Houston Apartments

According to data recently published by the ALN Apartment Data firm, apartments across the nation are suffering a marked decrease in occupancy and average rent rates.  While this is a great situation for the renter, apartments are struggling to keep their books in the black.  As occupancy dips lower, apartment communities are finding they must lower rates and increase advertising to match the lack of demand. 

In order for most apartment communities to be profitable, they must maintain around 90% occupancy or above.  According to data released, most major apartment market areas are well below this mark. To find the market trends in your city, click National Apartment Occupancy and Average Rent Rates to view the entire article.

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The Texas Association of Apartments is a non-profit trade organization made up of owners, builders, developers, and property management firms and companies that actively represent the entire rental housing industry at the state capitol and at least 25 state regulatory agencies.

Filling out the Texas Association of Apartments Application is often a crucial part of the the approval process for your next apartment home.  The application, also known as a Texas Rental Application, provides the apartment community information about you such as your credit history and criminal history.  Other relevant information required is who will live with you, and, if you have pets, what kind and how many.   

Remember that TAA applications should only be used by Texas licensed real estate agents, so consult your apartment locator.  Your locator is an excellent source for all of these questions and issues raised, so feel free to ask for help and clarification throughout the entire process of finding your next home.

In what was most likely part of a larger series of car burglaries in southwest Houston, the Kirby Place was hit Tuesday, July 21st. Eight vehicles on the property suffered smashed windows and were stripped of small valuables.

ABC 13 Eyewitness News reported earlier this month that 43 cars were broken into at the nearby apartment community Alexan Main Street. In response, the Houston Police Department has increased patrols in the Medical Center Area. No arrests in either burglaries are yet known.

ApartmentWIZ encourages its clients and employees to not leave valuables in their vehicles in plain sight. To report information on these crimes at Kirby Place or any other, contact the HPD or visit their website.

By Cynthia Bowen, Marketing Director

ApartmentWIZ and Cox Radio have begun an affiliate advertising partnership online. Cox Radio has four radio stations in the Houston market, 1069 the Point, 107-5 K-Hits, New 93Q and Country Legends 97.1. These sites now present advertising information on ApartmentWIZ.com to a large Houston-based target market.

ApartmentWIZ, one of the largest apartment locating companies in Texas, and Cox Radio, which reaches almost half of the adult population in Houston, are a natural advertising pairing. Cox Radio is one of the largest radio broadcasters in the nation and operates predominately in the Sunbelt region. ApartmentWIZ is actively seeking advertising partners with a hyper local presence and broad reach, and Cox Radio meets that criteria.

Cox Radio owns four radio stations that air in the Houston metropolitan area. 1069 The Point plays 80’s hits. 107-5 K-Hits airs music from the 60s and 70s. The New 93Q broadcasts the latest in country hits and Country Legends 97.1 plays some of the best country songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Now, when radio listeners view the website for one of their favorite radio stations, they will be greeted with an advertisement for ApartmentWIZ.com. Site visitors to ApartmentWIZ can search for apartment deals and then request free personalized assistance from a licensed real estate agent.

“ApartmentWIZ is very excited to work with Cox Radio in this new advertising partnership. With the combined reach, Houston will have something good to listen to on the radio, and a great apartment in which to live.­” –Mark Berry, VP of Business Development

Here is a list of the top 3 lofts in Houston, Texas on my experiences while showing each of the properties:

1)  Hogg Palace Lofts

Hogg Palace makes the number one spot for my favorite loft in Houston because it has the best location in the theatre district and it has the very cool rooftop terrace.  It’s also located in a very attractive, all brick, historic building.  These are hard lofts, so be prepared for rough concrete pillars and exposed brick.

2)  Alta Lofts

The Alta Lofts at Hermann Park are the best lofts in Houston because they are the only property that offers residents both soft and hard lofts.  If you are looking for the tradtional rough concrete, exposed brick and ducts, then Alta Lofts can offer you a unit in their tower.  If you want the finished sheet rock, polished concrete, hardwood floors then the mid rise is for you.  One caution about the property though: it’s rumored that the tower was a former insane assylum before being renovated.

