The Boulders at Fountaingrove

Best location | Best staff | Excellent Amenities
It seriously doesn’t get any better than this…
Old address: 3640 Kelsey Knolls, APT 822
Unit: 2 bed /​2 bath, garage
Pet: one dog
Total rent: $ 2124
My husband and I have moved every year since starting college (this is about our 10^th place we’ve rented from, ever). With that being said, this is our favorite apartment complex… and we hope this will be the last place we rent from before buying a house.
We started our first lease with this place about 7 months ago with two other housemates. From day one, we knew we needed to get out of the lease and break off from the other housemates because, long story short, things went south with the other two after signing the lease months early and before moving in. Our huge mistake. HOWEVER, we notified the front office staff about our problem and they’ve been hugely supportive and helpful throughout the entire process. Jenna and Debbie genuinely took care and watched out for us, keeping an eye out for another unit available and making sure we transitioned smoothly out of the old lease and into a new lease.
Another thing I’d like to say about the staff: when there is a problem reported, they are very proactive about fixing the issue quickly and notifying the apartment community. The two maintenance guys are also quick to fix any issues you have in your unit. We are very pleased with the professional and friendly staff here.
BEST location in Santa Rosa. This community is nestled on the Fountaingrove hill with other houses. It’s really a quiet family area. We have no problem with safety, although it is always good to still lock your belongings anyway. You have a beautiful view of Santa Rosa, too. My husband works at Keysight Technologies, so he can wake up late and still be at work on time. Keysight is literally next door up the hill. (so convenient!) Highway 101 is down the hill and takes 5 minutes.
Amenities we really liked:
+pool
+workout room (open ²⁴⁄₇)
+garage
+granite countertops
+open layouts
+lots of cabinet, storing space
+overall interior and exterior
Believe me when I say that I’ve researched tons of places throughout Santa Rosa to rent from. This is the place if you can afford it. Santa Rosa is in a housing crisis and the cost of living is always increasing. We chose this place because we wanted a better, safer location and the amenities that were included in the cost. Other places either don’t offer a garage or offer one at an additional cost.
What happened to our deposit? Glad you asked!
Our deposit was $ 1000, includes pet deposit. We got back $ 808.24. You read that right!
They not only had the price breakdown on the paper, but they included copies of every service charge that was done to the unit. FULL TRANSPARENCY. I wish other apartments actually do this because then you’d know they aren’t pulling numbers out of thin air.
Our old lease ended and now we have a one bedroom unit at the same place. We love it! We got lucky with a high vaulted ceiling.
We are very pleased. Thanks, Boulders at Fountaingrove :)

After living at the Boulders for 1−½ years, I am able to give a more thorough review. After owning homes for over twenty years, I was hesitant to rent. I considered it an interim step while I determined when and where to buy my next home. But I can explain simply why I have decided to stay. You know those thick mailers you get that offer discounts for local businesses? There is nothing I now enjoy more than passing over, without a second glance, the advertisements for plumbers, painters, landscapers, electricians, contractors, pool cleaners, water treatment providers, bamboo specialists and the like. At the Boulders, those things are no longer my concern, and I love it. Additionally, if a light bulb is out, or something is not working perfectly, all that is required is a quick call to the office, and a worker will show up within 24 hours to replace bulbs and/​or make repairs.
As important as the above, I have found management to be responsive, consistently pleasant, helpful and respectful. Manager Debbie and Delicia run this facility like a well-​oiled machine. Additionally, the rent is fair for the quality of the apartment and the services provided, the neighborhood is quiet and peaceful, and all of the neighbors I’ve met have been very pleasant. Not owning a home has never been so good, and I recommend the Boulders very highly.

We have lived here for two years and it is a great place to live. We just bought a house so we had to move. The apartment is close to groceries, hospital, restaurant, etc. The management Delisha and Debbie and the staff Felipe and company are so nice and
they are always there if you need them. We have also used their club house many times to hold functions like my daughters birthday and it’s a nice place to use. It’s free to use with a BBQ grill and pool. The amenities are standard with pool and workout room but the best for me is that there is a halfcourt basketball in front of my apartment and a playground for my daughter. All in all I would recommend this place very highly because of the location, fast service and great amenities. Thank you management for making our stay memorable.

