Sound View Apartments

This is not my first apartment, but it is my first apartment as a completely self-​sufficient adult! My parents wanted me to live in a safe neighborhood, while I was looking for something affordable — Sound View is the best of both worlds. The location on California Avenue is great and the rent is surprisingly reasonable given the location. I have a spacious apartment that has all the amenities that I need and some extras, such as a balcony with a view and a cozy fireplace. There is a beautiful rooftop deck with a community grill that has been great for entertaining friends. The only downside that I have found is that they do not allow dogs, so my little Pomeranian has to live with my parents.
What really makes this a great place to live is the manager, Mark. After previously living with the manager from Hell, any manager would be an improvement, but Mark really is spectacular. I have not had any problems except a burnt out pot light, so I emailed Mark and when I came home from work there was a new bulb waiting at my door! He is friendly, approachable, and really seems to care about the tenants and the property.
If you are looking for an apartment, definitely check this place out (good luck, this place is so wonderful that there are rarely openings!)

I should have written this review a long time ago, but better late than never, right?
First off, let me say I have nothing but praises for this place. It’s a little more expensive that other apartment complexes in Seattle, sure, but the location and the management and the safety equipment make it worth it.
First we have the manager (at least the Manager while I was living there), Mark. Mark is on top of EVERYTHING! Broken blinds? Taken care of within a couple of days at most. Smoke detector going off in the middle of the night? He’ll be there in a flash and fix it. Snow in the side walk? Not while he’s around. On top of all of this he’s friendly, reasonable, and to the point without being aggressive or rude or hurtful. Really, he gets things done in a timely and efficient manner.
Second, the location; West Seattle’s highlight, the Alaska Junction. Right next to some of the nicest café’s and stores in Seattle (including the Huskey Deli, Majarajah Indian food, and the Bakery Nouveau). If you work downtown or capitol hill it’s a little bit of a trip, but for the location I still think it’ worth it. Also, the #54 stops just outside of the building,
Third, the building itself is excellent. The rooftop is THE place to be, great views of the sound and, if the construction cranes are gone, of Down Town, The apartments themselves are pretty nice too; excellent lay out, walk in closets, washer and dryer in each unit, and plenty of insulation so noise isn’t too much of an issue (you have to put an effort into annoying your neighbor).
Finally, the rent. When we lived there, Rent was about $ 795 a month. The nearby buildings were about the same, usually a little higher or a tad bit lower, but just down the street on both side rent shot up by about $ 200 a month for a similar sized studio. At this complex, we not only received decent warnings if our rent might go up a bit, the increases were not as sever as one might imagine; in the 4 years my boyfriend lived there, it went from about $ 695-​$ 795, so it was easy to keep up with.
I’m sure I’m forgetting some of the other fantastic benefits to living in this complex, but really it was wonderful. It was wonderful living there, and I’ve always considered moving back.