Sometimes I really wonder what exactly people expect out of an apartment complex. I've lived in various apartments over the past five years in Austin and can say this one has definitely been my favorite. I've been struggling with moving out for over a year now as my boyfriend lives on the other side of town and I would like to move closer to him and my friends, hoewver LOVE my apt and hate to leave it.
I'll start with the cons:
1) the carpet is SUPER cheap, when I moved in my unit was brand new and so was the carpet, two years latter it has horrible wear in the high traffic areas.
2) the fake wood floor seems to generate weird black stains on the carpet.
3) living in a mall you will have to deal with the downside to that: ie, loud events in the parking garage that last till 10 at night with crappy bands, fireworks going off 50 feet from your apt and scaring the crap out of your dog, loud cars driving by, etc.
Pros:
1) As far as noise coming from the actual other units and not the mall, I barely hear anything. I never hear the people next to me and only occasionally hear the guy above me when he's playing with his dog and stomping loudly. it's never late at night, usually just when he gets home from work and is really not a big deal. Living on a 2nd floor in an apt building, you have to expect some level of noise, what I have experienced is easily the most quiet apt complex I've lived in.
2) the apartments are pretty, I feel like I have a home, not a crappy college kid apt.
3) I live in a mall, I can walk to dinner, shopping, get dessert, go to a movie, etc. It's AWESOME. When family/friends come in from out of town to visit, if I can't take off work I don't feel guilty at all, they can easily occupy themselves, get food, etc. HEB, Target, etc are all very close too. Almost everywhere I need to go to run errands is in a 5 minute radius of my apt. It is a lazy person's dream.
3) the gym is easily the best apt gym I've ever seen for the amount of equipment available and if you wait until 8 at night, there's never anyone there.
I've had little issues with management, they are always responsive with work orders, I've renewed my lease three times and the last time the office lady actually helped me get a lower renewal rate with the manager. If I could pick up my complex and the mall and move it to the area of town I want to live in I totally would. If you can't deal with the accomidations here, I suggest you buy a house, because you are never going to be happy living in an apt complex.
Oh - also, the dog poo, at least in my building (by dillards), it seemed to be an issue related to one very lazy, white trash resident who would let his dog in out unattended and unleashed to do his business and then never come out to pick up after him. He was only here for about 4 or 5 months, and ever since he left there have been no poo issues again. As a dog owner who hates dogging poo piles when I take my pup out, this makes me very excited.
Eh, It's Apartment Living
(
over a year ago )
Reviewed by: Anonymous
I waited until my move-out was completely finished and I received all my final bills before writing this review, so that I could add complaints about the move-out process. But actually the move-out process was fair and painless. I lived here from 2008-2011. I was the first person to ever live in my unit so the unit was immaculate with no flaws. You probably won't have that experience anymore since the place is now going on 4 years old and the resident demographics are definitely starting to turn, if you know what I mean.
I lived on the top floor and also lived on an end unit that faced the interior of the complex, so noise was not an issue for me the way it was for others. NOTE - unless you want to hear the people above you all the time, MAKE SURE you get a top floor unit!
The office staff are rude and keep hours that are not amenable to the working person (i.e. 10 am - 4 pm, sometimes closing early with no announcement of it). But when have you ever lived in an apartment complex where the office staff were friendly? It just doesn't happen.
The place had its perks. The included washer and dryer were of decent quality, for example. But the drawbacks were plentiful too. The thing I hated the most was maintenance. You have your own water heater here, you pay your own water and electric bills (i.e. they're not divided among the units), yet they lock your water heater in a closet and don't let you have access to turn it up. I asked maintenance at least 4 times to turn it up all the way. Their response - "if we turn it up all the way it will be very hot." REALLY?!? YA THINK?! So, there was never enough hot water for two people to take a shower. Ever. No matter how brief your shower was.
You don't realize until you own your own space just how much crap you were tolerating in apartment living.
Reviewed by: Anonymous
I lovethis place. Nice environment. Very safe feeling!
Reviewed by: Anonymous
If you want a nice place to live, don't, and I mean DO NOT come here! These people are the worst!!!! They are fake, unprofessional, rude, and may I say, ANNOYING!!!!! They are uneducated and it seems like the only people Riverstone Residential likes to hire are people who don't have any common sense! Go someone DOWNTOWN if you want to live somewhere nice!!!! Or anywhere not out in the Galleria. Don't waste your time associating yourself with any of the low life's that work at that property! Only people that you should respect is the maintenance staff.
Reviewed by: Anonymous
Can't get a call back from the management office and can't get the noise to stop from the neighbors! But of course you will get a note stating that you haven't paid your rent on the date it is due!
Reviewed by: Anonymous
Definitely over priced and nickle and dime you like most apt complexes but pretty nice if you can afford it. Next to several shopping centers with everything you could ever need. Haven't seen many ghetto shady people; mostly families here. Everytime something broke maintainence came immediately. Office staff girls are total bimbos, as with most apt complexes. Complained about something puking everyday in parking garage (several times on my car) but nothing was done. Charge you 25 bucks if you leave your trash out a minute before or after allotted time, and they don't pick it up everyday. Hill Country is kinda far from downtown (20 to 30min) but nice area with low traffic and low population overall. My apt was like new and in excellent condition when I moved in. Highly recommend the Dior layout. Sometimes I can hear some traffic and my neighbors having sex but nothing too bad. 300 bucks you don't get back if you want to have a pet (many other apt places do this as well). Overall three stars.
Reviewed by: Anonymous
Been here over a yr Office staff changes alot which seems to be the norm for all apts Have had no issues received some discounts upon renewing Pool area gets very loud with echos but not had any issues being on 3rd floor on neighbors noise Parking garage is getting scary People drive too fast and apts are really cracking down on dog droppings.Used to be guard but not anymore I have no reason to not feel safe.
More incentives for those renewing would be nice especially if moving to bigger apt.
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