MAA Haven at Blanco

plaperruque33

Resident • 2013

I am very happy at this property. The property management staff are always very helpful and courteous. The maintenance staff get any work order done very quickly and correctly. The apartment complex has great amenities and always very clean. This complex is one of the most quiet properties i have ever lived in and i feel very safe living here. Again, the whole staff delivers great service and makes it a pleasure living here.

Jmackie24

Resident • 2011 - 2013

I've lived at The Haven for over 2 years now and have been very happy here. I am very picky, and I checked out a dozen apartment communities before settling on this one. It's in a great location, the apartments are very nice, the grounds are well kept, they offer good amenities, and the property management staff are friendly and respond promptly; maintenance staff are skilled and courteous. On occasion I do hear my upstairs neighbors, but that is to be expected when living in an apartment. I have no regrets about selecting this community and would recommend it without reservation.

jeff_c

Resident • 2013

I very much like living at the Haven at Blanco. Great location, nice amenities, and a friendly staff set this apartment complex ahead of the rest. If you're thinking of getting an apartment on the north side of San Antonio, I highly recommend you stop by and visit the Haven. I'm sure you'll be greeted by a smiling face.

SChancer

Resident • 2013

My wife and I moved a couple of months ago to San Antonio, TX. We both feel that we are fortunate to have leased an apartment home at this property. Besides curb appeal and a convenient location, we devised rating criteria in our decision making process: 1)Infrastructure - The Haven has fantastic amenities, the common areas are well maintained and the clubhouse is inviting and well appointed. Floor plans are well thought out. We have plank flooring, tile in the kitchen with granite countertops. Our unit is quiet and has a good feel. 2) Cleanliness - This is very important to us on several levels. It is a reflection on the entire enterprise. Pride of ownership is critical and The Haven is immaculate. From the moment you approach the entry gates through the front door of our unit, it is home to us. 3) Staff - Wow!!! The staff here embodies the statement "extreme customer service". Their dedication and practice of "customer first management" transcends the entire organization from the maintenance guys through the office staff and management team and waterfalls down to the apartment's vendors (UPS, FedEx, USPS, Cort, Landscapes). We love our apartment and will recommend The Haven to anyone.

Tigger00

Resident • 2013

Just moved here from Sarasota a a while back and multiple things sold me on the place. The apartments are spacious and very nice. Having a vinyl floor in the living room is much nicer than carpeting everywhere. The property is also very well groomed and kept nice. The standards for curb appeal are very high here. I never hear my neighbors through the walls which is a huge upgrade from where I used to live. Overall it is a great place with a very nice and thoughtful staff.

Current Resident 207819

Resident • 2013

The SWAT team was out at the Haven at Blanco when I lived there. They had every exit on lockdown and I watched the whole ordeal play out from my apartment for about 2 hours. Some guy had hostages, a child and a woman, in their apartment. There were seriously armed men with sniper rifles aimed at a particular apartment. It was down right scary and I was just thankful my child was not at home.

Current Resident 201650

Resident • 2011 - 2013

I lived in the 3 bedroom for 2 years with my family. We ended up having to end our lease early due to several dangerous situations of residents involving meth (learned this from the staff) that happened in the parking lots and constant noise from our loud and uncaring next door and upstairs neighbors. All hours of the night we were woken up by stomping, pounding, hammering, other apartment alarm clocks, music, and neighbors having loud, drawn out sexual encounters. The units are very poorly constructed and there is nowhere near enough insulation between units. You can directly hear normal volumed talking right next door to your adjacent walls. We were paying the price of a luxury apartment but had the feel of a cheap motel. The staff was nice until we turned in our notice. Then, they were nothing but rude and cold. They agreed to wave our early move-out fee due to the known problems they were having with area residents but then tried to stick us with needing to replace the entire carpet. The customer service at the end was awful and unprofessional. They've since turned us into a collection agency without our knowledge and we are currently having to spend time disputing this wrongful charge. Basically, if you don't ever need a full nights rest, don't really value safety, and don't care about a huge headache when it's time to move on, this may be the perfect place for you to live.

kalschwartz

Resident • 2011 - 2013

If you like a dirty environment, a rude, lazy staff, and black mold, then move to the Haven at Blanco! They will welcome you with a smile then when you have black mold, or Barn Swallows nesting and pooping everywhere their smiles turn to nasty frowns. The maintenance staff consists of two pretty good guys, but the two guys in charge are lazy good for nothings. They sit in the back room of the office while the other two guys "try" to do everything. My whole building had black mold and they knew about it for a year. My friend below told me it is still infested.