Reading the reviews on getting deposit money back, seriously! I lived in a 1 bedroom unit and a 2 bedroom unit. Each time I got my FULL deposit money back minus the usual cleaning/​shampooing. Leave the apartment as clean as you moved in, and you’ll get your deposit money back. I even had a dog in both units and got only charged for minimal shampooing. Negative reviews would be the noise, thin walls, and LOTS of stairs!
I can hear everything. That was my issue that bothered me. My 2 bedroom unit had gorgeous views of Santa Rosa, and I enjoyed seeing the 4^th of July fireworks from my apartment. I enjoyed the nice pool and their small gym. Very nice management. Over the 4 yrs I lived there they did have a turn over with management but I think that’s typical for apartments. Each management I encountered were nice. Maintenance guy, Felipe, was attentive as always and nice. He’s been there the 4 yrs I lived there. I’m sorry to leave the property, but its too pricey for me at this time.

We were originally so pleased with the Boulders. It sells itself as being an apartment complex geared to the professional with upscale amenties and services. However, our experience upon leaving absolutely undermined that entire façade. We knew that the staff, while freindly, was not very professional or experienced in business practices but we were shocked at how far into the corporation this incompetance went. It wasn’t until submitting our 30 day notice that we were informed of move out expectations which are ridiculously meticulous which means you will inevitably be paying out of your security deposit. We decided it was not worth it to attempt to clean to the standards expected and resigned ourselves to having little to no security deposit back. When I received our final bill the number was more than it should have been so I called to ask about specific charges. The new manager said the old manager had drawn up the final bill and did not understand the charges and I was told a more «senior» person was coming in to assist with some of the files and she would call me back. That never happened and when I finally called her back she confidently informed me that everything was in order. I asked her to explain the charges and she again could not and I was told that she would talk to the accountant but that person was out of town and she would call me back when she had spoken with them. That never happened so I called her and was again told confidently everything was in order. I asked her to explain the charges to me which she still could not do. I went further to actually share with her what my calculations were and she seemed to agree that maybe something was amiss and she would reach out to the accountant again. In a moment of frustration I called the corporate headquarters to see if I could get to the bottom of this situation and was greeted by the front desk girl who informed me that my account would be sent to collections. I informed her that my file was in dispute and asked how she could possibly send something to collections that was in dispute. She told me to talk to the property manager. I informed her that I had been in contact and she asked me if I had it in writing. REALLY??? I then asked to speak to the accountant and was informed that the accountant does not speak directly to clients. How convenient. I asked to speak to her manager and was told she «was in a meeting». Again, how convenient. I asked her to make sure the accountant got the file and resolved the situation asap and she promised she would. Later that day I was indeed called by the property manager and low and behold the amount they finally came to was the same amount I had quoted the property manager from day one. I would expect a property manager to have the ability to take out a calculator and do the simple math required to come to the same conclusion I had. I certainly expect an accountant to be able to. Furthermore, after speaking to so many people regarding my account I would expect a property manager to be able to explain the charges to me. I don’t care how new you are to the game — someone in that role should be able to anticipate the frustration of a client and want to be able to provide them answers to their questions and be able to come to their own conculsions about the numbers instead of taking everybody elses word that everything is in order. If I had not fought this the company would have simply taken my money and been done with it. In the end it was a mere $ 60 some odd dollars but it was the principal. This company was great at trying to upsell additional services but what professionals are really looking for is competance. Clear and transparent expectations and accounting practices. We went from really feeling good about the exhorbitant amount of money we were spending to feeling like this was a sub standard company with sub standard staffing and training.
Lastly, when I call corporate headquarters I expect to be treated with a little more respect than the front desk girl accusing me of being delinquent and threating to send a file to collections when she knows nothing beyond answering phones and filing. If you are going to have her handle collections give her the customer service skills and knowledge of best practices to do her job in a way that makes your company look like it has a bit more integrity.
In the end Boulders is more concerned with padding their bottom line and using unskilled and poorly trained employees to save money. That will only take you so far though. There will come a time when you will have to invest in your property, employee training and quality control to avoid becoming nothing more than a slumlord.

