Skyhouse Raleigh High-Rise Apartments — Attraction in Raleigh

Update as of 12/30/23: this place has gone WAY downhill. The rise in crime in the area has become a huge source of anxiety for us. My fiancé won't even take our dog out at night by herself because she's afraid of being attacked. Her car was broken into in the parking deck that is maintained by the building as well and a knife was found in her car. There have been many resident and guest cars broken into recently because the security features (gates, doors, cameras, lights, etc) are almost all completely broken or not being used properly. The ownership and management did nothing for us and wouldn't even provide a plan to fix the security issues in the future.

Their communication about security risks has been minimal and it is obvious they don't care about resident safety. There have been quite a few arrests for drug trafficking, drug related crimes, and other felonies in the building which was never reported to the residents. I only know about this because my neighbor was arrested for drug trafficking while I was home and other residents I've talked to have seen others getting arrested.

The utter disregard for resident safety by the ownership was further confirmed when the city of Raleigh offered an open townhall meeting with business owners downtown to discuss the rise in crime and security issues and Skyhouse/Kane Properties didn't care to send a representative to represent our interests even after being asked by residents if they would send someone to speak for us.

The security issues alone are enough to warn against living here, but there are plenty more issues to pile on top. First, the building only has 3 elevators, one of which is perpetually out of order leaving only 2 working elevators. One of those is the service elevator which is constantly reserved for move in and move out. Leaving only 1 elevator to service all 22 floors of residents. I live on the 22nd floor and during peak hours it can take 20 minutes to get from my apartment to the bottom floor. It has caused a lot of problems for us especially since there is no way to tell how many elevators are currently working. I had a conversation with the elevator repairmen and they mentioned to be up to code for the number of residents in our building we should have 6 working elevators...

There have been multiple times that our amenities on the top floor have been unavailable to us because the ownership has hosted private parties. The most recent of which was a Christmas party with a live band that went on until well after 11pm. The music was loud enough to hear from my apartment and I contemplated calling RPD for a noise complaint. I didnt end up calling, but found out another resident had called them which means I'm not the only one annoyed by this. If the ownership wants to host parties with live bands they need to purchase an event venue instead of an apartment building where people live and are trying to sleep. Not to mention who pay to use the amenities they take away while these parties are going on.

For dog owners, there are three tiny areas for your dogs to use to go to the bathroom. Some people don't clean up after their dog which results in them being unusable and start to really smell up the area outside the building. The management does nothing to address this issue. They could install cameras or use a DNA service to fine people that don't pick up after their dog, but it continues to be a problem.

All these problems and the rent is extraordinary for our "luxury" apartment. In my opinion this place isn't worth what we pay for it. I would recommend living somewhere else. We are moving as soon as our lease is up in a few months. We wanted to leave earlier because we feel unsafe living here but ownership/management doesn't care and won't agree to let us out of our lease even after all these issues were brought to their attention.

Original review: One of the quietest apartments I have ever lived in. Great concierge staff. The views are great! Definitely can't beat...

Management Doesn’t Care About Tenants – Read This Before You Sign

If you're considering moving into this building or any property managed by Greystar, do yourself a favor: read every review, dig into tenant forums, and look up the lawsuits they're facing.I’ve been a quiet, respectful tenant for my entire lease — I don’t complain, I pay rent, I follow the rules. And none of that mattered here.

Here’s what you’re really walking into:

They make it almost impossible to move out without penalties. I was told to submit my 60-day notice through their app. The problem? The app didn’t work — just like the last one they forced us to switch from with no warning. When I asked what to do, I was told to go to the office directly. By the time I did, I was informed it was “too late” to give proper notice and I’d have to pay for an extra month. So now I’m being charged for time I won’t even be living here, all because of their disorganized system.

My vents have visible mold, and I’ve been getting sick while living here. I reported it verbally and asked for the filters to be replaced. Instead, I was told that “we are getting to your floor by the end of this month” , no urgency. Air quality in the unit and common areas is awful. The hallways often smell like mildew/dust/dog pee or worse.

