All 25 tenant reviews.

“since 1988 have been here for 17.5 years not continuously. apts built 1963. solid construction. new owners coming aug 2018. supposed to renovate and make appearance much better. local ownership, not out of state. Mgr ---------- a real piece of work, A REAL ------!!!!!! Things she did and accusations she made were unbelievable. Would tell your private business to other tenants. Extremely unprofessional. Gone now. I told her she was fit to manage a dog pound, maybe!!!!! The place has had its problems, but overall corrected at last. She works for Capstone Realty and hope they will catch on to her act and fire her!!!!!”

“Tracy the current manager is rude. Pedro or Pablo can't remember maintenance guys name never did any of the jobs. I moved in March 2017...when I moved in the whole apartment complex generator went out...I should of moved the moment that happened. When Harvey happened mold appeared in everyone's ceilings and closets. The city of Houston went because of our complaints. But the maintenance guy never fixed my damn ceiling. A week before I moved out they bleached and painted the ceiling!!!!! Had I known it would be a year contract from hell never again. During summer excruciatingly hot and during winter miserable cold. The manager told me that the majority wanted the heater on...I was like no we don't its summer and the same excuse having the ac during winter! Lots of excuses coming out of her mouth. I didn't like the fact we have to depend on them for the temperature in the apartment. There like knobs you turn for high medium or low fan. Spending so much on utilities when I felt we never actually used them. The sinks and faucets were always leaking. My downstairs neighbor left since it flooded her apartment. Supposedly you will get your direct deposit money when you move out..most of the time i get 50% back...they always find reasons to not give you back the whole amount...... the icing on the cake...the first apartment complex I got back a 7 dollar check....that cracked me up. Shittiest place in Montrose.”

“I lived here for 2 yrs. These apartments are in bad shspe 4 da rent we pay. 1000 a month 4 1 bedroom. I had roaches the first yr. Appliances always havin trouble. They tow yer cars even with the visitors pass in windshield. That $230 dollar. Aint no one got that kinda money. There aint no parking after 7pm. I had 2 park my car across da street and it got towed. They let ------ ppl live here that aint on da lease. Someone got robbed and assaulted. Everybody loud, slammin doors and yellin And methheads be goin thru da dumpster And they charge you fee to pay rent now.”

“This apartment complex is with City of Houston Blue Star program. Which makes it a Safer place to live in. I have been living at takaraso for 5 years. Very quiet and peaceful complex. Families are nice. The children are not mean and they sure dont get into rough playing or any fighting. The pool area is nice and always clean. Manager is on site and maintenance as well. Parking is awesome. Locked gates are a must! This apt complex is approved by ME... Have a wonderful day...”

“Strongly do not recommend. In my time there, the power, hvac and hot water frequently went out. The advertised free wifi is a joke. At least once per month the sewer lines would back up and the raw sewage would spout up in front of the mailboxes. Management is terrible. Then there are the people. Crack and meth heads and dealers, tranny prostitutes, AIDS riddled and violent addicts and more. There were at least two stabbings and 4 deaths while I lived there. Plenty of the residents like to get high on their substance of choice and party until they run out of drugs. Needless to say, they aren't responsive to noise complaints in that state. Oh, and occasionally tweakers will show up and start breaking windows at random.”

“I lived in the Southeast courtyard until 2 months ago. About 5 to 10 -------- children run around until up to 12am yelling, screaming and running up and down stairs. Almost EVERY night. Meth Addict lived in apt next to me - their fumes were going into the apt. on the other side and being inhaled by a poor infant. Roaches here are also horrific. Open your kitchen cupboard or outside door and they will fall all over you. Don't go to sleep here with your mouth open. Someone parked in your paid space here? Berta will send them down to your door so they can explain how bad their problems are and still not move the car out of the spot you paid for. She won't have them towed.”

