How to find an Apt in Houston (Richmond, West: real estate, apartment)

[domdigs]

I am looking for a 1 br, budget is under $800/month in the Galleria/Uptown area. I have been on CL and see mostly real estate agent advertisements for apt. complexes. How do they work, do I have to pay them a commission for their apt locating services or does the landlord pay it for bringing in a new tenant.

My gf and I will be flying in to go apt. hunting 1 week prior to when we want to start renting towards the end of the month. Is this enough time to secure a decent apt? I assume apt. inventory goes down later in the month since the landlord normally gets 30 days notice from a tenant prior to vacating and wants to secure a tenant ASAP.

Do many of the apts. accept dogs in this area?

Thanks!

[timtemtym]

I lived for awhile at Marquis on Westheimer and had no complaints. Galleria area is loud, this area is a little west and a little quieter. They take dogs and for that budget, it would be a decent apartment.

Also, you should NEVER pay a commission for an apartment rental in Houston. NEVER. They make their money in referral fees from the complex. I always used move for free dot com. They move you (in town) for free and have great movers. Since that won't be an option for you, they offer you money instead for using them as the referral. Just sign up with the website first and put them down as the referral. I don't work for them, but I've used them many times and they are quite good.

[AlfredB1979]

Will $800 get you one bedroom? Maybe a smallish one, but last I went hunting for that area, it was bordering on studio apartment offerings.

I believe most accept dogs. Mine does, but the policy and fees are spelled out by the leasing agent types.

I think Apartment Guide's website will spell that out, too. You really want to get to making calls now, because turnaround time on a unit can take a few weeks depending on what has to be fixed.

Ditto on the other point. You shouldn't be paying to find anything. If you get some money from this, great, but I rely on a locator to hand me money as much as I expect the IRS to finance me a newer truck.

[tebor79]

Go a little ways west on westheimer. like just past Fountain View and you can get a pretty good apartment for a pretty good price(way under $800), and Uptown is a strait shot down Westheimer, san Felipe or Richmond.

[papitosabe]

if you want galleria...i lived in a place on Sage Rd. They are older, but huge and cheap. The apt i had was a one, and 2 bedroom put together. They had broken a wall down to make it a 3 bedroom. We paid $1200 and it was like 1800 sq ft if I remember right (this was a few years ago). The address was 2425 sage, 77056, right behind the JW Marriott on Westheimer. Again, not new, and very quiet, not ghetto whatsoever. A 3 minute walk to the galleria mall.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by domdigs

I am looking for a 1 br, budget is under $800/month in the Galleria/Uptown area. I have been on CL and see mostly real estate agent advertisements for apt. complexes. How do they work, do I have to pay them a commission for their apt locating services or does the landlord pay it for bringing in a new tenant.

My gf and I will be flying in to go apt. hunting 1 week prior to when we want to start renting towards the end of the month. Is this enough time to secure a decent apt? I assume apt. inventory goes down later in the month since the landlord normally gets 30 days notice from a tenant prior to vacating and wants to secure a tenant ASAP.

Do many of the apts. accept dogs in this area?

Thanks!

The locators usually get their commission from the complex instead of the renter.

800 is a good budget for a 1 bedroom.

as for the dogs be careful to ask first. many places have a 45lbs limit. although at my last place we had many naughty neighbors who didn't bother to tell the apartment they had dogs.