Property Management and Companies You Vouch For (& Has anyone had exp with HHG Properties?)

Submitted by no_name_d_z t3_1196m7p in baltimore

I hate to be the N-teeth person on this sub to ask this question but I will be moving back to Baltimore city for a new job after having remote worked/traveled for the last half year. I’m looking to resettle in the following neighborhoods if I’m able to get a deal: East Baltimore: Patterson Park, Fells Point area (closer to work at Hospital) or Mt.Vernon, Charles Village, Belvedere, and maybe Hampden(liked the neighborhoods but willing to commute). Trying to stay under $1300 for a studio.

I lived in Baltimore a year prior and was able to afford a studio(much cheaper then) in a converted row home in Bolton Hill. I really enjoyed the neighborhood but was relieved when my lease was up as my management(very unlicensed and small) gifted me with a bad experience as a renter: run of the mill unresponsiveness and taking months to resolve issues around pests and not upholding basic amenities promised in the lease, like my water cutting off intermittently as they were responsible for water.

I’d like to put this experience behind me and to replace these memories with new ones with better management. I really love Baltimore city and what it has to offer but just cannot justify paying landlords money when they are not upholding their end of the lease contract.

I’ve scoured this subreddit to do my homework and have a pretty solid list of must avoid companies like Bay Mgmt, American Mgmt, to name a few. I’ve also looked up properties by better rated companies by Southern Mgmt, UHMC and the like, although they have great reviews, none of the properties I’ve looked at by them current have an in-unit w/d. Zahlco I’m currently looking at and will be touring one of their units soon.

Does anyone have any recommendations for management companies or properties where there’s multiple green flags? Like these are the companies/property managers you love, happy to renew, highly responsible about managing their properties and are satisfied with the service they’ve delivered with you renting under them?

I’m also curious to know if anyone has heard of HHG Properties? I’ve toured an apartment by them some years ago and it was gorgeous and brand new but I have not been able to find any reviews of them whatsoever or even a number to contact, just an email and a low-key website is the extent of their online presence.

Thank you in advance!

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call_me_ping t1_j9l3l8w wrote

Your general assessment of management companies is pretty on-point right now, based on general experiences shared from neighbors. My building was originally managed by Thornhill Properties, which never rolled out the red carpet but were decent with communication overall and I didn't have complaints. My apartment itself has had few to no issues in the past 3 years, so I cannot attest for what Thornhill would have done back when they were in charge.

What I've gathered over the years of living in Mount Vernon:

Decent management, straight forward leases, but higher priced apartments:

  • Southern Management
  • PMC
  • Zahlco
  • Greystar

Hit or miss managements, a few okay-ish reviews (where the apt itself didn't have many issues, which always helps) and also several notable, complete horror-stories:

  • American Management
  • Bay Management Group / Mount Vernon Apartments
  • STAR Property Management
  • JBZ Management
  • Horizon Management
  • Chasen Companies = special shoutout. From what I've seen from friends... Chasen bought up a bunch of old contracts of apartments, gave ridiculous increases to current tenants to force them to vacate, hastily renovated units that are now showing issues just 1-2 years later, and are either selling the flipped properties (causing the tenants more headaches), or are being really sketchy with their treatment of current tenants.

A lot of times issues between renters/owners/management comes from miscommunications from one side or the other TBH. My advice to you and anyone else reading: wherever you end up looking or renting, don't be afraid to ask questions and ALWAYS follow up with email documentation to recap any convos + photos.

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9l9hbi wrote

Thank you!

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Fabulous-Check7367 t1_j9msj9y wrote

I live in a PMC property currently. Starting rent prices are quiet different now than they were when we moved in, but even with two rent increases we are still under $1500 for a 2 bed/2 bath.

I like to peruse their sight sometimes and if I recall, they have one bedrooms available at most of their properties for under your budget.

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Maleficent_Thanks_51 t1_j9lknfs wrote

I rented under Southern Management and WPM. OK experience with Southern, good experience with WPM. Feel free to DM me with questions.

