Allure At Brookwood

A roof over your head. if that’s all you’re looking for.
The staff is all super nice and accommodating until you sign your lease and move in.
–They offered me a special upon move in to get 50% off of my first full months rent, even signed off on it on their paperwork with my signature. The leasing agent then called my cell phone a couple of hours later saying they could not honor it. I told him that it was a verbal agreement and there were no stipulations on the web regarding the promo. I had a signed agreement. If i did not push back, they would have backed out of their agreement.
–After moving in, I realized AT&T has ZERO cell service in my unit and the entire community. I called AT&T and they said they notice an excessive amount of routers and individual signal boosters in that area. The leasing office response was «we’re not a cellphone company, take it up with them».
–Within the first few days of moving in, I got charged by someones German Shepherd that made its own way out of the «dog park» through a faulty gate.
–Within the first week of moving in, i got locked out of a gate in the rain becuase my fob was not programmed correctly.
–Numerous issues in my unit already reported: bedroom door does not close as it looks like its been kicked in before and just nailed back together, Window had a gap next to it, again like its been broken into before, toilet seat damaged upon move in, showerhead had no pressure with «fancy» showerhead. I had to request a normal one for any kind of pressure.
–Leasing office does not sign for or accept packages so you have to pay $ 20 to be a member of their locker system.
-$ 18 valet trash hustle
–Make sure you make it home before 7pm, otherwise, you’ll be parking several levels above or out of the way of your unit. No assigned parking spaces.
–Late rent fee after the 3^rd of the month instead of industry standard 5^th… including holiday weekends.
After reading the other reviews, its apparent that this complex is better than it used to be, however, its still not up to par with the area of town. I pay a premium to be closer in the city and i should be treated as such. The staff in the leasing office needs either to go through some customer service training to work on problem resolution and empathy or there needs to be another change of the guards again with a management company that truly cares about their residents instead of upselling and nickle and diming their occupants. (valet trash, package locker, pet deposit PLUS pet rent, new account setup for utilities, pest control, $ 19 charge to pay rent with debit card)

I am a current resident and I have to say my stay here at Allure at Brookwood has been pretty good. Its heavily gated with many security doors that require either a key FOB or dialing in your passcode, which to me is a plus in regards to safety. I love the fact that the security officer or whoever boots the cars, cause as we all know parking can be a pain in the butt and irritating when someone that doesn’t live here takes a resident’s spot. The interior of my 2 bedroom apartment matches the price i pay for and good quality. The only downside is that I have little to no cell phone reception in this complex. I also think my apartment has gone uo in price when it’ll be time for renewal. Not sure if its just my unit or not but that can get annoying. I also think my apartment has gone up in price when it’ll be time for renewal. Other than that, this has been one of the most pleasant apt complexes I’ve lived in. Also, maintenance fixes and repairs issues quick and leasing staff are helpful.