Current Resident 40016

Resident • 2011 - 2013

I have lived at the Haven at Blanco over 2 years and I cannot say enough about the excellent customer service and the wonder staff. I moved here, from the East cost, because of my job, did not know anyone here, and was truly out of my comfort zone. Fortunately, the staff helped me adjust to the Texan culture and made me feel safe in an unknown environment. Yeah Haven!!!!

kschwa

Resident • 2013

These apartments are infected with black mold. Be very careful. The office staff is awful. The lead maintenance man is the lead moron. He spends more time in the office sitting around than working and when he does do something he never gets it right. For over a year I have had issues and this guy can't seem to get my shower working properly. Again, every time I have gone to the office he is always kicked back in the back office doing nothing. I hate hate hate Haven at Blanco,

Current Resident 278563

Resident • 2012 - 2013

I have lived here for almost a year now and I absolutely love it. The office staff is always very friendly and more then willing to help accomodate others including myself. I work out of town most of the month so I needed help finding a cleaning service and they found me one and she did awesome! I also have to buy equipment for my business that gets shipped to the office and they will take my packages to my garage. I love all the improvements they have made to the complex. They replaced all the equipment in the original gym with brand new pieces that have individual tv screens on each piece. They also added a second gym loaded with free weights and machine weights and everything you could possibily want. The dog park they added is as big as one you would find at a big park. I love that they have a 24 hr policy on work orders, if anything is ever broken or not working they are always right there to help you out.

maribel1208

Resident • 2011 - 2013

I've lived at The Haven at Blanco since April/2011 with my roommate in a 2 bedroom/2 bath (roommate style) apartment. This layout works great for us because other than a larger bathroom/closet, the room sizes were pretty similar and at opposite ends of the unit. I personally love the larger inched blinds that look great w/ or without curtains. We have a large living room and opted for the sunroom instead of balcony. The kitchen is very spacious and we both were able to cook at the same time. Add to that the elegant look of the cabinets, floor, appliances and counter tops, and this girl was a happy camper. PLUS: Washer dryer IN UNIT!! a total plus and very much needed. As far as noise levels go, we had an issue with the music being too loud upstairs but it was resolved after the office spoke to them. Other than that I never had an issue with the shared walls or complex being loud. My neighbors are friendly and it's a nice feeling to leave in the morning to smiling faces and "good mornings". I appreciate it b/c I never knew any of my neighbors at my old apartment. I've always been able to park right in front of my building and there are usually 3 or more spots available at night. Parking was only slightly tighter during the summer when people frequented the pool but not to the point where I felt the need to complain. The valet trash is also I huge plus for us. It kept our kitchen looking nice/clean and it really comes in handy during the hot summer days or cold winters when taking the trash to the dumpsters doesn't seem like the most exciting thing to do. I sadly won't be renewing my lease for my 2/2 due to getting married and getting a house w/ my soon to be husband but if we had the ability to stay , we definitely would. My roommate and I wanted a safe secure place when we signed w/ the haven at Blanco 2yrs ago and it that's exactly what we got. Has management changed? yes, has there been change to policies? yes. Are these horrible living conditions that make zero sense and not possible to accept? NO!! I feel the staff has been very helpful and has tried to accommodate everyone to the changes. Change is a process and to expect everything to stay exactly the same and perfect off the bat is unrealistic. The new management is currently cleaning and improving the grounds with new landscaping and sidewalks. The staff has always been friendly, informative and helpful. The maintenance staff is quick to help with any issue we had that really only extended to a change of battery on a smoke alarm and the light in the stove needing a bulb change. We had a form left at our door weeks before our 60 day notice was due to let us know the options we had with our lease. This was greatly appreciated since we didn't have this luxury at our old place. Carlynn in the front office has been especially helpful and sweet when I've been in the office. She completely understood why I wouldn't be renewing and made the process very easy. I feel people will treat you the way you treat them. I've always been respectful and polite when I've walked in with questions and I've always received the same treatment back. The Haven at Blanco provided us with a great home for two years and for that I am truly appreciative.

