Solterra Ecoluxury Apartments

My husband and I moved into Solterra in July 2014. We came from The Villages in Mission Valley which was one of our worst living experiences ever so going into this we knew it couldn’t be any worse, but we were very surprised at how great the experience was from the day we walked into the office and got a tour from Jason, until now. We were drawn to Solterra because of the «green» amenities, being that we both work in the solar industry. The office staff here is amazing, they are very prompt at responding to your concerns and requests. They are also very personable, fun and professional.
We love our little community here and we are very active in it. We attended monthly cooking classes, all holiday parties and participate in door decorating competitions among other things. We have hosted lots of fun pool days with friends and we love the cabanas with tvs so we don’t have to sacrifice watching our favorite sports teams while laying by the pool. And bonus, we have an awesome gift wrapping station that I take full advantage of year around. The community is fairly quiet and is dog friendly. We love all the potty areas and doggie bag/​trash stations. I absolutely love all the floor plans, our place is so open and inviting. The vaulted ceilings are nice too because we are very tall, it makes everything feel so much larger.
The only negative things I can say are that some residence are not responsible or respectful of the fact that all areas are shared. And many let their dogs pee on doorways and walls. Thank goodness the outside of all buildings get cleaned thoroughly once a month by a crew. Also, residence who have assigned spots and garages will not use them if it’s not convenient for them and will often take up all the guest parking that is close to their unit. We also have speed bumps that are pretty brutal on your car, but I understand the necessity of them. And lastly, there probably needs to be some security put in place as well because there has been some car break in’s in our experience.
All in all though we are soooo happy here and have no intention of leaving anytime soon. Thank you to the office, maintenance and cleaning staff for making our time here so enjoyable.

I moved to Solterra one month ago and my pre-​lease to move-​in experience couldn’t have been better. I relocated from the East Coast and handled all of the lease information online (the first time I physically saw my apt was a week after my lease actually started). Property Director Matt is great– always energetic, smiling and goes above and beyond to help! H.G. Fenton (property management) better do everything they can to keep him here, he’s great!
Because I wasn’t able to take a tour prior to signing the lease, Matt offered to FaceTime to virtually show me the unit and property. Solterra is really a cut above the rest and the H.G. Fenton management company seems to get great reviews on all of their properties (unlike the Irvine Company, which offers tons of San Diego ‘luxury’ properties-​but all had bad reviews). Exceptional service here!
Solterra still feels like a new property/​very clean and the residents aren’t dirty (properly dispose of trash, pick up after their pets). They have monthly movie nights out by the pool, where they serve hotdogs, pizza, popcorn, etc. Other activities: a pro chef offers cooking classes with pretty unique menus, a monthly continental breakfast, etc. Towel service by pool.
I have a one bedroom ‘Lumen’ unit. It’s smaller than what I’m used to back home, but it has plenty of space for me and all of my furniture. I have sooo many windows and natural light, it’s so bright. I never hear neighbor noise. The high end finishes and stainless steel appliances were a must for me. I love my apt and plan to stay. The carport is nice to shield my car from the sun. The patio is pretty big. It’s truly in a nice, quiet residential area and I love being 2 minutes away from Mira Mesa– cleaners, tons of nail salons, restaurants, Starbucks, grocery stores, Best Buy, Home Depot, banks, Bed Bath and Beyond, Firestone, Marshalls, Target and a weekly local farmers market are all a very short drive away. Oh, and only 20 minutes from several beaches (Torrey Pines, La Jolla Shores, Pacific Beach), 5 minutes away from Lake Miramar.
If you’re considering Solterra you won’t be sorry. By the way– I read EVERY single Unilocal review before I moved in (since I wasn’t able to visit prior to relocating), and I disagree with the very small handful of bad reviews. Come see this place for yourself. :)

