The 401 Lofts — Local services in Akron

I've lived here for the past two years and I loved most of it. My break down of 401 Lofts:

-Furnishings: Coming from out of state and without a car, not having to worry about furnishing made move in a lot easier. Each unit comes with a big flatscreen tv, expanded cable service with a box, tables, chairs, desks, a large sofa. The furnishings themselves were very good and have no problems with them.

-Price: The rent/utilities seems a little steep but if you think about what it includes (cable, internet, electricity, sewage, washer/dryer in the unit and other utilties) the price is actually competitive with other places, some of which are a bit farther than 401 Lofts. The price also covers other amenities like having a business center with unlimited printing (good for people who don't have a printer or if you are have computer issues and need a spare computer to work on), fitness room, rec room to hang out with people and play some pool or ping pong, and a designated bike storage space for the cold/wet months. There is also the pool and tanning bed that is included in the price. Finally, the service, which can't really be counted in dollars and cents, is a hidden bonus within the price tag. More below.

-Location: As a person without a car, location is very important and so far as I know, there isn't one better. The U of Akron is a 10-15 minute walk away and if I'm lazy, I can just take the Roo Express that stops right in front of the building. The street is lined with restaurants and there is an Aldi's 10-15 minute walk away. If I had to travel further, the bus depot/hub where all the major lines congregate is also 10-15 minutes away. Finally the BFG Federal Credit Union is right across the street and if that isn't your kind of bank, then there is a PNC and another bank within a 10 minute walk.

-Service: For the rest of the time when I was here and wasn't happy, I was dealing with some issues with my living conditions. I've lived at other rental places before where they didn't have much service and have friends who have rental horror stories (ie no hot water for months on end, bathrooms that didn't work, noise and neighbor disputes that the management should step in to resolve but don't). I thought I would get the shaft again. However, after conferring with the management here, we worked together to resolve my living condition issues. Whenever I needed to, I can schedule an appointment, discuss how thing were, get an update on a resolution, and just talk/vent if I needed to. And I'm happy to say, within 2-3 months, I was out of that situation and was living in much happier and comfortable living conditions. Not the typical kind of service, in my opinion, and really deserves honorable mention.

-Security: I feel like this is one of the safer buildings I've been in. The locks are all RFID chipped so management can track who goes in and out. There's a police officer here on most nights and the walk is brightly lit for the most part. There are security cameras in all of the hallways so I feel much safer here than in some of the other apartments I've lived in.

All in all, I loved living here for the past 2 years and as long as you can get past the initial sticker shock, I think...

This was by for at the worst experience I have ever had with a business. Do not get sucked in by the "great amenities", there cheap and just for show.

The first mistake they made was putting us in a room with a tenant who already had multiple complaints about her and all her previous roommate had either broken their lease or requested to change apartments. This tenant was rude and moody, she also gave her boyfriend a key to our all girl apartment. He also parked his car in the lot without a pass or paying for it. They also would have friends over constantly without asking any other roommates. One of her ex-roommates actually works as a receptionist for 401. That roommate switched rooms to across the hall. In the morning there would be different people passed out on our couch. She also got so drunk one night and threw up in our living room.

Multipule complaints were made from my other roommate who had the same concerns. I also had made a formal complaint. Management had a meeting with her and said the problem was fixed... it wasn't. The issues continued to stack up, and during my time there 401 made no other attempts to try and resolve the issue.

Problems continued..

I broke out of my lease with 401 when my family ran into financial trouble because my mother was injured, and I had had enough of the toxic environment. 401 lied through the whole process and was rude.

Before I broke my lease I explained my situation to them, they were very nice and seemed very concerned with my situation. Turns out they were only concerned with the money they were going to lose. I had asked 3 different times on three spectate occasions what the penalty would be to break my lease, i received the same answer of 85% of one months rent, I had spoken with receptionist and the account manager to get this information. I signed my "30 day notice" way before 30 days, and I paid my fee.

It wasn't until 2 weeks later, after I had signed a lease at a new apartment which was more affordable, did they send me and email saying I owed an additional 750$ from a promotion when I first signed, and I was still responsible for the rent till they found new tenants... which they never did. If i would have known that before hand, I would have never broken my lease, or signed a lease with them for that matter.

They made an already hard financial time for me and my family much worse and showed no remorse. I haven't paid rent since March, its now May. They sent me a letter in the mail stating I owed them 4700$ by the end of the month or they would take legal action. My rent there was around 650.. I should only be responsible for 3 months rent... Where they got 4700$ I wouldn't know because they haven't returned my call.

They DO NOT care about their residence, they care about money. Please take my warning and DO NOT sign a lease there.. you will regret...

When I first started looking for a place to live in Akron almost a year ago, I checked out a bunch of places in the area. What ultimately made me choose the 401 Lofts is how easy they make everything. From the moment I signed the lease I have had no worries or concerns; the furnished apartments made moving down here very simple, and it took little extra to make it feel like home. The flat rate utilities fee is much better than other places where you have to worry about a bunch of different bills changing month-to-month, and is included in your monthly rent bill so you only have to write one check.

Your apartment includes all of the modern appliances you would want including dishwasher, washer/dryer, oven/stove, microwave, etc., and having a flat-screen TV already set up is a nice bonus. The units have a modern look and feel to them, and so far I have not had any major issues. For the few maintenance problems we have had so far, the staff has been very quick to respond and resolve the issue.

One negative to the apartments is the size. The rooms are not huge and you may have to get creative if you have a lot of extra things to store somewhere, although I believe they do offer additional storage for a fee. However, the small size is made up for with the multiple study and entertainment rooms scattered throughout the building. Additional amenities are listed on their website, but a few things that are awesome to have are the outdoor pool and two outdoor propane grills. The outdoor TV almost seems like overkill, but it was fun to watch the world cup last summer while hanging out by the pool and grilling.

Among all the positives I've already mentioned, I have to include the staff. They are always very friendly and helpful, and they do a great job keeping the common areas clean and well maintained. Every so often they throw events with various themes and provide snacks or meals, which are a great way to meet some of your neighbors.

Finally, the location is great. I can get to almost anywhere in the Akron area in less than 15 minutes, but there are also a number of bars and restaurants within walking distance. During the summer there are a bunch of festivals right downtown, and Canal Park stadium is a 5 minute walk.

Overall, I strongly recommend the 401 Lofts as a great place to live in Akron if you want peace of mind and simplicity. There are enough stressful things going on in life, it's nice that my living situation...