Kevin Fromm
Google
We rented a property through Casas De Santa Fe (304 Lomita St) for 14 months. During the rental period, our experience was generally smooth, and I would have given a 4–5 star review based on that alone. Unfortunately, the issues began once we moved out — despite having paid for a professional move-out cleaning and carpet cleaning.
It's important to note that although Casas De Santa Fe manages the property and collects rent, they ultimately defer to the property owner when it comes to final decisions (at least in our case) — including the condition of the home upon return. In our case, this led to unexpected and unfair charges.
We were billed $325 for touch-up painting, even though we had patched and attempted to match the paint ourselves. The problem? The home had at least six different paint shades, none of which matched the paint cans left behind by the previous tenant or owner. The owner, who bought the property with these mismatched paint colors, had no intention of repainting the home or addressing the inconsistency. The cost of labor and paint to resolve the issue would have been closer to $50-$60.
We were also charged $330 for 9.5 hours of gardening — despite having handed over the keys more than two weeks earlier to the involved work. During our tenancy, we consistently maintained the yard ourselves and with the help of professional gardeners. I even trimmed and cleaned up the yard the day before moving out, with witnesses present.
Another issue arose during our stay: a recurring odor in some bedrooms. It turned out the carpet and padding were so old they had begun to break down or decompose underneath . After the professional cleaning and carpet steaming, the odor worsened — exposing the underlying issue. Still, the owner wanted to put the blame on us and charge over $600 for ozone machine rental, blacklight inspection, and carpet evaluation, despite this being clearly related to the age and condition of the carpet.
Additionally, the home is advertised (and listed on real estate websites) as 1,990 sq. ft., yet public available independent records list it as only 1,651 sq. ft. Based on our experience living there, the smaller size seems far more accurate.
Ironically, another reviewer (Diane O.) had a nearly identical experience with this same property. I wish we had seen that review beforehand.
Bottom line: If you're considering renting from Casas De Santa Fe — especially long-term — take thorough photographs, document everything in writing, and be meticulous with your move-in inspection. I have been leasing homes for over 24 years and this was the first time I did not get a sincere thank you for taking care of the property and getting my full security deposit back.
We made a very generous offer to settle the dispute just to put this behind us and recover the majority of our security deposit, but the process was frustrating and disappointing. We addressed any maintenance issues right away to include broken dryer part, missing dishwasher part, missing weather trim on door, broken gate (never really fixed), worn out door handle and knob (never replaced), leaking faucet and so many issues. A good property management company should have better control over their properties with boundaries enforced on the owner (otherwise the owner can do it themselves).