I’ve lived here since January of 2013 and haven’t had the issues others have expressed here. Unfortunately people typically write reviews when they have a bad experience rarely from a good one. With that said I’ll share the good and not so good of my experiences.
The good:
1. I live in the Bristol floorplan. I love the layout and the space. The apartment is quite nice, great appliances, nice carpet and crown molding.
2. I also live in Building 1 on an inner unit with pool view. I do believe building 1 is the nicest, cleanest and best kept possibly because it houses the leasing office and the amenities. I would suggest living in this building I personally wouldn’t live in the others.
3. The amenities are great. The pool, gym, cyber café, the new Parcel Pending, movie theater, grills, valet trash etc. I use them all and they are incredibly convenient.
4. The Location is awesome. 2.4 miles to piedmont park and 3.4 Miles to Lenox Mall. Also close to many grocery stores and restaurants. Nothing is too far away.
5. My apartment is nestled in the middle of other units so because of that I have low air and heat bills.
6. The maintenance team is headed by a very nice man who is extremely responsive and takes a personal interest in having things done correctly. For example my washer and dryer were creating some type of black oil so rather than fix them he immediately got me a brand new set. I appreciated it.
7. There’s a lot of security albeit some born out of necessity from years past however there’s a lot of security which has greatly diminished petty crime.
8. Since the newest management team came on they have made many changes for the better. The gym has tons of new equipment, the security gates have been updated and they try their best to host events for the community.
9. My neighbors are awesome. They’re young professionals, quiet and nice. I’ve met them all in the gym here. We all look out for one another which is always great to have.
The not so good:
1. It’s a hastle for guests to visit since they have to go through multiple security gates and park at the top of the garage.
2. They boot cars all the time; I always feel really bad for folks when I see it although it’s not happened to me. This is easy to avoid of course if you have a resident parking sticker and park where you’re supposed to.
3. Yes the security gates are often damaged however it’s usually just the arm that goes up/​down not the gate itself. And its damaged because people choose to tailgate and hit the thing.
4. The garage isn’t the best primarily because residents and guests drive through it as if it’s a race track, with wide turns and full speed ahead. If you’re careful and use the mirrors they recently installed this will be a non issue
5. Cell phone reception is a challenge because of the location of the property. This was the biggest issue I’ve had since I’ve lived here however they DID install network extenders this year and now my cell works significantly better in my apartment.
6. The leasing office has not been the best. Since I’ve lived here the team has turned over 3 times. Each team had 1 nice person who was personable and went the extra mile. If they could group those 3 people together it would be a power house. The current manager isn’t very friendly or reasonable. I also see her and one of the leasing agents outside smoking a lot which is a huge turnoff. It just strikes me as unprofessional when 2 of 4 people are not available to assist residents.
Finally I want to address some other things:
1. Every place has its issues
2. Yes crime has been committed in this building. In 2012 there were some burglaries. Ironically enough they were a result of the security guard that was working here not the residents. They got rid of him and there went the problem.
3. Yes one person did die here last year. It was not a random crime and as crazy as it is neither of the people lived here. This doesn’t make this ok by any means and of course it’s a scary thing. However it’s not the residents committing these crimes and I feel that’s important to note.

I’ve lived here since Feb 2014 and watched this place undergo a management change for the better. At first, I would’ve rated this place 3 stars (honestly, if you think this place was a 1 star, then you’ve never been in an actual 1 star apartment.) I’ve even chosen to transfer to a slightly bigger apartment in the same building for another year.
I’m a dog owner. At first (a few months ago), I noticed a problem with neighbors not picking up after their fur children. I shot the management an e-​mail and they sent out an e-​mail addressing the community and also, I noticed all pet waste was cleared a few days later.
They’ve addressed the trash in the parking decks, I haven’t seen that problem. They’ve also added mirrors in the parking deck so visibility is sooooo much better.
Parking is a little unfortunate for people on the lowest levels, first come first serve and if you’re last it’s 35 seconds added to your walk to your apartment… but isn’t that normal for Atlanta parking? The tradeoff is that because they didn’t make a bigger parking lot, there’s two dog parks: one in the front and one in the back, which I’m appreciative of as a dog owner.
My neighbors have all been nice!!!
There have been a few community events (I didn’t attend, but if you’re into that, hey-​o!)
My apartment is clean, awesome, has a great view, and I love being here.

Frustrating when other residents don’t park on the level they live on so if you live on a lower floor, you will have to park on another floor a lot of times. Great parking enforcement service for unauthorized vehicles in the resident spots though. Unauthorized cars are always booted. Difficult to direct your guests to your floor as parking levels aren’t marked clearly. The new management seems to genuinely care, with the manager immediately addressing my concerns and even sending a cookie bouquet to my work place as an apology. New improvements made to our entrance to include a gate to walk out of the complex. Increased security for the front gate, but still wish cars weren’t able to tailgate in. Apartments are clean to a tee when you move in. Service requests are always answered in a timely manner. There are ups and downs to any apartment living, but I continue to see the management care here (although the leasing staff seems disgruntled and lazy when you go to retrieve a package in the office.)