Refusal to replace basic appliances: I asked for the fridge’s water filter to be changed and was told, word for word, “we only replace those for new residents — if you want a clean filter, you’ll have to pay for it yourself.” When I pushed back, the manager compared it to changing windshield wipers on a car, saying something like, “Just like how a warranty doesn’t cover wiper blades, your filter isn’t covered either.” I’m sorry, but a water filter in a appliance should absolutely be maintained by management — especially when they claim the water is “safe to drink” from the tap. Yet we've had brown watercoming out of the pipes after plumbing work in the building. How is that drinkable?

Total lack of communication: They’ve changed rent payment systems and service apps multiple times without warning. No emails, no notifications — just chaos. If you miss rent or can’t put in a request, that’s your problem, not theirs.

Elevator issues constantly: There are three elevators, but more often than not, only one works. Management’s excuse? It’s hard to find an elevator technician or they are working on getting it fixed (weeks gone by) That’s not a valid reason when tenants are paying for a “luxury” building. It’s made moving out a nightmare — long wait times, crowded elevators, and impossible logistics when multiple people are moving or getting deliveries. Sometimes it even takes forever just to get to your floor.

It’s clear they don’t care about tenant relationships — only collecting rent and protecting themselves from liability. As someone who rarely complains and takes pride in being a good tenant, I was blown away by how dismissive and unhelpful they were. Once you’re in, you’re on your own. Greystar is currently being sued for serious violations — it’s not surprising based on what I’ve experienced. What looks like a polished, well-managed building on the outside is actually a poorly maintained, mismanaged space once you’re locked into a lease.

It might look like a great deal for the price, but the experience is absolutely not worth it. This is NOT a luxury building....

ETA: We’ve had only one working elevator for days (maybe even weeks? I stopped counting honestly). The stairs are still off limits to residents, so we’re stuck waiting for that one elevator, only to find it packed. You can go downstairs, but you can’t re-enter the stairwell or get back to your floor from outside. Apparently, though, that restriction doesn’t apply to the management staff who live in the building - they seem to use the stairs just fine. Ugh seriously I can’t wait for my lease to be up.

OLD REVIEW: I’ve been living here for two years, but I can’t wait for my lease to be up. I’ve held back from adding another negative review to Skyhouse, but I agree with every word others have said - slow/broken elevators, dirty hallways, marijuana smell, broken amenities and so on. I truly love my apartment, but what’s happening beyond my door is tragic.

Three managers have changed over this period - at least, that’s how many I’ve counted since I started paying attention. The previous management company, Kane, had only one good manager whom I miss dearly, the rest were a disappointment and couldn’t have cared less. Now a new company, Greystar, has taken over from Kane. I really hoped they would turn things around, but so far, it looks like that’s not the case.

My main complaint is their communication skills. I swear it’s the poorest I’ve ever seen. Also, the new management seems unapproachable, which has affected the overall atmosphere and makes communication feel less open and welcoming. It seems like this is their first job in this field and they don’t know the basics, or they just feel entitled for whatever reason, maybe they think they own the building idk.

During the transition, when the payment system was down, they could’ve been more helpful and consistent. Each person said something different, and residents were left confused and frustrated. It shouldn’t be this hard to stay aligned in a small office of three. But fine, we made it through.

Now, for the past week or so, my floor has been living in a construction zone. Drilling, hammering, and other noises have been a nice addition to my workday. I don’t mind construction, I understand it’s inevitable. What I don’t understand is why it’s so difficult to send update emails. Something simple like “Hey guys, we’re doing work in apartments on floors, for example, 7 and 9. You will hear noise throughout the day; sorry for the inconvenience, and we hope to finish by [date]. We’ll keep you posted” can go a long way. It shows some respect for your residents and at least demonstrates that you care. People who work from home can arrange their day accordingly, like going somewhere else to work or something. The manager says, “It’s a standard procedure, we can’t send emails to everyone”. Really? How hard can it be to send emails to the building? Those who are affected will know what’s going on and when it ends. Communication with residents is exactly one of the job’s responsibilities. At least the last management team from Kane bothered to warn people about upcoming construction work and its progress. Very...