Avenue5 Residential

My wife and I have two small kids (3 and 1). We rent one of the townhomes here at the Dylan, and we have loved it. The area is nice, maintenance responds quickly when needed, the amenities (pool and gym) are good too. The paint on the walls is cheaper, so it scuffs easily, but other than that I can't think of many complaints we have about the place. It's cheaper than most other places for the size that it is, especially since the amenities are included.

The staff is nice, it's a safe place near the Pico station, also 2 mins away from the USC tower (where you can have shuttle bus to the campus). However, it's located in downtown LA so still have the possibility to come across homeless, the surrounding environment is just so so.

Overall, Patterson Tower is a very good place to live - especially if you like a lively nighttime ambiance, as it is located close to many fraternities/sororities and other undergraduate housing. The floorplans are spacious, you can't hear your neighbors, and management is responsive to residential needs. Unfortunately, the rent is quite high for an older building and it does not include many amenities. Street parking can be hard to find and the monthly parking pass at the apartment is astronomically expensive ($80/month/car) - if they even have a spot available. Note that the common area electricity is split between the tenants, which means you'll be paying your share for the elevator/TV that is left on overnight. Otherwise, I would absolutely recommend the complex as a place to live!

I'm writing from an experience as a former serious potential customer who almost moved there. My kids and I first looked at Farmstead soon after they finished phase 1 cottages. We met with one of the leasing agents who showed us the cottages. She was very nice the first time and management appeared accommodating. The rent was $1750 for the 1 bed cottage. The timing didn't work out, so we re-visited again this year. We were told multiple times that the rent would stay the same for phase 1 until 2025. Then the rent would go up when Phase 2 came along. At the end of the summer, we looked again and decided we'd move forward and see about applying. The rent was still $1750. 2 weeks later, The rent went up $75, then again a couple weeks later, went up another $75. ($150 total) I asked about it and they said because the cottages were sooooo popular, the owners raised the rent. This is the first hint at what kind of money hungry ownership you will deal with. They would not honor the fact that we were long time interested clients and were originally guaranteed by leasing agent multiple times that the rent was not going up. They were very dismissive, stopped returning emails with questions we had and were not as friendly the 2nd time we viewed the cottage. As you can see now, the rent is back to $1750 because people are leaving in droves after seeing the true picture. $1750 is overpriced for what you get. We thankfully did not give up our fabulous apartment where they do have cameras on the parking spaces. There were a couple of car break ins, but management took it seriously and kindly informed all residents, and asked for ring doorbell footage as well. No break ins in a couple years thanks to a landlord who cares about the residents. Farmstead has typical management who does not keep their word and blames it on ownership. Words of advise- find a rental where you are treated like a valuable asset, and not a pesky fly who gets treated shabbily when management is under pressure. Amenities like a pool and hot tub and a postage stamp fenced back yard where the neighbors can see right in your window and not worth all that. Stone Bridge is the best apartment complex in town!

I love the proximity to campus (I can walk to and from school easily), and the amenities are incredible. I feel grateful to live in the area, because 80% of my school friends live in one of the University Park apartments. My apartment is great and management has been wonderful!

For the most part, I'm very satisfied. The apartments are high-quality. There is a significant amount of noise from the highway, though.

Nice, but too expensive, very restrictive lease. We had an issue with our unit at move-in and management was difficult to deal with in getting compensation that we were owed. Paying for valet trash is a scam, but it's ubiquitous in Austin unfortunately. Maintenance is OK. Be aware of pet rent / pet deposits (waived with ESA designation). Very walkable / bikeable to the law school and to bars / restaurants east of 35.

My apartment is really nice, it is a little frustrating that I have to pay for internet on top of my rent and don’t get to change my service provider. I love the kitchen and the appliances work really well. The staff is also wonderful! I don’t love that my apartment faces the freeway so it’s really loud but other than that, I like it.

Nice spot close to the law school with great pool! Has a high-end vibe. All the added fees are a downside (Add $100-$200 to monthly rent).

Good apartment but expensive

Pros:
The gym and outdoor facilities are nice
Good security
Ample guest parking
Responsive staff
Being next to a metro stop is awesome

Cons:
The neighborhood is dirty and dangerous
Lots of homeless and people actively taking drugs next door
Pet owners here are not great. Lots of loud animals and accidents in public areas.

There are good, inexpensive apartments available if you are willing to put up with a short commute.
I initially applied to Verano Place and Palo Verde, but didn't find out the results until just before school started. I had a small child and decided not to wait for the results to find a home. At first I was looking for a house in Irvine near the school, but the rent was quite expensive. So I decided to look for a house, allowing 20-25 minutes each way to get to school, and found an apartment that was new and not expensive!
The apartment is new and very clean and comfortable. It is also very secure and safe.

Close to 101

The maintenance team is great but the leasing office is very hard to reach. There are a lot of things that need fixing, and the security is not good which is a concern for downtown residence.

Very clean and modern feeling. There is a heated outdoor pool on the fifth floor. I wish there was a grill on the fifth floor. It's across the street from DU.