The Vista on Brodie

Current Resident 356756

Resident • 2013 - 2014

After living in three other apartment communities here in the Austin area this is our favorite. Love all the trees and openness. You don't feel stuffed in a sea of concrete. Our unit has a beautiful view of the Hill Country too. The interiors are not luxury but classy and inviting. Personally, not into the stainless steel and granite craze so it is nice having black appliances. This place has great terraces too. People are friendly and you see folks walking their dogs in the morning and evening. We are renewing our lease for round two. The location, staff, amenities, and floor plans got us hooked for now.

Current Resident 434392

Resident • 2011 - 2013

My partner and I had both unknowingly dropped off checks for rent at the beginning of August. I had dropped it off the evening of the 3rd, the next morning before the office opened, he sent me a text message letting me know he dropped off a check as well on his way into work. I immediately called and left a message for the office accountant that there were two checks, one needed to be shredded, voided out, destroyed in general, as there were not enough funds in our joint account. I also called later that afternoon and tried to let one of the office staff know and make sure the message had been passed along, to which she responded unprofessionally, with a small laugh, that she would let the accountant know. The following Wednesday, the 7th, I received an email from my bank with an insufficient funds notice. I checked my account online and both of the checks had been processed and posted, resulting in our account over-drafting and overdraft fees. I called the apartment office and spoke to the accountant directly, informed her of the situation, and was told that the only message that was passed to her was if she had received both checks from us, nothing further. I was told over the phone that if I could bring her a statement from the bank showing the checks had cleared and posted to the account, she could refund us the money for the duplicate check, and all would be well. I was out of work by 1 PM, went straight to the bank, was given a statement from a banker, and he told me that both checks had posted, and the overdraft fees were associated with other card purchases that were still processing. I took this information to the accountant, she contacted their corporate office to let them know of the mistake, all the while doing everything she could to make sure we knew that this was mostly our fault for dropping off two checks in the first place. We responded by telling her we had contacted the office twice, which we felt was already more than enough, and it was her staff that were unable to pass on a message properly, including a very detailed voice-mail stating that one check may possibly bounce due to the amount of funds in our account. She then told us that corporate would have to send us a check, she couldn't cut us a check as she had originally stated to me earlier that day, and that it would be 3-4 business days because their corporate office is located in San Diego, California. After reminding her of what she told me that morning, she said she would talk to the apartment manager about the complex paying the extra money to have the check mailed by overnight instead. We told her that would be fine, and left. That Friday, the 9th, I checked our mail, and the check was there as promised, so I immediately deposited it to avoid any further overdraft fees on our account. The following Wednesday, the accountant called and left a voice mail on my phone explaining harshly and sternly that the check they didn't refund us had returned insufficient funds (herein called "NSF"), and that our rent was now considered unpaid due to the refund check they gave us, how she was in trouble with their corporate office because of this, and that we might be responsible for additional late fees and a $50 NSF fee that their bank charged them. She also stated she was leaving for the day, as it was 5 PM, and we had 24 hours to bring them the rent plus the NSF in certified funds. The next day I brought her a check for the actual amount due for our rent, explaining she knew already that we didn't have the funds available for a money order or cashier's check, and the best we could do was a standard check. She initially refused to take it, stating it was policy that any late rent had to be in certified funds, and after much debate and explaining we would both be paid that upcoming Friday, the 16th, she said she could hold onto the check as good faith payment, and once we both received our paychecks we would bring her a money order. We were also told to speak with our bank concerning the NSF fee, stating that sometimes banks will reimburse their customers in cases like this. After speaking to a different banker, I was told that banks do not reimburse customers for NSF fees charged by apartment complexes for bounced checks, but clients are told this frequently anyway. He also explained to me that technically it was not a bank error and considering I had taken the necessary steps to go through multiple channels to contact the apartment and let them know one check was a duplicate, the NSF fee is the apartment's liability, not ours. I took down his name, and went to the office and spoke directly to the apartment manager, and told her exactly what I was told and gave her that bankers name as well. She explained that she could not waive any fees due to NSFs, she would have to speak to corporate, and get back to us the next day, today the 23rd. The manager and accountant, as a conference call, called my partner this morning, the 23rd, while I was unavailable. The manager reiterated everything we had told her, and he tried to explain to her that I was the one who had contacted the bank, not him. The accountant cut in, once again explained that she had basically gone out of her way to get the reimbursement check, and was now in trouble with corporate because of the NSF check. They both spoke to him on an unprofessional level and he felt bullied enough to bring them a check for the $50 NSF fee. After being residents of this community for almost three years, this is the highest amount of disrespect either one of us has ever been treated with. We informed them we will not be renewing our lease, as they are raising our rent higher than we would like to pay. Overall the staff at the time everything happened at Bella Vista acted in a very unprofessional manner. Yes, granted they tried to help, going out of their way to pay the extra money to have the reimbursement check sent by overnight delivery, although the cost was less than $20.

