Cal-Western Property Management

This company is a perfect combination of arrogant and unprofessional. I recently moved to the area and it is quite a competitive market here in the Silicon Valley, but that’s no reason to get cocky and think you can treat potential clients in this manner. I found an apartment I was very excited listed on Zillow. I recently started working so I asked if they can show it at a time I was available and was told no, I had to come at one of the two times they’re showing it midday and midweek. They told me to send someone i knew, and since I’m new there isnt anyone who will take time off work for something like this. I spoke to my boss and got approved so I emailed Kimberly Robinson and let her know I will be attending the showing two days later. I left work, paid $ 6 to get out of the garage as I work downtown and when I got there called the office. The person who answered was snippy and then transfered me to Kim who proceeded to tell me no one was coming. The owner wanted to do more work on the place. I asked why she didn’t tell me and she said someone should have called. Well, they didn’t and now I’m not getting the early bird special so they cost me $ 25 in parking for the day and an hour lost time at work. So unapologetic and rude. Horrible experience.

Let me start by saying that this company is SO awful, but also pretty impossible to avoid if you are a long-​term renter. I have rented 3 different properties from them over the years with 2 different leasing agents (2 duplexes and 1 house). They are absolutely completely and totally horrible and disgusting people.
On move-​in, the house was disgusting and filthy with damages everywhere. After moving in we quickly found out that if anything needs attention, is in disrepair, or is even flat out broken, they simply do NOT care. I called, left messages, wrote letters and emails, and even went in to speak to the agents in person. No matter. I was ignored at every turn. The one and only time they came to fix something was because the pipes under the house burst and there was water everywhere.
They did not care about any issues that I had during my lease, but holy wow did they care suddenly when I moved out! After living in our house for over 5 years, they went through and photographed any and all «damages» that they found and deducted it from our deposit. Even though much of it was there when we moved in (over 5 years ago!) and it clearly states in the lease that things like carpets, paint, and window coverings would be considered «normal wear and tear after 3 years»…
The agents are beyond rude and condescending. They only care about their bottom line and making the most money possible. I get that this is a business, but it’s also people’s homes. They are basically glorified slum lords with a bloated business model that they can’t support.

Management is horrible. Rude, arrogant and act like Slum Lords.
No respect for applicants who are highly qualified to rent. Home owners that use Cal West as their property management company are losing rent income due to lack of management attitude and pool follow-​through with prospective renters.

i requested that a neighbor be contacted so we can replace the fence. its been over a month. i specifically asked for a quick answer and was willing to pay and let them pay in installments but one of the agents took 12 days just to reply to say that she would forward the request. she actually had the nerve to say there is nothing wrong with the fence. sure if its supposed to be leaning several different ways and has litereally holes in it. its 25 years old. and then she was out do to personal reasons and nobody kept on top of her workload while she was out. i was virtually about to be fined a thousand dollars a day because i had 30 days to replace the back creekside fence but i say if theres nothing wrong with it ha. i could care less about the fence but one thing i do not appreciate is calwesterns lack of responsibility.

Absolute Slum Lords
We lived in a property that Cathy manages. Upon move in we were whisked into the property to finish out a lease for the prior tenant (we found out well after).
Upon move in the house was filthy and there were significant repairs that needed to be done. Air conditioner leaking water into house through the shotty installation, ceiling fan half falling out of cracked popcorn ceiling, moldy wood vanity in bathroom, leaky toilet that flooded bathroom floor just to name a few
Upon move in Cathy of course told us «this will all be handled» — Upon move out FIFTEEN months later ALL of this was still in the same condition as when we moved in although we tried MANY times to reach out for repairs… ultimately Cathy tried to blame most of these items on us and say it was broken by us and charge us for it… luckily I kept all emails and proved her wrong
The «repair» people they dispatch are unprofessional, unorganized and most times unprepared — I was not comfortable having them at the house when we were not home
The house was in horrible condition the entire time — except for the MANY repairs my husband and I performed ourselves to keep the house safe for our kids
MOLD in the home = Absolutely Disgusting
Cal Western could have cared less that the house was falling apart and never stuck to their word about repairs or anything else
I would definitely go through a more reputable property management company if your in the market for a rental… this place is a JOKE

I’ve been renting commercial preoperty from Cal-​Western for 17 years in the Willow Glen area. All these years I havn’t had a single issue. Both managers Kathy and Rans have been very helpful when their assistance was needed and the rent was always reasonable.

