Village at West University

Current Resident 514497

Resident • 2010

Overall a Great Complex

I have lived here for 10 months now and am very happy with it so far. I am a single female and feel very safe in the parking garage and walking to and from my car, even when it is late at night. The security guards know me well and are always friendly. Staff is the same way. I have had some maintenance issues, but they have always been resolved quickly. Usually someone is out the same day to fix whatever it may be. I love the assigned parking because I always know I'll have a spot when I get home. It is very quiet....I rarely hear anyone, and my neighbors (although we keep to ourselves) are very polite and respectful. It is an older crowd that lives here, which I believe helps. The location is perfect for jumping onto Hwy 59 and 2 grocery stores only minutes away. My only complaint is that the apartments could use some upgrading to be more in line with the 'luxury apartment' description they give themselves. The kitchen is outdated in comparison to other complexes in the area that charge the same or less than here. Otherwise, I would recommend this complex.

Sweetdreams4ever

Prospect • Visited 2010

2010 reviews

Hello , I am currently out of the states but i gave my deposit and am ready to move in. Though I am really concerned about all these reviews I have read so I could care less about the 350 dollars, my safety comes first. I realized that everyone says there are alot of break ins, but strangely none of the review writers are one of those victims of the break-ins. So is there actually some one who experienced anything in such? Also, is the safety in an individual's apartment, can it be coped with somehow, with maybe an alarm system, or double/triple locks??? Or is that not the solution to the highly successful break-ins??? Please please tell me what you think , and I will decide based on the answers to my questions!! P.S. I am new in the area , do you think 895 dollars a month is expensive for rent compared with the city/neighborhood rates ???

happytenant47

Resident • 2010

Great Place to Live

I've lived here for 8 years and recently renewed my lease for another 18 months as I do not want to live anywhere else. It is centrally located, convenient to any freeway and shopping. The grounds are well kept, staff is always polite, attentive and knowledgable. Maintenance requests are nearly always answered within 24 hours.

Prospective Resident 570888

Prospect • Visited 2010

EXTREMELY PREJUDIST - STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!

OK I understand that there was a shooting at the apartments but that does NOT give them a right to treat people like TRASH!!!!! FIRST thing that happened to me when I tried to get into the complex was a 5min stare from the security guard as if I was some kind of CRIMINAL and COME ON I'm so small I can't even hurt a fly. SECONDLY when I went inside to talk to the leasing agent about looking at an apartment she was conpletely careless, unprofessional, and RUDE. She took me straight to the apartment, didn't talk to me at all through the whole "tour" and didn't even bother to show me the amenities, then she took me straight back to the office, didn't explain anything else and handed me the brochure. What kind of management is that?!?If they're rude before I even consider moving in, I can't imagine when I DO move in which will NEVER happen with that kind of treatment!!! I will put a formal complaint to the company because that is NOT acceptable!!!!

Current Resident 747094

Resident • 2010

not worth the rent

appliances are outdated and cheap, parking is only one reserved space per apartment, crime has been horrible inside the gates, apartments smell musty and old and need extensive remodeling, few times I have gone to the pool it was cloudy and not good looking, ready to get the heck out of here.

JDIvey

Resident • 2006 - 2010

Extremely Satisfied

I have lived at the Village at West University since November 2006 and have been very happy with my apartment and the complex overall. The Village is quiet, clean, and overall very safe. It is located in a fantastic neighborhood and almost every necessity in terms of shopping is within a half a mile or so. The only reason that I am moving is because my financee has a small dog and pets are not allowed at the Village. I spoke to management concerning the issue (having recently signed a one year lease) and was referred to a management representative within the Fingers Company. Chuck immediately suggested a solution to allow me to transfer to another Fingers property. This was a tremendous relief. The management staff at the Village made the transfer very easy and the staff at the new complex were also very accomodating. Overall, I would highly recommend the Village to someone looking for a very nice, quiet, clean, safe, well maintained apartment home.

Current Resident 576501

Resident • 2010

Excellent location for access to downtown, medical center and galleria areas with easy access to Southwest Freeway (59) and most basic shopping needs within walking distance. Bordering West University Place with the neighborhoods to the west and south quiet and peaceful. I compared VAWU to ALL other apartments within the West University Elementary School boundaries and VAWU offered the best value for money. Grounds well kept, pool very clean, responsive maintenance and attentive, pleasant management. Rent appeared a bit high at first but after comparing location, floor plans, sq. ft. and facilities even Katy apartments appear over-priced. Crime and security concerns are understandably a concern anywhere but some of the comments appear over-blown, expecially in the fourth largest city in the U.S. and the current economy. I have lived in Houston for 15 years, 7 foreign countries and 9 states and these apartments appear no less safe than others. Current increased security is certainly an improvement and much appreciated - especially if maintained. Would appreciate if management reviewed their clubhouse deposit and pet policies.

