Woodstone Crossing

Pros

• The maintenance team is consistently praised for being responsive and solving issues quickly.
• Residents appreciate the amenities, including a saltwater pool, gym, and a secure package room.
• Heather in the leasing office is repeatedly described as friendly, helpful, and accommodating.
• The property is clean, quiet, and well-maintained, with ongoing improvements to common areas.
• The community is dog-friendly with ample pet facilities and a welcoming atmosphere.
• The location is convenient, close to the commuter rail and local conveniences, fostering a strong sense of community.
• The leasing and management teams are viewed as dedicated, professional, and responsive to residents' needs.
• The property hosts events that help residents meet and connect with each other.

Cons

• The complex was marketed as luxury but is no longer considered luxury and quality has declined.
• Elevators break down regularly in the four-story building.
• There is no visitor parking, making it difficult for guests to access.
• Management reportedly refuses to install security cameras, raising safety concerns.
• Vandalism and disruptive behavior by nonresidents are reported, including racist graffiti and harassment.
• Rent increases of 10-15% at lease renewal are perceived as punitive, with questionable resident screening.
• Maintenance and cleanliness issues persist, such as stained carpets with pet urine and broken railings.
• There is a persistent smell of weed in hallways and entryways despite a non-smoking policy.

Review

The Commons at Southfield is a large apartment community that has drawn a wide range of experiences from its residents. Located in a setting that many describe as a village-like stretch with fields and green spaces, the complex has been seen as both a workable home and, for some, a disappointing mismatch between promises and reality. Over the years, it has drawn praise for its amenities and its sense of community, while also attracting sharp criticisms about safety, maintenance, and management practices. The results of living there seem to depend heavily on the building, the unit, and the people who work and live there at any given time.

On the more troubling end of the spectrum, several reviews highlight a raft of safety and maintenance concerns that have left longtime residents frustrated. There are reports of frequent police presence and alarms being pulled, ongoing issues with elevators breaking down in a building that is four stories tall, and a sense that some areas - like stairwells and hallways - are not kept up to the standards residents expect. Graffiti has appeared on elevator walls, carpets have become stained with pet urine, and broken railings are a recurrent safety worry. The smell of cannabis in hallways and near doorways is described as a persistent nuisance, contributing to an atmosphere that many residents say feels less secure and less well cared-for. When it comes to screening new residents, concerns are raised about whether proper credit checks and vetting are being enforced, and there is a belief among some that management's screening criteria have shifted in ways that have affected the community's character. The absence of visitor parking and the perception that cameras are not installed for security further compound these concerns for some residents, who worry about the mix of residents and the safety of their belongings.

Another recurring theme is the perception that management practices are disconnected from resident needs. Some residents report that rent has risen by double digits on lease renewals, making it feel like the focus is on filling units rather than maintaining quality living conditions. They mention a sense that nonresidents or disruptive individuals may be moving in with insufficient oversight. The complaints are not only about safety and security; there are also issues with daily living logistics, including limited guest parking, inconsistent snow and ice management, and inconsistent lighting in common areas and parking lots. There are also voiced frustrations about the handling of problems by the leasing office, with some residents feeling gaslit or dismissed when reporting mold, foul odors, or malfunctioning appliances. In short, some residents feel that the property has not kept up with the level of service and safety one would expect from a community advertised as a luxury residence.

Against this backdrop, there are substantial counterpoints that paint a very different picture. A number of residents praise how responsive and capable the maintenance and leasing teams can be when they meet the right people or when issues arise. Several standout staff members receive frequent accolades: a newly promoted manager named Mihaily, and the maintenance crew consisting of Molly, Heather, Cory, Mario, Stefanie, and John are repeatedly mentioned as being reliable, knowledgeable, and solution-oriented. One reviewer specifically notes that Mario "fixed five or six issues today" and that he "thinks outside the box" to get problems resolved. The maintenance department is frequently described as outstanding, with long wait times never feeling like the norm and many issues resolved promptly. This positive thread extends to resident-facing staff who are praised for their friendliness, willingness to help, and professional demeanor. The sense of community is reinforced by amenities that residents appreciate: on-site trash pickup, an Amazon delivery room, a well-equipped gym, a small pool area with grills and a common room, and regular events designed to help neighbors connect. The management team in some reviews is credited with improvements to common areas, including fresh paint and new carpeting, which helps keep the property feeling cared for and comfortable.