Current Resident 274574

Resident • 2009 - 2013

Echoing the previous persons review, the new management company could not have been a worse choice. A day late on the rent? You'll receive a notice to vacate within a week taped to your door (despite the illegality of not going through proper eviction process) Want to pay your bill? Well that'll be $0.95/month for an electronic statement or $4.95/month for a paper one (obviously you have to take one or the other... Does it really cost $5 for sheet of paper and some ink? or $1 a month to post it online? Maybe $12 is not a huge sum of money but since when was a bill something you got billed for?) Dont have a pest problem, nor have you in 4 years you've lived in the apartment because you actually take care of your place? Well too bad, there's still a $5/month non-optional fee for pest control (a service that was provided for as part of the rent under the old management company) Single, travel a lot, dont use much water and/or renting a larger apartment because you want to live in style? Well thats too bad too because you'll still help subsidize the other people who are wasteful with water/sewer (water/sewer used to be billed per unit per gallon usage, now its billed based on total community cost divided by square footage. A single person living in a 2 bedroom gets to subsidize the couple living in the 1 bedroom because the single-person's apartment is bigger so they MUST be using more water) Want to pay by credit card? That'll be $19.95 for your troubles, another service that used to be free. By check? You can mail it or drop it off during office hours but there's no more after-hours drop box or slot due to "theft" concerns. Want stairwells and breeze-ways that are cleaned regularly? Not anymore. The old company used to come through once every 3-4 months. The new company took over in October 1 and they have yet to be cleaned and the last time they were cleaned was back in July/August so they're dirty and sometimes smelly depending on what people track up/down the stairs on their shoes. Want to rent month-to-month at the end of your current lease? We dont care that your signed rent agreement says it will go up $100 for each month your not on a lease (i.e. 1st month = rent 100, 2nd month = rent 200, etc), we're going to dictate new terms that increase the rent by $300 for every month. Which I suppose if you're renting month-to-month beyond 5 months might be good but you need to stay month-to-month just to break even with what your lease says you'll pay for month-to-month. Dont know about the legality of this since your not technically in a lease anymore but the lease you sign does have provisions for month-to-month. All in all, as the previous person said, they've increased and added fees associated with renting and most of the fee's are not subject to the lease agreement and thus can be changed/increased at anytime leaving the renter holding the bag for the increases. Despicable business practice.

Current Resident 874612

Resident • 2010 - 2013

The new management company is the absolute worst. The old management company was decent about complex upkeep and you could at least talk/work with them when there was an issue. The new management company on the other hand has continually removed options for making rent payments, increased fees and other charges (amounting to an unauthorized rent increase in my mind) and taken significantly less care of the complex. As where the old management firm saw tenants and people, this new company only see's $$. Parking is a pain unless you pay for a garage or covered spot. Walls are super thin and you can hear your neighbors easily. It wasnt always this bad though. When I first moved in parking was adequate, the complex was generally quite so you didnt notice the walls and the grounds were taken care of. I guess that's why Ive stayed as long as I have but Ill definitely be leaving when my lease is up.

Current Resident 124073

Resident • 2012

Very pet friendly... hence watch where you are walking in the grass! Not a lot of "free" parking spaces. Office staff was very nice and accomodating when we rented. A good experience.

Current Resident 192709

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Horrible experience!!! I have been doing apartment living for many years. I always get my pet deposits & security deposits back. EXCEPT for here at the Haven Blanco. Upon move out I did not get any statements saying I was being charged for any damages. I knew something was fishy when I was never refunded my deposits. About 9 months after moving out a collection agency called me stating I owed monies to the community. One of the charged was for carpet. Funny thing is... My apartment had wood floors. It's a beautiful property with a beautiful smiling staff but it all turned out to be a fascade. DO NOT RENT HERE. They promised me things at move it but never came through on their end of the deal. Another thing, I once came home mid day to discover my neighbors vehicle had been vandalized. All the windows we bashed out & there was glass all over the parking lot. When I called to report it... No one in the office would answer the phone. I had a horrible experience here & wasted a lot of money a long the way. Walls super thin I could here my upstairs neighbor sneeze, his alarm clock every morning, and even knew when his girlfriend was in town for the weekend (read between the lines there). If you are thinking about renting here... Run away while you can & don't look back!

