The Yard

Good location and quality

There are things in the least that they don't actually have and the management is rude, unhelpful, and disrespectful. The bedrooms are small and the door scheme makes no sense. The building materials are janky. The kitchen and the common spaces are nice, and the amenities are nice. They said there is cable in the lease, which we are paying for, and they took it out without warning anyone and are not providing compensation for it. The wifi works sometimes. They have a big jumbotron TV in the courtyard, but they refuse to turn it on. The grills were broken for a while but they fixed them. The TVs on the gym equipment have no real channels. The people who work in the office are the worst. There is not much storage space. Packages are strewn all about the lobby for anybody to steal, which has happened multiple times this year, so don't get anything important shipped to you at The Yard. The printer works sometimes. The AC works sometimes. The train goes loudly by at 4:30 am most nights.

The layout is fine, and the amenities are solid. But the staff are generally unpleasant people who give you attitude whenever you ask them a question. They've been spoken to over the course of the semester and are now trying harder, but it's still a problem

Terrible management

Does the trick, but not ecstatic

I understand housing options are limited in Ann Arbor, and the appeal of an apartment complex runs high, but whatever you do – please please please avoid the Yard. As a current resident, let me break down what you can expect:

Nickel and Dimed for EVERYTHING:
o Your lease starts 27 August, but you will pay for the full month of August.
o Rent Payment? Well get ready for additional fees! All payment options come with more fees (beware!)
o Absolutely no mercy on any sort of late payment or “incidentals” – if they don’t like the way you look at them, you can expect an “incidental”
Filthy and not Maintained:
o A cleaning crew keeps the lobby tidy, but nothing else. Once you get past the lobby, there are nasty stains, beer cans, and footprints on elevator doors.
o Maintenance? Good luck trying to get their attention on any sort of work order.
o Your unit is NOT cleaned before moving in. The front desk staff is called to vacuum and windex the bathroom mirror but nothing more.
o You want to use the gym? Well not a single piece of equipment is maintained or attended to. The smith machine barely functions, the cable machine is not in sync, half the treadmills are down.
Parking?
o Sure – extra $200 bucks a month but if you leave your spot and someone else sneaks in…do not expect the Yard to help you. My parking spot was taken for a full week, they will threaten to tow but it is all a bluff.
Resign your Lease?
o I hope you like a nice rent hike – not a modest one, at least $75 each year and that’s if you sign when they start harassing you, which will be within 30 days of you moving in.

In summary, please use your or your parents hard earned dollars somewhere else.

I'm a big fan of the building, the gym, the management, etc. It definitely feels like I'm probably overpaying, but maybe not - there aren't many nice, large buildings with studios for much cheaper.

The Yard is a great place to live with roommates - the walls aren't too thin so you can have some time to yourself without worrying about it too loud. Most rooms also have their own bathrooms which is a nice plus. Probably the worst thing about the Yard is that the train is right next to the apartment and is extremely loud in the middle of the night. Normally I can sleep through it, but some days it really startles you.

Pros: close to campus, furnished, safe, apartments on top floor get lots of light, studios available
Cons: Management has gotten better this year but was terrible last year, cost

I like my experience at the yard. All furniture is included and it comes with a TV as well. I do not like the thin walls and it is near train tracks (but this is not always an issue). I definitely do like it more so I have already resigned my lease for next year.