Regency Tower Condominium

I have lived here for several months now, There are some things that I think merit consideration if you are planning a move here. The units have glass jalousie windows; lots and lots and lots of them. My one bedroom unit has 16 panels, each with 15 glass slats, plus 6 in the bathroom, for a total of 246 glass slats to clean. Cleaning them is a little nerve wracking, as I’m always afraid I might knock one loose and have it fall many stories down onto someone’s car parked below. If you hate cleaning windows, look elsewhere. The units also don’t have an exhaust duct for the dryer, so all of the hot, humid air vents directly into the apartment. The building doesn’t have a trash chute on every floor, so you will have to hand carry your trash down the elevators to the dumpsters located in the parking lot. The enterphone does not have the ability to dial a cell phone; you must have a land line phone to buzz guests in. Getting in and out of the parking lot is a bear in the morning on school days, as there is a lineup of cars on Date Street trying to get into Iolani School. Also, be sure to check if there is enough cabinet, storage, and closet space to fill your needs. I can’t even shut the closet door in my bedroom without having to move my hanging clothes out of the way because the closet is not deep enough, but that may just be a peculiarity of my unit.
OK, enough with the negatives. The maintenance staff here is very friendly and very helpful, one of the best I have experienced in any building I have lived in. They do a great job of keeping the building and grounds in order. The resident manager is pretty much all business, but the building is very well run, IMHO, and that is his job, after all. There is a small convenience store located right outside the main lobby entrance. The location is very convenient, being close to Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kaka’ako, and all of the shopping, eateries, and entertainment therein. And, as a big plus, the building allows small pets (though your landlord may not, if you rent). This alone may be a reason for some to brave the disadvantages.

I have live here for almost two years, and I am finally leaving. I have rented here and enjoyed it. My unit is nice and up to date, on a high floor, mountain facing, and has A/​C. The grounds are well kept, and the amenities are not bad, although we do not have a hot tub. I have made use of the pool to swim laps regularly, and I only used the BBQ once. I really love the area, the #3 Bus picks up and drops off right out front. Kapahulu Ave is a short walk or 3 min bus ride, and beaches, Diamond Head, and all of Waikiki are right around the corner. Basically this area has close proximity to everything and for someone like me who hasn’t had a car since moved here (that’s changing) it is great.
The Resident Manager comes across as sort of mean, but if you take the time and talk to him you will see he is very nice and understanding. He is a stickler for the rules here but that keeps things in order. All of the staff are truly great and always been helpful and engaging and you never mind seeing them around. There are also three mini marts, one in the building, one next door at Iolani Court, and one across over on Date and University. There are many restaurants and stores in the area. I have enjoyed living here and will miss the area, but it is time for a change for me. Rental rates have increases, but are comparable, hope you get a good landlord and a nice unit! Buying here is not too bad with the right choice! Contact me for details if you see something you like on the market! (yes, I’m a Realtor shamelessly plugging).

I am a renter here, I’ll just say that first. My unit leaves a lot to be desired, but that is an issue I have with my owner and not the condo. This place was built in 1974 and I have original everything!
The HOA here is disconnected and cheap. They don’t like to be bothered with complaints or suggestions. There is no portal to engage residents and build a sense of community. They waste money on cheap contractors because the shabby work has to be redone. The elevators and plumbing are constantly being repaired. There are new PO boxes, purchased 2 years ago, that haven’t been installed yet, that are taking up the residents meeting room space! There are threatening signs everywhere, from speeding and parking to un-​bagged Christmas trees! And it gets worse, because the face of the condo is Paul…
The resident manager, Paul, has a reputation that is known, not just by residents, but also contractors, to be a royal pain in the A**!! I discovered his overuse of authority and male chauvinist behavior on the phone… before we even met! (He bossed me around for not having any control of my moving company.) He is the opposite of helpful, especially if it will only benefit you. (He knocked on my door recently to accuse my dog of annoying the neighbors. But we had been gone all morning, PLUS my dog had late stage cancer and was sick all the time! So then he claimed I was breaking another rule, which I called his boss to confirm… it doesn’t even exist.) Anytime he tries to sound nice it sounds so fake! I have more stories, but the bottom line is that he is a dick and the ONLY thing I don’t like about living here. My peaceful enjoyment of home may always be compromised.
AND NOW THE REASON FOR STARS:
The other employees and the security guards are very nice and helpful. They are genuine and do good work. The grounds are immaculately kept, safe, and they know you. I see very few people use the BBQ are or the pool, but I use the latter and appreciate its size for swimming laps.
The location is convenient to Waikiki, downtown, the harbor, and Diamond Head. Next to parks and three schools, all are connected with sidewalks and bike paths. I bike everywhere I can! The Date Street construction project is the only inconvenience, which is minor.
The residents I’ve met are all quality and don’t deserve the way the management and the HOA treats us… like animals that need to be tamed.