3)  Yale Street Lofts

The third best loft in Houston, TX is located in the Heights and offers residents small community living as there are only 20 lofts on the property.  This property is also one of the few lofts in Houston where you can still pay close to one dollar per square foot.  In fact, all units are around 1,000 square feet, so residents have plenty of living space.Š

The downtown area is undoubtedly one of the most popular requests we get as far as where to live in Houston.  With so many apartments in this region, it’s hard to choose which one is right for you.  You could ask one of our apartment locators to tell you which property is the best for you, but most people need to decide on their own.  While seeing the apartments is a good place to start, searching through client opinions on this blog for specific reviews is even better.  While none of the apartments in Dowtown Houston are perfect; there are some of which you want to stay clear.  Stay tuned for an article discussing the 5 worst things that can happen at downtown properties.

While knowing where not to live can be valuable–knowing where to live is even better.  Our real estate agents can let you know which Downtown Houston apartments are known for great customer service and high marks from their tenants.

It is a landmark that many people with different professional backgrounds call home. Allen House Apartments, 24 acres of prime land will be turned into Regent Square which will be a mixed use urban village housing apartments, condominiums, shops and a boutique hotel.

Regent Square will be turned into a huge community where one can live, work, shop or even dine. By 2010 Regent Square will offer 740 apartment units occupying 230,000 square feet with the possibility of expansion in the future. Regent Square will be built using a unique concept that aims to blend into the fabric of the surrounding neighborhood.

The buildings will be traditionally styled, between four and eight stories tall, with prominent contemporary features. Regent Square Apartments will have a sense of urban identity that boasts a mixed-use (residential and commercial) project that reflects a national trend and are becoming increasingly popular in The United States.

Apartments in Regent Square are the perfect community for those who want to live in luxurious homes and be near downtown and close to clubs, entrainment, dining and much more.

For more information click Regent Square.

Lofts in Houston have gotten to be quite expensive over the last years as residents have embraced the style.  Traditional apartments have even tried to emulate the style in hopes to capitalize on this popular living choice. 

I always get asked how to recognize “true” Houston lofts and what properties are best values.  So here we go.  “True” units are buildings that have been converted from office and industrial use to modern day residences.  They are usually very rough and feature concrete floors, counters, and pillars.  The pluses of true lofts in Houston are that they usually boast high ceilings, open space, and an element of character so unusual in the city’s traditional apartment market.

As far as the best values for the units, Alexan, White Oak Bayou, and Hogg Palace almost always beat the competition when it comes for bang for buck.

For live pricing and photos visit Houston Lofts.

Our company recently hired a former elementary school teacher, and one of her former students wrote this poem about her new job:

Apartments, apartments, apartments galore, All she wants is more and more. 

As she is an ApartmentWIZ Doing her job is like taking an easy quiz. 

Finding, seeing, apartment being Knowing her stuff from counters to fluff. 

She won’t take a break or find a mistake, Size, compromise, that’s not a surprise. 

The client insists on the right lists, Which pulls in the buyer with their hopes going higher. 

You, me, we’ve got to agree On which place you liked on our apartment spree. 

Making a deal is something you’ve got to feel. Sign a lease, do it in peace. 

Apartments, apartments, apartments galore, 

All she wants is more and more!

Aging apartments earmarked for demolition are creating an upscale multifamily land rush in urban Houston. Typical investors interested in Class B and C apartment projects found themselves bidding against major developers offering to pay much more than the target price. Last month, Trammell Crow Residential purchased the 1960’s-constructed Westheimer Square Apartments, and will replace the 110-unit complex with a 244-unit luxury apartment building. The 2.7-acre site at 2001 Westheimer will fall to the wrecking ball in November. Construction will begin in first quarter 2007 on the Alexan Westheimer Square, which will have four floors of apartments on top of two floors of parking garage. The apartments will average 935 square feet and rent for an average of $1.70 per square foot when they are completed in summer 2008. Trammell Crow Residential also is expanding the upscale Alexan brand with the Alexan Kirby, a project about a mile away from Westheimer Square, near Richmond and Kirby. The old Sleepy Hollow apartments are being demolished at the site. Construction will begin in September and 230 units will be ready by December 2007. Commerce Equities is another player in the apartment redevelopment game. The firm’s 242-unit Bayou on the Bend on Memorial is opening soon. The company also is preparing to replace the Wilshire Village apartments at West Alabama and Dunlavy. The complex dating back to World War II will give way to a midrise apartment building. Apartment broker Jim Hurd of Houston Income Properties Inc. says redevelopment of older apartment complexes is also taking place in the Galleria, Clear Lake and along Interstate 10 west of downtown. But the inner-loop activity tops the list. Land in the best areas inside the Loop is selling for $60 to $85 per square foot.