Villas at Costa Dorada--any info on them and area?

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by sjgusmc21

aptlooking, Yes, we have lived here since July. We live in one of the 3 bedroom townhouses. They are very nice, clean and well made. I have to admit that the maintenance here is second to none! They are friendly and usually out to our house within 1 hour! Seriously, no complaints with that are. As for the safety...well, I don't feel like my family is threatened or in harms way. With that said...this is the south east side. Though people have been friendly here, 3 weeks after we moved in, I had a cheap air compressor and USED electric grill that was stolen off of my patio, even though there is a 6 foot metal fence. I was really pissed. Also, it would appear that vehicles do get broken into here, but we have not had that problem. There are many parks and places to play NEAR our home, but we can't walk there. That isn't very good. We will be moving to the North side of SA next July. The trash area is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. Go to aptreviews.com and check out the pics. I am just amazed that people can be such pigs. Trash is certainly a problem here. People leaving beer bottles laying around, trash bags, etc. So, can I recommend the place? Yes, but with the problems I noted. No noise problem with the exception of the freak'n ice cream trucks that blare their music 4-5 times a day. If you have any other questions, let me know. I have had no problems with the staff. Rose is top notch and very friendly.

I had things stolen off the patio when I lived in apartments on the north side. We also had messy dumpster areas...I think people don't care as much when it's a place they're renting (although I have some neighbors who are content to live like messy pigs even in a house they own). The car break-ins were really common in every complex I ever lived in, in the medical center, on the north side, wherever. You just learn not to keep important things in your car.

Anyhow, the problems you're describing will probably be present on the north side also, they're more of general apartment problems in San Antonio than specific to the SE side.

[sjgusmc21]

So coming from someone that has NEVER lived here, I am giving as an objective view as I can. Does SA in general have a high crime rate? Yes. My renters insurance went from $99 a year to $289. My car insurance went up $35 a month. Is there crime on the North Side? Yes of course, but it is WHERE we go for shopping (no Kohl's) on the south side period. All of the Filippino stores are on the North/North East side as well. MOF, everything we like to do is on the North side. And I work on the North side. So THAT is why we are moving to the North side. My coworkers that have lived here all of their lives say 'move to the north side'. So take it for what I said. We moved back to Texas because I love Texas and was born here. It has most certainly has changed, but it is STILL Texas. Take offense if you want, but this is my view and my experience thus far. There is nothing wrong with living here at the Villas of Costa Dorado. But we are moving when my lease is up.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

I agree, the north side is a better place to live...and not just because of the shopping. You made it sound like the things you mentioned, people stealing off the patio and car break-ins, only happen because it's the southeast side, but they happen on the north side too. I lived in apartments on the north side for more than ten years and had both of those things happen (once someone stole the clothes out of my dryer, another time a high chair, and another time a girl climbed the fence and started doing her laundry in my washing machine, believe it or not). I also had two apartments broken into while I was home with the kids, and another apartment broken into while we were moving out, and a bunch of other random problems. It didn't seem to matter if it was a gated complex either.

[Texmich]

SJusmc21.....how long did it take you to find a job?

[sjgusmc21]

Texmich,

I really wasn't in a hurry to find a job. But I guess when I started focused job hunting, I was getting hits left and right. It isn't how long it will take you to find a job, but how much/little you are willing to work for.

I had numerous job offers, but was floored when they finally told me how much they were offering. I actually told a couple of companies to pound sand, and another one in a much worse manner as that. I knew coming from the East Coast I would be making probably half of what I was making there....but to make less then that actually caught me completely off guard.

So, finding a job wasn't a problem. Finding one that paid a 'fair' wage (and that is stretching it) was even harder.

I am in the IT field, if that helps.

So once I focused, probably about a month.

[Texmich]

Thanks Sjgusmc21,

Was wondering if you came down to SA to check out your apartment to apply or you just did it via online?

[sjgusmc21]

No I did everything online and by asking questions. I started looking up to a year early and settle down on this place. Rose (villas agent) really helped me a lot.
Plus forums like this and apt review.com was great.