DayTripper3

Resident • 2013

There are a million newer apartment complexes in Austin with comparable units and amenities, but I cannot imagine a better staff than Bella Vista's. Each one of the staff members is very kind, knowledgeable, helpful and are overall just good people that you would want to work with. They genuinely care about their residents, and I found myself sitting in the office chatting with the staff every time I had to make a trip to the office. Pros: -The pool. Wow! Even though they have a resort-style pool and there's quite a few younger tenants, the atmosphere is always relaxed and never gets too rowdy. The staff does a great job of keeping the pool enjoyable for all ages. -Maintenance requests were always addressed immediately, and that staff was also very friendly. -The apartments are quite nice, especially for the price. -I felt safe at Bella Vista. They have a security guard patrolling the grounds seemingly 24/7. -Bella Vista makes a great effort to host fun events for residents.I had a great time at the crawfish boil. Also, they send out weekly emails with community news and even have a Craigslist style 'for sale' section. How cool is that? -The units are well insulated - my utility bills were always significantly lower than my previous apartment. -The staff does a good job of cracking down on problematic tenants. If someone received several noise complaints or left trash in the hallways...they didn't seem to last very long. -The pool. -The pool. Cons: -It can be a tad noisy at times, but nothing out of the ordinary. If you want absolute peace and quiet - move into a house. -For some reason, my ice always tasted odd. Maintenance installed a water purifier for my ice machine, but it still tasted weird. A friend who lived in a different building at Bella Vista, so this could be an isolated incident. Overall - This is a great place to live for the price. I didn't feel like just another tenant, but a part of a safe, fun community. The staff is what separates Bella Vista from the pack. There were no surprises upon move-out. All of the costs were reasonable and these costs were well-communicated before moving out. If I didn't move into a house, I would still be living at Bella Vista.

Current Resident 25332

Resident • 2011 - 2012

This honestly is the best all around apartment that I have lived in over the last ten years and I have lived in about 8 different places. I can't comment on parking, because I lived in a unit with an attached garage and when friends came over they would park in tandem in front of my garage. I occasionally would hear the bass from my next door neighbors speakers and when hear the vacuum running from my upstairs neighbor, but it was no different then any other apartment I have lived in. The leasing staff was great and friendly. I worked from home a lot and on my way to the complex gym I would strike up a conversation with the staff to help cure by cabin fever. If I were to move back to S. Austin I would move into that complex again.

Current Resident 687242

Resident • 2011 - 2012

I had a hard time even giving Bella Vista a tar at all, but it is required. It was hands down the WROST place I have ever lived. It isn't the cleanest of apartments and is super old. The "new fixtures" they offer are what is now considered "out of date." The bugs there are bad. ABC supposedly comes out and sprays regularly but they asked me to "keep" a bug for the ABC guy would come out and treat out place. They charge for the air units causing black marks whenever you shut your door and other places. The girls in the office, minus two, Julie and Andrea, are extremely rude and not helpful. I have never been more happy to get out of a place like that. I do NOT recommend anyone living there. There is a reason the rent is so cheap...

Current Resident 191552

Resident • 2011 - 2012

So many fake reviews on here. This place is horrible.

Momma21

Resident • 2012

The best !

These are by far the best apartments I've ever lived In I've lived here for two years 2 differer floor plans both very nice ! Everyone minds they're own business and the staff are great ! Did I mention the location is perfect I have lived in 6 different nice apartments and these are number 1, you won't regret living here

crissie46

Resident • 2006 - 2010

I LOOOOOVE THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX!!!

