Emergency Preparation Tax Holiday
Each year Texas has a few tax holidays for specific occasions, and this one helps to prepare for many scenarios. The upcoming emergency supplies tax holiday from April 25-27, 2026, can be very helpful in stretching your dollars while preparing for the unexpected. The list of eligible items is posted on the state comptroller’s website along with additional details of how it works and where you can buy items tax free. Now is a good time to plan what items you may want to have on hand and start putting together a list and comparing prices.
Shred Day
We regularly post about scams and want to bring light to another way to protect yourself. If you have sensitive documents, shredding them is important when it comes time to dispose of them. There are regularly free events around Austin that accept documents for free shredding. There are two events coming up in Austin that we wanted to share with you, and we’ll update this list as they come up-
Balcones Shred sponsored by Austin ARMA on Saturday, April 11, 2026
Spring Weather Preparedness
The Central Texas spring season typically brings beautiful temps, dynamic storms with much needed rain, and bluebonnets! Some info on where and when to see Bluebonnets can be found here!
This year we’ve already started experiencing some high temperatures, but not much in terms of the rain to quench our thirsty land. This puts us at heightened risk for wildfires and calls for widespread awareness in prevention and preparedness. Wildfires can happen anywhere, even in the city, where there is fuel available to ignite by nature or human error. The City of Austin has a wildfire risk map and you can sign up for emergency alerts through Warn Central Texas.
Another risk we face here is spring floods. You can check the City of Austin’s Flood Pro map for your specific address to assess risk, and you can sign up for emergency alerts through Warn Central Texas.
There are many things that can lead to disaster for an individual or a community. Your biggest tool is to be prepared to whatever degree is practical for you and your risk profile. The Ready.Gov website is a great resource to help you make sure you and your family can plan ahead for potential disasters of various types. Using that to organize a list of supplies and planning to make purchases on the upcoming tax-free holiday is a great strategy to save some money!
US Post Office Mailing Changes
One important item of note this year will impact anyone who votes by mail. The US Post Office recently changed how they define the postmark date, which dictates whether a ballot is accepted as timely or not. Here is some important information about it, and keep in mind that this change also impacts things like paying bills or other items that rely on the post mark as proof of mailing.
Renter’s, Auto, and Flood Insurance
Part of being prepared for life challenges is to have insurance for the things you may not be able to recover from on your own, and some are required to participate in our social contract like auto insurance. Many people don’t know that typical homeowner and renter policies don’t include flood insurance coverage.
Insurance rates change constantly, and your best defense against rising costs is to shop for your policies as often as you see fit. This is typically done at the time of renewal, and we’d like to recommend contacting our partner who has access to many carriers and policy types to get you the best deal for your needs. Our partner can help you get the coverage you need, review existing policies, shop for the best deal, automatically look for better options ahead of renewal, and/or answer questions with no obligation to buy anything from them. More information and contact details can be found by contacting Andor Insurance.
Thank you for being a resident! 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 drains 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, contact your property manager at 512-617-6766.
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.
