Crime-Free Apartments in Houston

If you're looking for Houston apartments for rent, one of the things you will want to keep in mind is the safety of the apartment complex. While there is no such thing as a crime-free apartment, there are certain things you can do when perusing your Houston apartment listings that can help you to be more aware of your surroundings and make sure you get the most secure place for your money.

The Houston Police Department has instituted the Blue Star Multi-Housing Program, which is an effort between the police and Houston apartment managers and residents to help lower the crime rate in apartment complexes. The police train the managers in a class in various ways to make the complex safer, and the complex has to have a survey of the property to qualify, which takes into effect such things as lighting, on-site security, and other such necessities. You can see what complex has been certified by visiting their website online.

Many free apartment locator services can provide you with crime rate statistics for the neighborhoods for Houston apartment listings you are looking in. Southwest Houston tends to have higher crime rates, where River Oaks is the more affluent area and has high-end apartments and lofts. And according to WalletPop, the neighborhood around Highway 6 and Westheimer is the safest in terms of crime as of February 2010.

You can also do this research yourself, but be sure to take online apartment rating website listings with a grain of salt if there's only one comment about crime as it could be an isolated incident. You can check Houston crime data, including crime rates by neighborhood, online with Neighborhood Scout. Another website is Spot Crime, which has an interactive map showing what crimes have been reported via GoogleMap. You can also call the local library and have their research staff help you with finding out how accurate the information on these websites are.

Once you've narrowed your search to a handful, you can also check with the police for the crime rate on that apartment complex itself. Be sure to do a walk of the community yourself, looking at the same kinds of things the Blue Star survey does. If it's a gated community, be sure to check the statistics on the gate as to how often it's been repaired as that can be a sign of a potential crime issue. Be wary of apartment complexes that have especially good deals or low rent, as many Houston apartments use that tactic when low on residents. As the phrase goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Also, many apartment complexes now do criminal background checks on incoming residents. Have that be one of your requirements if you are especially worried about crime.

Once you find an apartment in Houston, no matter how safe the neighborhood and apartment complex is, there are certain things you can do to lower your chances of being a victim of crime, the biggest of which is having renter's insurance and having a good batch of common sense.

Source by Bill E Hinson