I found this apartment through an apartment locator. I moved in sight unseen when I moved from Dallas, TX to Austin. I enjoyed my time there very much. The staff was AMAZING and I still keep with with them to this day. I miss them very much and love them with all my heart. If anyone asks me where the best place in Austin to live at I will recommend this complex 10000x over! Awesome! Love you Jules and Ursula! :)

Current Resident 731363

Resident • 2006 - 2012

Thumbs up

I have been here for a little over five years now and have really enjoyed living at The Villages of Bella Vista. I wouldn t have been here this long if I didn t like it here, feel safe or if I weren t respected as a tenant. The office staff is hands down fantastic. They are very friendly, quick to fix any maintenance requests you may have and even follow up to make sure your request was done and done properly. The staff works hard to make sure everyone in the complex is in the know of what is going on, good or bad, and make it a comfortable and fun place to be that makes you say you re happy to live here. Yes, there are noisy neighbors at times, ant/pests that like to come in and make your place their home and an air conditioner filter that needs to be changed from time to time, but, that comes with the territory of apartment living. Everyone is entitled to give their opinion and felt that my experience needed to be shared. Overall, if you re looking for an apartment to live in on the South side of Austin, I would recommend The Villages of Bella Vista as a great place to live.

Current Resident 327464

Resident • 2012

Blatant Lies...

The latest review is a blatant lie. The staff was asked to divulge information about break ins in the building of our place. THEY REFUSED. And after we got broke into, the apartment above got broke into and after calling the police that makes 4 or 5 in just ONE building. Our building has come together and put all the puzzle pieces together. No wonder there are always vacant apartments in this building...Because they keep getting robbed and the staff has yet to do ONE thing to inhance safety or make us feel better. Oh, they did put out a nice little newletter about dog poop and lost trinkets- Failed to mention the multiple break ins during the day and the broken gates, worthless cameras and scared tenants... but make sure if you find a lost watch, you turn it in;)

helicoper1512

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Do not live here

This place is horrible. Do not live here. The noise is abssolutly ridiculous. I have lived in this apartment complex for about 9 months and ccant wait to move out. The staff is friendly. The maintenance is good but they will charger you for every little thing when you move out. I switched apartments after 3 months and they charged me for everything. I will never reccomend anyone to live here. I am also in the proccess of getting a lawywer to define what "normal wear and tear" is. Please save yourself the hassle and move to ridgeview or deerfield. Also this place has endless break ins and the gates are always malfunctioning. I have had my car broken in to once and my motorcycle stolen. Parking is a nightmare. My honest advice is aboslutley no matter what the incentives, no matter what the cost do not live here. I fully expect to get charged an upwards of 1000 . Please take my advice.

veponder

Resident • 2009 - 2011

Do not believe the positive reviews!!

I lived in Bella Vista from 2009 to 2011. The design of the floorplans are great, the staff is very helpful and friendly, maintenance requests are addressed promptly, however it is obvious these units were built poorly and cheap materials were used. The walls are paper thin, thin enough to hear your neighbor's cellphone ring and the subsequent conversation, and thin enough to hear every intimate encounter your neighbor has in acoustic detail. I have lived in a ton of apartments from Kentucky, Arkansas, and Texas and this was the first time I had the ability to hear so much of my neighbor's activities. This is not the place to live if you work unusual shift work, as you will rarely get sleep. It was unnecessary to set my alarm, since I could hear my my neighbor's alarm go off every weekday morning at 5 AM. Lucky for me I am an early riser. What I did enjoy about my apartment was the view from the greenbelt and watching the deer romp around each morning outside of my window. The Fitness Center was okay, but one of the treadmills were always damaged and I believed new ones needed to be purchased as the treadmills were way past their time. If you do move-into these units be aware they will charge you for carpet damage regardless. I was charged for pet damage in a room which my pet was never allowed to enter. Which lead me to believe the previous person who occupied the unit had a pet and the carpet was not changed or cleaned prior to me moving in. They claimed so much pet damage it was ridiculous, since my dog is so well house trained, she actually climbed out of a first floor window (in a previous apartment) to go outside to relieve herself. I knew of one area which my dog had an incident as the dog walker told me and we cleaned it up, so I suspected I was going to get charged for that, but I was forced to pay for new carpet for the entire unit!! I did some research since I be-friended several residents and they confirmed my suspicions. I had one friend who did not live in her unit for the last six months of her lease, had not pet, she had OCD like Monk on television and she was charged for carpet!!! They do expect for you to do a thorough cleaning of the apartment, as they will charge you for that, which is discerning as I would not trust anyone's cleaning methods. How do you know if bleach was used to clean the refrigerator, bathroom and microwave? I remember when I transferred to another unit in the community and I hired a maid service to clean my former apartment and the Apartment Manager, Geneva asked why I would pay for such as thing, since they clean the unit. I do not think so. I will take the other reviews with caution as I believe the staff are writing them, as they do live in the complex. I find it strange that one of the reviews addresses "safety". since an acquaintance has inquired about the complex and one of her concerns as a single female was safety. I really do believe the staff posts positive reviews to counteract the negative. However, the staff are very nice, professional and helpful. I never sensed any of the staff being difficult or a-holes, even when I was upset about the entire carpet scandal. As I told Geneva, it is a matter of trust and honesty, and that was broken with all the claims of carpet damage.

