After over 36 years of business, Berger Rental Communities continues to hold true to the same principles to which it was founded – we understand that the resident is the most important part of our business. This principle is complimented

Why Should I Move to Audubon Manor Apartments?

  • 99.4% of Audubon Manor residents are satisfied with their move in experience.

 

  • 67% of Audubon Manor team members live at the community.

 

  • Audubon Manor residents have been living in the community for an average of 3.43 years.

 

  • Audubon Manor has an ApartmentRatings.com over all rating that is 78% higher than the average rating for apartment communities in West Chester.

Why Should I Move to Goshen Terrace Apartments?

Just a few things to consider:

  •  96% of Goshen Terrace residents are satisfied with the completion of their Service Requests.

 

  •  70% of Goshen Terrace team members live at the community.

 

  • Goshen Terrace residents have been living in the community for an average of 3.13 years.

 

  • Goshen Terrace has an ApartmentRatings.com over all rating that is 60% higher than the average rating for apartment communities in West Chester.

Please Share With Us

At Berger Rental Communities, we think we’re doing pretty well-Our occupancy rates are higher than our competitors, our residents stay with us longer than the industry standard, and we get a lot of positive feedback from our residents. One of our Core Values is Continuous Improvement. We are never satisfied with the status quo, and we know that no matter how great we are, there is always room for improvement. We want to do everything we can to improve our services, and improve the experiences that our residents have. The only way that we can know how to improve the resident experience is by learning more about what our residents want. We know that our residents are very busy, and do not always have the time to share their feelings with us, so we want to make the sharing of feedback process as easy as possible. The following are easy ways to help us improve:

1. Visit www.BergerReviews.com, and leave a comment for us.

2. Send us an e-mail to comments@rentberger.com.

3. Share feedback at www.ApartmentRatings.com.

4. Complete an anonymous maintenance survey-if we have your e-mail address, the link to this survey will be e-mailed to you when a service request is completed. If you need the link to this, please e-mail us at comments@rentberger.com, and tell us which community you live at. We will send the survey right over to you.

Thanks!

Short Term Housing Options

Regardless of whether you own or rent your home, it is so important to walk in your door, and hang your hat saying, “Ahhhh…I’m home.” At Berger Rental Communities, we understand that property management has very little do with apartments-it is about providing people with wonderful experiences at a place they call home for both short and long periods of time. During their first visit to our leasing offices, about 80% of future residents mention the words, “buying a house” or “in between houses”. Many of these future residents are pleasantly surprised to learn how great and easy apartment living can be when the goal for the near future is to own their own home. While I cannot speak for other property management companies, Berger Rental Communities makes these transitions very easy for people:

  • We offer short term leases at phenomenal rates! Most people expect that they would have to spend a fortune to live in short term housing-our short term leases are offered with a minimal premium.
  • Most people choose not to “settle in” to their rental housing and do not want to take the time to really make this space their home because they know they will not be living in that space for a long time. We make it easier by offering custom paint options-our residents do not have to do anything but pick a color. Their color choices are painted on their walls before they move in, which makes feeling at home happen naturally.
  • We can arrange to have our apartments furnished before new residents arrive with their boxes-our rental furniture packages allow residents to move in just with a suitcase. They do not have to worry about their furniture that they intend to use in their dream home getting damaged during the moving process; They do not have to worry about picking out bedding that will match both their apartment and their new home. Rental furniture really makes these transitions easy.
  • When residents are new to the area, they love using our team as resources-we know our locations and surrounding communities like the back of our hands. Our knowledge can be a priceless tool for a lot of residents.
  • When residents know they are about to become tied down with the responsibilities of home ownership, they love to take advantage of our maintenance program! Our rule is, call us for anything-if it is a maintenance emergency at 2:00 in the morning, it will not wait until the next day. It is not so simple when you own a home-enjoy our maintenance program while you can.

Our team is always available to assist people with any of their rental housing needs. Please do not hesitate to contact us when you are in need of a housing resource.

Should I Rent or Buy?

