Avalon Apartments of Santa Monica 1032 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90403

"I lived here for about 6 years when I was in graduate school, and shortly after, and this apartment served me well as a solid, affordable option while staying in an amazing location. The size is small but the units are clean and well kept and I was willing to make a few sacrifices to get the location and price I really cared about. There aren't many options this close to the ocean or 3rd st at this price point. Also, north of Wilshire in this area is very peaceful and still walkable to lots of fun stuff."

"The first thing I need to mention about living here is that one needs to come in with the expectation that this is a rent control building, meaning that it is older and does not have all of the high-end appliances that a normal priced apartment would have for this area. To my knowledge, all rent control buildings in Santa Monica were built before 1970. This means that sometimes things need to be fixed, you'll also hear your neighbors (depending on how loud they are). If you are a light sleeper, I would strongly recommend getting a unit on the top floor. All this being said, this is not the property owners fault. It;s an old building and these are some of things one needs to contend with when moving to an older building. However, if you are single and in need of a crash pad type of unit in this area that's affordable, then this is a great place to live. It sits within walking range of everything you need from groceries, the beach, shopping and entertainment. The neighborhood overall is quiet aside from the occasional homeless issues that occur in this area, but it is busy during the day, There is only street parking, but since it's permit parking, you won't have a problem finding a space. I never had to park away from my own block for as long as I lived here. The property owner of the building has been owning rent controlled buildings on the westside since rent control started back in the 70's, so he knows all of the ins and out and is personable, nice and easy to work with. If there's an issue with the building he's on it pretty much right away and he has an assistant manager on-site who really goes out of her way to make sure that things get done and tenants are taken care of in a timely manner. Most studio and 1 BR units in this area are easily $2,500+, so for what you're paying here, you're overall, getting a good value! One other thing to consider is that most older apartment buildings in this area don't have AC. So, I would strongly recommend adding a window or portable unit. That's what I did with mine and it made a huge difference. This units also come with a cadet wall heater, but you'll probably want to bring an additional one because since this building sits so close to the ocean, this neighborhood tends to get a little damp and cooler in the winter than in other areas in Santa Monica."

"How do I find out about leasing the website does not work"

"Great price for a great location. Recently repainted. Recently renovated, beautiful communal kitchen. One major downside is the walls are very thin. Owner receptive to feedback/suggestions."

"Garbage"