Apartment Review for The Preserve At Cedar River - Jacksonville, FL

The gate gives a false sense of security. Anyone can come in here if they just wait for someone else to drive in or out. The walk-in gate near the city bus stop is always open. Management does do a background / criminal check on the applicants but sometimes I wonder about the others that the residents allow in. There is plenty of parking for many of the buildings. However, there are some areas that are lacking in that area. Outdoor lighting can be sketchy in some areas as well. The speed bumps are horrible and frequent. While I can appreciate the intent of these speed deterrents, they are poorly maintained and hazardous to your vehicle's suspension if you aren't careful! The front entrance looks great with the landscaping and the pretty sign. Once you get through the gate, though, it does change. Granted, these buildings were built in the 1970s but a good maintenance and upgrade plan are in order. As the complex has been around for nearly 40 years, there are mature trees shading many of the buildings. The only problem with this is when we have storms. There were 5 trees down in the courtyard by the playground and this was not fixed for nearly a month. Management is responsive to complaints about noise and safety. Unfortunately, there is only so much they can do if people don't report the problems. The same goes for maintenance issues. Usually whatever it is gets fixed the first time. The between tenant cleaning and repair leaves something to be desired. Just be aware and stay on top of the issues to get corrected until you are satisfied. The condition of the apartment itself is less than I expected. With some more attention to detail and finishing and this could be a great place! The AC units are all different. You may luck out and get a newer, more efficient one. If it seems like you are paying too much for power, you can call the electric company to do an audit of the efficiency in your unit to see how you might save money. The carpet is cheap and thin. The plumbing fixtures are old. The finishing needs to be finished! (tile with no cove base under cabinets, screws going through into the cabinet space, mismatched bi-fold doors, laminate coming off cabinets) We have some noise issues with neighbors. I'm not sure if any of it has to do with lack of insulation though. I don't hear normal noises such as talking, doors opening and closing, and normal walking. I also don't hear appliances or water. Overall, the building seems to be ok when it comes to normal noise. I would say that I might or might not recommend this property to a friend. Truly, that depends on the person in question. Some people don't mind 'waiting it out' while this complex works through it's issues and moves on. The biggest plus is the size of the units and the price. There is currently no deposit required here so it is cheap on the move-in, too.