I recommend everyone take a look at the ratings not promoted by Unilocal.All those one star reviews are correct. Every. Single. One. I have never regretted a decision as much as the one that led to me living here. I am seriously considering breaking my lease. A couple grand and a lost friend is almost worth getting the heck away from this hellhole.
The fire alarms go off constantly and it’s ALWAYS at night when you’re trying to sleep. The party line from the management office? «at least we know they work.» I’m sorry but that’s not true. They do not work. They go off when there is no fire. That’s not the definition of working.
Additionally, this place reeks of dog urine and trash. Every stairwell, every gate, every conceivable place where a dog can pee– it smells like urine and rotting dog feces. The common areas are constantly filled with trash and at least 25% of the equipment in the gym is broken. The common grills are never cleaned so if you want some aged ground beef with your burger you’ve come to the right place!
I hope you don’t have a car you actually like, because it only take a couple weeks before it’s scrapped up in the garage. My passenger car mirror was ripped off by someone backing out. My roommate’s back bumper was punched in by someone backing out.
Don’t think anyone that lives here is nice enough to take responsibility for the damage they cause, because that’s not the kind of people you’ll find in the apartment complex. You want to listen to someone’s dogs bark from 10pm to 8am? Then by all means, move here. You want to listen to your upstairs neighbor’s tumbling group from 8pm-​12am. Then move here!!!
If you have no friends or family and want to be a recluse this is certainly the place for you because it is soooo complicated to have people over that they will eventually refuse to come visit you Go through two gates (honestly those will probably be broken so that’s not a big deal), park at the top of the garage, go down urine soaked stairwell to the door with a key pad, another code, find an elevator (if you can, hahahahaha) then go the right floor. Now what’s so hard about that, right?!
Don’t EVER expect the front office to have their stuff together. They will tell you one thing, have you sign something else, and then conveniently lose your paperwork and claim you owe money. They will NEVER return your calls. They will NEVER return your emails.
They will also NEVER give you your deposit back. There will inevitably be charges out the wazoo that will eat up all your deposit (and then some) and you’ll be so thankful that you’ve put this place behind you that you won’t even look back.
Also, people get shot and die at this place:

This place has turned into complete garbage… period. Have lived here for 3 years, loved the location and the units, even though a bit pricey. Really not sure what happened with the transition from Archstone to MAA, all I can say is WOW… when I mean this place has become garbage… this is no lie! The only reason it has some resemblance of luxury still is because of the current «luxury» tenants still locked into leases. The crap that this new management company is letting into this complex is one of the reasons it’s now getting a review… and a poor one at that. And yes, the level of management and maintenance of this complex has gone down since the transition. There is no other way to sugar coat it… this place is turning into a big turd! Decided not to renew and couldn’t be happier about moving!
And J Keez E. is spot on about the positive reviews… bribe people to leave a review for an iPad MINI… LOL. Says something about how only 3 people left reviews in order to win. You’d think a lot more would’ve taken the bait… think about it. Buyer beware on this joint!

First of all, I need to say I didn’t actually live here, but felt the need to sound off on a property tour I took last week.
I stopped in with a friend, without an appointment, and the employee was willing to give us a tour, which was great (hence the two stars). But she seemed annoyed with us and the tour and her dialogue seemed extremely rehearsed and tired. She didn’t seem interested in our specific situation (accessible needs) and she didn’t come off as someone who genuinely wanted my business.
When I first called this complex I was connected to a 1 – 800 number and a gentleman not on the property who didn’t know much about what accessible features this complex has. Seemed like a waste of time.
I also left an email and message with the local complex, which were never returned.
All of that, and some of the scorching reviews left here didn’t leave me with a nice bubbly feeling about this place.
Customer service means a lot to me. I didn’t get from our property tour that it meant a lot of this company.
I won’t be calling this place home.

You wanna know how this place has even one positive rating? Bribery. You see, the «Allure» (known to residents as: The Manure at Broke’hood) sent out an email advising residents that if they left a complimentary review, they’d be entered in a drawing for an ipad. I have the email if any of you would like to see it. As such, you’re reading reviews from people who’ve essentially been bought.
But mine? Naw — I could give a sh*t about an ipad and I think you should know the truth.

