Holiday Schedule
We will be closed on Monday, February 19th and our full schedule can be found here.
Valentine’s Day
It’s that time of the year again, and there are many things to do in Austin. One list we found that might be a great place to start looking for ideas is Austin Monthly’s “A Couple’s Guide to Valentine’s Day in Austin” We don’t endorse any of these, however, we trust Austin Monthly to give some great suggestions!
For those of you flying solo on V-Day, there are plenty of options as well. According to an Austin American Statesman article citing a study your chances of getting struck by Cupid’s arrow are high in Austin! You never know what might happen so it’s always a good time to get out and explore.
Cold Weather Season
We hope you’re off to a great start to the new year. We’ve had our first major freeze event of the year as you already know, so we want to make sure everyone is prepared in case we get another cold spell. Remember to keep an eye on the weather and have plans in place to protect pipes, pets, and people if you are going to be away from home.
Here is some Cold Weather Info from the City of Austin with tip sheets available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, Hindi, Korean, Pashto, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Upcoming Solar Eclipse in 2024
In October we had an Annular Solar Eclipse that took place and passed just South of San Antonio. Stone Oak passed out solar eclipse glasses to tenants as part of their move-in welcome gift and made them available for pickup to help prepare for viewing this event.
There is still another eclipse scheduled to take place in the upcoming months. In April 2024 there will be a full solar eclipse, and here is a link to the event info and path. If you’re going to try to watch then we strongly suggest going to a location as close to the center of the path as possible to enjoy the best, and longest view. Make sure to track the weather around that time to see where the best place to go will be for clear skies. Here is another link to some info about these events, and there is a lot of info out there as Central Texas gears up for the next major eclipse. Our understanding is that after April 2024 the next full eclipse visible in the US is in 20 years, so you don’t want to miss this if possible!
If you’re interested in getting some glasses for the next solar eclipse in April 2024, please check in with your property manager so we can arrange for you to pick some up.
Helpful Tips
After Hours Emergency Calls:
Should you have any urgent maintenance requests after hours, please remember, we have an after-hours emergency line to help! Our after-hours emergency line is 512-617-6766 and select option 1 to be transferred to our after-hours emergency call center so that they may assist you. Reporting maintenance emergencies to the landlord directly is not an acceptable method for requesting emergency assistance.
Landscape Maintenance:
We kindly remind all tenants to maintain their landscapes regularly. This includes lawn care, removing weeds, and addressing any issues that may arise.
Holiday Decorations:
While we appreciate those with a festive spirit, we ask all tenants to be mindful of the duration and nature of holiday decorations. Please promptly remove all holiday decorations if any remain.
Trash Can Storage:
Many properties reside in communities with HOAs that have strict rules on Trash Can Storage. It is essential that trash cans are stored out of view from the common areas to avoid potential warning notices and fines should the trash cans continue to remain in an area that is visible from the street.
Storage Items:
Store all items such as boxes, fertilizer bags, potting tools, etc. out of common area views. These items are to be stored until ready to use.
Oil Stains:
We understand cars leak at times, but please remove all stains from your driveways to include pressuring washing if necessary.
From all of us here at Stone Oak we wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for being a resident of a Stone Oak rental property! Please don't hesitate to contact our staff if we can help with anything.
Routine Maintenance Reminders
- Maintenance Requests: We still receive a lot of maintenance requests that state something vague like "washer" or "AC" without any other info about the actual issue. We cannot act on requests like this and will require that you provide more info, so any request like this will only delay a resolution to the issue. Make sure you provide as much info as possible in your request including pics if possible.
- Maintenance Portal: Please make a list of any items you want to submit, and then list all issues together as one request including as much info as possible and attach photos if applicable. We will then evaluate whether they should be split up or not.
- Smoke and CO Alarms: As a reminder don't ever unplug and remove smoke detectors because they are beeping. Change the batteries and if that doesn't work please notify us. We find a lot of tenants unplug them and bury them in a closet or drawer instead of replacing batteries.
- A/C Filters: Make sure to check and change every month or as required by the type of filter. If any HVAC systems in your home have a reusable filter you are still required to clean them periodically, so please make sure they are kept clean.
- Toilets: "Flushable" Wipes CANNOT be flushed. Do not put anything down the drain except water, human waste, and regular toilet paper. Food, toys, feminine products, wipes, towels, wrappers, condoms, and other objects do not break apart and go down the drain. Clogs of the plumbing system may be charged back to you, so it is best to avoid this by not putting anything down any of the drains aside from water and human waste.
- Disposal Systems: This includes using the sink disposal as a garbage chute. These appliances are not meant to dispose of large quantities of food and should only be used as a last resort after all food items are scraped off dishes into a compost bin or trash can.
- Drainage: Shower, bath, and sink drains can get clogged up over time with hair and other organic matter. Do not use Draino-type products as they are extremely acidic and will do more harm than good by damaging the pipes while usually failing to fix the drainage issue. The best way to address this is to use a disposable drain snake that can be obtained from any hardware store for a couple of dollars. Please note that if we send out a vendor for this and it turns out to be this very issue you may be charged back for the cost. Here is a video on how to use those - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOb4MJ6widg
- Emergency Maintenance: This extension should not be called unless you have an issue involving Flood, Blood, or Fire. Do not call the emergency line to follow up on existing work orders or submit a new request that is not an emergency. In case of an emergency call 911 if needed and then contact us after everyone is safe. Remember that we do not monitor emails after hours, so if you submit something considered an emergency online and do not call we may not know until the next business day.
Other Maintenance Notes:
If you'd like to inquire about, or update an existing request, submit the form at stoneoakmgmt.com/maintenance or call 512-617-6766 ext-5.
Maintenance time frames continue to be extended due to the pandemic. Please allow at least 5 business days before requesting an update from our team unless it is an emergency.
For basic DIY tips and tricks to solve some issues quickly, visit our DIY rental property maintenance page.
Your Tenant Portal & Electronic Statements
The system will generate a statement even if you're moving out, so there is no need to contact us if you receive this and are moving. All charges, including any prorated rent, will be adjusted as needed when the deposit is processed.
If you are not using the portal app that keeps you logged in please take a look at the linked flyer for more info. This can eliminate forgotten passwords, and help with easy updates/access to maintenance requests and all other account details.
AppFolio Tenant Portal Information
