I'm looking at moving into another apartment in my same complex, and I like it.  It's bigger, has a den or study with a nice size closet, and a garage, which I need to park Stinky in (my 1969 Porsche 911 project car).  

They say the unit goes for $799.

I told them I'd sign a 13 month lease at $750.

They say they can't give it to me for less than $799, because they have to give everyone the same rate due to Texas Fair Housing laws.

True or bullshit?  

Quoted: I'm looking at moving into another apartment in my same complex, and I like it.  It's bigger, has a den or study with a nice size closet, and a garage, which I need to park Stinky in (my 1969 Porsche 911 project car).   They say the unit goes for $799. I told them I'd sign a 13 month lease at $750. They say they can't give it to me for less than $799, because they have to give everyone the same rate due to Texas Fair Housing laws. True or bullshit?

Certifiable bullshit.  Apartments cut deals all the time.  

Sounds legit to me, usually your lease term does not adjust the price.

ETA: I have seen complexes give a 'free month' - which in turn brings your combined rate down.

Well guys, I have looked over the law (www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/PR/content/htm/pr.015.00.000301.00.htm) and I don't see squat saying they have to charge the same rent to everyone, it only says they can't discriminate.  

Here's the part I thought was interesting:

§ 301.021.  SALE OR RENTAL.  (a)  A person may not refuse
to sell or rent, after the making of a bona fide offer, refuse to
negotiate for the sale or rental of, or in any other manner make
unavailable or deny a dwelling to another because of race, color,
religion, sex, familial status, or national origin.

That's the only thing I can find having to do with rental rates.  

I'm not renewing my lease, I'm potentially moving into another unit at the same property.  I've given them three years of my rent and have been a model tenant.  I think I was late a day or two on my rent ONCE, if even that.  

Yeah, complexes around here give move in discounts, free month's rent and stuff like that.  I've also known at least a couple people who needed an apartment, and the size they liked wasn't available, so they were givin the next bigger floorplan for the smaller apartment's rate.  

I think they're giving me the runaround to try to get the most money out of me.  

When my lease was up last October, my landlords wanted to raise my rent by $50 a month.

I negotiated, and ended up with a $50 a month decrease in rent plus a shorter lease.

Clearly, the management has whatever leeway they want to cut a deal with you.

Quoted: I think they're giving me the runaround to try to get the most money out of me.

That's capitalism for ya.  

$800 a month wasted :(
Buy a place :)


As the others said, they are not required to have everyoen pay the same price.  Subsidized housing even adjusts the rent levels by what they think can be paid.  I'd say it should work the same, you pay what you think you can pay.

I worked as a real estate agent and apartment locator.  They can do whatever they want on price.  They are totally full of crap.  Howver the management company has final say on policy and the agent and even the manager cant change that.

Quoted: $800 a month wasted :( Buy a place :) As the others said, they are not required to have everyoen pay the same price.  Subsidized housing even adjusts the rent levels by what they think can be paid.  I'd say it should work the same, you pay what you think you can pay.

In a major metro city $800 a month buys a rat hole.  $800 a month is a realtively nice apartment in the same area.

Quoted: Well guys, I have looked over the law (www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/PR/content/htm/pr.015.00.000301.00.htm) and I don't see squat saying they have to charge the same rent to everyone, it only says they can't discriminate.   Here's the part I thought was interesting: § 301.021.  SALE OR RENTAL.  (a)  A person may not refuse to sell or rent, after the making of a bona fide offer, refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or in any other manner make unavailable or deny a dwelling to another because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin. That's the only thing I can find having to do with rental rates.   I'm not renewing my lease, I'm potentially moving into another unit at the same property.  I've given them three years of my rent and have been a model tenant.  I think I was late a day or two on my rent ONCE, if even that.   Yeah, complexes around here give move in discounts, free month's rent and stuff like that.  I've also known at least a couple people who needed an apartment, and the size they liked wasn't available, so they were givin the next bigger floorplan for the smaller apartment's rate.   I think they're giving me the runaround to try to get the most money out of me.

