Portola Court Apartment Homes

"When we first moved here, we were so excited because the amenities in the community and inside the unit were so nice! The management team was amazing and they always went above and beyond whenever we had issues. Scott was our Leasing Consultant and Donald was truly just a star leader. It was such a joy to have him there. Over time, management changed hands and I felt that the management team had regressed to classic Irvine Company behavior wherein they're a for-profit business and they only care about the money you pay them at the beginning of the month. Now I will say that the maintenance team has always been prompt and courteous. I oftentimes had work orders completed within hours of placing it on their system and even when I had an issue with water running it was resolved and refunded to me as well by Conservice. There were 2 main factors that contributed to my move out, the first being the lack of compassion by management and the increase in rent. ICAC felt that 12.5% increase was fair which, to me, is absolutely egregious. Because it's not protected by rent control, residents have very little choice in the matter and your only other solution is to move out. What's crazy is that even though they were just going to increase the market rent by $800 when I moved out, the management team refused to let me leave earlier without penalty even though it would have resulted in more money in their pockets. It felt that even though I had committed 3 years of my time with them, there was very little assistance offered and nobody ever felt the need to talk to me about this on the phone until I had mentioned I would be sharing my thoughts on social media. If you work from home, PLEASE know that construction and landscaping here is never-ending. I kid you not. Every single day there is some form of landscaping being done whether it's leaf blowing, garden trimming, or whatever noise-inducing project is going on at the time. It is unavoidable and I genuinely cannot understand how there is so much maintenance done to the property inside and out. Inspections galore. I truly can't remember how many times there were inspections throughout the year. I get you want to be safe, but my goodness, it was just a lot. At the end of the day, an apartment is supposed to be your home and as time passed by it felt less and less like that and I was itching to leave. What had initially been a wonderful residency and deal to renters became a stark reminder of the corporate greed that is Irvine Company and I am glad that I left. There is a reason why Irvine company has such a reputation in Orange County. It seems like unless you're living in affluent communities where customer service always comes first, you are still simply just 1 resident amongst a million other ICAC renters whose pockets fund their endless monopolization in the area whether you like it or not."

"Having spent four wonderful years at Portola Court, it's important for potential residents to know the complete picture. While my initial experience was stellar, the subsequent years have brought forth some challenges. **The Concerns**: 1. **Ant Issue**: Every year we're faced with a persistent ant problem, regardless of our meticulous cleaning. After returning from a vacation, we were greeted with an infestation which took hours to address. It appears the proactive exterior spraying has ceased, perhaps a cost-cutting move? 2. **Exorbitant Rent Hikes**: In 2022, we were stunned by an 8% rent increment. Fast forward to this year, and they've slapped on a whopping 12%. When querying the reasons, an associate cited the Fair Housing Laws as a barrier to negotiation. As someone with prior knowledge in this domain, I knew this wasn't accurate and flagged it. I was later informed by the new community manager that the associate had been mistaken. Misinformation, especially when it pertains to laws, doesn't sit well with me. Eventually they were willing to work with us and check the Renewal IPA every Friday until the Market Rent (which they set), went down. We received weekly emails from them when they checked. They were eventually able to offer a renewal about $85 less than the original offer, so I highly recommend asking them to check for you EVERY WEEK. 3. **Absence of Renewal Perks**: Long-standing residents no longer enjoy perks such as carpet or window cleaning upon renewal, a privilege we once had. With rents soaring, one would expect the services to remain consistent or even improve. 4. **Maintenance Lapses**: The building cleanliness has deteriorated over time. Trash left in hallways remains unattended for weeks. With the rent hikes, one can't help but wonder where the funds are being allocated. 5. **Communication Barriers**: The office staff seldom answers calls, limiting communication to email. Responses often seem like generic templates rather than personal interactions. 6. **Parking**: Depending on the day, finding a spot can be a game of chance. **The Positives**: Despite the above challenges, there are aspects we cherish: - Our apartment continues to be a sanctuary. We're fortunate to have soundproofed walls that ensure privacy. - Kudos to the maintenance crew. Their expertise and cheerful demeanor make them a standout team. - The inclusion of Google Fiber is a modern touch we appreciate. While Portola Court has its strengths, the management needs to reflect on the growing concerns to maintain its reputation. High rents should equate to high value, and right now, the balance seems off. Original Review: My girlfriend and I have lived at Portola Court for a little over a year now and love it! We love it so much we decided to transfer to a larger floor plan and commit to another year. The community is very quiet and well built. I am a heavy walker, and as far as I know have never had it be an issue for anyone below us. We also never hear any of our neighbors. As far as apartments go, this is pretty rare. At most communities you can hear your neighbors thumping around. We also appreciate that some of the three story buildings have elevators, which many communities reserve for the 4 story+ buildings, and that each home comes with a detached garage (built in shelving included). Donald the community manager, and Sean the assistant manager have made our transfer process painless. They have both truly gone above and beyond to ensure we will be happy in our new home. I can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but they have never let their service falter. It is obvious that they both care about the happiness of their residents and take pride in their community. We are looking forward to another year here, and would highly recommend anyone looking for a quiet community away from the bustle of the Spectrum area to check out Portola Court."

"Portola Court was definitely one of the best apartments I ever lived in and I would do it again if I could. The apartment itself is really nice and comes with hardwood style floors and a google nest. Super convenient when you want to cool the house down in the summer before you get home. The maintenance team is super quick too. One time we get locked inside our apartment cuz the mechanism got stuck and they completed it in less than half an hour… to be honest probably less time than that. But you get the point. It’s a little further away from everything but it’s a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood. If you want peace and quiet this is definitely your spot."

"Have been living in this community for over two years and it has been amazing. They have great amenities, including two pools/spa, multiple BBQ areas and a decent sized gym as well as a yoga studio. The apartments are modern with hardwood floors throughout. The community is quiet and safe. Would definitely recommend!"

"Update: The maintenance crew hands down is awesome. whenever you have any issues they are on it. I have been here since day one when they open the apartments. You have few hiccups but other than that the place is really great place to live, great amenities and close to lots of trails. My overall experience with this place is amazing."