Marquis at Pin Oak
  (formerly The Gables Pin Oak & Pin Oak Park Apartments)

Update of A Fair Review From: -Anonymous- Date posted: 7/27/2007 Years at this apartment: 2004 - 2006 4 responses   My wife and I have lived in the complex since mid-2004. We originally lived in the section located across the street, before Gables sold it off. We now live in the Pin Oak section with a view of the pool. Both complexes now belong to Marquis and are now worse than ever. The inside of the apartments is nice, but not especially fancy. Garden tub plus crown molding does not equal luxury. (Especially when the flooring consists of linoleum, CHEAP carpet and a small patch of IKEA-tone laminant flooring in the kitchen. Also, the kitchen counters are cheap formica.) The outside of the complex itself used to be maintained pretty well and maintenance tried to keep it clean. After the takeover by Marquis, this is no longer the case. Examples: 1) The dumpsters tend to fill up and overflow drastically by the end of the week. Beware of roaches, mice and stray (possibly demonic) cats. Admittedly, this was a problem prior to the takeover, but it remains unremedied. 2) Some of the really lazy residents leave their trash bags outside their front doors. Sometimes for a couple of days. This has become even more of a problem since the takeover, as enforcement is non-existant. 3) Irresponsible dog owners allow their dogs to crap on the sidewalk and it stays there for days. More than once have I unwittingly tracked post-digested Alpo into my car and/or apartment. I have complained to management, but suffice it to say, they don't give a ----. 4) The complex has constantly been under construction since we moved in. How many times in three years do you have to replace the roof' In terms of noise, it is a pretty quiet complex, except at 8 in the morning when maintenance used to do yard work. The leaf blowers were pretty obnoxious at that hour. I don't know when they mow the grass now. Additionally, twice in the last two weeks, the fire alarm has been triggered in one of the buildings. The first time was no big deal, since it occurred in the afternoon on a Sunday. The second time was at about 5:00 a.m. in the middle of the week. The alarms have never previously malfunctioned during my time at this complex. I don't know what the issue is now. The pool and hot tub were pretty nice. However, the complex has over-landscaped around the pool, so by 5 or 6 in the afternoon, it's usually filled with leaves, etc. Prior to the takeover, they used to clean it every morning. Now, they do not and the pool is consistently dirty and green, as a result of the algae build-up. To my utter astonishment, people still swim in the pool. I guess there's no point in having an immune system unless you put it to the test occasionally. The location is great, but be prepared for high rent and electricity bills. At the current rates, I am trying to find a house. Management is firm on their rental prices and don't seem to have a lot of compassion for anyone. By far, the biggest problem with this complex is the theft/vandalism of cars. If you park in the garage, don't leave your detachable radio face, or any other temptation, inside your car. My wife got her ragtop slashed and her dashboard destroyed for her $120 radio. (Probably worth $20 in pawn-shop drug money to someone.) One time, I saw a new, yellow Corvette in the garage that was up on blocks, with all 4 wheels missing. It was not that way when I parked there the previous night. The management drones are constantly changing and usually not for the better. At one point toward the end of our lease, my wife went to renogotiate renewal terms with the Gables management. The management staffer argued with my wife, told her that the lease was a binding legal document and that her request to negotiate before the end of the lease term was "illegal", and then proceeded to lecture her on Texas law and the law of contracts. My wife and I are both lawyers. Neither of us particularly appreciate being lectured or the condescending drivel of someone who does not know what they are talking about. Fortunately, those people are gone. We'll see how the new ones do. In terms of neighbors, it's hard to say much. Moving trucks abound on weekends. It's difficult to say who is coming and who is going. Lately, it seems like I've seen more people moving out than moving in. This is probably an okay place to live for 2 or 3 years while you are trying to get established, but I would not plan on living here for much longer than that.

Recommended: NO Overall Rating

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