Your experience at Solterra is almost entirely defined by where in the complex your unit is located. This can very easily be a two-​star complex or a four-​star, it all depends.
We lived in unit 257 between May 2013 and May 2014. We were initially enticed by the «one month free rent» offer, which lowered our effective rent from $ 2060 to $ 1850ish.
The speed bumps are completely miserable.
Good things:
Pool and spa are great. Spa is usually functional and there are outdoor TV’s that make the entire thing feel like a resort. The grills are also usually functional, and obviously San Diego offers a lot of great opportunities to cook outdoors.
The management tends to be quite responsive. Repair requests are handled very promptly, and follow-​ups to repair requests always occur the next day or two.
It’s pretty safe. Most of the complex is upper-​middle class and the cars are definitely on the nicer side.
It’s pretty darn dog friendly. Dog poop is usually picked up by the residents, definitely more so than other places I have lived. There are always ample poop bags.
The complex management holds a TON of events for the apartment community. Movie nights, cooking classes, dog-​of-​the-​month, door decorating, tons of stuff.
The size of the units is pretty good. I read a complaint on here that the apartments were too small. This seems like a strange complaint as you get to see them before you rent them…
Bad things:
If you live in a unit that faces the inside main street, you will get woken up, a LOT. The worst speed bumps ever designed were installed — massive plastic mountains that cause EVERY vehicle going over them to clang and slam super hard. All. Night. Long. By the end of our lease we were absolutely thrilled to get away from our unit so we could get a solid night’s sleep. If you are going to live here, do everything in your power to get a west-​facing unit, AWAY from the main entrance driveway street thing.
The «eco» part of «ecoluxury» is a total joke. I paid an electricity bill here entirely comparable to other places I have lived. If the solar panels on the roof are doing anything, it was certainly not reflected in my bill.
The smoke detectors in the unit went off 100% of the time I used my oven. In fact, the appliances look nice but are the lowest end of the lowest line of appliances that GE sells.
Parking spaces are about three feet wide. Many of the spaces also have a pole supporting an overhang in them. You will get your car dinged up at Solterra.
Overall:
Probably a three and a half. I give them four stars and not three because the move out was so painless. They didn’t try and screw us on cleaning and move-​out fees and sent our portion of the deposit back super quick.

So we were moving to San Diego and leased Solterra sight unseen over the net after reading the reviews, checking out the site and talking to the leasing folks. We paid a $ 200 as a ‘holding’ fee. BIG mistake!
Luckily we came a day earlier before our lease was about to start to check the plave out. While we were prepared to discount the pictures (which look amazing) 20 — 30% we were absolutely amazed at just how different things were:
— The apartments are tiny tiny tiny. We were going to be renting the Equinox which is listed as 1034 sq ft. After seeing the unit, and seeing how tiny it was, I multiplied the listed sizes of the major rooms (available from the floor plan and it comes up to 503 sq ft. NOT EVEN HALF of the listed total unit size. I guess the corridors, bathrooms and patio covers the other 530 sq ft. To be clear, they do not. I have no idea where they came up with the 1034 Sq ft because the unit is definitely not anywhere close to the listed size. It pretty simple, the sizes of the main rooms are listed on the floor plans –http://​www​.solter​raecolux​u​ryapts​.com/​s​o​l​t​e​r​r​a​/​f​l​o​o​r​-​p​l​a​n​-​b​r​owser
Just do the math and see what the main living areas add up to.
— The corridors are dingy and narrow.
— No real ‘garden’ or open areas to speak of.
— Pool and party room are ok. Nice to look at and well maintained but compared to pretty much any of the apartment complexes around they are tiny.
— Seems to be adequate parking and the staff was responsive via email and polite and courteous in general. That said, they stuck to the our apartments ‘Our apartments the size listed’ line and still took our deposit. No refunds or anything.
So overall this would be one to avoid. The community itself is really small and it clearly shows because they really don’t have the money (which is divided over more units if the community is bigger) to provide nice amenities. The whole eco thing got us interested and is nice but not sure if it is worth living in a tiny cramped unit with very limited amenities. Best of luck with your search!
Update on the community managers response:
Olivia — to be clear, I am not claiming that the unit is just 500 sq ft. I know it is not. But the dimensions of the 4 major rooms add up to 504 sq ft. That is indisputable. How the rest of the space in the apartment (closets?, bathrooms) add up to another 500 sq ft I have NO idea. I am a trained architect so I understand plans very well. Please take a look at the plan for the Equinox and explain to me how the apartment can be 1034 sq ft (excluding the patio) if the 4 major rooms are 504 sq ft. Please back up your response with facts.
If I just changed my mind it would have been ok for me to lose the deposit. In this case I didnt change my mind. We came to see the unit, realized how tiny it was, that there had been a material misrepresentation of facts, that our stuff would not fit in the unit and had to scramble to find some other place. It isnt even about the deposit that led to my poor review and rating but the stress and anxiety caused by the misrepresentation of the size of the unit and having to find another place to stay at a days notice.
The ‘we did attempt to help you find a larger 2 bedroom at one of our sister communities’ was basically an email saying if you rent at any of our other sister communities you dont lose your deposit. Period. I’m not sure that qualifies as help.
I have no interest in discussing with you personally but I did want to let potential renters know the real facts. I have not lived there so I cant speak to the community and residents. Based on the many positive reviews I’m sure it has its pluses but for us it was underwhelming. We were disappointed, stressed and felt misled. If you want to discuss with me, given my experience, please feel free to call or email.
Thank you!

