Houston Apartments near Willowbrook Mall

If you’re looking for an area with great schools, a bountiful supply of restaurants, and plenty of things to do, take a peak at the apartments near Willowbrook.  The greatest quality that Willowbrook apartments in Houston, TX have to offer is that the majority of them are newer.  Anyone who does a little driving around and explores this area is bound to come across Vintage Park apartments.  This community is situated within walking distance to HEB, Potbelly’s Sandwich Shop, and my favorite, Chipotle.  Needless to say, if it’s great food you’re after you won’t have to look far.  Are martinis you’re thing?  Luxe Bar & Lounge just opened up in this area and it’s super nice.  Dress for success and don’t show up in full ninja attire like me or they might not let you in.  It’s okay though, there are plenty of other ninja friendly bars near the apartments in Willowbrook.

by Adam Shrum

The sign at the entrance of Willowbrook Mall in Houston, TX

Top 5 Apartment Amenities

It’s always good to make a checklist of what amenities you must have in your new apartment home before searching.  I’ve decided to compile a list of the top five amenities I hear requested when assisting clients with their search.  Nearly all Houston Apartments have one or more of these features.

Apartment Amenities that Matter

The following should be of some help in creating a list and narrowing down your options:

1.  Washer/Dryer Connections – I’m a firm believer that having in unit washer/dryer connections play an important role in your quality of life.  Having to use on-site facilities or worse yet a laundromat, brings a certain feeling of dread.  The task begins with scrounging for quarters followed by lugging a giant pile of dirty clothes down stairs that you hope you don’t get tripped up on.  Then, once you get the load into the machines you can’t leave.  If you do leave somebody could come by and take your clothes out if they need the machine, or they might even steal your clothes!  Avoid wrinkles in your clothes and your life by renting an apartment with washer/dryer included.  I recommend Broadstone West 18th Apartments in Houston because they have top of line washer/dryers.

2.  Garden Tubs – Bubble baths are fun.  If you don’t enjoy a bubble bath every now and then, you’re not living life.  If you’re tall like me a regular sized tub just won’t cut the mustard for bath purposes.  A garden tub a.k.a. DEEP DISH tub will leave you with ample room for all your bathing needs.  Some garden tubs now have jacuzzi jets in them which massage you and provide a more relaxing experience.   Whether you’re looking to recreate the Pee-Wee and Francis bath scene or just need extra ledges for your shampoo collection, you’re sure to enjoy a great big garden tub in your apartment.

3.  Pool – There are all types of swimming pools at apartment communities – olympic, european saltwater, infinity, rooftop, hot tubs, etc.  As long as the complex has some type of pool you should be good.  If an apartment community doesn’t have a pool it usually means they are not too concerned with hosting resident meet up activities.  I think it’s important to mix and mingle with the people who live around you because that’s the easiest way to make new friends.  The Trails at Rock Creek Apartments in Houston have a lazy river that you can tube around while meeting your neighbors.

4.  Gated Access – Feeling safe is the concern I hear most often when finding apartments for people.  For some, gated access is enough, but others want a gate security officer, 24 hr. patrol, and in-home alarm system.  Personally, I feel that the gate itself is probably enough to deter criminals away from Apartments in Houston, TX.  When shopping for an apartment with a gate make sure there is a camera system in place as well.  If someone does break into your apartment, capturing their license plate on tape may be the best way to catch the crook.

5.  Non-Carpet Flooring – There are three main types of non-carpet flooring – wood, laminate, and stained concrete.  If you have a dog, finding an apartment with non-carpet flooring is almost a no brainer.  Keep in mind that wood and laminate scratch easily, so if you’re dog is large – 50 lbs. or more – there’s a good chance the floor is going to get scratched up.  I’ve heard of property management keeping entire deposits for scratched floors, so do yourself a favor and find a unit with stained concrete if you have a big dog.  Other advantages of non-carpet flooring are that it’s easier to clean, better for people with allergies (dust gets trapped in carpet), and when shined they make your pad look baller.

If you’re in the market for a Houston Apartment with all of these features, contact one of our apartment locators for a list of the best properties with these amenities.

