Expo

EXPO is the worst managed building in the whole state of Washington, and ESSEX is the worst rental property company I’ve ever dealt in my entire life. please stay away from this building and this company. We recently ended your lease and were charged $2100 MOVE OUT FEES, even though we left the apartment in pristine condition, (with some normal wear and tear), and had the inspector told us that everything looked good on the agreed day of inspection. - We cleaned the apartment, left it in very good conditions, yet they charged us a flat 190 “cleaning fee”. which is the full deep clean amount. - We cleaned and took care of the carpet, regularly vacuuming/washing it, yet they charged us a 1000$ “Carpet Replacement” fee. The carpet was old and already depreciated when we moved in. The first deep clean we did showed signs of previous pets in the place, and it was never cleaned. Worst thing about it all, is that the last day, when we agreed to have our move-out inspection, the Management Supervisor (Ivaylo) came, and didn't even inspect the place. was about to leave, and I prompted him to enter, and actually CHECK the place, and tell us if there was any issue, to avoid any kind of surprises later). After I prompted him multiple times to have a look everywhere, and telling him where to look (for minor wear and tear stuff), he concluded with “Thank you guys for having stayed with us, Everything looks good, and you do not have to worry about anything, it is normal wear and tear”. There are very blurry pictures, and even pictures of the floor (not the carpet) with stains, yet they appear under “900$ Carpet Replacement” costs. Another alleged “stain” is technically a “spatter” in front of the washing machine, clearly showing previous signs of few drops of detergent/liquid. If it were pet stains, they would have another shape and would be more uniform. - We got charged for scratches on the Fridge, those scratches were DOCUMENTED in the move-in (and we have pictures with date/time) when we moved in. - We got charged for a dent in the closet door, that dent was DOCUMENTED as well We got charged for a FULL carpet replacement, they even sent blurry pictures with Blacklight showing inconclusive, alleged “stains” in various spots, also next to the Washing Machine (where it’s most likely that a bit of detergent spills happens) We have video/photo evidence of the place as we left it, we both have the initial move-in agreement, I just sent ESSEX a dispute letter.

Very bad management and they put $800+ charges for cleaning even when we had left no furniture or stains in the house. I do not recommend the apartments.

Char, Lindsey and the Building Engineers are always so helpful; going above and beyond! I appreciate it so much. You all are the reason I love living here plus your corporate cares about their buildings and it shows. I am in my second year at the Expo I have lived in apartment buildings in Bellevue, Capitol Hill, Mercer island, and Renton. I have personally experienced car break-ins and theft in three of them. One did nothing. One hid the theft of my bike from me when they realized my bike was stolen. The one man that realized his bike was stolen along with 4 or 5 others wanted to post it on the community board to let the other bike owners know that they need to check on their bikes, they would not let him post that message, my guess is because they were in the middle of selling their building. The expo is the only place I have lived where they have implemented serious safety measures by building a brand new security gate blocking off access to the parking garage. Adding extra caging/fence outside of bike lockers, and getting new key fobs, giving you access to only your floor. I assume there’s more behind the scenes that I am not aware of. I do know we have different security in the parking garage. That being said, theft is something that happens everywhere. Out of all the places I’ve lived, I’ve only left for one reason, and that is due to staff. That’s how I’ve always measured Customer Service; it’s not the problems that arise, but how the company handles the situation, is what keeps me a loyal customer, and the Expo has it down pat. Anytime I have had needs regarding maintenance issues, they are on top of it so quickly, they are so friendly, and give you that concierge level of Customer Service; going the extra mile. The location is wonderful. living on Seattle Center is always such a cultural experience with everything that goes on there, outdoor movies in the summer and being able to grab food at the armory, picnicking on the lawn. I would say their walking score is a 100%. The rooftops are maintained impeccably and they’re so much fun with such an amazing view of the Space Needle, Downtown and the Puget Sound Waterfront. It is so lovely walking to the Waterfront or meeting friends in Belltown for an evening event at SAM Sculpture Garden. They have gotten package lockers, New carpeting in the hallways, new furniture in the lobby’s, And most of this during 2020, and we know what the means. Wow! Is my reaction.

I am not one to write reviews, but I would hate for someone to get trapped in a lease at this place. I have lived here for a few years and it has gone downhill quickly. Unless you miss your Greek Row college days I would avoid this place. People smoke in apartments and common areas with impunity. The decks are used as dog walks. Other residents leave their garbage and shoes in the hall. On the upside, you will be exposed to a wide variety of music and television. On the downside, that exposure will be at three in the morning. The courtyard is an echo chamber so all noise is amplified. The courtyard fountain meant to cover the noise has been broken for almost a year. The management has essentially abandoned the place. Emails are ignored, phones go unanswered and messages fall into an abyss. I don't know if Essex, the ownership group has decided to let the place go or if the local management is asleep at the wheel. The one true bright spot are the maintenance staff. They are responsive and professional. I've come to know them well over the years of things breaking regularly. I won't get into the neighborhood. I do wonder if the easy accessibility to heroin increases or decreases the Walk Score.

We recently moved out in January after 6 years of living here. It was a great place to call home for many years. Ultimately, the reason we moved was because of the once desirable Queen Anne was becoming the new Belltown with the homeless people. They hang out outside the doors to the apartment begging. The management couldn't do much about it unfortunately. I loved my unit and my neighbors, which is why we were there so long. Fast forward a month later. We had our final walk out. We were told what we were going to be charged for and maybe even get $50 of the deposit back. We got a hefty bill a couple weeks ago. We have called, emailed and even stopped by in person several times and are being avoided completely by the manager. We are being charged for things that I had put maintenance requests in to be fixed for years. Maintenance would band aid fix it. We are being charged for a whole new set of blinds that were broken and they never offered to completely fix while living there. We are also being charged for a new dishwasher and bathroom sink! huh? Still no explanation and avoiding us. I am sad that we gave them so much money over the years and were friends with the staff all this time to only learn we were just a customer to collect money from and ignore the second we were no longer residents. I have had many friends move out of this building and the exact same thing has happened to them too. I thought maybe we'd be different since our walk through was thorough and we have a check list of the apartment being in good, working order upon moving out. Thank god this is our EX-home.