Monterone Steiner Ranch Apartments (Formerly Mansions @ Steiner Ranch) BAD PLACE?!? (Houston: low income, rentals)

[cmiller1014]

We were real close to moving into this place when we came across a TON of poor reviews. Anyone have any recent experience?

Real ratings from real people:
Monterone At Steiner Ranch Apartment Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Austin apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com

Better Business Bureau Report on the Property:
Austin, TX: Check Out a Business or Charity

Better Business Bureau Report on the Parent Company (CNC Investments):
Greater Houston and South Texas: Check Out a Business or Charity

This just scares me......

Chris

[love roses]

I am having a really hard time imagining anything in, near or around Steiner ranch being in any way, shape, fashion or form a bad place. It's probably one of the nicest areas around.

[cmiller1014]

I thought the same thing, thats why we were looking to move there. Then we get down here, and talk to some residents and start hearing warnings. We were told to research them online and above is what we found.

The apartments are completely separate from Steiner Ranch... and it looks like CNC Investments (parent company) has a ton of properties with all of the same complaints.

They are running specials right now that drop rent as much as $400 on some units. I was told they had a TON of people leave them all at once so now they are trying desperately to fill the place back up.

This is really a bummer... I hope someone comes forward with some positive experiences. The price is right for us, but not if we will get stuck with a $5000+ bill at moveout like MANY residents have.

[mm57553]

We live in Steiner (not at the apartments) and I have heard mixed reviews. They look really nice, but I have heard complaints about poor construction. I have also heard nightmare stories about the management, although the name changes regularly, so I don't know if that means it's under different management too or what. Let's jut say that I've neard enough bad things to look elsewhere. There are a lot of rental houses in Steiner right now - they may be worth checking out. You can go to www.austinhomesearch.com and check out rentals for zip 78732. Most of those homes are in Steiner, and I am willing to bet that they are probably not too much more per month than the apartments.

[love roses]

Yeah, if the owners are in Houston who knows. We had an apartment developer out of Houston who was trying to put up a low income apartment project in our neighborhood. He had no idea about anything in Hutto. He didn't know how far from Austin we were, whether or not there were jobs around for these people, any public transportation for them, etc...So it's possible they aren't even keeping good tabs on the Steiner property.

[cmiller1014]

Originally Posted by mm57553

We live in Steiner (not at the apartments) and I have heard mixed reviews. They look really nice, but I have heard complaints about poor construction. I have also heard nightmare stories about the management, although the name changes regularly, so I don't know if that means it's under different management too or what. Let's jut say that I've neard enough bad things to look elsewhere. There are a lot of rental houses in Steiner right now - they may be worth checking out. You can go to www.austinhomesearch.com and check out rentals for zip 78732. Most of those homes are in Steiner, and I am willing to bet that they are probably not too much more per month than the apartments.

Thanks for the feedback! We currently have 2 houses in MO and we're sick of the maintenance costs. We thought apartment living would be ideal because of the cost + the amenities.

I did run a search in the 78732 zip like you suggested and the lowest I could find was $1800 / month. Steiner has a 3 bed 3 bad for around $1200 right now which is what got our attention in the first place.

We really hoped to find something closer to downtown with decent schools for the kids in the same price range but that seems impossible.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by cmiller1014

Thanks for the feedback! We currently have 2 houses in MO and we're sick of the maintenance costs. We thought apartment living would be ideal because of the cost + the amenities.

I did run a search in the 78732 zip like you suggested and the lowest I could find was $1800 / month. Steiner has a 3 bed 3 bad for around $1200 right now which is what got our attention in the first place.

We really hoped to find something closer to downtown with decent schools for the kids in the same price range but that seems impossible.

How big of a space do you need? We were looking at places a few weeks ago, about 11 miles from downtown (Southwest austin, in circle C) and you can get rentals for between 1500-1600. There was one we saw in Circle C North for 1600 that was over 2000 square feet. I also saw a nice home for 1600 in Villages of Western Oaks that was something like 2200 square feet. We picked a house over an apartment because for about 200 more a month we get a two car garage and won't have to put anything in storage. Most of the 3 bedroom apartments were going for over 1200 a month and if you wanted less than a year's lease, the rent went up from there.

[S6Sputnik]

Steiner does have great schools!!

[cmiller1014]

We're selling everything we own, and will likely re-purchase from rooms to go,or rent from a place like AARONS. Space we're open on, but we're trying to stay below $1500 and need at least 3 bedrooms. We work from home, and have 2 young girls. We plant to bunk the girls, and use the extra room as an office.

Thanks!

[austintilelady]

Have you checked the prices on the rent to own or AArons it is off the hook? Becareful about selling everything I went through something myself last year in Houston. The apartments your looking at well I almost moved into them myself. I also read all the reviews and also drove out to the apartments and talked to the manager. I asked them about the reviews and what was going on about it. They told me "that they have had some unhappy tenants" of coarse they would say that. So I started asking certain questions like are your gates closed and locked at all times? They said yes. The gates were never closed or locked at anytime, I checked for months. I also asked about the painting when a tenant moves out "Do you charge tenant and/or keep their deposits for repainting the apartment. The bottom line answer was sometimes/yes. I walked away after a few more questions. Not sure what the deal is with these apartments but alot of the complaints online are true. Have you checked Onion Creek The cottages 3 bedroom with 2 bathes and a 2 car tandem garage. They were my choice after six months of looking and driving all around and downtown Austin. Traffic is going to be bad no matter what and they are located on the right side I mean "the Right side" of the highway and close to downtown. Check them out they are nice and they have a private entrance to your apartment. Would feel more like a home and the girls can play in the garage and driveway sometimes "you know what i mean". Good luck its not easy!