even know who they are. During Fairfield management, the residents and the onsite staff (both front desk and maintenance) known each other by names! The relationship with the property management team is although friendly, feel distant and awkward (since ENSO is not a huge community like those nearby). The other inconvenience of this arrangement was my ID was checked every time I went to pick up my packages. There were times I had to go back to the leasing office again because I did not have my IDs with me.
3. The cost for sewer and trash increased by approximately 20%!!! What is the rationale?
4. The little perks — coffee and drinks in the computer room and gym, 24 hours access to the computer room — Fairfield used to provide were removed since ESSEX took over. Those were small stuff but they made the residents feel that they were indeed living in a luxury apartment.
5. ESSEX tried to promote a friendly-​home style community by encouraging the current residents to refer their friends to this community. However, a corporate staff that they «implanted» from out-​of-​state to observe the communityThi YELLED at one of the dog-​owners for not leashing the small yet friend dog. Instead of handling the situation in a professional manner, she was mean and unfriendly to the very residents that she was «observing.» How can one have a truthful observation when one is not truly participating in the community? How can ESSEX rely on the feedback of their «implanted corporate staff» when she is the very one the current residents addressed as mean and unfriendly?
Unfortunately, this unfriendly corporate staff is my immediate neighbor who moved in approximately 2 months ago. After she yelled at the other dog owner, she complained to the leasing office that I let my dog off leash to play with other dogs. She could have spoken to me in person since we are immediate neighbor. This creates an awkward and tense relationship between neighbor. A total contradiciton of ESSEX’s intention to have a friendly community. Then she wrote me a note telling me that she could not talk to me because she is a corporate staff (in which I had no idea until I called her out for making the complaint) and that she must relate her observation in the community to the corporate and leasing office. It was her job to provide feedback. I had no excuse for not putting my dog on leash other than I love seeing them ran around and play with their fur-​neighbors. What I was offended was her so-​called community observation:
(i) She did not have a friendly relationship with the residents in this community. Despite my multiple attempts to be friendly and let our dogs socialize (or at least be on a non-​barking, intimidating term), she rejected every single attempts I made.
(ii) She only observed that the dog-​owners did not leash the dogs. She did not observe the dog-​owners who let the dogs off leash (from time to time to let the fur babies have some play times) are truly a community here. A community that helps to pet sit each other’s fur babies, take care of the plants when one has to be away for work or holiday, watch the neighborhood at night and keep each other updated on the the community news.
Although ESSEX has been working on making this place a better community to live in, what truly makes a community a community is the people. ESSEX slowly gained my trust with the progress it was making in ENSO until comment#5 took place. I will not renew my lease if I have to continue to live next dor with someone so unprofessional from ESSEX!

The gated community by itself is quite nice as I mentioned in my earlier reviews. I also wrote earlier that it doesn’t feel safe anymore. I have seen some changes since. We got notice that there is a new courtesy patrol that will operate from 10pm to 6am. New signs and magnet stickers with phone numbers are seen all around. Although I don’t know if that means they are constantly monitoring all night long. I’ve never seen anyone patrolling. But I didn’t try looking for them either so I don’t know. They’ve installed one camera at the walk-​in gate up the stairs next to the leasing office. I wish they would install more at other gates and garage entries.
I just renewed my lease for 6 months with no rent increase which is great! Lease renewal discussion was quick. Paper work was all done online which made it super easy. Thanks Rimi for your super prompt email replies and for quickly addressing all of my concerns.
I’ll update my review to 4 stars if there are no more security incidents.

Let me begin with some basic information. My wife and I moved here when the building was still managed by fairfield a year ago. Coming from Houston where crime was exceptionally high, I was not expecting the amount of complaints from several residents at our first town hall meeting. Storage units are ALWAYS targets for theft. We had one in Houston broken into on a regular basis. Under fairfield, this apartment complex was a wreck. Dog waste receptacles were overflowing with poop bags, trash and recycle rooms were overflowing with trash because the chute’s were clogged, the grounds were a mess, BBQ grills did not work, etc. That being said, Fairfield sold the property to Essex in December 2015 and since then all my issues with the property have been rectified! I LOVE living here now. I feel bad because other people have stated that they have had car thefts but rating a property badly based on someone breaking into your car is not fair. They have hired a new patrolling officer dedicated to this property (Fairfield had one officer to patrol all 3 of there properties around the area). Crime of opportunity are all about convenience. If you have anything visible in your car at all they will break in to look for other stuff even something as simple as a charging cord for a phone. I keep my glove box empty and OPEN at night so if someone is looking for stuff, they won’t find it. Crime is everywhere people, don’t blame management, they do everything they can, take action yourself so it doesn’t happen.