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9pgtm1 wrote

Will take you up on that offer!! Thanks!! Probably will send a pm later today or sometime tomorrow :)

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CeliMaru21 t1_j9pfmnc wrote

Omg thank you for posting! I’m also trying to keep an eye for a studio too, and I work in Fells Point. It’s annoying how Chasen took up like half of Mt. Vernon properties and Fells Point.

I used to live in one of Bay Management apartments in Mt. Vernon, and I would not want to go back. I used to live in the building on St. Paul with a local theater club in the basement, and I had too many complaints.

One time, the maintenance would attempt to “fix” our super out of date shower system, and left my roommate and I shower less for a week (I had to shower in the gym) until they hired outside contractors to replace the parts.

The other instance was that they used to have trash rooms every floor in the first month or two of our lease, until they decided to cut the cost, and make all of us hauling trash to the back of the building, which can be dangerous in winter, because you have to walk down steps on the side of the building to get to the back of the building.

The closet rod kept falling apart to the point that I had to ask my dad to get bigger screw Mount to hold it, and it fell off again bc the wall were old af and cheaply painted/patched.

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9phpzk wrote

Oh that sounds awful! I’m sorry you had to go through that. My landlord in Bolton hill was unlicensed and I had a lot of pest issues. They never quite fixed it as I still talk to my old neighbor and she gives me all the tea sigh

I thought the subreddit would have a comprehensive sidebar by now so that’s why I asked. I know the community associations list apartment complexes but they don’t provide reviews so it’s always helpful to get folks who aren’t homeowners and their good experiences from here!

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issabop_2208 t1_j9l94da wrote

Once under Vista Management, but not sure what they’re under now, The Preston in Midtown-Belvedere was a great place for us to rent. The manager keeps up with everything really well. He stays on top of cleanliness and getting things fixed. Handled the pandemic well. He’s passive aggressive with notes to tenants about annoying things, but I always just found it kind of funny. I feel that the apartments are a good space for the price. Bigger than a studio and around 1200-1300. And the best part, the view!

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9l9klu wrote

Thank you! I’m gonna do some research on this! Really love this area!

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Addictive_System t1_j9m5j2t wrote

Hahahahha the Google Maps profile for the Preston has just one review and it’s on star complaining about the passive aggressive notes

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issabop_2208 t1_j9m767r wrote

Lol, I saw that. It is true… but honestly I think it’s hilarious. Things along the lines of asking that people don’t dance and jump in the elevator because it will cause it to malfunction or to not put certain things in bulk trash. Sometimes they’re definitely meant to be kind of funny and snarky. But overall, he was a great manager and took care of things so the notes never bothered me!

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9pg0b5 wrote

I saw that too! Glad I was informed in advance haha.

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AreWeCowabunga t1_j9lfesf wrote

I rented from Urban Phoenix and they were always quite good, and really saved my ass by not taking my deposit for some damage they classified as wear and tear when it could have been blamed on me. Their properties are mostly in the Pigtown/Hollins Market area (or at least they were back when I rented from them).

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9pgi2w wrote

I will definitely look them up! I’m not too familiar with the Hollins Market/Pigtown neighborhood. Im a quite petite woman; would this be a good neighborhood ito safety with walking around and street parking?

Would love to get your input!

Thank you!

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Frofro69 t1_j9kreth wrote

I just know if you're looking for a studio for under 1200, you could come out where I am in Essex and find a studio for $887/mo. There's also apartments in Arbutus and near Beechfield in West Baltimore that are around 980 for a 1 bedroom.

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no_name_d_z OP t1_j9krlhh wrote

Thank you! I will look into those areas!

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Frofro69 t1_j9ks6t2 wrote

Where I live (Essex, off MD 702) it's pretty nice, there are TONS of apartment choices that are affordable. I live in the Hartland Apartments, which is where the studio is, and I have a private entrance. It's really nice

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