Current Resident 120076

Resident • 2011

Fantastic place to live!

From my very first day of looking I was impressed. Special shout out to Julie in the office for being so awesome and making me feel comfortable in my choice and answering all of my questions as I awaited moving in here. As a single female safety was my number one concern and I have not once felt nervous since moving in here. The floor plans here are really laid out well. Out of all the apartments I looked at Bella had the best layout. Noise can sometimes be a bit, but I think it all depends on who you live next to and how loud they are in general. Overall I think that the noise level is probably normal for apartment living. Grounds are very well kept up and nothing beats getting to see all the deer that roam around daily. Also maintenance requests are handled pretty near immediately. That's a huge plus! This complex is close to EVERYTHING!!!! Every store and every restaurant you could ever need is all so close and convenient. There seems to be a lot of families here and people seem friendly and laid back. If you are looking for a wild party complex full of single people partying and drag racing through the parking lots then you won't find that here and I encourage you to please look elsewhere!!!! I haven't been here long, but I am already recommending to friends.

belawinnie

Resident • 2011

Very Nice Place to Stay At

This is the 3rd apartment that we have stayed, also The Best One since we moved into Austin, TX. The management team is very friendly and efficiency. They response to your request quickly while some other places need "written notice" and wait for some days to solve your problem. There is a lot of fun in this community - network activity, stories time for the little kids, trick or treat, weekly breakfast, etc. The best part for me is, their office and facilities are really available for you to use but not just a good look (in others, I used the office only to pay rent), here you can freely to get online with one of those computers, they are always available while some other places have only 1-2 pc and sometimes only one of them was working. The gym opens 24/7, there are some nice places by the pool you can sit there with friends. Besides some noise from my neighbor, we feel very confortable and happy living here.

Current Resident 14955

Resident • 2011

happy

I've lived here for 6 months and I feel like I have a little piece of heaven, awesome view. The office staff is nice and they make sure things are taken care of right away. I'm impressed with how the grounds are kept clean. One thing I'm not happy about is the security gate, when you enter another car can follow right behind you with no problem getting in, that part I don't feel save about. I would recommend this place.

Current Resident 994867

Resident • 2010 - 2011

Happy Bellavistian!

I moved into Bella Vista in 2010 and absolutely love it! I love that the office team knows their residents by name. The newsletters that go out are awesome! They always give me a laugh from time to time with the "lovebird noise" shout outs. This is an amazing place to live with an amazing management team! I highly recommend looking into Bella Vista as your next home.

laurenb33

Resident • 2009 - 2011

Wonderful Apartment complex!

I have lived at the Villages of Bella Vista for the past 2 years and absolutely love it! The office staff is wonderful, the maintenance staff is very quick and helpful, the complex its self is always in clean and in order. Bella Vista feels more like a home than an apartment complex. I can not say enough wonderful things about living here and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an apartment in south Austin!

Current Resident 959589

Resident • 2009 - 2011

Great Place!

I have lived at the Villages of Bella Vista for almost 2 years now and really love the place. The office staff are friendly and very helpful (especially Ursula and Julie - thanks guys!), the apartments are beautiful and the grounds are very neatly kept, and overall, it is a great place to call home.

dkprenter

Resident • 2007 - 2011

Only good things to say!