Current Resident 175659

Resident • 2009 - 2010

Lived at the Haven for 1 year. Good place to live except for once you move out they dont inform you of charges. We have been out of that appartment for 2 years and got a call from a collection agency stating that we owed money to the Haven at Blanco. Never once were we informed by the Haven that we owed them any money. We got SCAMMED by them and now our credit got hurt. A call would have been nice to inform us or even a letter. Dont be fooled by the FAKE friendly staff.

Current Resident 190636

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Great Experience, Great Location

I've lived here for over a year and have had nothing but postive experiences w/the staff and the property. Carlynn was amazing, and did a fantastic job helping me transition into my new home. She definitely went the extra mile in making sure I was set up for success. The property itself is fairly new and well maintained. It is close to great restaurants, shopping and about 20-25 mins to downtown (Not during rush hour). Highly Recommended. BK

txagr

Resident • 2010 - 2012

more ( ) than (-)

I have lived here (1st as a single in a 1 bedroom and then married, now in a two) and just renewed a 4 month lease. We like it here, I think it's very safe and because my husband is in the military and travels, that's important to me. I didn't have a problem with hidden fees or anything when I moved out of my first apartment. The derilick staff is weeded out pretty fast. -------------- are AWESOME! However, ------ had a bee in her bonnet and a terrible repore with residents. Maintence is top notch!! I live above a garage now, which is the worst! But that's a risk associated with apartment living, I'll concede. Package delivery is well organized and I do not worry about things being delivered to the office. Price is at a premium, but the nice appliances and granite counter tops are included. And everyone's favorite topic: the dog poo. There's a lot of it here, especially in the wooded area that backs up to the greenbelt. Land mines everywhere. I wish more pet owners would realize picking up after your dog is a responsibility inherent in ownership, but that doesn't seem to have occured to many at the Haven at Blanco. One time I was watching Real Housewives of Atlanta and a police officer knocked at my door. He thought there was a domestic dispute. I was single and in my one bedroom at the time. But I felt safe knowing there are ultra-vigilant community members here. He kind of looked like Steven Segal. I say if you're between places, pick here. It's got all the important things and a nice and attentive staff. Oh and resident refferal rebates are a scam--I know two people that have signed leases here, submitted my name and I haven't seen a dime of that promised $200

Current Resident 477332

Resident • 2011

GOING DOWNHILL FAST!

Parking: Horrible - There are more spaces that require you to pay $80-$100 to occupy than free parking spaces Noise: You can hear everything from neighbor's conversations to neighbors using the toilet Dog poop is everywhere! Cockroaches and spiders crawl into every crack/opening of your apartment! ---- in the leasing office is extremely rude and incompetent. She should work at the Velero! When people move out, the apartments aren't thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before new tenants move in, they are surface-cleaned. When your lease expires, expect astronomical rate increases! The rates have increased drastically from 2009 to now! New money has moved into the complex and the staff is taking advantage of it!

Current Resident 775680

Resident • 2011

Fantastic and a place I can call home

Recently moved here after living at another place in the area. The Haven really is a luxary apartment complex. The apartment has excellent insulation against the elements and sound. This past weekend I couldn't get over how quiet it was in my place. The last apartment I lived in, I had to leave the AC on 24/7 just to keep it cool and the noise from outside was just out of control. This place, the AC will kick on for 20 min and then stay off most of the day and stay cool. Another great feature is the apartments include washer and drier which is just awesome. There are lights and ceiling fans in every room. If you tour the place, you will notice the construction is second to none. I dare you to find another place in the area that is this nice. I spent a LOT of time looking and couldn't find a place that was even close to the luxary this place has to offer. Parking can be a bit of an issue at times, but if it bothers you, get a car port or a garage. Seems that a lot of the bad reviews are from people who aren't used to apartment living or are here to complain. I assure you, if you follow the very few rules, you will enjoy living here.