Apartment living may not be for everybody, but it may be a smart decision for you. In fact, renting might be a surprisingly smart option for people who have never even considered it before. According to the New York Times, in the final analysis owning a home today may be much more expensive than renting throughout most of this country. Here are a few guidelines that may help you decide whether to rent or buy:

Lower Upfront Costs
When you rent, you don’t have to worry about saving for the substantial down payment, attorney’s fees or heavy closing costs. Homeowners are also obligated to pay insurance, property and school taxes. Insurance has been rising an average of 8-10% each year, depending upon market value. Property taxes have been increasing about 4-5% each year.

Lower Monthly Costs
Renting will generally cost you less per month than a mortgage payment for a similar size and quality space. In fact, the gap between renting and owning a house is the highest it’s been in a decade. The monthly mortgage and interest payments homeowners pay are just the beginning of the financial commitment. With adjustable rate mortgages, monthly payments increase whenever interest rates rise. If you’re considering a condo, don’t forget about the monthly Homeowners Association and Condo fees you will be paying.

Greater Personal Flexibility
Renting gives you the flexibility to move if you need to-if you change jobs, transfer, meet someone special or simply decide you want a change of environment. When you rent, you’re not locked into a long-term financial commitment the way you can be with a house.

Less Financial Risk
Life is full of changes. In fact, nearly one-third of homeowners find themselves moving within five years. If you are renting, if you want to move in 5 years, you’re not tied down to a long-term mortgage. When you rent, you don’t have to worry about the value of your house or your ability to sell in a buyer’s market. You can leave one rented apartment home and find another quickly for less than the cost of selling or leaving behind an empty house that has yet to sell.

Increased Saving Power
Most people assume that by buying a house, they will be getting tax deductions to cover the extra costs. However, you get those tax deductions only if you itemize your taxes and only if the costs exceed the standard deductions offered by the government. In fact, only one-third of taxpayers do itemize. If you find you can itemize, depending upon your tax bracket, you may only be saving $.10 to $.35 in taxes for every dollar you pay in mortgage interest. The best way to increase your savings power is to decrease your costs and free up some money to invest in retirement, a new hobby or a dream vacation.

Fewer Maintenance Expenses
Average annual maintenance can amount to 1-2% of the house’s market value. Homeowners need to budget for the unexpected: the leaky roof, the broken furnace or the garage door that’s stuck closed. At any point in time, it seems, anything can and will go wrong in a house. You just need to be sure you’re always got the money to fix whatever it is that’s wrong this week. Renter’s, on the other hand, have the convenience of knowing exactly how much their housing will cost each month, month after month. Instead of spending money on property repairs, you can save for your retirement; buy stocks, bonds, or other investments; or put money into a side business or hobby.

All the Extras Included
If you rent from a community-oriented company such as Berger Rental Communities, you’ll enjoy all sorts of conveniences! Depending on where you rent, your community may offer a swimming pool; tennis courts; recreation center; business center; fitness center; media center; and other amazing features-all professional managed with staff ready to assist you at all times.

Water Conservation Tips

As a homeowner who is billed by the water company for my water usage, I regularly monitor my water usage. Two months ago, I noticed that my water bill was double the normal amount, indicating that I used about 2,400 gallons of water more than I normally use per month. While I initially assumed that the meter reading was wrong, I thought a little harder and remembered two occasions during the past few weeks that I heard a toilet run unnecessarily for about 20 seconds. The toilet seemed to be functioning fine, and there were no signs of a leak at that point, so, I ignored it. After seeing this bill, I decided to stop ignoring that toilet, and my husband made a very simple repair to it. Sure enough, my next water bill reflected my normal usage, and the normal price. I was really shocked to see that this toilet malfunction that appeared to be so minor could waste so much water. If I lived in an apartment and did not have the opportunity to see my water bill, I probably would have continued to ignore this malfunction, leading my landlord to pay an extra $30 per month for my wasted water, which might have resulted in a higher rent increase at the time of lease renewal.

