Hint: Do not live here for more than 1 year. After the 1st year they raise your rent so late, they don't leave you enough time to even go out and see if you can get something better. It's a scam they like to do. Also, they completely screw you on the deposit. They apparently think a hole in the wall from a portrait/painting is not normal wear and tear. I was shocked how little I got back. Considering the rent increase from year 1 to 2, they showed no loyalty. My roof had constant water leaks and I needed to call them monthly for that and the air conditioner not working. Lastly, in the lower rent buildings like Toms, they freely allow for frat parties, which was really annoying if you work from home.

Great experience. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. Beautiful apartments with lots of hardwood and exposed brick. Very nice amenities--great gym, pool, courtyard. Maintenance was absurdly good, sometimes coming within hours of our submitting a request.

Opinion: You can get the same amenities at a cheaper price within reasonable distance to downtown and Duke somewhere else. Background: I'm a Duke graduate student/young professional living in a 2BR apartment at West Village. Cons: 1. Smelly halls- At West Village, we must pay for trash service. Just imagine the smell of rotten food, feces, and other unpleasantness as you walk through the halls to get to your apartment. Some days are worse than others. I almost puked multiple times. Quite embarrassing when you invite guest over. 2. Loft rooms- The bedroom walls don't go all the way to the roof. I knew this fact coming into the apartment, so I was slightly more prepared to deal with the noise. However, I recommend that you are absolutely positive that you are willing to live under these circumstances because you can hear everything your roommate does. I mean EVERYTHING! 3. Thin walls- Particularly Thurs-Sat, you often hear people (likely Duke undergrads) in the middle of night getting back from a bibulous time. I work in the morning, so my Friday mornings were a bit brutal. 4. Mold- I live in an older building at WV. The windows facing the outside were extremely moldy. Gross. We did our best to keep it clean, but it kept coming back. 5. Security guards- The leasing staff is friendly, but some of the security guards are rude. On an occasion, I overheard the guards sharing private info (more like talking crap) with each other about some of the tenants. Also, if you ask them for any assistance, you sometimes get a condescending response. 6. Parking- The availability of parking has shrunk considerably since I moved in. For instance, the gravel lot was reduced by about half (Duke reserved the other spots). Also, you can no longer park on Fernway St for more than 2 hours. WV is building a new complex, so unless they make more parking space, good luck finding a spot. Pros: 1. Location- Can't beat the location. In middle of Downtown Durham, you have access to restaurants, bars, American Tobacco, etc. 2. Amenities- Nice gym, pool, BBQ areas, business center. 3. Maintenance- The staff responded quickly to my maintenance issues.

Everyone out there shopping for a nice place to live in Durham should know that West Village Apartments is raising rents this year from 50%-70%. That's right. With no notice or reason given. When asked why they are doing this or how they think it is OK the Property Manager, Maureen McDivitt simply answers that they are within their right to do so and that there is nothing she can do to help current renters. Renters Beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!1