Never ever, in my life, ever, have I hated living somewhere like I hate this effing complex. Ever. This dump is remarkable only for the multiplicity of its failures. Allow me to list just a few of the reasons you’ll f*cking HATE living here.
#1) — The fire alarms. Safety first right? Well at The Manure, they’re anything but. Our fire alarms go off on average once a week and it’s ALWAYS between 1−3AM. Got an early morning meeting? You’re f*cked. Trying to catch up on your sleep? Forget it. The fire alarms are loud beyond anything you’ve ever heard in your life. I’m not kidding. Standing on a runway as a 747 takes off is a gentle lullaby compared to this fire alarm. Oh, and if I haven’t mentioned it, they go off nonstop in the middle of the night. Eventually you’ll buy earplugs and just ignore it so that if there’s ever a real fire, you’ll surely roast. But if you’re living at The Manure, you’ll probably embrace a fiery end.
#2) The parking. What an effing nightmare. I can only speak for what it’s like living on level 5 but I’ll just say this: before you consider moving into The Manure, ask to drive through the parking deck. In fact, do it a few times. This will be your life for the next year. Get used it. If you live on level 5 let me assure you, you will almost NEVER get to park on your level. If you ever get home past 9PM, you will definitely not get to park on your level. Because the parking deck is such a nightmare, residents take the very first spot they see, on the very lowest level, and then take the elevator up to their residence. This means that for people who actually live on those lower levels, there is almost never a spot. But isn’t that inconsiderate you ask? It certainly is and that leads me to issue number 3…
#3) Your neighbors. I just assumed, moving in a complex where a 1 BR costs damn near $ 1300 a month, that I’d be living with the, well, high rent crowd. Umm, no. Now, it would be wrong for me to paint every resident with a broad brush. I’m sure we have nice residents but here’s what I’ve encountered: the @$$hole that lives above me with a dog that barks incessantly, my neighbors across from me who just this week had such a loud drunken party that APD had to be brought out not once but twice, and my neighbor two doors down who chose to move in from 11PM — 3AM on a weeknight. To say this crowd has left me apoplectic would be an understatement. Never ever have I encountered such a worthless lot. I was previously living in a complex where I paid $ 875 a month and had absolutely no issues. I’ll choose the low rent crowd any day.
#4) The hallways. All I know to say is come experience them yourself. They’re beyond description. They’re hotter than the outside in the summer and colder than the outside in the winter. They echo every single noise and you’ll hear every single heel that passes. You’ll especially notice this cacophony when your neighbors move in or out. Did I mention I once had a neighbor who was inconsiderate enough to move in from 11PM — 3AM? Oh I did? OK, just checking. (And for the record, The Manure has NO policy against this). The noise that this inconsiderate twat made was so considerable that none of us could sleep. But lack of sleep is a theme you’re going to find pretty consistent around here. (see issue number 1)
#5) Lockdown status. I guess in Atlanta you want everything you own locked down. That was a concept that was new to me but my god. To get a friend in this complex, I had to create a job aid. I’m not kidding. I created an actual document, with pictures, outlining to friends how to get in, where to park and all the steps they would have to take after they park to get to my place. When I send people this, the most common reaction is: «are you [effing] kidding me?». No. Sadly I am not.
I guess this is a bit of a double edged sword and could create a sense of security but the first time the pizza guy shows up at your front door without ever even buzzing your phone you’ll figure out pretty quickly that it’s all an illusion.
There is SO much more I could add but for now, it’s 2:27AM and another false fire alarm just went silent so I’m going to try to catch some shut eye before the next. If you have ANY questions about this complex or life at The Manure, don’t hesitate to ask me, I’ll give you a very honest, unvarnished opinion. Meantime, I’m going to try to get some sleep (a hard thing to get around here)

