Our Blog
Our Blog
All about Houston apartment life, our blog is an ongoing series of informational posts and resources with a variety of topics from Houston apartment news, tips and trends, decorating and lifestyle, to popular events and happenings around greater Houston, Texas and beyond.
All about Houston apartment life, our blog is an ongoing series of informational posts and resources with a variety of topics from Houston apartment news, tips and trends, decorating and lifestyle, to popular events and happenings around greater Houston, Texas and beyond.
A Guide to Houston's Parks
A Guide to Houston's Parks
October 14, 2017
Credit Score Hurdle Harder To Clear For Apartment Renters
Credit Score Hurdle Harder To Clear For Apartment Renters
December 12, 2017
Credit Score Hurdle Harder To Clear For Apartment Renters
By Jared Schenke (See Houston Business Journal December 12, 2017 Article for reference)
If you're looking for an apartment to rent in the Clear Lake City, League City, Webster, or Greater Houston area, contact Kathy Curtis today via AptExpert.com Credit plays a significant role in your apartment rental application approval however I may be able to help you find apartments that can work with a credit issue on a case by case basis.
Top Reasons To Rent A Houston Apartment
Top Reasons To Rent A Houston Apartment
The Top Reasons to rent an apartment versus buying a home or renting a house:
1) Flexibility and Less Risk- it's less costly and much easier to buy out of an apartment lease, and you don't have to sell your house first; no minimum 10% property tax or insurance increases year over year; less of a problem if you need to move due to job transfer or move quickly for a variety of reasons from health to family emergency.
2) More Bang For Your Buck- You can enjoy custom interior finishes and features for a fraction of the cost that come with a home purchase from granite countertops and kitchen islands to tray ceilings and crown molding, wood style flooring, contemporary fixtures or a built in computer niche to wine refrigerators at select properties. Views - you can have a million dollar view for the price of an apartment even if it's from the rooftop pool! Communities inside the loop or in Uptown Houston can offer stunning citviews or select suburban properties located on the lake can offer serene lakes and waterviews.
3) Location, location, location - skip that traffic! Your apartment could be close enough to work that you can walk or have a short trip, or have access to Metro or Lite Rail and skip driving to work all together! Some new luxury communities offer bicycle storage, loaner bicycles, even bike repair techs. Popular dining and hot entertainment venues can be minutes from your apartment; say goodbye to gym membership fees with state of the art fitness facilities for a better and healthier you;
4) Lifestyle - apartment life is social! Make new friends or entertain and impress your old friends with amenities such as rooftop social lounges, cozy firepits, billiards and arcade game rooms, sports rooms and resort style pools; feel less guilty about having to leave your pet home all day when you can shuffle over to the bark park where you both can extend your social life. The amenities vary by property but most offer a clubrom and swimming pool at the very least.
5) Save money - less money upfront for renting with lower deposits than renting a home and no huge down payment; save money on apartment rent specials; select Houston apartments offer from 1 month free to other incentives, deals and discounts!
6) Enjoy your days off! No mowing grass, doing plumbing repairs or performing preventative maintenance that comes with home ownership! There's no way around it, you either have to pay someone to do it or do it yourself.
Our Blog
Our Blog
See the best Elementary Schools throughout Greater Houston in 2017 in this article from Houston Business Journals
See the best Elementary Schools throughout Greater Houston in 2017 in this article from Houston Business Journals
March 15, 2017
See the top performing Elementary Schools throughout Greater Houston - this list includes Conroe - Montgomery County, Fort Bend County and Harris County. Click through the slideshow!
Looking for an apartment for your family with great schools for your children? Call Kathy Curtis or visit website at AptExpert.com to get started! Free apartment Locator Service for the entire greater Houston area!
Our Blog
Our Blog
An ongoing series of informational entries
An ongoing series of informational entries
Hot & Trending Areas in Houston for Apartment Search - Downtown Houston, Montrose, River Oaks, EADO
Hot & Trending Areas in Houston for Apartment Search - Downtown Houston, Montrose, River Oaks, EADO
Kathy Curtis - AptExpert.com shared : Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 3:21 PM
The biggest draw of the downtown Houston area is proximity to jobs. Houston is America’s fourth largest city, and sprawls in every direction. Dozens of large companies, including Chevron and Shell, are located downtown, and living nearby eliminates an exasperating commute on the city’s frequently crowded highways. This being said, there’s a healthy contingent of people moving downtown for the lifestyle who work in employment clusters elsewhere, with the knowledge that their commute will be in the opposite direction of most others’ and therefore a whole lot quicker.
Anticipated Amenities at these Washington Corridor and Midtown Houston Area Apartments!
Anticipated Amenities at these Washington Corridor and Midtown Houston Area Apartments!
Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 5:16 PM
New Luxury Apartments - California Style Mid Rises with two levels community parking garage.
- Nest Smart Thermostats
- Built-in speakers/sound system with select
- Soft-close drawers
- Top floor Penthouses w/wine chiller & wine rack
- Upgraded stainless-steel appliances
- Vegas resort-style pool w/cabanas & TVs,a sun-shelf and outdoor grills
- Fitness center & separate yoga and spin room with Matrix equipment, on-demand workout systems and Peloton stationary bikes just like SoulCycle Houston
Houston Apartment Rents Are Down, But Not For Everyone!