By Adam Shrum

Apartment Amenities

5350 Burnet Apartments in Austin, TX

New Apartments for Rent in Central Austin, Texas

5350 Burnet is a brand new, mid-rise apartment home conveniently situated in central Austin near Allandale neighborhood. These apartments in central Austin consist of 175 luxury rental units offering everything from built-in computer desks to kitchen islands with granite counters and stainless steel appliances. Burnet Road is the ‘Real Austin” and like SOCO, is filled with keep it all the way funky boutique shops and dining options. Entertainment opportunities are plentiful in the area as well.

A bold departure from traditional apartment living combining comfort and style for an authentic ATX experience, 5350 Burnet Apartments is the place to submit a TAA rental application if your in the market for central Austin apartments. Enjoy simple access to major Austin highways and thoroughfares. Contact Austin Apartment Ninjas and make 5350 Burnet your new home today!

Stylish Apartment Living Area with Bar and Sunroom

State of the Art Fitness Studio at 5350 Burnet Apartments

Stylish Kitchen Decor with Modern Appliances - 5350 Burnet Apartments

Central Austin Apartments offering Style and Comfort

Complimentary DVD Library, Flat Screen Televisions - 5350 Burnet

Entry Stoops, TV & Data Connections in all Kitchens - 5350 Burnet Apts

Bills Paid Apartments in San Antonio

Tired of paying your bills? Then live at these apartments that will pay for all your bills! All bills paid apartments in San Antonio are located all around the city. These apartments offer incredible deals and include a program where they pay for your utilities! Be sure to check out the photos of these San Antonio “All Bills Paid” apartments and choose your favorite one.

Top 5 All Bills Paid San Antonio Apartments:

1. The Robert E. Lee – Apartments in Downtown San Antonio
2. Greenbriar – Northeast San Antonio Apartments
3. Diplomat – Apartments in Kelly AFB
4. The Reserve at Pecan Valley -  Southeast San Antonio Apartments
5. Springvale Manor – Apartments near Lackland AFB

Apartments for Rent - San Antonio, Texas

Texas Apartment Association Rental Application for Residents and Occupants

Download Your TAA Rental Application Prior to Visiting the Properties

The Texas Apartment Association, Inc. (TAA) is a non-profit statewide trade association dedicated to unifying rental housing professionals through education, legislative advocacy and member services. TAA is affiliated with the National Apartment Association and local associations in 25 Texas cities. Members join TAA and NAA by joining the local affiliate in their area. TAA is the only organization representing all aspects of the rental housing industry with a full-time presence at the state capitol and before more than 20 state regulatory agencies.

Filling out the Texas Association of Apartments Application is a major part of the approval process for your next apartment home. The application normally will ask for your current and past addresses, current and past employment, credit references, criminal history and other information the property owner or manager needs to make sure that you can afford to pay the rent and that you don’t pose any risks to the property or the other residents.

• Application fees and application deposits

• In most cases, you will be charged an application fee to cover the cost of processing your application: running credit checks, verifying rental histories, etc. This fee is non-refundable.
• You may also be asked to pay an application deposit. This deposit does not become a part of your security deposit until your application is approved and the lease is signed by both parties.
• If your application is not approved, the deposit is refundable in most cases.
• Depending on the application you fill out, the application deposit may not be refunded if you are accepted but fail to move-in; you fail to tell the truth on your application, or for certain other reasons.

Texas Apartment Association - Rental Application

Apartment Hoarders

Hoarding in Apartments

Apartment hoarding has been a well known issue within the property rental community for years.  The popular television series, “Hoarders” on A&E has shed a lot of light on this topic recently.  The show follows the lives of individuals who engage in compulsive hoarding and films the personal crisis they have to deal with as a result.

What is hoarding?  Hoarding a.k.a. disposophobia, is a mental disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to discard or use a significant number of possessions even if they have no worth, are unsanitary, or hazardous.  The keeping of these possessions becomes an obsession for these people and a hole that can’t be dug out of.  Here is a prime example of a Houston Apartment Hoarder who loves Whataburger.  You can see from the images in the prior link that hoarding can turn into a health concern if it gets out of hand.  Those funny smells coming from your neighbor’s apartment might not be their cooking.

