My stay here at Avendaro has been okay. The grounds are well kept, and I've been fortunate to be living next to respectful neighbors. I've only had one encounter with the maintenance crew and that was to borrow some touch up wall paint. I found one of the maintenance staff working in the garage on my way to pick up my mail, and I asked him if he would mind me borrowing some wall paint. Later that day he came by my apartment and delivered a plastic container with paint, and I very much appreciated that level of service. The apartment above mine is a model, which means I don't worry about noise at night or early in the morning, but I could definitely understand other posts about the quality of sound-proofing in the apartments. During the weekend, when I am here during the day, I can hear every single step taken by those viewing the apartment above me. Occasionally at night, the noise generated from the outside A/C condensers turning on or somebody walking down the stairs is enough to wake me up, and I'm a fairly heavy sleeper. As with any apartment you'll stay in, there are one or two hoodlums that do live here, so I have heard the occasional car stereo bass at night, and one or two times, somebody either power-braking or cornering fast enough through to squeal their tires, but this is not an everyday occurrence. Parking is not too much of a problem at my building, but compared to my experience with Gables Grandview, almost anything seems better.

I think the apartments are good overall. I tend to like to live in apartments that are a little newer (built within the last 6-7 years). The appliances here have just the most basic of features, but they are clean and new. The built-in entertainment center worked for my particular TV and stereo system configuration, but it will be a problem for many who have flat screens or something larger or much smaller than a 36" CRT. I haven't found anything that I would consider of shoddy workmanship, other than the aforementioned sound-proofing/insulation. The biggest problem in my 1 bedroom apartment is the lack of both closet and kitchen storage space. I have had studio apartments in college that had more kitchen space. In all my dealings with the staff, they have always been very professional, although I wouldn't say particularly friendly. They will sign for packages here, and rent is not late until after the 5th of the month.

One of the reasons I chose to sign here, was that despite the location being far from my office, I was was able to get a reasonable price for a nicer apartment. Most of the apartments closer to where I work are older, more expensive, or sometimes both. However, I have chosen to move out because they raised my rent for a 1 bedroom apartment from a reasonable $695 to $780 per month, that is, if I sign another 6-9 month lease. I thought that seemed a tad steep for a rent increase after only 6 months, considering inflation only being about 1-3% a year, and the availability of apartments in Austin. I have excellent credit, I've paid all my rent and all of my bills on-time, and as far as I know, I have not been a nuisance to my neighbors, I've never voiced a complaint to anyone, and the only time I have visited the leasing office since I moved-in is to pick up an occasional package.

After receiving my lease renewal notice, I went to the office to pick up the latest price list. Sure enough, the current rate for the apartment I live in now is actually $720, not for just my floor plan, but for my actual apartment I'm living in now. That is not including any type of move-in specials. If you were to include Avendaro's $500 look-and-lease special, this would bring down the price, for a new tenant signing a 6 month, to $637 per month. I went to the leasing office to ask why my rent was being raised so much and if there was anything that could be done. Unfortunately the staff would do nothing to meet me in the middle. They said they received my rent increase from the corporate office and had no control over it whatsoever. I suppose that is believable, but I'm not sure why Sentinel properties believes its good business to drive out current residents with a ridiculous rent increase. I could just as easily drive not even a quarter-mile down the road and find another apartment in the $650-700 range again, and if they were to immediately fill my apartment, they would still be making $80 less less-per-month than if they had just kept me there and gave me the same price they offered to new tenants. Sentinel will have to pay for maintenance and cleaning services prior to a new tenant's move-in date. What could have been a very positive experience was spoiled very quickly by a lease renewal notice and the refusal of (or inability for) the staff to compromise. So, as much as I hate moving, it's going to be more cost effective in the long run. For the price they want me to pay, I can get the same quality of apartment and community much closer to Arboretum shopping and my office.

User Responses
From: robbynbyrd	Date: 07/28/2006
I live next door in Escalon, another Sentinel property, and the rate they offered me to renew was an increase of just over $100/month. Insane. They're gonna lose a lot of people this way.
From: robomac	Date: 08/30/2006
yep! upper management must all be IDIOTS! Damn Yankees!
From: happybubbles	Date: 09/22/2006
They are raising the rents vecause other nearby properties are charging more than they are. They can't be the chumps on the block.
From: doc1778	Date: 12/01/2006
I used to work for them and upper management IS the problem. Don't take it out on the staff, they think it's stupid too!

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