Houston Apartment Rents Are Down, But Not For Everyone!
Katherine Feser - shared by Kathy Curtis, AptExpert.com: Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2016 4:31 PM
Houston apartment rents are down, but not for everyone
ByKatherine Feser
Updated 11:59 am, Thursday, September 22, 2016
The glut of new apartments is dragging down average rents in Houston, with rent in August falling the most in six years, a new report showed.
Not everyone is getting relief, however, as renters in suburban markets with concentrations of older complexes saw the highest rent increases, Axiometrics reported.
Houston Neighborhoods Where Rents Rose and Fell the Most in 2016
Houston Neighborhoods Where Rents Rose and Fell the Most in 2016
Paul Takahashi, Houston Business Journal Shared by AptExpert.com : Posted on Saturday, December 03, 2016 1:37 PM
Nov 28, 2016
Houston apartment rents have largely stagnated amid aglut of new projects opening during the oil slump.
The average apartment rent across the Bayou City inched up just 1.3 percent year over year to $981 per month (average), according toTranswestern’s2016 Houston Trendlines report.
Apartment developers and operators areoffering between two and three months of free rentto entice renters to live in new Class A luxury apartment projects, which were planned when oil prices were above $100 a barrel and Houston was creating more than 100,000 new jobs a year.
Apartment Search Tips - Before You Begin Your Search
Apartment Search Tips - Before You Begin Your Search
Kathy Curtis - AptExpert.com: Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 3:05 PM
Apartment Search Tips– Think about what you want before you start your search and it will be a much easier task.
• What can you afford, what do you want to spend on apartment rent monthly - take into consideration electricity, trash, water, pet rent is an additional fee?
( Most apartment communities require your income to equal 3 times the monthly rent, pre-tax/gross )
• What lease term are you able to sign? ( Best price and possible special almost always offered with a 12+ month lease term )
High Rents, it's a bird, it's a plane. . .nope, it's just economics!
High Rents, it's a bird, it's a plane. . .nope, it's just economics!
Kathy Curtis, AptExpert.com : Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 6:05 PM
In today’s apartment rental market, most renters will agree - good apartments are hard to find in the Houston and surrounding areas. Oh, there are plenty of good apartments to be found, but this definition pertains to good and low priced apartments! You know what I mean, what rents were just a few years ago! Rents today are considerably higher than just a few years ago! There are many reasons for this - demand increased, limited availability at the time. So, for the homeowners that lost their homes to foreclosure or were forced into a quick sale due to being upside down or a lost job, damaged their credit, most turned to renting apartments.
Houston Rental Growth Highest In Suburbs – But Not By Much
Houston Rental Growth Highest In Suburbs – But Not By Much
Shared by Kathy Curtis, Texas Apartment Locators AptExpert.com : Posted on Monday, June 12, 2017 10:23 AM
Interesting read shared from Houston Public Media regarding Houston's Apartment Rental Growth In Suburbs - study released by Rent Café.
Study shows rental households in suburban Houston grew by 13 percent from 2011 to 2015 and average rate is $10 savings - not sure I agree with that!
Shared by AptExpert.com
Contact Kathy Curtis, Texas Apartment Locators for your next apartment search via AptExpert.com
All Those Free Rent Specials Could Be Coming To An End!
All Those Free Rent Specials Could Be Coming To An End!
Shared from Houston Chronicle by AptExpert.com : Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 4:05 PM
If an apartment search is in your immediate future - don't wait, contact Kathy Curtis,AptExpert.com Texas Apartment Locators to take advantage of some great specials that appear to be going away in the not too distant future!
Shared From the Houston Chronicle July 18, 2017
All those free-rent specials landlords have been using to lure tenants to their brand-new buildings might not be around for long.
The explosion of multifamily construction that turned Houston into a renters' market has fallen off dramatically and experts are predicting the generous concessions could cease in 2018 as the market methodically absorbs the tens of thousands of units developers have built in recent years.
Did You Know when you lease an apartment in Houston . . . ?
Did You Know when you lease an apartment in Houston . . . ?
There are fees to apply for an apartment, and every occupant over the age of 18 must also have a background check!
“One Time Fees”
(These fees may be required to be in the form of a money order, cashier’s check, or personal check, unless credit card/online payments are accepted upfront, and prior to occupancy).
Examples of Fees:
Application Fee per adult, may be higher for married couple
$50
(Non-refundable fee paid by each applicant for verification of information).
There may also be what's considered or known as an Admin fee - these fees range in amount, can be from zero to $300. higher if risk fee is associated with administration fee. May or may not be refundable if application is denied, varies by property.
Security Deposit
Deposits also range from zero and higher, varies by property, overall credit, rental and other history. The security deposit may or may not be refundable if applicant is denied, customarily is refundable at the end of your lease term provided you've met the requirements of the lease agreement. There are apartment communities that use a deposit referred to as a Sure Deposit - a deposit that also acts as a bond and is not refundable. The benefits of a sure deposit is that it can be considerably lower than a traditional security deposit depending on overall application results.
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