During the pandemic my partner and I needed to upgrade from a cheap-as-we-could-find studio in Westwood to a decent 1-bedroom that we would still be comfortable living in after we (finally) have two incomes. The building is entirely studios and 1-bedrooms, so this is probably a space best for couples.

This apartment is a definite step up from where we were. It has quality laminate flooring everywhere except the bedroom, which is carpeted. There is plenty of space with a relatively flexible layout, and it has a small but comfortable balcony. The paint is pretty good, with the exception of the kitchen cabinets, which have begun to flake in some places. The kitchen also has marble countertops, although there are a few (repaired) cracks. The water pressure is great. There are plenty of outlets everywhere, there's a fireplace, and there's enough counter space in the kitchen to make cooking with two people not feel too cramped. We are also on a quiet street (Dickens) that is a block away from Ventura Blvd, which has tons of restaurants and shops, and we're less than five minutes from multiple grocery stores. It is also right over the hills from Westwood, so even though I've never done the commute to UCLA during rush hour, I know it wouldn't take too long. We face the street, so there is a decent view from our windows. We recently got a new property manager, and he is very responsive. There is central air, so the temperature is great. The bathroom is also connected to the bedroom, not the living room, which initially seemed like a con but is actually pretty nice - especially since we don't have guests during the pandemic. There is a pool and hot tub, although we haven't had much opportunity to use them.

The downsides are that none of the utilities are included, so in reality we spend closer to 2300/month (we also pay for an extra parking space). The application process was also frustrating, as the management company was not 100% forthcoming about all the steps that would be required and tried to demand an unnecessary level of employment verification for my partner, but they refused to pay for this verification. The property manager working on our application is no longer working here, so I don't know what the process is like now. The management company also added pet rent right as we were signing our lease, although thankfully they did not try to charge us. No pet rent was one reason we chose this apartment, although there is understandably a pet deposit. Otherwise, the only major issue with the apartment itself is that we had a fruit fly infestation for a few months in the fall, even though my partner and I are clean. There is also less storage space than I would like, although there is a huge closet in the bedroom and also one in the bathroom. Also, Dickens is full of people with dogs, which is great but also means that the grass next to the sidewalks are a minefield. Typically the sidewalks are clean, though.

Overall, it's been pretty seamless since we moved in, but there are definitely things that could be improved.