You still living in Round Rock? There is a really nice A-frame sitting on a half acre down the street from me for 80K.  Backs up to the Balcones Canyonland Preserve. Bit of a drive into town, but You'd OWN it.

Hey y'all, thanks for the comments!  I'm not quite ready to buy a house yet, and time right now is too short to go through the process.  My plan is to move into this apartment for about a year, try to get my finances in better standing (which might mean no or few new guns this year! ) and then start the process of finding a house.

I haven't talked to the apartment people since I got the message containing the bovine scatology.  I'm formulating what I'm going to say.  I'll probably take it anyway, as I CAN afford it, I just wanted to try to save a few bucks!  I do have a backup - I have a friend with a 3 bedroom condo and a 2 car garage that will split it with me.  However, he wants to find a house and move in about 6 months.  I really do not want to go through the PITA of moving again that soon.  

$800 a month barely pays property taxes on an average house in this area.

Quoted: $800 a month barely pays property taxes on an average house in this area.

I think that's a little much. If you take an average property tax rate of about 2.8%, then $800/mo equates to a $280,000 house. That's certainly not uncommon, but not average either.

Quoted: Hey y'all, thanks for the comments!  I'm not quite ready to buy a house yet, and time right now is too short to go through the process.  My plan is to move into this apartment for about a year, try to get my finances in better standing (which might mean no or few new guns this year! ) and then start the process of finding a house. I haven't talked to the apartment people since I got the message containing the bovine scatology.  I'm formulating what I'm going to say.  I'll probably take it anyway, as I CAN afford it, I just wanted to try to save a few bucks!  I do have a backup - I have a friend with a 3 bedroom condo and a 2 car garage that will split it with me.  However, he wants to find a house and move in about 6 months.  I really do not want to go through the PITA of moving again that soon.

Did you use an apartment locator?  If not you should have.  The locator pays YOU to do the apartment searching and pricing for you.  Just tell the locator you want $100 for his finding you an apartment MINIMUM.  If he balks you can put in an online apt locator site and if you put them as how you found the apt they will mail you a $100 check.  You get the check after you move in.  Do not accept gift cards or any other crap.  Tell him you want cash or check only.  It is legal if they tell you it is illegal as it is a refund of the locator fee directly to you. Make this clear up front to the locator.  If you did not tell them (the apt complex) about the locator up front, you cant do it now.  You must do it on your first walk in on the card you fill out and upon siging the lease.

Locators also know all the best specials and deals on apartments in the area and know about units that have gone unleased for over 30 days which have additional dicounts.

Quoted: Quoted: $800 a month barely pays property taxes on an average house in this area. I think that's a little much. If you take an average property tax rate of about 2.8%, then $800/mo equates to a $280,000 house. That's certainly not uncommon, but not average either.

2005 ended with an average sales price in the Austin area of $210,000 dollars (TAMU's real estate page), so, to say 'barely' wouldn't be much of a stretch.    Also, it's the county assessed valuation as well, so that's not entirely clear if the avg. sale price is that number, or more, or less, though I know in at least one case it's almost $20k over  

And math may not be my strong suit, but you might want to check those numbers again, anyways.  $343,000 would be about $800 a month.  

He's paying $800 for the place total, not just taxes, as well--so $800 wouldn't be much house around here no matter how you slice it, though that lean-to in Pflugerville might be available. I hear they let anyone move into that town.  

Devl,

I checked with a locator a not long ago, and came up with a few properties that had units I might have liked.  

The bum thing is, I thought my lease was up next month, not this month.  So I found out last week, I have to move by the end of this month... and I got tons of shit going on that will probably preclude me from going and looking at other places.

The unit I am talking about here, which I went ahead and took, is in the same complex I live in.  It's a floorplan I like a lot, and it has a garage, which I need.  Didn't need a locator to find it.  It's also the only one available, and there are none coming available any time soon.  

I kinda feel backed into a corner as far as the price, but it's probably not really a bad rate for almost two bedrooms and a garage.  

Anyway... anyone want to come help me move in a couple weeks??  hehehe