My family and I lived here for 11 months, the term of our lease, and while we never had any maintenance issues to deal with, and the exterior areas were always clean, and for an apartment, these are really big, based on our experiences with the office and noise issues I can’t give it any more than one star.
The office was unprepared when we moved in, «We didn’t know you would be here», when my husband had gone in the day before to make sure it was ok to park one of our vehicles overnight while we picked up the moving van. Thanks for not being prepared and making our friends who were helping us wait 45 minutes while you got your crap together.
There were also little notices left on our door «You must be able to park a car in the garage», so we were the only people in our four unit building to do so. Luckily we have a Mini Cooper. Why we were the only people required to have a car in the garage is still a mystery. The only thing we can think of is that because our garage was attached to the unit, when they did a green inspection, they saw that it was being used for storage. Guess what??? So were the other three in our fourplex.
Noise is another issue, from loud garage doors, to obnoxiously loud upstairs neighbors, your apartment will not be peaceful. For being as new as they are, you would think that the owners/​builders would have insulated for sound better. The worst part was the mother of these monsters thought they were well behaved, not managements fault, but when I can’t keep pictures straight on my walls, your kids are not well behaved sweetheart!
Have handicapped or elderly friends and family who can’t handle stairs well? Then don’t invite them over unless you live in the one building on the property with an elevator… and every, yes EVERY, apartment is up at least one flight of stairs.
Now the biggie — moving out — don’t expect to see a dime of your deposit, or to deal with rational people when you question the lack of return. We were told that we «bent a shelf» in the refrigerator, and cracked a mirror. When we left, there was no damage to anything in the apartment, but since we opted not to do a walk through with them when we left (because there was no damage besides normal wear and tear such as nail holes in the walls), we are being forced to pay for damage that I am betting was done by their cleaners or carpet cleaners. Oh yeah, even after my husband spent 8 hours cleaning the apartment, the move out report done by their management said everything was dirty. AND they charge you for carpet cleaning, which according to CA state law, is illegal.
Trying to talk to the manager will get you nowhere, trying to talk to her district manager is actually a step backwards. I don’t know if every property managed by Woodmont is this terrible when it comes to dealing with residents, but if they are I don’t know how they stay in business… oh wait, yes I do — by keeping deposits that should be returned to residents!
So, if you want to pay too much for rent, don’t mind that some friends and family can’t visit, aren’t bothered by noisy living conditions, and like throwing away money on security deposits, then The Boulders is the place for you! If you are a reasonable person — stay away!!! Get on Craiglist and keep looking, there are lot nicer places, for less money, that will still give you the convenience that living in this neighborhood will. We moved a mile away and saved $ 100 a month for 400 more square feet… do your research… don’t move here!

The boulders is a very nice place to live. From the spotless way the property is maintained to the way the management is on top of everything. If anything needs to be done including lightbulb changes they are right on it. They host many events at the clubhouse throughout the year with food beverages and entertainment. Even the management team dresses for the event. I have not seen any comparable properties in the area of Fountaingrove. Most have issues like ongoing construction or poor maintenance. The rental paperwork was effortless. There were multiple furniture packages available like most corporate rentals. Everything was done on time as stated in all of the paperwork. The pre occupancy walk through is extremely thorough. The amenities such as the excercise room, pool and spa are very acceptable and immaculate. The clubhouse and outside area adjacent to it are very nice. So if you haven’t already decided on renting here and you can’t decide between two properties place your bet on the Boulders. It was a great decision.

The very friendly and responsive staff, and beautiful hillside location, make this a wonderful place to live. The office and maintenance staff have been extremely responsive to all requests. The apartment management has hosted several holiday events which were wonderful. This complex is nestled against the hills, in an upscale residential area, so it is a quiet area with nearby walking trails and beautiful views of the valley. We are really enjoying life here.

Terrible place to live!!! If you want to live with about 200 random consturction workers, nails on your driveway, snobby management… then consider it. If you want to live in an «upscale apartment complex» like they say they are then this isn’t the place for you. Instead of being a peaceful place to live it was nothing but a headache!!!