Here’s a quick overview of what we’re including in this post!
- Did you know? - some interesting facts
- Holiday Season schedule
- Spooky Season events and info
- Free Shred Day events
- Scams are getting Sophisticated!
- How to see your full tenant ledger
- Pet Insurance info
Did You Know?
- there is an app called Evil MoPac that helps to determine if the Express Lanes are worth the cost and will save you time?
- the Texas Legislature meets every other year, and in 2025 more than 800 new laws went into effect on September 1st?
Holiday Season Closing
The holiday season is closing in on us fast! We want to give as much notice as possible for the following dates that we will be closed:
| Thanksgiving | Thursday Nov 27, 2025 |
| Christmas Day | Thursday Dec 25, 2025 |
| New Years Day | Thursday Jan 1, 2026 |
Spooky Season Events
Before we get to the November and December holidays we get to celebrate a lot of people’s favorite holiday, Halloween! Austin always has a lot of options so we’re getting a head start on sharing some information about things we’re seeing already. Austin Monthly has a great list of events of which some are already happening, here is a list of kid-friendly events, and here is one more we found that is a bit more comprehensive. Wherever and however you celebrate the holiday we wish you a Happy Halloween!
Shred Day
We regularly post about scams and want to bring to light 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:
United Heritage CU in Southwest Austin on Saturday, October 18, 2025
Balcones Shred sponsored by Austin ARMA on Saturday, November 8, 2025
Scams Are Getting More Sophisticated
With the continuing technological advances in artificial intelligence (AI), we are seeing more scams that make it easier for criminals to socially engineer their way into people’s bank and other accounts.
AI is being used to imitate real voices, and sooner than later it will be able to create a video that mimics a real person’s image on a video call. Anytime someone contacts you and asks you for money or information that you were not expecting you should keep in mind “When in Doubt: Hang Up, Look Up, & Call Back.” This is even more important if they are trying to instill a sense of urgency, keep you on the phone without interruption, and tell you not to talk to anyone else.
While the advice to look up things is sound an additional issue to be aware of and on the lookout for is Google search results showing scam websites that fool people into calling them instead of the actual business. Scammers can manipulate search results and provide fraudulent contact info when people are looking for things like bank or retailer support. They get victims to call an alternative number with a convincing website, so always make sure you are on the official website when looking anything up online.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation recently released a Public Service Announcement alerting the public about the increasing threat of AI based fraud. Some of the topics covered in detail are:
· AI-Generated Text
· AI-Generated Images
· AI-Generated Audio, aka Vocal Cloning
· AI-Generated Videos
The announcement has tips to protect yourself and a link to file a report if you are a victim of financial fraud.
Tenant Full Account Ledger
Have you ever wanted to see your history of charges and payments? We often get requests from tenants for a ledger of their account. The information is available to you anytime through your tenant portal..
If you’d like to see that info then in your portal choose Payments from the menu on the left (or top left if on mobile), then look for the Account Ledger section where you can click to “view full account ledger.” It’s that simple to see your history for the time that we have been managing the property. Unfortunately, if there was a change in management during your lease then we will not have any account history for the portion of your lease under 3rd party or owner management.
Pet Insurance
With Austin being one of the most pet-friendly cities in the country, chances are you have a pet living with you. During your tenancy with Stone Oak, we recommend obtaining insurance for your beloved pets in the event there was ever an emergency or tragedy.
Things covered by pet insurance:
- Accidents and illnesses
- Cuts and bite wounds
- X-rays
- Ear infections
- Digestive problems
- Cancer
Check out their informational flyer and Sample policy.
Unexpected accidents and illnesses can occur at every stage of life for your pets. Make sure they are covered! More information about pet insurance can be found by contacting Stone Oak’s insurance partner Andor Insurance or 737-302-6367.
Ryan at Andor can also help you with your Renter’s, Auto and other types of policies. Use the link or phone number to get in touch with him and see what he can do for you!
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.
