Meadowbrook Apartments

Pros: very near to west campus, HyVee, and parks. Lots of parking space. Good floor plans. Includes a small gym and swimming pool.

Cons: thin walls. They raise the rent by ~$30 every year.

Big apartment, includes washer and dryer

The rent is a bit higher than I'd like for this amount of space, but I understand the markup is probably due to the very handy bus stop as well as proximity to campus, so it balances out. And it's quiet and spacious and Nice, if not Great, so again, a bit high, but understandably so, in terms of rent.

I did have to jump through a LOT of hoops to get moved in, though, which was kind of a pain, but one presumes it'd be pretty similar elsewhere, too. Prior to moving here I had been living abroad for years, and I had lived in my apartment prior to THAT for several years consecutively, so I was unfamiliar with the tenant application process. My measuring stick for such may have been a bit skewed towards trends that were extant 8 years ago but no longer held sway!

I've been very pleased with my apartment at Meadowbrook. I LOVE the location and particularly the neighborhood it borders. My unit has had few issues (some issues with the shower, but after a few tries from maintenance, it's finally been fixed and is great now). Management is responsive, and although there are many students, the complex is quiet, and there are still families in the units as well. I haven't been able to find anything better for the price. I've also never had problems with pests.

Pro:
Great management. Everything got fixed on time. All three managers and all the staff who were there during my stay were really friendly, helpful, and understanding.
Route 10 made coming to campus, or going to downtown, Dillons, Walmart so much easier. And when class was in session, the bus route 30 that goes through Meadowbrook, made going to campus even faster. Or I could just walk it being closer to Campus. Didn't have to own a car for a long time. For your car they have the option of paid carport and garage parking, which is good for winter months.
They have lots of nice outdoor space for your pet to enjoy. Once my pet tore up the carpet. But Meadowbrook fixed it like new without any extra charge. They have a move out checklist. Following everything on it I had all of my deposit returned to me. The gym and pool are small but good. I never personally used it, but my partner used it almost every day without any complains.
Gas heating bill was through Meadowbrook, which was never too much, even in very cold winters.
I didn't have wash drier in my unit, but all the buildings I lived in had a laundry room with enough washers and driers that you could pay per wash through an app on your phone.

Cons:
Sound. The apartments are not very soundproof. You could hear your downstairs or upstairs neighbors.
Security can be an issue related to parked cars. I saw police a couple of times related to car break in.

Generally good.

My experience at Meadowbrook Apartments has been very positive. They are definitely an older complex, but are very affordable. There are two pools (though one is evidently under construction at the moment) and a gym. The gym is not that great, students may want to use the gyms on their school campus. The location is great, right next to campus. Campus is within walking distance, or there's bus stops at the entrance to the complex.

The location is good. I just need less than 20 minutes to go to classes and less than 10 minutes go to my office, as there are several buses around the apartment.

Since my apartment is old, there is no elevator, and the air conditioner is loud. Sometimes, there will be noises from my neighbor, who have two kids. But generally, it is fine.

My apartment is facing north, so there is no sunlight. But this is not a problem for those facing south.

There is no better location for convenience to campus, including bus lines. Newer buildings are poorly insulated between apartments and I have had problems with noisy neighbors.

Meadowbrook is close to campus, has multiple bus stops, it feels safe, has plenty of parking, and maintenance is processed quickly.