SAguy11

Resident • 2009

THE place to live in San Antonio

I moved to town 2 years ago and have only lived here ever since. However I definitely did serious apartment shopping prior to making my decision and I have to say The Haven got my heart at first sight. Staff worked me trhough the application and move-in processes and since then I have lived there super happily. While I replaced my broken printer, I used the business center. The staff are always there for me to help me. They even take the time to do residents integration events like Easter egg hunt, movies by the pool during Summer, a Thanksgiving Pot Luck free X'mas gift rap. Whoever walks in my apartment praises how nice both it and the community are. I am the first resident of my unit and I strive on keeping it like new continuously. Whenever an issue comes up (i have only had minor ones), I set up a service request online and somebody takes care of it within 1-2 business days. I also pay my rent on online and they do accept credit cards (many properties only accept checks/money orders as forms of payment, in spite of the fact that we are already in 2011). Whenever I am on the road beaten by Texas heat and all that what turly refreshes me is the thought that soon I will be back home to my shrine: My little corner of the world. And that certainly brightens my day. No parking or no dog poop issues on my end, all of my neighboors are adults and very nice people. You will NEVER EVER see clothing hanging on balconies (That's a big no no to me and I did see that in other properties). Everybody is kind, respectful and -if not super social - at least cordial. (What else can you ask for, right?). I just hope the office keeps doing a good job by super screening future residents as the current ones want to keep the property like that.

merry.grace

Resident • 2010 - 2011

PROS: New and Clean, family centered Cons: PARKING, Big Increass, and loud

I moved in about a year ago, and have not had any issues. They have always responded quickly when there is an issues. A few weeks ago, some tenants were fighting in the middle of the night (which is not common) and had a party the next day. They kicked them out of the complex. My issue are that the renewal was steep! We did get in on a good deal originally, but the renewal was high. The other issue is the parking - on any given night, I have to park in the next building. Other then that, it is a great family complex. They do several activities throughout the year: have a snack waiting for the bus kids, movie night, wine tasting, etc. The staff is fantastic. They pick up your trash at your door - fantastic. They fix any issues quickly - fantastic. The location is great, and easy to get anywhere. The school - Hidden Forest Elementary is mirrors a private school. I see many families with young children living there, and many professionals. It is not a "party spot". They have a play ground that my kids really enjoy, and pool is great.

Current Resident 204025

Resident • 2010 - 2011

To the Staff Member who placed my lease renewal contract on my door!

To place my lease renewal which I have not signed since I'm on a month-to-month agreement, is a breach of my privacy and unprofessional to say the least. the documents had enough of my personal information for someone to steal my identity and were in an unsealed envelope with a tab closure (that could be opened and closed without being detected). Don't you think you could have waited until tomorrow (Saturday)to drop the renewal contract off at my apartment or you could have called me and asked me to stop by the office to pick it up. Unacceptable!