Prospective Resident 301128

Prospect • Visited 2010

Something's Not Right Here

I was a prospective renter who backed out of moving into an apartment at the Village at West U after hearing about the murder that took place there recently. Was appalled. Had already been concerned about an inordinately high crime rate there which I had verified with my own research. The murder was the last straw, I guess. So I lost my deposit and moved elsewhere--to an even better location, I might add, an apartment that's bigger and less expensive than what I would've paid at the Village at West U. And you know what? So far, so good. I don't feel targeted like a lot of the Village at West U people justifiably seem to feel. Thank you, current renters, for being brave enough to comment on what you've seen firsthand. Your comments about the management square perfectly with what I noticed when I talked to them about the June murder. The management gave me a version of the murder that deviated in crucial ways from what I'd read from multiple news reports. To me, that was a terrible sign. The property at this complex may indeed be beautiful. The management may indeed speak to the renters politely. But this stuff is a gloss, and underneath it are signs galore that things aren't right here. I'm so, so happy that I got away. Incidentally, please know that it's painfully obvious when VAWU management/employees write their own oh-so glowing reviews. Painfully.

Current Resident 163612

Resident • 2008 - 2010

My Home

I have lived at the Village for the last 3 years and have enjoyed my residence completely. I understand we have experienced some difficult monents on our property, but the management has provided us with exceptional leadership. I love our community and I look forward to staying here for many more years. The location, the quality of the property and the integrity of the staff is most important to me.

Current Resident 122227

Resident • 2005 - 2010

LOVELY PROPERTY

I selected this property in March 2005 and was treated like a Queen by the leasing agent. I have continued to feel comfortable, safe since that time. The grounds are very attractive and always maintained. The clientale is professional and quiet. I have had only two A/C service requests and the response time was immediate. I especially am thrilled to have Willie return as our chief maintenance manager. The Whirlpool appliances are good quality and reliable. I recommend this property!

villager1

Resident • 2010

Great place to live

The office staff is very professional and extremely friendly. They go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and valued. The swimming pool is beautiful and always clean. The gymnasium is excellent and is used frequently but it is never crowded. It's nice to have security gates with 24 hr/day guards attending them. It is conveniently located near two major freeways yet far enough that the traffic is not heavy nor is there excessive noise. The grounds are pretty with a lot of greenery and well kept. The apartments are first class and everything about them is really nice. The kitchens are huge!!! It's a great place to live.

ducol

Resident • 2008 - 2010

Very nice apartments, I recommend them.

I have been at these apartments for the last two years. There have been some security issues but those are expected in a large city like Houston. Management is working on it, and I am sure it will improve. As for the murder, it was an isolated incident among people who knew each other and rage took over.....no management would have been able to do anything about the outcome anywhere in the world. Other than that, the grounds are well mainteined, people are nice, staff is good to people. The complex does different activities to make more enjoyable our stay here. Apartments are well done inside and spacious. I recommend these apartments 100%. Happy to be here.

houstonrenter72

Resident • 2007 - 2010

Love the place

I have live at Villages at West U. Since Jan 2007. I have not only never had a problem, but anytime anything has occurred the management has taken care of really really quickly. This is Houston, and it is a metropolitan city and crime is what it is. I have never had a problem here. I have heard of a couple of cars getting broken into the years and everytime the management has beefed up security. Compared to other place places where I have lived this place is one of the safest, well managed apartment complexes in the galleria and West U. area.

Stayingforever8

Resident • 2001 - 2010

Outstanding Location

I have lived at VWU for 8 years and recently renewed for another 18 months. The location is perfect. The management staff is customer service oriented. The maintenance staff is responds immediately. Noise has only been an issue one time and the occupant was not given an opportunity to renew.

