I've lived at the Rancho Las Palmas complex for the last two years and can't spread enough good word about the place. My one bedroom apartment provides more than enough room for me and would easily house a spouse, number of pets and even a small child, should the need arise. I have an open kitchen with refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and stove, all modern and complete with necessary functions (I love to cook and get endless use out of these appliances).
After moving from one dorm to the next, one apartment to another, I'm elated to have found a place I can call home. I searched a 20-block radius around this place and found only cheap, ungated communities with hideous interiors and no amenities. This complex is a hidden gem for just a small amount more than what you would pay at those other places. As a plus, it is inhabited mostly by small, minority families who are quiet, friendly and respectful, as compared to most apartments in the area that are populated by perpetually drunk college students playing Skrillex at 4AM.
The landlords are friendly, know all their tenants by name and go the extra mile to make me feel taken care of. I feel incredibly safe in this community, even late in the evening, walking to and from the laundry room (one of Rancho Las Palmas' only downsides). In addition, maintenance is lickety-split. In almost all cases I have had same-day service and the problem was fixed without trouble (including a leaky ceiling, clogged dishwasher and lack of hot water, although these problems are few and far between).
Really, the only cons of living at Rancho Las Palmas is the fact that it can be noisy. As mentioned, most of the tenants are quiet as dormice, but the walls are thin, and if you have loud neighbors, you will hear them clomping about. In most cases, this isn't an issue, although for a while my upstairs neighbors fought loudly and walked aggressively across the floor for weeks on end. Also, some units, including mine, directly face the train tracks. I never hear the train anymore and sleep soundly through the night, but some might have a different experience.
All in all, this is a great place to live in Tempe. Location is superb - just off of Apache and Dorsey, you can walk to the light rail, the mall across the street or to campus, while still avoiding a lot of the raucous ASU crowd. If I could live here into perpetuity, I would, but I hope my future holds bigger things for me than staying here.