We initially rented our property from CW and our manager was Lisa L.P. We absolutely loved her! Any problem was resolved immediately, she was kind and patient and truly amazing! Unfortunately our landlords decided to part ways with CW and can’t hide we were gutted. Although the girls in reception who also pick up the phones are the worst, rudest and most unhappy and negative, not even offering a glass of water when in heatwave asked for one (happened! We were told they had no water while waiting to sign the papers), Lisa was already a «friend» and the first contact in asking anything «property»
In great luck trying to find a house for a friend relocating from the UK I came across Cathy H. who again can’t praise enough! Extremely nice person, good and true professional, taking care of the landlords but also being very positive and helpful with the tenants, going the extra step to make the move easy!
Lisa and Cathy, Go Girls! You rule! Thank you!

The Cal Western properties are good but management is pure horrible. Rude, arrogant and outright non co-​operative.

Poor service, never returns calls (Heather). I don’t know what these guys are thinking, but they schedule renovations on Sunday mornings at 9AM!!! Idiots.
Also, the trash gets picked-​up late (once every two weeks), and the dumpster is literally overflowing with with trash that it’s pouring over the side. Disgusting, horrible management company. Do not live in their buildings. I’m moving out the first chance I get.

This review is for Cathy H. She did an amazing job. When we had a problem she would always and I mean always have it fixed immediately. We never had any problems getting a response from her. If she ever has another property that fits our needs I wouldn’t hesitate renting a property from her. Thank you for doing a wonderful job.

In March of 2013, I needed to find a place to live and I came across a property that was managed by Cal-​Western. Cathy Hickey was the property manager. When I met her, right away she said, if you ever have a problem with anything just let me know and we will work it out.
Fast forward to July 2014, I had an unfortunate situation happen and I told Cathy about it, and sure enough, Cathy was true to her word. She helped me out in a way that I’m very grateful to her.
Everyone has their own situations and opinions about Cal-​Western. I personally never had any issues with them. The only time I really dealt with anyone there, was when rent was due, and I ran into the office to turn in the check. Everyone that ever addressed me there, addressed me in a professional and friendly manner. But 98% of the time I dealt with Cathy and she to me has been a blessing.
I hope to be able to do business with Cathy and Cal-​Western again in the near future.

Please be aware of this management company they will just waste your time. I won’t recommend any time of business with them. It is not possible to give negative stars otherwise I would have given it.
One of the worst experience I have ever had. Staff is very rude specially one of the agent named Heather. They posted one of the advertisement on craigslist and I tired calling them. After three days of call and at least 5 voicemail, on recommendation of receptionist Heather cared to call me back and she gave me some appointment to meet me directly at the property. When I asked her how will I contact her after reaching over there she said just said stand outside the property around 1 at noon. She was not even flexible on time and I have to go during work hour. I agreed for that time but she refused to give me her contact number. I went at property before time and waited there till 1:20 pm finding myself miserable but no one showed up. Now since I did not have cell number I tried calling office and they said we can not give her contact number please record a voicemail on her desk. After I told here that I am waiting for her from 12:50 for her appointment, she her self called her and found out that she is somewhere else not in office and not at property. So receptionist asked me to record a voicemail and she will get back to me to re-​schedule the appointment. I am tired calling on her office phone and recording voicemail. For scheduling appointment it took at least 15 – 20 calls I was not sure how many calls I had to do to re-​schedule the appointment. And worst part is she even did not care to call me that appointment is cancelled and I wasted my 1:30 hour of valuable time just for nothing.