Haven’t had the greatest experience with this property and management. Of course the application and move-​in process were easy as it is with most apartments as they want to fill occupancy. They have some great community activities and amenities but for a new apartment that had never been lived in I’ve had continual problems with my unit stemming from no hot water, the pilot light going out, cracks within the walls and closets. I tend to be a strong minded person and don’t see eye to eye at all with this community manager on anything. For instance I’ve paid my rent every month via there website and several months back I emailed them about a sudden issue with the website not taking the payment but providing a tracking number and requesting this to be dropped to a money gram location. Upon emailing I was advised by them that there was nothing wrong with their website so then I sent a screen shot showing them they issue, at which point the website was taken down for the day to be fixed I’m sure. The next day I was able to log on and make my payment but it was charging me a late fee and when I emailed Olivia and advised her that I was expecting this to be returned to me she agreed under he to explanation of «just this once.» When in reality she should have said «yes sorry about the issue with website. When I told her this was actually their issue she explained that how could she know it was not working. Again I don’t know not my issue, possibly hire an IT guy since these are considered «luxury apartments».
There is not enough guest parking and you have so many tenants that park down the center isle as it provides access to their back door first floor apartments that guests continually have to park blocks away and walk.

We just renewed out lease! I can not believe it has been a year already. The events at Solterra have exceeded my expectations of «luxury apartment living». Last month we were finally able to make it to the Movie night at the pool. It was a «flashback night» so they showed an old movie — the choices were Top Gun and Indiana Jones — Indiana Jones won. They had endless amounts of popcorn, hot dogs, candy, soda, and water. The movie was fun, the picture quality was remarkably great and the sound was like being at the movies! They have done this every month and we cant wait for the next one! Last month our dogs were featured as the pet of the month — how much fun! Every month we have had a food truck come to the complex for dinner — makes for a great impromptu date night, and a chance to socialize with neighbors! We have had several Brunch events at the clubhouse and Big City Chefs do a great job of putting on quite a spread for us.
Some of the other amazing amenities include a wonderful gym that we have used with the trainer that was recommended to us from Solterra. Th brand new dog park across the complex that is shared with the sister location. The laundry pick up — awesome. The farmers market delivery, the car washes, and the cooking classes. We have rented out the clubhouse for special events and it is always such a great space for parties.
I have never seen out utility bills so low, in fact last month we had a $ 9 CREDIT from SDG&E! Whoo Hoo! I love credits like that!
I speak to Olivia and Jason on a weekly basis to check in or let them know if we have a repair or question and they always get back to us immediately! Olivia will answer her email at all hours of the night — I have never experienced that before!!!
If you are considering moving here, you will be so happy you did!

After living here for a year– I renewed as soon as I could. Everything from the management side of things shines, and so does the property after a year. From the regular power washing to the attention paid to the common areas. The units themselves are incredible and amongst the best in San Diego, and it’s the friendliest set of neighbors I can recall– and I’ve lived in 15 apartment communities. Highly reccomended.

I strongly DISLIKE this complex! Stay far away!!! First off they have fake grass for your dogs, it has a horrible stench, so my dog won’t walk on it, nor should he have to. They installed hard plastic speed bumps, so when you have small lowered cars, they scrape and can do worst damage than the average speed bump. The pool is only 4ft deep, you can’t even swim in it. I have lived in the Miramesa village and the pool there goes down to 8ft deep! Walls are made too thin, I can hear every footstep and every movement of a sliding chair, to a closing of a window from my upstairs neighbor. Leasing managent is horrible!!! They don’t assist the problem or care. They are very inconsistent, one manager assured me she was trying to fix the problem while the other told me that «it’s normal apt living». It’s actually not normal because the previous neighbors never stomped soo loud. ANYWAYS, they are also inconsistent on the dog leash rule. My dog can be off leashed no problem, in the leasing office but in the swimming area, it’s the opposite. Even though they are both enclosed areas… Very irritating! Parking gets too full on the weekends, guest parking is usually full by 8pm on a Saturday so the residents with 2 cars have to try to find parking in a different apt complex. The price you pay for rent is not worth settling for a home that your not satisfied with.