Current Resident 782998

Resident • 2011

Wouldn't recommend

I think whether you like this place or not depends entirely on how much you can afford. And perhaps where you are in your life. Don't worry, I'll explain... This place definitely has some nice features, but has a few key draw backs as well. Parking: This has never been a problem for me, but I live in the VERY back of the apartment complex, which seems to have ample parking. Things may be different elsewhere in the complex, but it's fine where I am. Noise: This has not been a problem for me per se, as I have pretty quiet neighbors. HOWEVER, the wall ARE as thin as other reviewers have mentioned. I am constantly hearing garage doors open, and on two different occasions I have actually heard neighbors peeing. Sorry if that's gross, but if you can hear THAT, I think you can safely come to the conclusion that the walls are a bit too thin. Grounds: This is a tough one. The obvious complaint is that there is dog poop everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. Grass, sidewalks, in the complex, and even in front of the main office building. Despite what management might say, I think the main onus on keeping clean grounds is on them. While there are trash cans and bags provided sporadically around the complex, it should be the management who ENFORCES the policy. Stepping in dog poop is like a punishment. Sure, there are bags and cans, but where is the DETERRENT for dog-owners not to leave their pets' fecal matter on the ground? There should be some sort of fine or something if caught. My other complaint would be that the steps leading up the the breezeways are usually pretty filthy. I don't know if this is from tenants exactly, or from the valet trash service, but they definitely need to be cleaned. Other than that, the grounds are pretty decently maintained, and the pool is a great example of this. The pool is truly resort worthy. There are privacy bushes, scenic palm trees and it is kept clean. I've also seen dead flower beds be re-planted with new flowers which is nice... unfortunately the Texas heat (it's June) killed them in about two days and they were removed altogether. The grounds definitely look better the closer you get to the main office. Safety: I feel pretty safe here. Saw a police car in the lot a few weeks ago, but I'm not sure what the disturbance was. Everything is not well lit, but I have to say that I'm not really worried about crime here at all. Construction: Beside the walls (ceilings, floors, whatever) which I mentioned earlier, the apartments seem to be constructed fairly well, with and emphasis on the kitchens and bathrooms. This is, of course, very smart, as kitchens and bathrooms are two of the main selling points when it comes to homes and apartments. I give Haven a thumbs up for that. Maintenance: Never had any apartment issues so far, so I've never had a reason to call. The main complex gates seem to break down once a week or so, but thankfully there are two entrances and this seems to get fixed fairly quickly. The only other experience I've had with anything broken is EVERY DAY IN THE FITNESS CENTER. The ellipticals are falling apart and the treadmills plain don't work (I've never used their bike). I'd estimate that 2 out of 3 treadmills have been flat out unusable for 5 weeks now, and every time I say something I get the same story: their contractor looked at them and they are waiting for parts and waiting to see what can be done. There is nothing more they can do about it. This particular issue really gets to me as I used to be the manager of a small 4-diamond hotel fitness center, very similar to the one in the Haven at Blanco. We also had treadmills that broke down, but unlike the Haven, we had them up and running in 5 days or less. Why have a fitness center if none of your equipment works? At least then the tenants would be complaining about an amenity that you say that you offer but in reality don't. At the very least Haven should be putting signs on their machines, letting people know that they are out of service. By not even doing this, it SEEMS as though they are ignoring the problem, or that they don't know about it, or perhaps they don't even care. I'm not saying this is their attitude, but without SOME sort of communication, who knows? Tenants like myself come back day after day only to find that the machines are still broken and only 1 person can run at a time...even though it seems like there are two other treadmills available. Very frustrating. Staff: Here we go... my biggest complaint. The staff. Unfriendly, unhelpful = bad experience no matter how good the amenities are. I have more than a couple stories about how bored, disinterested and borderline rude the office staff is with the tenants of the Haven at Blanco. Every time I've talked to one I feel as though I'm being talked down to, as though my problem or request is only a problem because I brought it to their attention and they now have to talk to me. Even waiting in their small lobby, it often takes staff 10 minutes to acknowledge your presence, even though I've waited while two staff members are just chatting with each other. I feel pretty confident that it wasn't about anything work related, unless sitting on the backs of chairs is what the management considers professional. I once had what I thought was going to be a good experience with one of the staff members. She noticed me almost immediately, came out of her office to say hi, and then turned to two other talking staff members in another office and told them to help me. Sheesh. At least they know how to delegate here. I've had staff ignore my requests and also just forget to do them. Treadmills = I FEEL ignored. They offered to set up my TV and two days later when no one from the cable company called to schedule a time for installation I called the office only to find that they hadn't called the cable company about setting up my cable at all. They just forgot. Same thing happened with setting up my phone number with the call box by the gate. They asked me for my phone number, said they were going to take care of it, but never did. Two weeks later I had to go to the office and watch while a staff member typed my number into a computer. It took about 2 minutes. Overall: While SOME amenities are quite nice, you may find yourself paying too much for broken equipment and poor/unfriendly customer service. If I were a college student and my parents were paying my rent I'm sure I would LOVE this place with it's great pool, tanning bed and sometimes working sometimes not fitness center. I probably wouldn't care that there is dog poop everywhere or that the staff is unfriendly or that the walls are as thin as a fly's wing. But I'm not. I'm paying $1,000 a month to live in a premium apartment complex, and unfortunately for tenants, premium is just not what you're getting. Poor and Extremely Unfriendly/Inattentive Service by Complex Staff Advertisement of Amenities and Services Not Really Provided/Lacking (Except for the pool): 2 Star