“I just moved here and the location is great. Plenty of eating places nearby, stores and clothing stores too. I was kind of nervous and was hesitating at first but then after a couple of months i told my self... the decision i made about moving here was the best one this year.. quiet neighbors and nice ones. Some places neighbors can be rude and wont say hi or how you doing? However, here at this premises everyone is respectful and not rude. The price is affordable and for this area its a bargain... oh, yea bring your cat or dog along...Have a safe trip apt searching...”

“I have been living here for many years, I am extremely happy with my apartment. I have never had any problems with any other tenants or their company. The rent is reasonable for the area. The complex is freshly painted with a light green and black trimming. The pool is always clean and very relaxing. The grounds are cleaned everyday by our maintenance. Some apartments have a patio for your convenience and privacy. This complex is walking distance to several convenient stores and also grocery stores and of course bus lines. That's a plus in the Houston area for it is difficult to get around. I have seen managers come and go, However this manager has been with us for some years now. She is very nice and very understanding. I am satisfied with her decisions she has made in the past few years. Maintenance do a great job fixing up different problems and also keeping up with the grounds. If your looking for an apartment may i suggest you come by and view the new renovated apartments.”

“Hi i live here and it is a wonderful and noiseless apartment complex.This is my 2nd time living her. I would reccomend anyone to live here. its peaceful for me and is upkept.I like the staff and they are very helpful and understanding to me. All I have to say is if anyone was to have the chance to live here you would feel proud to invite anyone to your home because it is very clean.”

“TAKARA SO HAS BEEN TRULY A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.THE OFFICE STAFF IS WONDERFUL AND THE MAINTAINCE MAN HAS FIXED ANY PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED.I THINK THAT ANY ONE LOOKING FOR AN APARTMENT SHOULD GIVE TAKARA SO A CHANCE.”

“This complex is good. The manager is attentive to the tenant needs. The maintenance team is fairly effficient and friendly. Complaints are handled quickly and efficiently. This is a hidden gem in Montrose.”

