Living The Redwood Lifestyle

I’ve lived in more apartments than I care to count. Each of the places I’ve lived have varied wildly and it’s always the little things that make living in one place significantly better than another.

Stairs

Before moving into my Redwood apartment, I was living in a small 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom third floor walk-up in a very old building. The building did have an elevator, which was the size of a phone booth (if you can remember those) and it was routinely out of order. I’m an active person and I don’t mind taking the stairs…but there’s a difference between being okay with taking the stairs and having to carry everything in your life up the stairs…every single day.

I love the fact that my spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment has no stairs! And, my 11 year old beagle appreciates that too. So do my friends who have children – it’s amazing how clumsy kids are…not having stairs removes one enormous tripping hazard. Plus, grocery shopping is never ever a chore.

Garage – Attached

I’ve had garage parking and covered parking, even assigned parking spots. Every one of those came with an additional fee (for the privilege of having my car covered?) and more than a few steps to my actual apartment. Having an attached garage has completely changed my life! I know, I’m being dramatic. There are other significantly more important things in my world, other than this attached garage, but I can’t think of any of them right now – it just gives me life! If I forget my purse in the car…two steps and I’m back in my apartment. And don’t get me started on the snow situation – best
thing ever!

Responsive Maintenance

A few months ago, I came home to my lovely Redwood apartment and reached into a completely warm refrigerator. My first thought was to panic about the food and how long the fridge had been out, but I looked up and saw the emergency maintenance sticker. I gave them a call and there was a new fridge in my apartment within the hour – within the hour! I barely had enough time to get all the stuff out of the fridge before the new one was at my door. Every issues I’ve ever had since living at Redwood has been addressed within hours, not days, hours. I can tell you from experience, that is absolutely atypical.

Simple, Classic Finishes

Although I love art deco design and other architectural styles, they are so specific that it can be difficult to decorate around. One of the best things about Redwood is that the finishes are beautifully simple. The colors and molding are neutral and make decorating a complete breeze – it’s a blank canvas, for me to show my style. I love that. I’ve never been this excited about putting my decorating touches on my home. I’m really able to make it feel like a home, instead of just some place I live.

Overall, I simply appreciate the little things that are different here at Redwood. The amount of space, the fact that it’s really a community, the location (which is ideal for me), and the care and maintenance that the management company puts into the property. It’s been two years and I still feel great about my decision to live the Redwood lifestyle. 

*Written by Lindsay S., Redwood resident.

Giving Thanks Is Great; Gratitude In Action Is Better

Giving someone “thanks” comes in all shapes, sizes, contexts, and, yes, degrees of sincerity. Hopefully you know by now, Redwood Residents, that February is our annual Resident Appreciation Month. We began this last year and plan to continue it every February for as long as Redwood builds and manages apartment home communities. We’re proud of what we do, but know beyond any doubt something very obvious (but super important): without residents, we are nothing but a bunch of empty buildings (with private attached garages). But what else are we—and who are you to us?

This month, so far, we’ve had a couple of “breakfast on the go” events, handed out some useful cold weather items, and offered all of our residents the chance to win a cruise. We’re glad to be doing these things and without budget constraints we would do even more. But I daresay that the individual items and activities are not the only way to look at what we’re doing, and perhaps not the most important way in the long run.

A cruise, pair of texting gloves, and bagels & juice are all things that come and go relatively quickly. Hopefully they are good memories and offer a positive contribution to your overall sense of satisfaction with being a Redwood resident. 

Another way to look at what we’re doing is seeing it as Gratitude in Action. Anyone can say thanks, anyone can hand out stuff, and anyone with the budget can offer cruises as prizes. What we believe we are offering in addition to all of that is a demonstration of sincere gratitude.

Gratitude is a deeper engagement than “thanks” because Gratitude in Action recognizes you as a person, not just a Redwood Resident. So hopefully when we look you in the eye, smile, and offer you a token of thanks it feels deeper than doing something because it’s the time to do it.

We appreciate all our residents year-round, and we hope our actions express our gratitude. 

*Written by Luke Frazier, Director of Marketing at Redwood.