I've been living here for several months now and have been pleasantly surprised on every level. When first trying to decide whether this complex was for me, I was nearly scared off by the ratings. I wanted to give a more recent review so that others could consider this place with more accurate information.

Pros:
1. Location: this location is unparalleled. All the best of Manor road is within pleasant walking distance (Hoovers, Mi Madres, Eastside Cafe, Vivo, El Chilito, Clementines/Thunderbird, the Vortex). For graduate students, it's within walking distance of the LBJ School and Law School (and if you don't want to make the walk, there's also a direct bus). There are also multiple conveniently located bus stops offering easy access to many locations throughout the rest of the city.

2. Pets: they allow pets with minimal restrictions, a surprising rarity in nice places in Austin. There is a pet deposit, but it's reasonable.

3. Staff: originally, I was nervous that there is no onsite office. In hindsight, this has been a blessing. The management isn't constantly watching your every move, but they're there quickly when you need something. In fact, the staff is almost comically attentive. The very few times that there have been problems at the complex, they have always had everything fixed in less than 24 hrs. We've actually called them at 5:30 am on a Friday and had them here before 8 am to fix a problem.

4. Interior: the apartment has indeed been recently upgraded. Sometimes I think they got a little star struck by unnecessary or inappropriate features (e.g. having both a straight and a curved shower curtain rod in a bathroom that's too small to accommodate a curved shower curtain), but overall I'm just pleased to be in a place where things are new, nice, and unlikely to break. The layout makes the most of the space and the storage is pretty good for a place this size. I live here with my boyfriend and a dog. Our last place was a two story historical home and our furniture is sized for that kind of place. We've been able to fit almost all of our oversized furniture pretty comfortably and the three of us rarely get in each other's way.


Cons:

1. Safety: we've never had anything of ours stolen or damaged. I've also never felt truly unsafe in my apartment. Our neighbors are great people too (at least the ones we've met!). All that said, this complex is on a major street and every once in a while that means weird people are hanging around near by. This place isn't unsafe, but you do need to be aware of your surroundings.

2. Grounds: the grounds are depressing, especially if you have a pet. There's like a 5x10 patch of grass for the whole complex and then some plants in boxes. These spaces are generally well taken care of, but it's not exactly the lush greenery that other Austin locations provide. If you have a dog, be prepared to walk in the neighborhood or nearby parks rather than just using the apartment grounds.

3. Size: don't let the website description fool you. These apartments are small. They're laid out intelligently, but some areas are still a tight squeeze. You won't be able to fit a full sized dining room table in here (the one piece of furniture we had to ditch), and don't expect more than two people to be in the kitchen at the same time (and even that is a stretch).

4. Price: I love this apartment and can't imagine living in any of the other places we looked at before settling here. That said, $1020 for 680 sq. ft. is ridiculous. You pay a premium for location.

All in all, I highly recommend this apartment.

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