During the years we have been at our property, Cal-​Western has been professional and helpful any time we needed anything. (That being the typical concern of a renter I suppose.) Otherwise they just do their job, no troubles at all.
Len Stromfeld, our current manager, has been especially great, always professional and responsive.
When we have needed repairs, Len had it handled very quickly, in an urgent case it was handled within just a few hours after my email. Cannot beat that. The people they send for repairs have been a pleasure to work with.
Not much else to say, it is a good business relationship.

As I am writing this it is 45 degrees in my house. Our thermostat went out Thursday night and our Calwestern agent sent someone out Saturday to look at it. He says he can’t fix it till Monday or Tuesday. It is now Sunday and the Bay Area is having record low temps. It is suppose to be 29 tonight. I believe the law says that you must provide your renter with heat and water. I called to ask if they would reimburse the cost of a hotel for the night and was told no. We will have to tough it out with our space heaters. So two adults a child and a dog will all once again be sleeping in one room of the 3 bedroom house we pay for. When I thanked the agent today for not taking care of her customers she actually said «you are welcome».
I guess I should not be surprised. We have lived in this house, which we love, for over nine years. Getting anything taken care of is a huge hassle. Everyone we have ever dealt with is totally rude and has no customer service whatsoever, with the exception of a couple of maintenance guys. Our rep takes forever to address any concerns we have. It has been like this from the beginning. Yet they never miss an opportunity to raise the rent. Landlords? More like douchelords. Avoid them if you can. We will stay because we love our house, neighborhood and neighbors however we would never make the same mistake twice.

This place is shady and I don’t mean there are lots of trees around. I have been living in one of their properties in Sunnyvale for over three years. I have had constant struggles getting things repaired. You know, little things like gas leaks and sewage.
Not only are there the constant repair battles but they make a habit of enforcing borderline and outright illegal practices. Their rent went up in 2012 by an amount greater than 10% of the rent. This requires a 60 day notice however they only provided a 30 day notice. When I contacted them about this (because it is possible if not negligent that they did not know the laws governing them) they told me that I was indeed correct and that my rent would not go up for another month. They did not contact the other tenants.
They have a no smoking policy which is well within their rights to enforce however their suggestions are to go and loiter on a neighbor’s property, without the neighbor’s consent.
They also have a no pet policy which is, again, well within their right however I have a service dog that is not a pet but a legal right. They are not in compliance with the Fair Housing for People with Disabilities Act as they are requiring me to take my dog on a walk in the STREET. Not a designated area, or in an area of my dog’s choosing and I replace or reimburse any plants that might have suffered but to stand in the street where I am at risk of being hit by motorists.
The onsite property management is completely unprofessional for various minor reasons not really worth mentioning but it makes for a semi-​hostile very unfriendly environment. I feel like I’m not even welcome where I have made my home.

Cal-​Western has done a phenomenal job managing my 4-​plex apartment building in Sunnyvale for over 10 years. My agent, Len Stromfeld has done an excellent job in managing the property for the entire time. I have nothing but great things to say about this organization and especially Len. If you are looking for a top-​notch, professional management of your investment property, then the people at Cal-​Western are the ones to do the job for you. They make owning investment property a joy, as I have never had a single problem come up. I hightly recommend them.

I contacted Lisa @ Cal Western a few days ago in regards to a unit she told me that the unit was available but there was a person interested and she was going to proccess their application before she let anyone else see the property and she would contact me if it was available the following day, I would be the next in line to see it. 4 days passed and no call, I leave messages… and she keeps re posting the ad. We have great credit, income and no reason for her to not even give us a chance but yet she cant be bothered by us. All I can say is this shows what kind of managers they have there.

