Review by Tim Sicheng He (Rating: 1): Renters be careful. Azara did not pay my deposit back. This might happen to you.

I ended my lease last year in Dec. I still haven't received my deposit back. They would not answer my calls or respond to my emails. I am taking legal actions to get my money back.

When I moved out, I paid a 2-month lease break fee. They promised to reimburse me if someone else moved in. A nice young couple moved in my old unit 1 month after I moved out, but Azara never reimbursed me. - in the last week

Review by Christine Yuan (Rating: 5): I moved from NY to the Bay Area and was looking for the perfect apartment. Azara was the last building I toured and fell in love with it instantly. Dhesya was the one who greeted me to my new future home. She is one of the most pleasant and helpful property managers to work with, always responsive, friendly, hard working and go above and beyond to help me with anything. I definitely feel very welcomed at the Azara community and would recommend it to anyone who wants a safe, modern, comfortable living.

Edit: I saw reviews saying the walls are paper thin, that’s not true. In fact one of the things I love most about Azara is how thick their walls are - and all my neighbors tell me the same. But I’m on the 5th floor, so maybe that’s why. - 2 weeks ago

Review by Chanel Tillett (Rating: 3): Azara markets itself as a luxury apartment complex, and as such each unit comes with a very high price tag. I lived at Azara for a year (Aug 2023 - August 2024) and found it to be extraordinarily average. My experience living there wasn’t necessarily bad, however, I felt like I was overpaying for the following reasons: 1- the walls are paper-thin, a feature not befitting of a “luxury” apartment complex. Because of this I often had issues sleeping due to either loud upstairs neighbors or the piercing horns of the Cal-train. 2- the facilities may look nice on paper, however, I would often have to hold my breath in the elevators and back lobby due to the horrible smell from pet feces! Tenants allow their pets to poop and pee in these areas rarely cleaning up appropriately. 3- my assigned parking spot was next to a tenant who would consistently park outside of the lines making it so that I would have to squeeze into my car. I requested a new parking spot and received a laundry list of excuses as to why that wasn’t possible. Frustrated, I contacted the management company directly and was finally reassigned. It took months to resolve such a simple issue! 4- one month prior to the end of my lease I was informed that rent for my unit would increase by ~ $600 at renewal. Ashley’s wording in the email made it sound like I was lucky to be paying my current rate, when for months I’d already felt like I was overpaying. Thankfully, I was able to find a new place fairly quickly in spite of the short notice. 5- the paint used in the units are unlike any I’ve seen before. It is very powdery on walls and sticky on the baseboards ( imagine!) consequently even the smallest rub against the wall disrupts it. My entire deposit plus a little extra went to repairs/full paint job. I’d be surprised if any tenant has ever received their deposit back upon move out from Azara. My time there wasn’t all bad though, so I’ll still give 3/5 stars. Dhesya, the assistant community director was always very nice and accommodating. The maintenance staff was fast and efficient. The complex is close enough to downtown San Mateo to walk, and the location right next to 92 and 101 makes commuting a breeze. - 5 months ago

Review by Luke Y (Rating: 1): I lived at Azara for 2 years, and while things started out fine, the new management turned it into a nightmare. The maintenance tech, Ray, and the old community director, Greg, were great during my time there. But unfortunately, the current management is grossly incompetent and seems focused on squeezing every penny out of tenants.

1. The leasing office says they are open 9 ~ 6 all week, in reality they are harder to reach than Armored Mewtoo in Pokemon Go. Office is always empty, and calling goes straight to voicemail. On multiple occasions, I saw contractors coming to fix things, waiting outside and eventually left, as the management completely forgot about their appointments.

2. Despite leaving my apartment in excellent condition, I was hit with hefty charges for things that shouldn’t have needed replacing—like range hood filters that were just replaced 2 weeks before moving out! The cherry on top was the outrageous painting and cleaning fees for an apartment that had zero damage.

To add insult to injury, they initially quoted me a lower amount, then came back asking for more by adding some random bogus charges. They will make up charges along the way, so you won’t get any of your deposit back and must pay extra.

If you're considering renting here, be prepared for your rent to effectively be hundreds of dollars higher than advertised due to their arbitrary and inflated move-out fees. Save yourself the frustration and look elsewhere.

EDIT 10/01/2024:
I sent out emails, even a letter, trying to communicate with the management, but never got any responses. Just look at these clowns --- can't even get the reply right and copy pasted the same paragraph twice. Imagine living there and trying to work with them. - 4 months ago

Review by Sheree Corbett (Rating: 5): I love living at Azara Apartments! Ashley and Dee, the property managers, have been amazing from day one. I was so nervous moving to the Bay Area after hearing so mixed reviews but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. I have never felt uneasy living in this location. The property managers have been incredibly responsive to anything I ask and always ensures the community is well-maintained. Thanks to them, my move-in was seamless and hassle-free. I love my ability to walk to so many great dining options. I especially love the EV chargers they offer. Highly recommend Azara Apartments. - 9 months ago