“We've only been here 6 months and we're leaving now that our lease is ending! First of all, don't fall for the "FREE WI-FI!!!" gimmick. That really means that sometimes you'll have connection that is constant. Most of the time the connection cuts out and you have to reconnect from your computer, or go bug the landlady to restart the server from the office...if you are fortunate enough to have this happen during office hours. Don't count on service during the weekend, when most people use the internet the most. I've heard that the landlady has the server on a battery when she's not there, and I can almost guarantee that you will go at least one full day over the weekend without internet connection. While this service is free of charge, providing you have a wi-fi ready computer, I really wouldn't call it an asset to the property. Secondly, don't get too excited about the fact that there are gates to the complex. People don't fully close the gates, allowing whomever to enter freely. I've also seen the gate propped open for a few nights in a row. This seems to defeat the purpose. Why did I spend money to make a copy of a key that I would hardly be using in the first place? The neighbors: Loud!!! While I understand that children must run and play and make noise, it is the considerate thing for parents to encourage them to do so downstairs in the courtyard, instead of upstairs on the balcony where every footfall shakes the whole building, and where their noise greatly disrupts others. There is no peace here. Also, there are neighbors who find it acceptable to blast their music with their door open late at night, on weeknights no less. Not to mention the drama going on in each apartment. A few of them seem to not know how to shut a door without slamming it. It is not a peaceful place to live by any means, and the landlady does not seem to care. The exteriors of the complex seem to constantly be undergoing repairs, which means even more noise! It seems they should spend more time on the interiors if you ask me! The only inside repairs I've ever noticed are done on empty apartments with the hopes of getting new tenants. Your apartment will be repaired on an as-needed basis, if it's severe enough to need more than a modification. There are only 2 washers and 1 dryer per section, and half the time only 1 washer is working. Not to mention that it is a rat-race to try to get your clothes in. With such few machines, it creates quite a traffic jam on laundry day. I would not say that washer & dryer on-site is an asset to this property. On to the apartment itself: Firstly, our refrigerator broke within the first week. This is after being replaced before we moved in. The refrigerator is not new, it seems that they just swap appliances with other apartments that aren't being used until we like what they give us, leaving the other apartments with questionable appliances. Good luck to whoever ends up there! We had our AC leak twice, once it was during the same week that at least 3 other apartments had one. The AC was shut off in the beginning of November in order for the heat to be turned on, but alas, one of the parts was broken. We had some very cold days with no heat at all. Luckily, it was turned on right before the temperature dropped to the 20's. The water temperature is awful. Apparently people had been complaining about the water not being hot enough, so the landlady had maintenance adjust it. This means that it's not extremely hot, hard to find a suitable temperature, and for some reason it fluctuates to burning-my-skin-hot to ice-cold. Be prepared to buy adapters for all your electric outlets! We have very few three-pronged outlets, especially in the living room, where we need them the most. Also, be prepared to buy lamps if you do not own any, as there is only lighting for the dining room, bathroom, hall, closets, and kitchen. There is a light switch in the bedroom, but after living here for 6 months, I still have no clue what it's purpose is. Safety is an issue here. There have been 3 memorable incidents of neighbors becoming violent. This has all been within their own household or with their friends, but it is still an issue. If the landlady knows about these things, she does not seem to care. While I love dogs and other animals, I do not love stepping in feces or smelling it every time I walk through the gate. The landlady did send out notices that this was a violation of lease, but has yet to enforce her rules. Also, there are dogs that bark constantly at everything. I've owned quite a number of dogs in my lifetime and I know that this is due to a lack of training, and not the dog's nature. Once again, don't expect peace & quiet AT ALL here. We were first-time apartment renters thinking we hit a sweet deal. It turned out to be just the opposite. We plan to be very thorough with our apartment hunting from this point on. I wish I had something pleasant to report about this place, but I'd be lying. I hope this review helps, and I really wish other tenants would take the time to write reviews. I'd hate to hear of someone else suffering like we have.”

“Old apts, uncaring management, break downs that don't get fixed. AC that doesn't work; drains that don't; raw sewage that flows out sidewalk drains into the street; a manager who laughs off problems and lets you know that those, like pipe blockages and rodents and insects are your problem to fix. Complain about breakdowns and be prepared to wait months for a fix, if ever. Rate hikes every time the lease is up. Loud neighbors, both in and outside the complex; poor parking which is right outside your bedroom; drug dealing and frequent visits from Houston's Finest. Oh, and a horrible Post Office who couldn't deliver important mail to save their lives. A great location if you're willing to give up quality of life and a clean environment. Seriously, this close to West/Mont at this rent is a bargain, but so is a cardboard box.”

“I first moved in 11/2005 and it has been downhill ever since. We have roaches, mold, pidgeons, drug dealers, domestic disturbances, children running around unsupervised not to mention the 3-alarm fire we had in November which displaced 12 families. The swimming pool has NEVER been usable. Also, there is an elderly woman living directly across from the office that has accidentally started two fires in less than one month and this doesn't seem to alarm anyone but me (including the property manager, Berta). The central air cannot be changed from heating to cooling by anyone else but the office. Someone walked into my apt. while I was unloading groceries and stole my laptop from my dining room table! The office manager and maintenanece person are overwhelmed to say the least. The laundry room is a joke with only 2 wahers and one dryer to service over 30 families! And one or more of the machines are almost always out-of-order. The rent has increase from $600 to $725 and no longer includes the utilities which are not in your control! The majority of the tenants are unemployed and on some form of gov't assistance therefore there are disturbances well into the wee hours! The only saving grace to living here is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!”