I’ve lived in this property since 2011 and have had two separate units and went through the ownership shift from Archstone to MAA.
I agree with many of the concerns of the other residents and the notable decrease in attentiveness, genuine friendliness and general operations of the property. The thing about apartment reviews is they are always so drastic; people either love it or hate it. Rarely in life are things so black and white. Overall, I enjoy the property and have had a great experience. The things they should focus on are staff service, hallway maintenance and improve gym facilities. If they do something dumb like raise rates, they’ll probably have people leave.
Pros:
* Like Archstone, MMA so far seems to be very responsive to maintenance requests
* Beautiful property. The units are modern, have nice track liting, crown moulding, high ceilings, balconies, washers/​dryers. No Granite, which is a surprise. But who cares.
* Common areas are pretty clean well and the pools nice. Note, I think MAA cleans halls less; as a previous reviewer mentioned there seems to be more remnant trash or pet ‘accident’s around longer than in the past.
* Apartments have nice features like crown molding and stainless appliances
* They pick up trash outside one’s door Sun-​Th, but they don’t have recycling pick up. Since we moved in they said it was coming. Yeah, right. For the ~20 we pay monthly recycling should be included
* Online Portal: can pay easily and put in maintenance requests. They use the same software Archostone did but clearly limits it’s use. We used to get package alerts, could see our past payments/​ledger. Now it’s much less useful.
* Location: right between midtown and buckhead is great. Can easily get on the bus or walk to a number of places.
* As long as you’re not on the side of the railroad tracks, it’s a quiet property. Can’t hear neighbors through walls. Other reviewers disagree
Cons:
* Utilities! My water bill for my girlfriend and I in a 3 bedroom unit is almost as high as my cable bill. Really 60 – 70 for water and sewer? We’re not even in a dry state like Colorado. Seems shady.
* The gym not that great. At first glance, it looks beautiful, but on closer look there isn’t that much equipment and the treadmills/​ellipicals are older and sometimes broken. Though I could quit my Gym when I moved in; nope.
* Grills are terrible; they’re charcoal and either don’t work or dirty. Thought they would have fixed this with MAA, but instead they’re doing some other trivial updates.
* The trash pickup doesn’t include recycling (but recycling is on site)
* While things have become quite secure lately, there seems to be more ‘now money’ so I hope they aren’t trading quality rents for poor credit folks in shady businesses. Smell more pot in the hall’s lately – could be Pro or Con, I suppose.
* I have little confidence in the package tracking and maintenance. Archstone used to have this all computerized with clear check-​in and pick-​up policies. I’ve sometimes had to come back because ‘they can’t find it’ only for them to scour again. High alert! Seems like a huge liability for them. Why log package arrivals when you don’t require people to sign packages for pick up?
* While somewhat effective, the office seems less eager to help the previous staff. Sometimes asking for a package seems like it’s a hassle. Perhaps they don’t live onsite like before here so they don’t have skin in the game? For the rent they charge, there should be a bit more hospitality.
* Several residents are consultants who travel Mon-​Th requiring cabs to come pick us up early Monday mornings. After letting them in the gate there is poor markings in the garage on where they should meet you causing multiple phone calls. I recommend labeling the Doors: e.g. 5A or painting the pillars or something to make it less painful every morning. One could meet them outside, but see my next point:
* No good way to walk out of the property when the office is closed. One has to awkwardly walk to the lowest level and find the exit or wait for a car to come/​go and the main gates to open. They should put a pedestrian gate at the main level.
* If you have AT&T, you’ll probably need a MicroCell to get service as to be in a Deadzone unless you have an iPhone 5 (4G LTE).
*

My wife and I moved to Allure at Brookwood just 3 weeks ago. The first time we saw the property and signed our lease, it was under the old management company. However, the new management made it a smooth transition and have been wonderful to work with. The staff from the leasing office to maintenance have been great. They have been very accommodating with our requests and service needs if any. We would highly recommend others to move here.

The Pros:
1. Condition of the apartments is nice — stainless steel appliances and crown molding
2. Amenities are a plus — 2 swimming pools, movie theater, lounges, med size gym with personal trainers
3. Covered Parking
4. New Mgmt responds to security concerns
5. Valet trash
The Cons:
1. Difficult to manuever guests to the visitor parking spots and then your apartment
2. Need a key card to get around pretty much anywhere once you leave your apartment (the price you pay for security)