Willow Oaks Apartments

"So, I moved here from out of state, and I've been here a few months now. This amount for rent got me a luxury apartment in my old city, but I wasn't expecting it to stretch as far here in Richmond. However, regardless of amenities or trendy decor, there are some things that should just be standard. I'm writing this review in hopes that this will be beneficial to the complex, as well as hoping that I can update this later about improvements in my experience. Pros - NATURE & NEIGHBORS: There is beautiful nature scenery around here, and the neighbors I have run into have been extremely nice and friendly. You are also not far from the city. Things can get a bit noisy sometimes but it's never obnoxious in my opinion, to me its a tolerable amount of just liveliness. There is also a very cute community garden. MAINTENANCE: Maintenance is polite and friendly and gets to work pretty quick once I put in a request. I haven't had any huge maintenance problems yet, however. SPACE: Very spacious units Cons: - WALKABILITY: There are no side walks immediately outside the complex, so trying to walk around is a bit tricky. - TRASH/RECYCLING/WASTE SYSTEM: There is no recycling, and the trash system is essentially you leave a bag outside your apartment and someone comes to pick it up. It's a bit strange but can be coped with, however the lack of recycling is a huge con in my opinion. You move in with a bunch of boxes and essentially have to either hold onto them for your duration, find a recycling location to drive to, or throw them all away. - ROACHES: I haven't had an extreme problem yet and am currently reporting it, but there appears to be a roach issue in the complex. I found one underneath my sink and am bleaching everything as we speak, and placing bait/traps. But, when you move in, keep it in mind. - SAFETY: Upon moving in, there was no CO2 detector in my apartment. I found out through an incident where I accidentally bumped into the gas stove and left the gas on, then reported it because I hadn't known how long it was left on and wanted someone to make sure I was safe. When they entered the apartment, they asked me if my detector went off, I said no. When they looked around, they realized there was no CO2 detector in the unit and installed it that day. This was a mistake that could've been deadly but thankfully was not. - CLEANLINESS: When I moved in, it appears my apartment either not cleaned by any sort of cleaning crew at all, or cleaned very poorly. However, my inclination skews more towards the previous tenant did some cleaning, and the cleaning crew decided 'ok its clean.' When I reported what I noticed first, screws and paint chippings on my carpet (which would be a hazard to my cat), I was told that they just contract cleaners and don't have an actual cleaning team, so the office had me borrow their vacuum and take care of it myself (I moved in from out of state and my items were still on the way.) When I noticed more things, I emailed the complex asking for a discount in rent since I'd clearly have to clean things myself. Instead, they said they would send a cleaner over, which was alright with me. The cleaner came over and did the bare minimum, just cleaning a strange black mess near the toilet that I had reported, but in my naivety I assumed they did more and perhaps the rest of the things in the apartment complex were stains. They were not. Upon my first cleaning, there was so much gunk in the shower area, and residue on the cabinets. Mind you I have fibromyalgia, so there's only so much I can do at a time. It's to the point that I've had to shift my mentality to imagining I'm at someone else's cabin temporarily while I tried to catch up slowly on the cleaning that was missed. - THIN WALLS: Although my neighbors aren't obnoxious, thankfully, either the walls or the floors are pretty thin and I can hear a lot of their activity. However, sleeping with a fan on at night, and headphones, make it barely noticeable. - STORAGE: If you rent a dryer and washer, you basically forfeit closet storage in the living area."

"My partner and I took a look at these apartments a few weeks ago. Very nice grounds and friendly staff, but we had a few concerns. The main one being the fluctuation in rent price. When we asked the staff member about it, they informed us that the price "changes daily" due to how many units are available. Beyond that, the same layout on the same floor will also vary in price for no apparent reason. At the time we met with staff, the apartment we were interested in was quoted at the $1450 range. Looking at the website now, it is $1300. I find it unethical that there is such a large difference in price in such a short amount of time on the same exact unit. I don't want to feel that I have to gamble in order to receive fair market value for my home. A few smaller issues included the roofs looking in need of repair. Laundry hookups were included but machines have to be brought by the tenant or you can "rent" them from the property for an extra $40 a month. This felt like another cash grab opportunity. We also weren't able to tour an empty unit or even a staged unit, all that was available was the leasing office itself which mirrored the 2 bedroom 2 bathroom layout. This would be fine, but I don't trust the authenticity of a real unit's condition based off of the leasing office. We really loved the area the apartments were located in, but have an immense amount of hesitation over these red flags. I wanted to share this review for other renters in the area as I know finding authentic reviews can be difficult."

"Me and my partner have been living at Willow Oaks Apartments for well over a year now, and we've been incredibly happy here. Not only is the maintenance team INCREDIBLE (they usually come out the day that you submit a request, and they'll even do pest control and routine checks; there is also a 24-hour emergency service for maintenance we've had to utilize twice and both times they were absolutely amazing!), the management team genuinely cares and tries their best to meet any need or answer any question we have. We've had issues with our upstairs neighbors directly above us, and when we reached out to the management team about it, they spoke with them and resolved the issue very quickly. It's a beautiful closed-in apartment complex with shaded and grassy areas to walk, a little creek and a bridge, and a community garden that's just gorgeous. You see the same people out with their kids and dogs and friends every day, and it feels like a little neighborhood, which is something that we haven't always gotten to experience at apartments we've lived at before. It's a pretty quiet community, lots of older residents, and everyone tends to be respectful and kind. Obviously there's always little things anywhere that you can get upset over, but you can't beat the price for the amount of space you're getting, especially being right off of Powhite Parkway and near so many cute spots in Bon Air. It's 5 minutes from Carytown and 15 minutes from almost anywhere else in Richmond. We're really happy to be here!"

"Keisha was phenomenal when helping us get settled here. She was understanding of our financial needs and helped us find a unit that fits our budget. The community is lovely and quiet. The landscaping is beautiful and well maintained. The unit itself was very clean upon move in. Overall, the staff is friendly and helpful and they made the process very easy."

"I recently leased an apartment at Willow Oaks Apartments and I must say that I am quite impressed with my experience so far. The leasing process was smooth and hassle-free, thanks to the friendly and efficient staff who helped me throughout the process, specially to Ms. Kelly Boston, who helped us and responded all of our questions. The apartment itself is spacious and well-maintained, with modern amenities that make living here comfortable and convenient. I especially love the balcony that offers a stunning view of the surrounding area. The building is also well-secured, giving me peace of mind knowing that my safety is a top priority. Additionally, the location is great, with easy access to public transportation, shopping centers, and restaurants. Overall, I am very satisfied with my decision to lease at this apartment complex and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a comfortable and convenient place to live."