“So I'm finally escaping this snake pit. Everything in the negative reviews here still holds. It's much worse here now as the bug infestation can no longer be contained, pigeon poop is accumulating, the ac in the ceiling leaks so much it destroyed the carpeting, They fix nothing...just try to keep it from falling apart with spit, tape, and an incantation. The head maint guy speaks no english and doesn't know how to fix anything. Flaco is nice but also can't speak english and can only fix symptoms, not problems (the leaking ac has been an issue since moving in). The power goes out way too much. Also, kids like to go and flip circuit breakers messing with power in random apts. I'd say I hope you have surge protectors but none of the outlets are actually grounded. I've seen electric arcs when flipping light switches (an electrical fire cannot be far away)and smelled mold and mildew regularly from the ac. This is not a sanitary place to live. The cow of a manageress that runs the place waddles around harassing good people, ignoring important issues and never communicates well. You'll never get any deposits back. The rent is going up at a ridiculous rate. It used to go up by $25 per month once a year when you renewed the lease. Last year they hiked to up by $50/month more and this year by $75 more per month. I assume next year it'll go up by $100 per month. Eventually, the whole area will fall to gentrification and this nasty little place will get the bulldozer the area around it so desperately deserves. Don't. Do. It. It's not worth the potential fires, personal injury, sickness, frustration, and odor.”

“I have lived in Takara So apartments for over 9 months now, and have been very happy there. The management is very hospitable and listens genuinely to tenant's concerns. The maintenance man is personable and is on site almost everyday- I have never had to wait more than 24 hours to have an issue resolved, and even when my problem has been fixed he follows with a check up. I have heard neigbors fighting once or twice, but it is always a simple domestic disturbance and everytime the matter is resolved quickly and quietly. The Manager is always on call, and always ready to handle any issue brought to her attention. All in all, I've found that Takara So is a great place to live if you want to feel safe and at home. Residents keep an eye on one another as well as each other's homes.”

“In mid 2007 Takara So apartments, where i have lived now for two years changed dramatically. Around that time we also got a new manangement. They get things DONE! The apartments changed inside and out. Problems people had seemed to get taken care of faster... The apartments themselves are made mainly out of wood and most of it was rotten when they got here. It didn't take long for them to replace all the siding and fencing with new wood and fresh paint. Things have only gotten better since then... Its a peaceful, open, and inviting enviroment here. Parking can be a hastle for your guests at times but your living enviroment is pretty pleasant. These apts are affordable and in the middle of everything!!”

“It isn't the property that is the problem, it is the people they rent to. No background checks are done, and I see arrests there on a weekly basis and I'm not talking about misdemeanors. Plus, don't get me started on the shady ladies talking up obviously underage boys. I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. This is my opinion and not that of this web site.”

“Seriously, you can do better for what they're charging.”

“so, I moved in a little over a year ago, into apartment 3C, during my first year there my well known drug dealer neighbors (in 4C) shot a bullet through my apartment (pictures showing various holes whre bullet passed) [email protected], I told the managment, the police came, and the management told them that she was going to have to talk to her boss, but it was likely that they were likely going to be given 30 notice, the result that i expected. what i didnt expect was taht they would stay there for about 9mos longer until they left on there own. fast forward until the last tursday of febuary. i unexpectedly lost my bartending job, and was not able to pay my rent. a couple of weeks later i got a job at a new resturant, but being new, the buisness started slowly, i told managment at takara-so about my issues, and that i would pay everything i could as often as i could. everyweek my payments got bigger as i made more money. then, they filied for eviction. i tried to tell them that after a couple of good reviews, my daily income had balloned to 100- 200 dollars a shift, and that i would have them paid off shortly, and would from then on pay on time, but they decied that a couple of weeks was not acceptable, and they reather have an empty aparment. this complex is not concerned with the safty of its tennants, they will gladly let someone so carelss with a gun stay, but god forbid you get behind, then in good faith try to catch up on rent, then you must go. these people are animals, they dont care, they dont do more than the most basic maintance. dont move here, dont bring your kids here.”