I am happy to say that I am now much more aware of the importance of using water wisely. In addition the expense of wasting water, using water wisely helps the environment. It saves water for fish and animals; it helps preserve drinking water supplies; It also eases the burden on wastewater treatment plants-the less water we send down the drain, the less work the plants have to do to make it clean again. Using water wisely also saves energy. It saves the energy that water suppliers use to treat the water and move it to us. It also saves the energy we use in our homes to heat the water. 

The following are just a few tips that everyone can follow to conserve water:

  1. Run the clothes and dishwasher only when they are full.
  2. For cold drinks, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.
  3. Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
  4. Shorten your shower by a minute or two.
  5. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Call your maintenance department to report it.
  6. When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on and adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
  7. Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or use a refillable water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.
  8. Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
  9. When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of each load.
  10. Turn off faucets tightly after each use.
  11. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
  12. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
  13. If your toilet flapper doesn’t close after flushing it, call your maintenance department.
  14. Drop your tissue in the trash instead of flushing it.
  15. Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets. If you hear any potential drips or leaks, report it to your maintenance department.
  16. Turn off the water while you wash your hair, or let the conditioner soak in.
  17. Turn off the water while you shave.
  18. When you give your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your house plants.
  19. If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
  20. To save water and time, consider washing your face while in the shower.
  21. Consider reusing your towels.
  22. When you are washing your hands, don’t let the water run while you lather.

 For additional information on water conservation, visit www.wateruseitwisely.com.

Don't Hesitate to Call For Maintenance

One of the many great conveniences of renting an apartment is that when part of your rented property is not working properly, fixing it involves just a phone call to your leasing or maintenance office. While we constantly remind our residents to call us if they need anything whatsoever, it is only normal that some residents do not want to “bother” us with their maintenance concerns. On behalf of Berger Rental Communities (and most property management companies), I cannot emphasize enough that there is never a resident concern or need that could ever potentially be a “bother”, and I would like to explain why:

1. Customer Service-we are grateful for our residents, and we understand that our residents sign our paychecks. Resident satisfaction is always our top priority, and we are always delighted to have the opportunity to satisfy a resident’s needs.

2. Maintenance is our responsibility – if you want to fix things yourself, or ignore malfunctioning items, buy a house. Take advantage of the fact that you do not need to take apart your ice maker to find out why it is not making ice-let us do that. Not only is it our job, it is our pleasure to resolve these issues.

3. Although you might feel that “it’s just an apartment – I’m only going to be here for a few more months”, we feel that you must come home to your apartment every night and say, “Ahhh, I’m home”. If you are making your own ice in trays rather than using the ice maker that comes with your apartment, are you really coming home and feeling, “Ahhh”?

4 (For those who still do not want to bother us with items that seem minor to them). Not reporting your maintenance concerns could be costly and time-consuming for your property management company. Let’s look at the ice maker example: Ice makers can stop making ice for a variety of reasons. While it might not seem that using ice-cube trays is a major inconvenience, a broken ice maker could be an indication of a major malfunction in your refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator and freezer might continue to appear to be working fine for several weeks, or more, but you might wake up on a Saturday morning to find spoiled milk and melted ice cream.  While an ice-cube tray might not be considered a maintenance emergency, a warm refrigerator generally is an emergency. If you did not want to “bother” anyone with an ice maker issue, you will not be happy to have to call maintenance on that Saturday morning, which would result in the on call maintenance technician coming out during the weekend. At this point, more than likely, the refrigerator and freezer has been damaged beyond repair, and will have to be replaced. If this ice maker malfunction was called in as a routine request when it first happened, the easy repair could have been made, saving the entire refrigerator, and limiting the amount of time you had to go without an ice maker.

To sum it all up, submitting maintenance requests for your apartment creates a win-win situation for everyone, however, the bottom line is this: You, the resident, will get your repair made, and will be happy, and happy residents make happy property management companies. Happy property management companies will then make more happy residents, and happy residents make great neighbors, which leads to another fantastic part of renting apartments: You can have an impact on having wonderful neighbors just by submitting your service requests.

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