Eagle Rock Apartments at North Plainfield — Attraction in North Plainfield

I've waited to write this review until I was not upset, because I wanted to be fair and not review based on frustration.

We moved from out of state two months ago and by now we already decided we won't renew our lease, and if it wasn't for how expensive it is to move to a different state we would 100% take the loss of breaking it.

This is not a place for peaceful and quiet living. In the two months I've lived here there hasn't been a day without noise coming from my upstairs neighbors. Disruptive noise. Everyday there is running around the apartment from very early on. There hasn't been a weekend when the running doesn't wake me up before 7:30am. Every day. Every single weekend. I work from home, so it's been a very difficult two months.

Besides the running, the apartments are old so the floors creak a lot. Upstairs floors don't seem to be padded enough which means I hear my neighbors walking around all day because my ceiling creaks as they walk. I've been woken up multiple times in the middle of the night because they wake up and walk around their bedroom (totally fine, just noisy on my end).

I contacted management and was in touch with them a lot regarding the running around (the one thing the neighbors can control) and while they listened and talked to the neighbors about our complaints, nothing really changed and their message was that it is what it is. They have a "quiet time" policy but no way to enforce it. I feel management downplayed the issue to some extent because they were basing their opinions on whatever they could hear on a video, which did not reflect the reality of what we live every day.

I asked if there was a chance of moving to another apartment on the second floor. They said yes, that the could allow us to change apartments before the six month period they have as a rule, but they would not wave the +$1,000 they were asking for it. They also couldn't guarantee that our rent would be the same (even with the same type of apartment) and that it could possible be higher. Moving from out of state is expensive enough, so we could not afford that extra spend PLUS a potentially higher rent. So right now were are dealing with it the best we can and (not so) patiently waiting for the lease to end so we can move to a place where we can sleep late on weekends.

It's been a bummer because I was very excited about this place. The apartment itself is okay. A little old and could use updated appliances, but it's spacious, has a big balcony (main reason I chose this place) and it's very conveniently located.

Sadly the cons of living here greatly outweigh the pros.

The only way I could consider this place again in the future or recommend it to anybody is if a second floor can...

I’ve lived here a year, and overall it’s a mixed bag. Depending on your priorities, it might work for you — but for me, the long-term value just isn’t there.

The Good: The property is well-maintained. Appliances and repairs are handled promptly without hassle. Apartments themselves are decent, and the neighborhood is quiet. Location is convenient and generally safe.

The Issues: On tour we were told rent typically rises 3–4% per year. Our renewal came back at 4.84% plus a 10% higher dog fee. NJ’s cap is 5%, so they push right to the edge. Over time, that compounds heavily: a $3,000 rent today becomes nearly $3,800/month (or $45K/year) in five years. My savings account earns 4%, but my raises aren’t 5% yearly. That math just doesn’t work long-term.

Since moving in, listings for similar apartments here jumped from $2,600 last year to $3,000+ now. Then add in ~5% yearly growth, well above the Fed’s latest CPI housing data (3.7%). Feels like corporate real estate companies are prioritizing profits over sustainability.

The lease is very corporate (100+ pages). Rules are strict — no bikes, you won't see kids playing outside (that may be good or bad, I was hoping my child could make some friends). The Blast emails remind you this is a business first. That’s not necessarily bad, but it does feel sterile.

Emergency access is limited. There’s only one way in/out via Route 22, which has flooded multiple times, trapping residents for a day or two. The property itself doesn’t flood, but the access issue is real.

Dog policy could be better enforced. Most owners are responsible, but I did have one scary off-leash encounter with a large dog (“Cocoa”). Thankfully nothing happened, but it could have ended badly.

Bottom Line: Eagle Rock isn’t a bad landlord — they keep the property up and aren’t slumlords — but it’s very corporate, with rent increases right up against state caps. If you’re okay with ~5% yearly increases and a more rule-driven community, it could be fine. If you’re looking for long term stability and a more human landlord relationship, you might want to explore mom-and-pop...

A beautiful apartment in a nice and convenient area. Maintenance requests can be submitted online and are promptly resolved. Everyone at the leasing office (Lori in particular) is very nice and professional and if they can't help they'll try their best to get in touch with someone who can. Apartments have a clean interior and are overall very nice. Parking is only an issue if you have more than one vehicle. Garages are offered at additional cost for a guaranteed spot or you can try for street parking which is always busy. The location is good with popular supermarkets and retailers within a couple miles, but traffic on 22 can get backed up and make things seem further away than they are.

Edit: The property has recently sold from Northwood Apartments to Eagle Rock Apartments at North Plainfield. After the sale I have been unable to get a second account for their online portal as my other roommate has the primary account (under previous management we each had our own accounts). The frequent updates we would receive from the leasing office have ceased and there has been no contact. The apartments still have a nice refurbished look but the new management leaves much to be desired compared to what previously was in place.

Overall, my recommendation would depend on new prices put in place and changes in how Eagle Rock handles management. As long as prices stay around $1800-$1900 for the one bedroom, you only need one parking spot, and don't care about contact from the management, then I wouldn't mind recommending Eagle Rock Apartments at North Plainfield. If you don't fit into all of these categories, then there are sure to be alternatives that check all your all those boxes within...