Worst property management company ever!!! I wish I was able to give 0 stars.
(poor assumption #1)
My roommate and I moved into a great unit two years ago, but we noticed there were some blemishes. When we brought them to Calwestern’s attention, they did nothing. We didn’t think much of it at the time and figured since they know, we wouldn’t have to worry about it if we move.
(poor assumption #2)
They do not know the rental rights to properties in different cities. Calwestern thinks because a lease was signed, it gives them the right to conduct management to their standards and not follow what is state law.
(poor assumption #3)
The people you are working with are competent and have common sense. When it came time to move out, we gave them a month notice and we did not receive a response, so we assumed that all is well. Our specified move out date was on a Sunday; CalWestern is not open on the weekends. When we returned our keys on the following Monday, they charged us an extra day because they claimed that we had the unit for that time.
CalWestern is poorly managed, not attentive to both tenants and property owners, and do not admit when they are at fault. The employees have difficulty doing simple math, which makes any financial disputes an extra headache.
If you can avoid their services and make an arrangement with the property owner, that would be the best course of action.

If you are a property owner, avoid Cal-​Western at all costs. If you are a renter, Cal-​Western may be a good choice — at least they will fix things up.
I’m a property owner, and Cal-​Western managed my townhouse rental for 1.5 years. I was going to give them 2 stars, but changed to 1 star due to their actions and attitudes after I notified them about the termination of their contract.
Pros: No-​hassle management.
— You sign your papers and hand them the keys, and you can move to Mars if you want to.
(catch: you still have to write them checks occasionally).
— Clear communications. Email and phone calls were written or spoken on a professional level. Major repairs or issues were explained and discussed clearly.
(catch: minor issues fly under the radar fast. You gotta set their spending limit low — such as «need my approval on any expense over $ 150». And you will see $ 149 charges, a lot.)
Cons: VERY expensive overall. You can use Cal-​Western:
— If money is not your main concern.
— If you want to see 30% of the rent going elsewhere, like «maintenance», «gardening», «xxxxx replacement», «water&sewer», «water softener», and the flat rate management fee.
— If you want $ 200 unnecessary fixes in the morning before they give the keys back to you.
— If you want your property manager to refuse explaining your monthly cash flow statement.
— If you want them to spend your money on a $ 2500 water softener plus monthly fees.
Cal-​Western has an in-​house maintenance crew, so they make profit by finding any chances to replace/​repair anything on your property. The labor/​parts charge is premium (e.g., $ 69 for a sprinkler head).
They don’t explicitly say you can’t pick your own handyman, but they use a set of criteria to make sure your own guy doesn’t qualify under their policy.
Case study 1: dishonest conduct.
On 8/​26, tenant reported A/​C problems. They moved out on 8/​31, and I reclaimed the house on ⁹⁄₁₄. Cal-​Western sent in the repairman on 9/​14, and charged my account $ 186. They withheld the tenants’ deposit for over 31 days, while asked me for the repair fee on ⁹⁄₃₀. The property manager (initials H. S-​R.) simply sent me an email saying «I need you to give me $ 260 to refund the deposit». Confused, I called her to request a written bill. She verbally read me numbers and threatened legal actions. I finally called the tenant, compared notes on deposits and charges, and understood that Cal-​Western took the tenant’s deposit to pay for the unnecessary last minute repairs — charged to me — then told the tenants that the owner is holding their deposit.
Case Study 2: 2009 year-​end statement
Rental income: $ 15,000
Total Expenses: $ 8,280 ($ 3000 Maintenance, $ 600 Plumbing… subtracting $ 2300 HOA fees, I paid $ 6000/​year to Cal-​Western).
My suggestion to homeowners:
— Don’t use Cal-​Western.
— Find a mgt company who doesn’t have an expensive in-​house maintenance crew.
— At least ask for a sample of charges.
— In the best case, find your own handyman/​contractor to handle all repairs.

Recently Peter N. has contacted me. And replied that I may have the wrong company… Sorry Pal, I got the right one. 1270 S Winchester Blvd
Nice try though! I said it once, and I will say it again for all to see…
«Rude… Threats… Over priced. If that’s your thing Cal-​West is for you!
Bad properties in some shady areas with ill contract deals.»