Pescadero Apartments

Ted Briggs

EDIT: Previously 5 star; -1 star because gym was out of operation for the better part of a year due to minor "repairs" that were continuously delayed. My partner and I visited many apartment complexes around Foster City/RWC, and we found this to be the best. (Edit: prior to facility closures, may no longer be the best). It is well-maintained, quiet and beautiful. It's nestled in a very nice neighborhood right along the Bay Area trail. THE PROS: +The staff is very professional, responsive, friendly and helpful. Once I left an interior light on in my car and drained the battery, and Itzel--one of the office managers--pulled her car up to my garage to give my battery a jump. No joke! +Buildings and complex is very pretty +Access to nature, pretty walking trails and great views. All the lagoons are fantastic. +Ideal location. It is quiet at the end of a peninsula and there's little traffic. Convenient commute to big tech companies. +Great apartment overlooking lagoon with patio, fireplace and garage +Dog-friendly and right next to dog park +Greenhouse style pool The CONS: -The utilities are very expensive. Expect to pay an additional $400+ per month on top of the quoted rent. (EDIT: they've since replaced appliances for efficiency, which noticeably lowered utility costs). -The property is a bit over-landscaped. On one hand, I LOVE all the plants and the incredible care put into the property, but with WFH, it's annoying to have leaf-blowers and trimmers running a few days a week. -EDIT: amenities out of commission: gym was shut down due to Covid; once reopened, they shut it down in June 2021 for endless "repairs" and didnt reopen until March 2022. NOTE: +Reading other reviews, I think some of them are dated. In particular, people warned of a smell from a waste management plant down the road. I've lived here 14 months now in building M (physically nearest the direction of the plant), and I've only noticed any smell once. +Also, people complained of poor sound insulation, but I never hear any of my neighbors, so I'm not so sure about that one.

Larry

Moved in about 6mo ago, and it's exceeding my expectations. I've lived in apartments and owned houses in various states throughout the country, here's my thoughts: 1. The buildings are a little older, but the maintenance is outstanding. The owners are clearly investing in their property. They are progressively renovation units during turnovers and keeping the exteriors in good condition. 2. Maintenance is amazing, they resolve even the smallest issue within a couple days. This is the best I've ever experienced. 3. The gardens around the complex are nice and immaculately maintained. Not a lot of grass areas, but you're right along the waterways, walking/biking trails, and a public children's playground is on the backside of the community. Lots more playgrounds walking distance too. 4. I'm surprised by how quiet it is. You're tucked away from the hustle and bustle of US-101 and the nearby cities. You're at the tip of the little peninsula so there's no traffic and it's eerily quiet at night. You will hear airplanes coming into SFO, but unlike Foster City, we aren't directly under the flight path...the noise really isn't bad at all. 5. The views of nature and waterways are wonderful. I was worried about the waste water plant nearby, but you don't even notice it. I don't notice any smell like some other reviewers have stated...granted the slough and bay just naturally smell sometimes anyway, that's just the Bay area no matter where you live. 6. The price point is great. The bay area is super expensive, but if you try to find something under $4k then it's like an old beat up college dorm. Anything over $4-5k is 'luxury' and more like a hotel in a concrete jungle. Pescadero really is a diamond on the rough. 7. Office staff are amazing, packages are safe in lockers, staff handles large packages for security. 8. There's a security gate, but it's hit or miss and/or visitors just piggy back on someone who opens the gate. The layout and signage is a little weird so you often see delivery services getting lost (i.e. door dash, uber eats, etc.). 9. Pool and hot tub are nice. There's only 1 grill onsite (probably due to wildfire concerns), and it's charcoal. Practically goes unused, but I did hear there's talks about expanding the patio area and maybe introducing some gas grills. That would be a huge upgrade! 10. They just finished completely renovating the gym, and they got rid of the sauna and put in a weight room instead. 11. Floorplans are good, they even offer a 2bed + den which is very hard to find at this price point in the bay area. They apartments are extremely quiet, generally your adjacent walls don't touch your neighbors, and I don't hear a lot of noise above or below. A second floor apartment is actually probably the best...third floor gets hotter, and half of the second floor apartments are over the garages so there's no one to bother below you. Kitchen storage and fridge/freezer are small, but we make it work. 12. Garage is great but outside parking spots are sized for compact cars only. Trucks & SUVs take more space, but you'll always find a place to park. 13. Garbage dumpsters are picked up regularly, but they do occasionally overflow and you'll see raccoons at night digging into them. There are a ton of squirrels in the area too, but they aren't a bother. 14. No utilities are included, so plan to add another ~$150-200 to your bill for garbage, water, and hot water (not including electric that is billed by PG&E). The cost is shared amongst your building, so it's hard to try to conserve these things because your neighbor might not...and if you have a bigger apartment you take more of the cost share. However, this seems to be a common practice at nearby apartments too. 15. There is no air conditioning. Again, somewhat common in bay area. Granted, you'll get a cool breeze off they bay, but don't kid yourself, it gets hot in the summer! Prepare to buy some portable air conditioners.

Brandon Dalton

The leasing office staff are extremely unfriendly and clearly did not want to take the time out of their day to facilitate a unit tour. Would recommend looking elsewhere.

David Kim

My wife, cat, and I have lived here for over two years now and we absolutely love it. The view of the lagoon and wildlife is breathtaking, and we love the aesthetic of the premises. There is also a very nice walking area nearby with a beautiful variety of flowers and sunset. We have had no issues with the apartment itself. The staff are incredibly friendly and responsive to any of your needs. The apartment really provides a quiet and tranquil respite from the city.