After signing a lease with this rental agency, I soon had the misfortune of discovering they use RealPage to jack up the costs of living like crazy. From our rent to everything (trash, all bills and utilities) - everything this place can think of to add a fee to, all had gone up dramatically in our 2 years here. We calculated the amount and it's about a 30% increase in rent costs since we moved in ONLY 2 years ago. Although we like the apartment, it's outrageously expensive to the point of not being worth moving in. After we moved in and experienced these crazy price increases in such a short period of time, we then discovered a huge money scheme that this place is participating in.
Avalon does use RealPage and is participating in a price gouging scheme. RealPage uses a price-fixing method among a large share of multifamily apartment lessors. The landlords supply their data to RealPage and the software company instructs the property owners on how to set rental prices, aiming "to push prices beyond competitive levels." Once a landlord starts using the RealPage software, "there is not much to do beyond checking the software to ensure that it is continuing to push prices higher."
We definitely plan to move after our lease is up simply because of unethical and predatory business practices by the apartment landlords. In fact, we got our 2nd lease renewal offer today and it increased our rent by a further $200 a month plus continuing costs. That's outrageous. We are already paying hundreds if not thousands more than we originally signed up for. We only resigned the lease 1 time because it was peak pandemic and all rental prices seemingly went up in our area, only for us to discover it was a planned scheme by the landlords in our area and the properties they own to make it appear this way so they can dramatically increase costs for their benefits and trick their renters into thinking they have no options all while using RealPage. Don't be taken advantage of like we were. We are leaving the area because of this scheme.
If you want to live here for a year, that's the best you'll get. After that, expect your rent to increase by the hundreds each yearly renewal with plenty of fees throughout your time here to boot. What long time renter wants that? Not us. Literally there are no long term tenants here at all for this reason. It's a constant flow of people moving in and out. Has to be because of the scam lease, company greed, among other complaints from tenants on unfair treatment and conditions.
They advertise about community aspects of the complex but it's laughable because no one can stick around. It's like a short stay hotel atmosphere. This isn't a community. Your neighbors are always moving in and out and people don't get to know each other. What the company advertises is extremely deceitful to how life actually functions here. No one stays here for more than 2 lease renewals, most truly leave with 0 renewals because who wants to pay an increase by the multiple hundreds each lease renewal unless you're manipulated into thinking you don't have any choice but to do so or have the privilege and means to get out of the scam lease? We resigned knowing we couldn't resign a 2nd time given the rate they were charging and we also were manipulated into even resigning once.
Renters shouldn't be forced to pay an insane rental increase by landlord monopolies to stay in their HOMES or be pushed out for company greed. It's a predatory lease we wish we never got into.
We are writing to the state's attorney general about this. Hopefully we get the same justice they're trying to get for this same scheme going on in Arizona and Tennessee right now, monopolies of landlords using RealPage to corruptly increase their rental costs at the expense of their tricked tenants, all of whom are people experiencing struggles since the start of the pandemic. The amount of people, families and children affected by these corrupt housing rings all for their already oversized profit margins is truly despicable.
Insanely aggravating to see them advertising 2 bed 2 bath units for new tenants at a way less price than I'm currently paying for a 1 bed 1 bath as a 2 year tenant. It's a complete hook and bait scheme. Get them in and then charge them once you get them like crazy. So they can then re rent for profit to new people over and over, or mooch off the victims of unfair raising of their rent. Or all of the above.
Do yourself the favor and never come here. Also don't support leasing companies that use RealPage or participate in predatory leasing schemes. Lastly, reach out if they scammed you too. This kind of predatory apartment leasing has impacted so many already who have come forward from all across the US. Power in numbers. Stop the corruption. Share your experience. Then places this corrupt won't be able to become ludicrously wealthy off the backs of their struggling tenants. read more