Marina Cove Apartments, Santa Clara

"Beware of falling for their enticing move-in offers; when it's time to move out, they employ unprofessional tactics to deduct significant amounts. The pre-inspection reviews are unreliable, as they will discover ways to impose substantial charges post move-out process. After moving out, they exhibit a lack of concern for your inquiries, responding with rudeness and unprofessional behavior. During our stay, there were unsettling instances of strangers approaching (literally threatening) our door for donations, occurring three times in our case. Aside from accessibility, there's little to commend about the community. While the maintenance team is competent, it's crucial to document any pre-existing issues during move-in, as they may penalize you for them later. Don't be swayed by their offers; thorough research is essential!"

"I really don't like writing negative reviews, but I had to write this one. Sorry, you left us with little choice. Its been 20 days since we moved in, and a really disappointing experience, so far. When we moved in, it took 3 nights to fix the heating in the apartment, got correct mailbox keys after 2 weeks, and worst of all, shower leak service request gets resolved even without someone showing up to take a look at the problem! Filing a service request doesnt cut it, you really have to beg the management, send reminder emails, phonecalls and physical visits to the office. When you call Marina Cove's phone number, the recorded tune says "Professionally managed by Essex". Is this a joke? I never expected such an experience at an Essex property, we used to stay at an Essex property, right before this. When you move in, you have to sign a 60+ page lease, with clauses including that the rent should be paid on time. But, no such clause on how many days/months, the management can take, to even come and take a look at the problem. Please no COVID excuse, this is beyond acceptable. New AC heat/cool unit was installed, but apparently never tested. The fuse for the AC was incorrect. Shower tub leakage issue is marked resolved, even without someone showing up at the apartment. Before moving in, we were shown a different apartment and verbally told that our unit will get the same appliances. But, what was given to us was not the same. Our unit has newly installed, the cheapest appliances that one can find in the market. Online application to hold an apartment, doesnt reveal what quality of appliances you will get. There is no timer on the cooking range, the GE dishwasher installed does not clean dishes well. The dishwasher has lot of negative reviews on bad dish cleaning. Internet cables routed in the building are really old, xfinity doesnot recommend/support it anymore. As a result, internet bandwidth cant exceed 50Mbps. Most apartments have really old electric panel heaters installed. They are not energy or even heating wise efficient. The apartment does not heat very well due to single pane windows and cold air leaking in, from the front door. In conclusion, the rent being charged is the prevalent market rate, but the services offered and the quality of appliances is sub par. _______ Update after leaving the property: Reduced from 2 star to 1 star for the following reasons: 1) Almost every few weeks there was an emergency plumbing repair that requires the whole building water supply to be shut down. Few times, we literally got an hour of notice before supply was shut. 2) No more physical office. There is no way to reach the management in case of an urgent matter. You can email or phone. But, the phone call is rarely picked and goes directly into voicemail. And, dont expect them to call you back in time. 3) Regular break-ins into postal boxes, gym. I lost an important courier. No matter how many times, I have told the management to change the door code for the pool and the gym. They havent. We lost gym equipment and lot of non-residents using the pool during summers, who come in their cars, park on the road and go straight to the pool. 4) Expect a big bill when you leave. They threaten you to ding your credit history, while not providing necessary documentation to justify the billing. 5) One funny, yet bizzare incident happened once when the management sent us an email for an emergency gas leak and requesting us to vacate the property immediately. Who sends an email for a life threatening emergency??!!!"

"The administration is messy and unable to provide solutions, they do not take care of the requests or assume any responsibility, they only let the weeks run as if my time or money were not worth it for them. The rental contract includes an assigned parking lot but the 3 spaces that the leasing office points out to me, remain occupied by other tenants and I continue to pay but I can't use a parking lot, unacceptable."

"I never lived here, my review is based on the interaction with the sales team. The sales team (Jade) worked with me remotely to deliver the seamless self tour experience including remotely unlocking and locking apartments. This place offers more value for money then all other apartments we visited. We found a better location so did not end up signing the lease. Good luck to Jade and her team."

"I resided at the MC Apartments for approximately 8 months but had to terminate my lease prematurely due to some changes in my life. While I could discuss my experience extensively, I will highlight key points and provide a summary of the pros and cons: Pros: - Price: The housing options at MC Apartments are relatively affordable compared to many other places. However, keep in mind that the quality corresponds to the price (see Cons). - Location: The apartments are situated in a prime location that is easily accessible and family-friendly. The neighborhood is generally quiet and safe, although you may occasionally encounter some *random* individuals walking around the complex. - Maintenance team: The maintenance staff is friendly and helpful, promptly addressing any issues. Unfortunately, due to the complex's age, maintenance problems occur frequently - be prepared for this. Cons: - The complex itself: MC Apartments is one of the older apartment complexes and hasn't received extensive care or renovations in recent years. The noise and thermal insulation are poor, the air conditioning is inefficient, the plumbing is rusty, the cabinets and appliances are outdated, and the lighting is old, if present at all. Due to these factors - expect to encounter numerous maintenance issues. - Management: I don't even know where to begin with the management; they are the worst I have ever dealt with in any apartment complex. They are nearly non-existent, as I never saw any of them in person during my stay and had limited opportunities to "Speak" with them directly. Communication was limited to -slow and compromised- email exchanges. They're not joking when they say expect 24-48 hour response time, even in urgent situations. Just pray you never face a serious issue requiring the management's active involvement (which is too much to ask from these guys), otherwise you're doomed. I personally had to vacate my unit for three weeks around Thanksgiving holidays due to a water leak that necessitated the complete teardown and reconstruction of the entire bathroom. The management's response was simply, "Find your own accommodation and work with your insurance for reimbursement." Their lack of support was evident, and I was fortunate that my insurance company (Lemonade, if you're curious) was helpful and covered all expenses unconditionally. Otherwise, I don't know how I would have managed the -tremendously stressful- situation. - Move-out charges: Despite not being charged for any extraordinary damage or excessive dirtiness (as there was none), I still had to pay $300 for "standard" cleaning, carpet cleaning, touch-up paint, yada yada. Apparently, this is their minimum charge. While not as terrible as mentioned in some other reviews, it is still quite outrageous for someone who consistently cleans their units before moving out and has previously paid close to zero in move-out charges. Overall, you get what you pay for at MC Apartments. It is one of the most affordable housing options in Silicon Valley. However, don't expect more than a decent (if not below-mediocre) experience for your money."