Other residents emphasize the positive, everyday aspects that make the Commons feel like a home. Several reviews highlight the dog-friendly culture, with an ample number of pets in the community and a network of pet-wick stations that makes living there with a dog more convenient. For some, the location is a key factor: close to transit options like a commuter rail, proximity to parks and green spaces, and a village-like feel that blends retiree and family life with active professionals. For these residents, Heather in the leasing office is repeatedly praised for being accommodating, responsive, and helpful with online applications and layout choices, underscoring a sense that the property can be organized, welcoming, and easy to navigate when the staff is aligned and communicative. There are also mentions of a quiet living environment in some units, even when the building sits on a busy street corner, suggesting that interior living can be surprisingly peaceful with the right unit selection and noise insulation.

For some long-term residents, the experience has evolved over time in a way that reflects both changes in management and the broader dynamics of the community. A reviewer who has lived at the Commons for nearly four years describes moving through two different units within the same building and notes that the maintenance staff has been consistently competent and timely. They describe changes in the leasing staff as they occur but emphasize that the core maintenance and on-site teams remained helpful and professional. This perspective acknowledges that the property has undergone updates - such as repainted common areas and new carpeting - that make the space feel refreshed and more appealing. The reviewer concedes that there are undeniable trade-offs, such as persistent dog-related messes and ongoing concerns about rugs, but argues that much of life at the Commons depends on what you make of it and your willingness to engage with the community and the management team.

Despite many positive stories, there is a strongly voiced warning from at least one reviewer who discourages others from choosing The Commons at Southfield. That perspective centers on what they perceive as a decline in the overall quality of life, well beyond the realm of minor issues. They describe an escalation of safety concerns, including federalizing elements like police presence and frequent alarms, as well as ongoing vandalism and harassment by nonresidents. They point to a lack of visible security cameras, insufficient screening of new tenants, and a rental-cost structure that appears to punish long-term, working residents with steep rent increases. They also note environmental drawbacks like limited guest parking, inconsistent winter maintenance, dangerous lighting conditions at night, and the broader disruption of safety and comfort. In this view, while there are some staff members who are commendable, the overarching management approach struggles to resolve serious, chronic problems, ultimately prompting this resident to seek housing elsewhere and hoping for meaningful change in the future.

Taken together, the collection of reviews reveals a complex, variegated picture of life at The Commons at Southfield. For some residents, the property feels like a well-kept, friendly, and increasingly well-managed community with strong maintenance response, attentive leasing staff, and a genuine sense of belonging. For others, it has become a place where safety concerns, maintenance gaps, and management decisions create a stressful living environment that can erode the initial appeal of the amenities and the location. The most consistent threads are the importance of reliable maintenance support, the impact of effective, proactive management, and the role of the resident community in shaping the daily lived experience. Whether The Commons will feel like a luxury, a solid long-term home, or a source of ongoing frustration appears to hinge on unit-specific conditions, management responsiveness, and the ability of the property to address persistent safety and cleanliness issues while preserving the positive, community-oriented aspects that some residents have come to value.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Uncle Charlie's (0.4 miles)
• China Plaza Restaurant (2.9 miles)
• K C's Pub & Grill (3 miles)
• The Connection Cafe (3.2 miles)
• McDonald's (3.6 miles)
• Burger King (3.9 miles)
• Blanchard's Tavern (5 miles)

Hospitals

• South Shore Hospital (1.5 miles)
• South Shore Hospital (1.9 miles)
• Signature Health Care (5.2 miles)
• Va Medical Center-Brockton (8.4 miles)

Physicians

• South Shore Orthopedics (2.1 miles)
• Eye Health Services (2.6 miles)
• Angels Neurological Ce (3.3 miles)
• Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates (4.6 miles)
• Outpatient Department Signature Healthcare - Brockton Hospital (5.2 miles)
• Kool Smiles (5.7 miles)
• Beth Israel Deaconess Healthcare Bridgewater (6 miles)

Parks

• Great Esker Park (3.1 miles)
• Braintree Highlands Community Playground (3.7 miles)
• Whitman Town Park (5.1 miles)
• Bare Cove Park (5.9 miles)
• Webb Memorial State Park (7.2 miles)
• World's End (8 miles)
• Houghton's Pond (8.4 miles)

Cafes

• Marylou's News (3.3 miles)
• Starbucks (5.1 miles)
• Target T2693 Braintree (6.1 miles)
• Slacktide Coffee Roaster (7.3 miles)

Transportation

• MBTA Braintree Station (4.5 miles)
• West Hingham Commuter RailStation (6 miles)
• MBTA Wollaston Station (8.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Baptist Church (5.4 miles)
• Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (6.2 miles)

Theaters

• Showcase Cinema de Lux Randolph (5.9 miles)
• AMC Braintree 10 (6.2 miles)