Power Properties

[Columbus Civil]

Does anyone know anything about Power Properties (http://www.powerproperties.com)?

I'm looking to change apartments when my lease is up, and I'm pretty impressed with the properties I've seen. They've rehabilitated a lot of older apartment buildings in East Dallas/Lakewood.

[evdallas]

I went in filled out the questionaire, then they said they would call me to set up an appointment, 3 months later they called me back and asked if I was still looking for an apartment. Some of the properties are cool, but mostly they have nice courtyards.

[Columbus Civil]

This seems to be SOP for several leasing companies. Very few of them answer emails or return phone calls.

[ibryant]

I have not personally lived in a Power Property, but my brother and his wife have lived in two and here is what I know from their experience...

1.) The first Power Property they lived in was the one on Gaston near the intersection with East Grand...The Verandas, I think. They liked this property...it had great amenities...They met some great people...and they felt safe since it was a high traffic area. They did have problems with the office staff though, as no one seemed to be in too much of a hurry to fix any problems with the apartment, if they ever fixed them at all! Also, it was a little pricey...but definitely unique. Overall, I think they liked it and had a good experience there...great courtyards and pool area!

2.) The second Power Property he lived in was in a four-plex near the intersection of Carroll and Victor (on Victor) across from a school and Buckner Park. He moved here because he wanted to save some money on rent, but wanted to stay with Power Properties. The problem with this property was safety. It's in a really mixed area of town ($400,000 home next to a shack that is literally falling apart). He was excited about living in a mixed area, but it just turned out to not be safe. The park across the street was used for drug deals constantly (I saw three drug deals go down while we were moving him in...during the middle of the day!!!), and lots of homeless people stayed there as well...they used his building's outside faucet to get water. Almost every night they heard gun-fire, my brother's wife's car was spray-painted, and after living there for a couple of months their apartment was broken into and they had virtually everything stolen. The kicker is that the person that broke in came through the front window which had locks that didn't work and hadn't been fixed, despite my brother requesting they be fixed numerous times. Needless to say, they moved out and now live in the Phoenix Midtown.

Overall, they liked the uniqueness of Power Properties and rent can be lower than other complexes. But, the apartment staff isn't very responsive or helpful, and be careful which apartment you rent from them...safety can definitely be an issue. An apartment can look great during the day, but be completely unsafe at night. My advice would be to go down to the complex you are looking to rent at night and walk around. If you don't feel safe at night, why would you ever want to rent it?!?!? You don't want to feel like a prisoner in your own apartment.

[Columbus Civil]

Thanks, ibryant.

There are only two of their properties I'd move into based on safety/location. The first one your brother lived in is one of them. I like the uniqueness and the relatively low rent. The unresponsiveness of the staff bothers me, though. I'll probably pass on them now.

[evdallas]

Originally posted by ibryant

It's in a really mixed area of town ($400,000 home next to a shack that is literally falling apart).

I lived down the street from the second place. It was a great niegborhood, but totally not safe after hours. My bike was stolen from my backyard and it was chained up. They even stole the flower pots off the front porch. People suck.

[zigwamo]

This is an old thread, but I thought I should add my two cents. What follows is a rant, so apologies in advance. But given that someone reading this might be considering a move to a Power Property, I feel that I must warn them as a matter of public service.

I moved into a Power Property (6011 Gaston) last summer. From the very first day that I moved in, I have been anxiously waiting to leave. The focus of Power Properties is all about leasing, not managing. They have several leasing agents, but to this day I do not know who *manages* the properties or the property I live in.

The courtyards are lush and gorgeous. The music piped in through the trees might seem nice when you visit. But once you move in, you realize that: 1. you can hear it from inside your apartment; and 2. it is on a loop. Can you imagine hearing the same songs over and over again inside your own apartment, against your will?!

I loved the idea of living in a restored old property with character. But it turns out that Power Properties restorations are only surface or cosmetic. Cabinet doors and closets don't open properly, due to poor design. The apartments are made to look nice, but little attention is paid to liveability.

But my central problem here is with fellow residents. I am 29 years old, and my partner is 23. We liked the idea of living at a place where one gets to know one's neighbors. But we did not realize that we would be moving into a glamorized frat house/dorm. During the summer, there are parties outside in the courtyard, often with djs and loud thumping music blasting into your apartment. To some this might sound fun. But just imagine making your own plans for a day at home. Perhaps you wanted to watch a movie that night. Perhaps you invited some friends over for dinner. Forget it. You are hostage to the whims of your fellow residents.

Think twice before moving into a power property, especially one of the apartment complexes that is built around a courtyard or pool.

[Columbus Civil]

:eek: Yikes. Glad I moved elsewhere. I hope your last few months there go by fast.

[aceplace]

Yeah... sometimes, you want the option of NOT knowing your neighbors.

My father always said that small children should be seen and not heard. I now realize he was right all along! Good luck with your brattish neighbors.

[gc]

Thanks for the input zigwamo and welcome to the forum.