Kitty1200

Resident • 2010

Disappointed resident

We have only been here a few months but have already made arrangements to move to an alternative apartment complex, which is a shame in many respects because the location is excellent. I would say we have experienced a mixed bag in terms of the good the bad and the ugly. The good stuff first:- The office staff have been fine in most cases very good. The grounds are very well maintained. The trees etc are looked after as is the pool area. The common areas in the main building are absolutely lovely and the gym is also great. The remaining areas are so so. Many of the hallways and doors could do with a lick of paint but generally it's not bad at all. Now the negative stuff:- Safety has been my number one concern plus we have experienced problems with poor building maintenance. Considering the amount that is charged for rent I did expected a 24 hours Gate person not just dusk till dawn. (This is now in place, June 10, after the most recent security incident). Since we have been here cars and bikes have been stolen and broken into. I know that crime rates go up when the economy is struggling, especially break in, but I do feel more could have been done to secure the site and deter potential thieves. It really isn't that hard to get in to this complex by car. Tail gating is an issue. No-one waits for the gates to close (as we are supposed to) before using their entry remote and pulling in, they just cruise in behind the car in front. I can't see how the gate person would recognise every car and every resident by site. It's impossible, there are too many and they have people moving in and out all the time. It would be entirely possible for someone up to no good to just pull in behind a resident and go through the gate with them. I doubt they would be challenged. I know a friend of mine has done it on numerous occasions. Management are bringing in a sticker system to help the gate staff to visually identify residents vehicles. A good move forward but it should have been in place already. It's simple and relatively cheap. Just make the resident hand it in on moving out advising a high charge if it's not, large fee's, always a good motivator. In my opinion the basic apartment door locks need upgrading. With just the basic lock in place, there is a second lock available for use only when you're home, it feels like a reasonably determined thief could break in without much bother. Other than security we have had issues with poorly maintained telephone stations/boxes. AT&T had difficulty connecting up our apartment, they made many visits and went out of their way to help resolve the problem. AT&T finally found that a vital pieces of hardware had corroded and need to be replaced. The apartment maintenance team did do this the line was successfully connected. I would have expected that maintaining the telephone hardware would be up there on the list of vital services, maybe it is and we were just unlucky. I have to say generally the office staff have been good in answering my queries and dealing with any issues I've had. My a/c stopped working and they had someone there within that morning to fix it. There have though been a few occasions when I've walked away and thought ok in the nicest possibly way you really don't want to know. The latest was the padlocking of one of the pedestrian gates out of the complex. It seems to be a reasonably used gate as it heads straight out in the the Kroger car park. I went to use it found it locked, no notice on the gate, so I went back to the office to find out why and when it would be open again. I was told the gate had produced a fault and that it wouldn't lock so they chained it up till a part could be fitted to fix it. Ok I understand that, great that you locked it but where was the notice on the gate to advise your residents? I also agree with an earlier reviewer regarding the notices placed in door jams advising of security issues, why not put them in peoples mail boxes? Most people check their mail daily. All your doing in highlighting those apartments who's residents maybe away. Someone from HEB gained access recently and did the same with advertising brochures for their supermarket. I didn't think that was very good at all. All in all it's an Ok complex but not great. There is definately room for improvement. At the moment I wouldn't recommend this complex to a friend.

Current Resident 624491

Resident • 2009 - 2010

RESIDENT/MANAGEMENT MEETING OF 6/10/10 FOLLOW-UP

So now that the residents and management finally had a long-awaited meeting, what changes/improvements should we residents now expect to be executed? It was a 2 hour meeting so I'm sure I will miss something. So please add any comments to this list so we can have a collective written summary of what we should now expect: 1. 24 gate attendant that will not leave the booth. 2. More secure gate access so only one car can enter and exit at one time. 3. 24 hour courtesy officer patrolling the grounds (?) not sure I understood this one correctly so I may be wrong. 4. More secure locks on external doors (deadbolts). 5. Information provided to residents to follow-up on crimes (were the perpetrators caught, etc.). 6. Improved answering service that will give our messages more quickly to management. 7. Improved lighting in needed areas of property. 8. Improved camera coverage. 9. Background check of all vendors/servicepeople that are given permission to enter units, especially when the resident is not at home. What else am I missing? I'm sure I've forgotten something or perhaps even misunderstood the conclusion of certain topics. So please feel free to add your input so we can have something in writing to remember what we were promised. It was nice to see a large turnout of concerned residents. Too bad it took a murder, though, to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Let's hold management accountable for our concerns and for what they committed to us.

Current Resident 512333

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Unhappy Tenant

Anyone thinking about moving to VAWU should stay far away. Where to begin? First, I hear a lot of noise coming from other residents while in my apartment. There are loud thuds on my ceiling when my upstairs neighbor walks around, and I know exactly what room they are in and when they are bathing. I live close to the garage and every morning and evening I can hear the echoing thuds of suitcases being wheeled down the hallway. Second, within the first week of moving in I had A/C issues and sink issues, although the staff was responsive and maintenence took care of the problem the following day. Several months later I had a mold problem in the apartment, and contractors had to come twice to remove it. By then, there had been an intruder in a female's apartment and multiple apartment break-ins, so I did not want strangers in my apartment while I was at work. I had to arrange to take time off work so the mold repair job could be completed while I was at home. After the job was done, I asked the office staff for written documentation to keep in my file and was told that someone would bring it to my apartment, but they never did. On another occasion, I woke up one morning without any running water. These are just some of the problems I have been inconvenienced with since moving in. The increase in crime documented in other reviews (including a murder on 6/6/2010) have made me feel very unsafe in my own apartment. To make matters worse, the complex does not allow dogs, which would very likely alleviate the burglaries and car thefts and make residents feel safer. In sum, VAWU is NOT worth the high monthly rent. I have been counting down the days left on my lease since the first month!

