Waters House Apartments

I lived here for two years. Rent has increased with each renewal proposal but that was expected with market conditions. - Staff - The maintenance team is very responsive, quick, and professional. Talking with management has also always been a pleasant experience. There were a number of 'surprise' visits into my apartment; adding new modems, testing something in the air, random inspection, etc., but proper notice has always been given and the frequency of these has cooled down. - Quality - The kitchen is too small and amenities are lacking for the price point. Aesthetically, renovated units are nice but it has old bones, and it shows - particularly in the bathroom and kitchen. Old & brittle wood in cabinets, flaking bathroom tile paint, inconvenient pedestal sink, a number of building-wide issues with water (water was often turned off for hours to address these), poorly-insulated and flaking windows, etc. It's livable - just know the modern appearance of the unit is largely a facade. - Facilities - Mail room is usually a mess (for what mail actually gets there - front entrance is a secured entrance and Amazon does not use an entry code, so packages are often left in the entryway). If they do make it to the mailroom, packages are seldom organized. Management could improve this by explicitly labeling cabinets for delivery workers. Trash tends to overflow. Gym, pool, and free coffee are nice perks and they are well-maintained. Parking is tricky on certain days/times, but I never had to park more than 2 minutes away (I would recommend purchasing a covered spot if available to guarantee a space, particularly for the winter months). Many instead choose to park illegally on property, which can sometimes be inconvenient/annoying. Water pressure (at least in my unit) is amazing. There is plenty of hot water as well - never had an issue with that, unless they'd turned it off for maintenance. Location is good, albeit a little inconvenient as far as shopping goes. Not a lot of crime that I am aware of, and Heritage Hill is pretty to walk through. Grounds are well-maintained, with the exception of what was at one point a communal garden. It's a bit of an eyesore at the moment but I like the idea. There are a number of carts sitting in entryways that are really helpful when moving in/out. Overall, I would recommend Waters House, provided you are not on a tight budget. It is not the best bang for your buck but the staff make the experience generally positive.

Over priced, terrible staff, moldy, dusty,gross. Avoid at all costs

While there were a few issues with the previous management, at least the building was clean and relatively well-run. Watershouse has really gone downhill with the new DTN management. We really thought a professional management company would provide a positive change, but the only good thing that's come out of it is paying your rent online, instead of with a check. Maintenance requests that used to be fixed within a day (and often same day) now take days to weeks. Hallways and back entry doorways are frequently dirty (there was something that looked like rabbit poop on the hallway floor for at least 5 days...). We've found the office staff to be rather disorganized and unaware of things, despite the relatively small size of the building. Parking used to be fine but is now extremely limited (they give out more parking passes than there are spots), so expect to park on the street (and walk quite a ways, college is usually pretty packed). If you're able to get an apartment for dirt cheap, maybe you can get past the poor management and musty building. But otherwise, look elsewhere.

This is the worst place to live! The owner (Linda) and her son will be on your business 24/7. They would complaint about every move you do . The building smells awful! This needs to be report to the city . And they make you feel like you live in a college dorm . They don’t like if you have more than one person over to visit you. When I moved out they kept my deposit for no reason! Please please stay Away from this place or you will regret it !

The Waters House was a great place to live. Michael and Sally (the landlords) and their staff are very pleasant and always address any work orders or anything else that comes up promptly and professionally. Despite the building itself being older, it has been well upkept and I experienced no major problems with it. Along with being good landlords, Michael and Sally made sure that the place felt like home. If I'm ever in a position where I need an affordable, quality apartment with a good location, I would not hesitate to live at the Waters House again!

This was the best renting situation I've ever experienced (of the five different apartments I've lived in). The condition of these apartments is excellent, the value is great, and the location is within walking distance of downtown, Eastown, and Wealthy Street. Parking is generally plentiful in the lot. Michael and Sally, the landlords, are the friendliest and most helpful people; they know everyone's names in the whole building right away and they really make Waters House feel like home. Any work requests are addressed immediately. Plenty of warning given anytime they need to enter the apartment, so it felt very private and unobtrusive. My wife and I absolutely loved living here and only moved out because we bought a house. Couldn't recommend this higher. No better place I know of to rent if you're looking in Grand Rapids.

Do not rent here. The guy who runs the place (the owner's son) is a creeper! He asks you to sign a document that allows him to enter your apartment whenever is necessary. He states that it's "so he can drop off a package if you are not home". He then comes into your apartment and snoops around. He watches people to see when they come and go and then enters and does who knows what. If there is a minor infraction, he LOSES it!!!! The guy is unstable, to say the least. Nothing you do or don't do will go un-noticed and he will DEMAND that you meet him so he can read his tenants the riot act. He's a definite weirdo. The place always has a smell like an old dorm, which is what it feels like as well.

Waters House has the perfect location in downtown Grand Rapids. It's within walking distance of all downtown attractions, but it's right in the middle of a neighbourhood designed to look like it's not downtown. The building has a large, multi-tiered outdoor patio and pool area, and it's kept immaculate by the building staff, complete with lounge chairs and parasol tables. Even though it's in an urban area, you wouldn't know it by the quietness of the neighbourhood. Getting places is a breeze; five bus lines stop within a half mile of the building, and Central Station is just a fifteen minute walk. The best part: you'll pay about half as much for an apartment here than you would for another downtown apartment.