Howard Park Apartments

Since I moved out a month ago, I haven’t gotten my deposits. No answer from the manager what’s going on, although I keep asking the process of move-​out.
They don’t care about the tenants, and just puts all responsibilities on customers.

Pros:
–Decent finishings (a little too traditional for a modern building, but whatever)
–Gorgeous tile in the bathroom
–2 bathrooms with the 2 bedroom
–Nice layout
–Nice Roof (not private)
–Location — easy access to Wallingford, Fremont, Greenlake, downtown, Ballard
Cons:
–LOUD — the garage door is insanely loud and will open
–Management not interested in making the community better (denied suggestions include: recycle bin in the foyer to get rid of junk mail, community board, community event)
–Management not professional or concerned with making things better (agent showed up to show the place in yoga pants, lots of pressure to sign, no pleasantries in emails «hope your move went well», «how are you enjoying living here?», no interest in relationship management)
–Balconies — should have just left them off because they aren’t usable
–They set up your utilities for you (invasive, will get it wrong — double check your bill!)
–EFT — you have to pay $ 5 if you don’t want to use EFT, don’t take credit cards, have to write a paper check (what.)
–Lots of EDM bass booming through the halls
–Thefts — our storage unit got broken into 3 times in 6 months and it took the third time for them to do anything about it. Also, lots of package theft over the holidays. Very disappointing that they don’t work on more security measures.
–Maintenance is slow to respond, if they respond at all
–Wall colors — very yellow
–Ceiling Height — Extremely low and claustrophobic feeling at only 7.5 feet, which they say is «standard». Everyone knows 8 feet is standard.
–Blinds — cheap
–Windows — dirty, asked for an external window wash when I first moved in and 11 months later, it’s still not done
–Leasing agent said rent would go up 2−3%, it went up 5%
–Electric range with the glasstop — very hard to keep shiny and hard to control your heat for cooking
–Internet is very slow (we ended up upgrading to a different service)

Pros: Building is clean, has a nice rooftop deck with a view of downtown Seattle, and is in a safe and convenient neighborhood. My apt. has nice hardwood floors, stackable washer/​dryer, and nice size patio. Building has parking and storage for extra $. Building is 3 – 4 blocks from 45^st (restaurants, bars, QFC). Near the #16 bus to downtown/​Northgate and the #44 bus to UW/​Ballard.
Cons: My apt. is small, lacking adequate closet space, and thin walls. Building provides $ 25 DSL Internet but it’s frequently slow and unreliable. There’s been a few theft of delivered packages (esp. At Xmas), and onsite Mgt could respond more timely via email (waited 1 – 2 weeks a few times).
* Overall living here has been a pleasant experience, but with a few caveats).

4.5 stars is the score I give Howard Park. I lived here for 3 years. Overall Howard Park is a very good place to live. The neighborhood has improved significantly since 2009. I never had any maintenance issues so I can’t comment on how the management handles that.
Pros:
* Close to bus lines. 31 and 32 will take you to UW campus. They run every 15 mins and are very convenient. One bus ride to downtown.
* QFC is within walking distance and is open ²⁴⁄₇.
* Lots of shops and restaurants nearby.
* The units are very quiet and clean.
* Close to Green Lake.
* Watch the fireworks from the rooftop patio.
* Street parking is not hard to find for guests.
* Acceptable utilities cost.
Cons:
— Expect the rent to increase 10% each year. This is excessive in my opinion but it is demand and supply. There are very few vacancies in the building.
— The complex is generally very safe. It has secure entrance and security cameras around the building and in the parking area and lobby. However, there have been 1 – 2 instances of theft in the parking and storage area. I don’t recall anything happening in the units.