DO NOT move in here.
Our car was broken into, and they stole everything — even the car registration papers. What’s shocking is the fact that in spite of the recurring events, the management has still not installed any additional cameras, OR hired a ²⁴⁄₇ security guard on site. All they keep saying is they are trying their best to coordinate with the police based on footage that’s not even useful.
Every morning I’m tensed because I’m afraid my car would be gone!

We have constant break ins and have heard a large amount of horror stories of the apartments themselves being broken into. Management refuses to add any security measures to the complex and insists that parking is at our own risk.
We have had two major break ins within 3 weeks and management still stands on the «there’s nothing we can do» and «we are cooperating with the police» state. Which is all fine until you consider that they are not adding cameras or on site security.
It is absolutely not safe to live here.

DO NOT MOVE IN HERE! We moved into this apartment complex in Oct 2015 and since then our 1 motorcycle, and 2 cars have been stolen. Within last 3 days, there have been more than 10 break-​ins in this gated parking garage community. I don’t feel safe staying, and would recommend not to move here. This area is suppose to be a better San Jose area, but due to poor security, these apartments are no way safe! We are ourselves looking for an alternative and break the lease as soon as possible.

Never move here !!!
My motorcycle was stolen from gated parking garage (on nov3 2015) as soon as I moved in in Oct 2015.
I thought it might be an outlier but then on feb 10, 2016 night, both mine and my wife’s car were stolen (Mini Cooper and Subaru)
Yes stolen …
On the same night, few other cars were broken in also. Next night — feb 11, more break ins happened and on feb 12^th night, 10 cars were broken in.
All the cars were parked in gated parking garage.
We are completely petrified.
Considering this I wouldn’t suggest anybody to live here. In fact we have already started to look for other options even if we have to break the lease.
Here are pictures of few break ins we saw
Edit — 02/​15/​2016
This review is by no means critique of either the management, staff or condition of apartment.
It was all based on security of and nearby area.
In all fairness, the new management and staff is very helpful and I have no complains towards them. The apartments are beautiful and new.

Do NOT move here. Even for free. Don’t become a victim like all residents and I. We’ve had our cars, storage units and homes broken into.

I have been living here for over a year and so far (please note, I can be often found on a picky side;) my experience has been excellent — planning to stay for some time.
The atmosphere generated by staff makes Enso a pleasant and comfortable living environment. Everyone is attentive, approachable and genuinely cares about tenants.
Kudos to Lalo and his maintenance team for keeping the property looking great.
I would recommend Enso apartments to anyone.

Rebecca and Reyna were awesome. They were helpful with the entire process as I just moved to San Jose from Atlanta. Love the place, and paperwork was quick and easy. The pool is really nice, as the area also has a artificial turf area along with grills that are large. The garage is great, very secure property. The room that we chose is a 2br 2bath. Gas grills are always a plus and the appliances are new (not just in the model, but all units). We chose to go with the hardwood and carpeted rooms, the king bedroom is awesome with 2 sinks, glass shower and tub. The other bath is nice tub, new sink and does the job.
Thanks to both of you!

Every once in a while, the elevator used to be out of service. But that hasn’t happened in the last few months. Overall, I’ve had a great time here at Enso. A little over a year now, and I’m really happy. The management is pretty amazing and they’re very responsive and friendly. A good place to live!

I’ve lived here for a little over a year now. The complex is very clean, nice, and new. Excellent, responsive management from my experience.
Apt. interior: Very modern décor, really nice and spacious. My unit has the laminate hardwood flooring, which was a must for me. The bathroom is large (maybe too large in proportion to the actual unit…), and the kitchen has gas range tops, which I prefer over electric. Washer and dryer in every unit. Noise levels are good for the most part. In the year that I’ve been here, I would say that noise has only been a serious issue a handful of times (neighbors being noisy late at night on a few occasions, and faulty alarms which were probably a result of being a new complex… haven’t had any issues in a while). My only real complaint about this complex is that I have a unit that faces the middle courtyard/​pool area. There are a lot of families with young kids living here so the kids are always out in the courtyard playing and screaming, and the noises echo off the walls to make the screaming even louder. Can even hear through my closed windows. Learned my lesson — don’t get a unit that faces the inner courtyard/​pool.
Apt. complex/​management: Gated garage, unassigned parking spots, so first come first serve. As long as you don’t get home really late, parking usually isn’t an issue. Leasing office and maintenance employees that I’ve interacted with are extremely nice and have always been really responsive and attentive to any issues I had. Small gym/​workout area, awesome (largely unused) new pool and jacuzzi with covered lounge area and large flat screen TV. Also has a common lounge/​business center for watching TV, cooking, computer/​wifi use, and printing. I like that they have an area in the back where I can take my dog out. Downside (for me) is that they recently implemented a rule that you have to have your dog on a leash at all times in the back area, whereas before dogs could run around freely.
Overall I would definitely recommend this apartment complex to anybody looking in this area. I especially like that it’s smaller than a lot of the other complexes so there’s a little more sense of community (they have monthly events, free breakfast/​dinner on occasion, etc.) and more attention paid to making your experience as a tenant satisfactory.