All I can say is «WoW» I absolutely love living here. Close to shopping and restaurants and is right off the 15. The views are amazing as is the whole «feel» of the place All the neighbors I have met have been super nice. Very quiet community with tons of activities including food trucks, movies at the pool (Starlight Cinema). Being all solar, my utility bills are almost non-​existent. I think my last bill from SDGE was $ 4.97. Can walk to Trader Joes just across the street. I have the «Lumen» model one bedroom. Very open with a large kitchen island that is perfect for entertaining. Great workout facilities with the most modern equipment and a beautiful pool. Did I mention this place is pet-​friendly? Well, yes they are and my pups love it here. Hard wood-​like floors are very easy to clean.
The price is less that I was paying at my previous complex. That plus the savings on utilities means I’m spending about $ 400 less a month. Oh! I also get a garage… BONUS!
Olivia and Jason (newly arrived after David left) are awesome to work with. Any concerns are handled immediately. Silvestre the maintenance manager is always working hard.
Please come view these apartments. Any vacancies posted get rented out almost immediately.
My favorite thing is the Nest programmable thermostat that you can control from your iphone, ipad, etc.
This place and all the staff ROCK!
I have been here since November 2013 and plan on being here for much longer.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you have any questions, please ask, Thanks!

I absolutely adore living here. First, the Management team is beyond AMAZING! and they have helped me out on multiple occasions; I can truly say that Olivia and crew truly care about their community and each person living in said community. This is huge for an apartment complex. HUGE! The amenities are wonderful, the perks of living in an eco-​friendly apartment are great, and no lie; my electric bill is always about $ 14/​mo for my 2br/​2ba. That’s a plus. I also have a large garage, which has more than enough room for my car and a few boxes in the event that I need storage. Also, it’s very very quiet here. Solterra is a small community, so there isn’t any riff-​raff or chaos etc that you would typically find in a larger complex or community.
Oh, and I love this place so much, that I’m signing my second 1 year lease here in a month. I’ll be moving to a 1 bedroom, but again, if you’re looking for a great place where the Management team treats you like a person and actually cares, then Solterra is the place to be. You truly get what you pay for, and then some!

Solterra has more than met my expectations. I have lived here for 3 weeks and absolutely love it. My dog Doc loves this place also. He chills on the patio and watches everyone walk by. The Clubhouse is magnificent. Pictures don’t do justice to the real thing. I can’t think of one thing that I don’t like. I’m getting ready to buy an electric car and Solterra is the perfect situation for that because the garages are pre wired for the Charging Stations. Olivia, Camille and David are great reps.

What a beautiful place. Called earlier on last week and Trevor was patient in answering all my questions. He was great. So I decided to your Solterra yesterday. Couldn’t pass up not doing so. Made an appointment with David, the property manager. David takes pride in his property and I appreciate his enthusiasm and The time he took out of his day to show us every detail from the sister properties to how to work the AC in the apartment. His mannerisms, his honesty and his genuine character will truly create loyal renters. I’m sad to say I will not be leasing with Solterra because it looks like a couple renters acted quickly on a deal that was posted on Craigslist. What a shame. However I look forward to seeing where the market is at next year so we can move in. The property is beautiful. Saltwater pool, valet detail service twice a month, poolside service, 24 hour clubhouse and gym, roman bathtubs, and a centralized AC and heater system that I can control through a smart phone and it can even pre set to certain times of the day. Not to mention reduced water bills because everything is eco friendly!

WE MOVED IN!!! It’s absolutely GORGEOUS!!! I can’t express enough how wonderful the WHOLE team is here at Solterra. I felt right at home the first moment I walked in.
The kitchen is amazing, the bathtub is HUGE, the views are breath taking, the ceilings are nice and high and again it’s located in a GREAT/​SAFE area.
HOME SWEET HOME!!!

The leasing experience has been real smooth! David has been great to deal with, since the property is still under construction, it’s really exciting see the progress coming along.
The temporary leasing office they have is great — the floor plans and sample boards really give you a clear picture of what the units will look like.
The amenities being offered at this community are amazing! The first of its kind here in San Diego, ECO-​friendly resort — except it will be home! We can’t wait! I highly recommend considering this for your next rental.
Looking forward to updating this review with more details once we move in.

The Leasing experience has been outstanding and hassle free. H.G. Fenton own numerous luxury apartmnets throughout San Diego, e.g. Aquaterra and River Front. I jumped at the opportunity when I discovered that they were opening a brand new and eco friendly community.

Great leasing experience, hassle free. We could not have asked for a smother process. Our family loves living Eco Friendly, it’s the small things we do for our environment that make big differences. Extremely excited about the solar panels! Going to be GREAT!