“I recently visited the property after finding a great deal in a local paper. The ad read: Takara So, move in special $100.00 off first months rent with 12 month lease. 1/1: 299 150 deposit, 2/1 399 150 deposit. That would make the lease as stated in the add for a 1 bedroom $3,588.00 for a year plus the 150 for the deposit. When I went and met the manager I was informed that a 1 bedroom was 650.00 a month not 299.00 and that the ad was a misprint. And she never really expplained the ad or how 100 minus 650 ever makes 299! The ad has since re appeared in the next month of the paper so if its a misprint why is it still there, expecially when it is an obvios false advertisement-litigation case waiting to happen. I have since found another apartment but would not stay there with the lies starting the moment I showed up, I can just imagine what would be to come.”

“After living here for nearly 5 months now , I have seen many changes in the property . These changes are for the good . I have also learned that the property is undergoing a new face lift , but for an older property it is in good shape . I have found it to be a peaceful place to live and friendly tenants . The managment here is great. Some residents want to give managment a hard time but she does the best she can in a timely manner . Great area to live in as far as being close to your daily needs for shopping , coffee shops , eating , or whatever you looking to do . Have also notice the managers husband helps her when he can to help keep it nice here and helps handle issues in the middle of the night with her . Makes me feel safe to know this . The grounds are kept nice trash is kept to a few things here and there , but noticed it from other people walking by and throwing things . The maintance does very well for being a one man crew to cover all the apartments. My hats off the bothe the maitance man and manager for dealing with all non-sense from residence like to give with out thinking before they speak.”

“The complex is old as noted in other reveiws, the heating and cooling are issues (swamp cooler). Price is ok for the area, but the overzelous manager sometimes fills the units with less than desirable tenents. The parking is OK only because most tenants do not have a vehicle. The maintanance is ok but the finishing work (making it look like it did before broke/fixed) is lacking. Most poeple here are ok and keep to themselves. It was all bills paid but they started charging even while the all bills paid sign was still posted. The Mangt. is fun, everyday is a new experience, its like a box of chocolates you dont know what youll get till you open the office door, and new rules and such are implimented on a ad hoc level, regardless of what the lease says there are "new" or implied implimentations almost monthly (which you as the lowly tenant are expected to heed without qeustion). There is some renovation planned and hopefully will address some of the building, pigion and insect issues. Check it out, come day and night, do your do diligence before commiting to a lease. Its great for some and not for others. If youre a student, need a cheap place to stay are on drugs and cant afford better or recently diagnosed with a terminal illness this is the ticket, if you expect more than subsistent level ammeniteis shop elsewhere.”

“HAVING BEEN A TENANT HERE FOR A YEAR, I HAVE FOUND THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT TO BE ATTENTATIVE AND PROMPT WITHA NY SERVICES NEEDED. THE PROPERTY IS WELL MAINTAINED AND IS A QUIET COMMUNITY. WITH PLENTY OF SHOPPING, RESTAURANTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT WITHIN SHORT DISTANCE... I HAVE FOUND IT TO BE AN ENJOYABLE PLACE AND AM HAPPY TO MAKE IT MY HOME.”

“This place is gross. When I moved in there was pigeon feces all over the complex including inside my apartment. Suprise it was never cleaned or cleaned poorly before I moved in. The apartments are fairly quiet but they stink. I mean they really stink. It is like an exploration in smells every day. My bathtub drain vents sewar gas into the apartment. There is no security because the gates are left open all the time so strangers just come and go as they please.<br>To top it all off the property manager(that is an overstatement) is a real treat. It is not a rare occasion to see her enjoying a cigarette in her pajamas and strolling around the courtyard, or to speak with the assistant manager in the office for your daily bilingual experience. You also have no control over the heating or cooling in the apartment. Over the past winter season the temperature at night would be freezing (literally) and the heat would not be turned on for days in a row, so the property owner could make some extra money on someone elses discomfort(The apartments do not have individual electric meters!!)”