We have lived her 4 years and have been very happy. The staff is wonderful and very helpful. Maintenance issues are taken care of on a timely basis. Parking is okay and they do strive for safe driving in the parking lot.

dnutt0479

Resident • 2008 - 2011

Love living here

After reading some of these reviews i am confused as to what these people are talking about. I have lived here 3 years and my husband has lived here longer than that. We have never had a problem with maintenance or the rest of the staff. During this past horrendous summer our ac went out at 9 at night. The maintenance staff was out here by 10. These people are dedicated and wonderful. I could not imagine living anywhere else in Austin.

Current Resident 928465

Resident • 2008 - 2011

Best place to live in South Austin

Ive been a resident at Bella Vista since 2008.The people in the office are great!They are proactive with bringing the apartment community togther, by hosting events in the club house every month.Every event provides a variety of foods and drinks while the tenant mingle, and get to know one another.A breakfast bar is provided almost every Saturday if you wish to have a relaxing start to your weekend. They also have a great fitness facility equipped with free-wieghts,machine weights,and cardio machines to get in shape. The attention they give to the landscaping makes for a clean enviornment all year around. Service orders are done quick if needed.They have two pools to choose from.One for lounging if you want to go unoticed and one for the people who like to see and be seen.Its a great place to call home!

Current Resident 926946

Resident • 2010 - 2011

Great Apartments. Safe Community Setting. Friendly Attentive Staff.

I'm going on my second year living at the Villages of Bella Vista and I can honestly say it's the best apartment I've ever lived in, and being in my twenties I've lived in quite a few here in Austin. The apartments are very nice and clean, the thing that probably pleases me the most is I hardly ever have to deal w/ bugs, and I live on the 1st floor too. If you've ever lived in an older apartment in Austin and have had to deal with the anxiety of having cockroaches, then this is something you can definitely appreciate! If there ever is a problem, maintenance has always fixed it in a timely manner. The staff is very friendly and genuine. They know you by name and are always willing to help out with any issues you may be having. Plus there are always cookies in the office! The grounds are always well kept and the pool is stunning, it's like something you would see at a resort. I've been here for about a year & a half and haven't had any issues w/ crime thus far (knock on wood). My car has previously been broken into 3 times. (The Villages of Bella Vista are a far cry from student apartments on Riverside). So it's nice to finally live in an area where I feel safe. If there is any suspicious activity the staff makes you aware of it immediately. They send out weekly email newsletters to let you know about the happenings around the community. There have honestly been more warnings about coyote sightings than crime in the area & I'm ok with that... coyotes don't steal my CD player out of my car. The office has a really nice coffee machine and internet cafe. And if you live on top of the hill you get a breathtaking view! I live at the bottom but I don't mind as it gets me in & out faster when I'm leaving & coming home. Everything you need is located nearby. HEB, restaurants, banks, all just a couple miles down the street, and it only takes me around 15 mins depending on traffic to drive downtown. Overall, The Villages of Bella Vista offer a great community setting that offers lots of events and networking opportunities. All-in-all, pretty great deal, definitely recommend!

Current Resident 926698

Resident • 2010 - 2011

Nice Place

Absolutely love the layout of our apartment, the open kitchen really makes it easy to entertain guests. The pool is unbelievable and the newer construction allows for cheaper utility bills. The clubhouse is full of great amenities, as well. I do have some complaints, however, the parking situation is awful. Not enough spaces and they are way too small for even my 2003 sedan. The grills at the pool are pretty dirty and the grates never get cleaned by other guests.

bevans33

Resident • 2011

Finally home!

After deciding to postpone the purchase of a condo this year, it was challenging for me to find an apartment that met all of my requirements, my wants and for the right price. I was introduced to Bella Vista by a previous tenant of the complex, who wanted to move back in because they loved it so much. Upon meeting the leasing managers and having the tour of the complex; I was certain that I wanted to live there. I have lived at Bella Vista for about one month and it s only exceeded my expectations between the upkeep of the grounds & facilities, the most efficient & friendly apartment managers, the perks of having access to dvd rentals, tanning beds, really good coffee and a beautiful pool, I m absolutely loving it.

Current Resident 923350

Resident • 2010 - 2011

can't wait to get out

I have been here almost two years and when my lease is up in Feb I'm never coming back! The ladies in the office are nice, but that's where it ends. I hope you never have a major problem in your apartment. I spent four days dealing with a backed up garbage disposal and the stench was horrible. The pool is great if you like screaming children and being stared at/hit on by other residents. The work out room has been dirty recently and the gates never work. I would rather sleep in my truck than release at this place.