The mess that accumulates from hoarding in apartments can be a nightmare for property managers.  Whether it’s piles of books blocking the fire exits or stinky old food seeping into the walls, the acts of these pack rats can lead to big problems in terms of safety or being able to lease out a unit to the next tenant.  I have heard horror stories from leasing agents at Houston Apartments who have literally gagged from the smell when investigating a complaint of a suspected hoarder.  Some of the more sanitary apartment hoarders who collect clothes and paper items wouldn’t stand a chance if a fire broke out.

Everyone’ s heard of the crazy cat lady in Unit B right?  Animal Hoarding in apartments is a specific type of hoarding that is often joked about, but really is a serious matter.  Typically, apartments in Houston have restrictions on how many pets you’re allowed to have.  Some apartments, like Hogg Palace Lofts, don’t allow any pets.  Regardless of the rules on pets some people still decide to house 20 cats or 10 dogs.  In my opinion, this is worse than hoarding simple material possessions or trash.  If you can’t take care of an animal you shouldn’t own one, period.  Apartment renters who have an exorbitant number of pets truly need to take a step back and ask themselves if they really can afford the time and money involved in taking care of additional pets.

In summation, hoarding really is a debilitating mental disease.  For those that suffer from this disease, an enormous amount of stress is experienced in their lives and the lives of people close to them.  Unfortunately, pathological hoarding is one of the hardest diseases to manage because it’s actually a hardwired way of thinking in the brain.  If you know someone who hoards be patient with them and offer them help before it gets out of control.  For more information on compulsive hoarding see the International OCD Foundation.

By Adam Shrum

Woman hoarding her belongings in a small Efficiency Apartment Home

Apartments in South Austin

When I first contemplated moving to south Austin, I’ll admit I wasn’t very fond of the idea at all. My search for South Austin apartments almost never got off the ground. I honestly would have rather lived anywhere else. The only things I’d heard about South Austin my four years in Austin were bad things, mainly involving criminal activity. Having lived near Stassney Lane and South Congress Avenue for nearly eight months now, I can tell you I could not have been happier to be so wrong.

It is true, south Austin apartment living is like a whole different world…in a good way. Since moving into my south Austin apartment home, I’ve been able to discover a whole new side to this beautiful city of ours. No, there is not as much burnt orange down here as I was used to while renting Austin West Campus apartments during my college days, but that’s about the only complaint I have. I’ve had the opportunity to discover tons of local cuisine, most of which has quickly implanted itself among some of my all-time favorite eateries. Chain Tex-Mex restaurants give way to local and family-owned operations. Service seems like it comes with a slightly larger smile, and touch more gratitude the farther you get from the hustle and bustle of downtown.

South Austin offers a comfortable, slightly more conservative side to Austin. Everything is a little slower, and a lot less stressful. It is home to two of Austin’s Wal-Mart Supercenters; a friend to any fresh college graduate on a tight budget. The thing about many of the apartments in South Austin is their age. Within the last decade, the population of south Austin has grown exponentially, meaning many of the communities are brand new, or only a few years old. South Austin TX apartments provide an affordable, modern alternative to the more expensive and slightly older mainstays of West Campus and surrounding areas.

This area for South Austin apartments has a unique ability to make you feel completely disconnected from city life, yet still be less than a 15 minute drive from the city’s hub. Being a frequenter of central Texas’ abundance of floatable rivers, leasing a South Austin rental offers an easy commute to some of our favorites, like the Blanco and Guadalupe Rivers, without moving us far away from our favorite Austin spot – the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

All in all, South Austin apartments for rent are not only affordable, but they offer up an entirely new living experience.

Keep South Austin Moving!

by Joel Wright – Resident of Platinum Southside Apartments in Austin, TX

South Austin Apartment Renting Transvestite - Leslie Cochran

Alexan Palm Valley Apartments in Round Rock, TX 78665

Introducing the 2009 property of the year, Alexan Palm Valley. Beautiful and brand new, these Round Rock TX apartments offer a lifestyle you seek and deserve. Close to everything, Alexan Palm Valley apartments in Round Rock offers convenient access to major employers, fine dining, exceptional shopping, and a variety of entertainment opportunities.