Current Resident 491067

Resident • 2008 - 2010

Shooting and fighting in parking lot.

We have lived here for 2 years and it has gone from bad to worse. The management was warned several times about the occupants who committed the murder. There was a great deal of traffic, loud parties, screaming and people running away from that apartment at all hours of the night. The parking is terrible and all assigned and their guests kept parking in everybodies space and nothing is done. In fact one of the assistant manger's uses a prime parking spot for herself and won't assign it to a resident, keeps saying it is assigned. Evey week a break in, car theft and motorcycle theft and there is no security most of the time only occaisionally someone man's the entrance. Time to move.

Current Resident 465864

Resident • 2010

very unsafe place to live

This is very unsafe place to live. In 2 months 2 burglaries, 1 car theft, 1 motor cycle theft, and 1 murder. I move here because property manager said she lives here. That convinced me that this is a safe place for my family. But dead wrong..

Current Resident 464717

Resident • 2010

Shooting: Homicide at the Village at West University on 6/6/2010

I have never written or taken a review seriously. I am writing this today because I want you to know that the gross negligence of the staff and rampant crime at this apartment complex is a danger to your well being. I moved in about 2 months ago and ever since there have been multiple break ins, a motorcycle theft and a car theft. My fiance and I have complained multiple times about our neighbors flagrant drug abuse, suspicious house guests, daily late-night parties and loud music. Management never looked into any of our complaints and our neighbor persisted in his behavior and lifestyle. On the night of June 5th, 2010 about 3 hours before the fatal shooting, I called security and complained that the neighbor's behavior was especially "unsettling" and that the music was high, the neighbor was also clearly high, and his door was open. The security guard never investigated the situation. A few hours later we hear screaming, fighting and several gun shots. A man lay dead a few feet form my car. Needless to say, I am moving out. DO NOT LIVE HERE. http://www.khou.com/home/Man-in-jail-after-shooting-guest-at-party-95724514.html

shrikantv

Resident • 2008 - 2010

Good experience

I stayed at the apartment for 2 years. Though the rent is a bit expensive, the property is well maintained and the manegement is good. Each time I had problem with something in my apartment, I got somebody to fix it within the next hour. The management was also very good with returning the deposit(they did not try to bring in unnecessary charges). I am also not the best at maintaing the apartment. I think they are very reasonable at charging the tenant when they leave. I left the apartment to go to an own house, otherwise I would still choose to be there. Hope this helps. P.S. I also gave a rating of 4 for the apartment previously, but now i will give it a 5 for my overall experience.

BrooklynAssMike

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Previous People Must Be On Drugs

Either the previous reviews of VAWU are by people on drugs, the office staff, or people completely oblivious to whats happening around them. we get letters on our doors every other week now of some crime thats been commited. Rape, Car Theft, Burglary, Vandalism, and soon at this rate it'll be murder. The office staff doesnt care one bit either. This is the only Finger Property in the city that doesnt have 24 hour security guards and the guards that are there at night dont care or do their job. this is why this is also the only property in the area with only 65% capacity. All others are at 97% or a point or 2 off.

Current Resident 762897

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Great Experience

I lived here for about a year. Wonderful experience: quiet and convenient. Staff was absolutely great! Any little problem (and there weren't many) was immediately fixed. Staff was always courteous and gracious. Grounds were well maintained and common areas clean. Highly recommended

Current Resident 124031

Resident • 2010

small issue perhaps

I just moved in, happy with things basically. But on day 4 the fridge breaks down, I had just been to the store so had a receipt for about 50$ worth of groceries that spoiled, I had to toss. They did fix the fridge the next day but still... I would think as a new tenant they would have reimbursed me for this.

Current Resident 525917

Resident • 2010

robberies

hpd's website lists more than a dozen robberies and one rape in the last year at this complex. BELEIVE ME. DO NOT LIVE HERE. management has no concern for tenant safety OR justice. they do not pursue or investigate these robberies and DO NOTHING from preventing them from happening again. they dont even care enough to install kickplates to stop people from using objects to pry doors open, or let residents have DOGS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. the 47% that recommends this place is the management posting here. talk to any tenant!