I have been living here since july 2014 in a studio and enjoy this place
the place is near to the VTA and makes commute very easy.
maintenance staff is quick to respond for any problems and haven’t had any issues.
the place is safe and neighbors are friendly.
rebecca, the property manager, is very easy to work with and quick to respond to any issues, lucky to have her around.

If you are looking to rent in Silicon Valley then check out Enso Apartments! The facility is brand new and everything it top notch! The gym, business center, pool, and club house are amazing. One of the best features is the secure underground parking!
The staff Rebecca, Reyna, Bri, and Lindsay, and Lalo are wonderful. If you every need help with anything they handle the requests with ease, and in a timely manner. Overall a EXCELLENT PLACE TO LIVE!

I give this place 3.5 stars. This is a smaller complex which is a plus for me since it’s not too crowded like North Park and other larger communities nearby. It’s perfectly fine for living and I haven’t had significant issues.
It’s not full and there’s plenty of street and garage parking. I like the fact that it’s not crowded and the amenities are usually open when I want to use them. The amenities aren’t anything out of the ordinary but I do like the fact that they have two enclosed «dog» areas with real grass. My dogs will not walk on fake grass.
The management has constantly changed, but they’ve probably moved over to the newly opened complexes nearby. It was difficult to get mail and packages since they were often closed to give tours. However, they now have mailbox access. They were closed on Christmas Eve without a sign or notification to pick up packages beforehand. I was missing a few gifts for Christmas. We had a few packages and a bike that was locked in the garage stolen when there was still construction going on. We moved into an apartment along Baypointe and were not told that there would be construction across the street on there new complexes every weekday morning. We were woken up every morning by construction workers and trucks for several months. We should have been told about this prior to picking this unit and moving in.
Like other reviews have stated, the back gates do not have key or fob access so they are often propped open. The elevator has been out of order for sometime, but I live on the first floor so it hasn’t been an issue for me which may be why my rating is higher than others. The bathrooms are very spacious and the rooms are decent sizes compared to other complexes we toured. I love my dual sink bathroom with a glass shower and separate tub. My one complaint is that water constantly leaks through the shower door into our floor. I’ve slipped on our rug a few times. Maintenance looked at it and said their contractor can move the door down but it may not stop the leak. I said forget it. The issue is that there is no metal track and only a plastic squeegee that lines the bottom of the door. I’ve also had brown liquid leak through holes near the shower door into the shower.
Overall, a good place to live. I wouldn’t say there’s anything that makes it stand out over other complexes except the fact that it’s small and quiet right now since it’s not full.

Update: Main elevator has been down for 2+ months, with a sign that reads, «Temporarily out of Service». How long is temporarily?
And the outdoor TV that the leasing agent mentioned 3 months ago to prospective residents, saying «It’s coming in 2 weeks»…3 months later… still no sign of it.

Update ¹¹⁄₀₄
Reducing to 4 star as our move out experience was bad. There was a 3″ steam iron burn on carpet and was charged the cost of carpet for whole house. Reason… They don’t have matching color to replace just that room but instead need to change carpet for whole house! Apparently carpet is as it came with original construction and maintenance dont have same color to match! My question is why should I bear the whole cost?
Old Review:
— — — — — –
Positives:
Its a smaller community. Apartments are new and luxurious. Love the dual sinks, granite counter tops, new appliances and walk-​in closets. The club house is modern and gym is filled with state of art equipment. Parking is plenty (2 floors in basement). The leasing staff is very friendly and welcoming. They even allowed me to paint an accent wall. I get decent AT&T signal in my 3^rd floor apartment.
Negatives:
Based on wind direction, there could be foul smell from the Dixon Landing dump. There is no storage inside 3^rd and 4^th floor apartments and needs to be rented for extra $. Expected a full size pool for the money they are charging.
Conclusion:
Inspite of some negatives, I still rated 5* because the apartment is lovely and modern. Another reviewer commented about lack of security but I now notice a 24×7 security patrol being added. So they are responding to issues. The only thing to wait and see is if they don’t increase my rent upon renewal.