With a 24/7 fitness center, wood plank-style flooring, RRISD schools, energy-efficient black appliances, ceramic-tile entryways, lagoon swimming pool with cozy outdoor fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, and more, these pet friendly Round Rock apartments are where you want to be. Now open and always leasing.

Contact our Round Rock apartment locators for a free personalized property list today! View property details for Alexan Palm Valley.

Round Rock apartments with lagoon-style swimming pool

Alexan Palm Valley Apartments in Round Rock - Exterior View

Relocating to Dallas, TX Apartments

Making the move to D-Town? Being the third largest city in Texas, Dallas has an abundant supply of apartment communities. Which one is right for you? Any agent at Apartment Ninjas will tell you that the only way to know for sure is to explore the options out there. The first step in locating Dallas apartments is to research the different areas of the city. In no particular order, our top three favorite areas of “The Big D” are Addison apartments, Deep Ellum, and Highland Park communities. Apartment construction in Addison, Texas is on the rise and the properties are looking more and more exquisite everyday. In terms of restaurants, this is one of the most heavily populated areas in the nation, so there are plenty of places to stuff your face at in this part of town. “Are you not entertained!?!” – The Gladiator. Seriously though, if you aren’t maybe you should lease apartments in Deep Ellum. This area is known for its Jazz and Blues scene, and there are plenty of live music venues if that’s your thing. The Highland Park area of Dallas, TX is another good location for apartment living. The apartments in Highland Park are a young professional’s wet dream. Pristine architecture and an abundance of amenities are offered by nearly all the apartment communities in this sector. The icing on the cake of this area is the abundance of beautiful parks nearby. There you have it. Hopefully you have a better idea of what Dallas apartments have to offer and if that didn’t do it for you, maybe the city’s motto will “Live Large, Think Big”.

By Adam Shrum

Big D Dallas, Texas

Apartment Rentals in Houston Suburbs

The city of Houston is quite large.  In fact, Houston has a population of  5.7 million people and there are over 2,000 apartment complexes.  But what do these numbers really mean?  When you hear someone say, “What up?  I’m from H-Town” or “Yo dawg.  I’m from Screwston” they could mean Houston or any of the outlying areas.  In college I met a ton of people who said they were from Houston, but they were really from The Woodlands or Friendswood.  There are 12 main areas, that I call “The Outskirts”, which are generally acceptable to be from and still claim you’re a Houstonian.  Here’s a list of Houston Apartments that are interchangeable:

1. Sugarland Apartments – This area is sweet!  Seriously though, if you’re from here you’re probably well off.
2. The Woodlands Apartments – If you couldn’t already tell by the name, there are lots of trees here and apartments sprinkled in with the mansions.
3. Katy Apartments – This area is named after your sister, Katy.  Get it?  They are sugar and spice and everything nice.
4. Pearland Apartments – A lot of doctors and nurses choose this area to be close to work, but not have to deal with the hustle and bustle of all that is inner loop.
5. Pasadena Apartments – AKA Stankadena.  This place smells like highlighter, but it’s good if you work in the factories.
6. Deer Park Apartments – Pasadena’s better looking sibling.  In my opinion, this area’s a little nicer.
7. Clear Lake Apartments – Don’t forget your snorkle.  Lots of water activities for people who call this part of town home.
8. Kingwood Apartments – Fun fact!  This area is known as “The Livable Forest”.
9. Friendswood Apartments – I’ll be there for you…I’ve never heard a bad word spoken about this community.
10. Stafford/Missouri City Apartments - People who live here wanted to live in Sugar Land, but couldn’t afford it.  I’m one of them.
11. Cypress Apartments – Apparently the school system here is stupendous. Young Einstein’s everywhere.
12. Spring Apartments – For people who love antiques and crawfish.  I always go the Crawfish Boil they host annually.  Lots of fun.

There you have it.  Next time someone wants to pull a fast one on you, have this list handy.  If their real address isn’t one of the areas above, call them out.  Remember though, the list above is just this guy’s opinion and I can’t be responsible for personal injury due to confronting someone.  Houston is the land of concrete hills, humidity, and Platinum/Gold Grillz.  If you agree with that statement, you’re definitely from Houston.

By Adam Shrum

A map of Houston and The Outskirts