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The James on South First

Updated 2026-09-22 · 3,787 reviewed · 924 listed · Scored from 191 Google reviews · How we rank ›

4.3(191) 76 composite score See reviews on Google ✓ Google-verified
Luxury ApartmentsPet-Friendly ApartmentsTownhome & Garden-Style Communities
The James on South First
Location
Dittmar-Slaughter, Austin
Services
Luxury Apartments, Pet-Friendly Apartments, Townhome & Garden-Style Communities
Reviews
191
Best for
Pet owners, families, and long-term renters who value responsive staff and community atmosphere.

Core details are sourced from this business's Google Business Profile (checked 2026-09-22). Website-sourced details were fetched 2026-07-21.

What we found

Front office staff (Nik, Sarah, Ariana) earn consistent praise for warmth and attentiveness, and maintenance crews respond within 24 hours to fix problems. Residents and visitors value the spacious units, community gatherings like movie nights and food trucks, and pet accommodation. However, safety is a real concern: some report homeless access through damaged fencing, inadequate lighting, frequent gate breakdowns, plus pest problems and one report of a break-in attempt.

Praised for
  • staff friendliness and responsiveness
  • fast maintenance response
  • community events and food trucks
  • clean units and well-maintained property
  • pet-friendly atmosphere
Watch-outs
  • safety concerns and security gaps
  • pest issues (roaches, rats)
  • lighting and dark common areas
  • parking garage security
  • gate system unreliability
responsive-managementfriendly-staffwell-maintainedsafe-securepest-problemsquiet-community
Best for: Pet owners, families, and long-term renters who value responsive staff and community atmosphere.
Think twice if: Safety is a sticking point: fence damage allowing homeless encampment access, inadequate lighting in common areas, and ongoing gate malfunctions need addressing.

What this place gets right

  • Named staff known by residents for warmth and care
  • Maintenance arrives within 24 hours
  • Regular community events with food trucks
  • Pet-friendly with designated dog park

Before you tour or apply

  • Nik, Sarah, and Ariana consistently named as welcoming office staff
  • Maintenance staff Chavez and José respond within 24 hours
  • Tankless water heaters in units
  • Food trucks host weekly
  • Community hosts holiday parties and pool movie nights
  • Dog park on-site
  • Taco trucks and breakfast provided to residents

Resident ratings

Pet-Friendly Apartments
Residents praise the pet-friendly culture and designated dog park, though some report unleashed dogs and inadequate lighting near the dog park area.

How it stacks up

  • Rated 4.3 against a 4.01 average across the 780 luxury apartments businesses listed here.
  • Has more Google reviews than 67% of the businesses in this directory.

What keeps coming up

helpful staffpoolspacious apartmentsnatural gas stovekind staffcommunity feelclean unitclean apartmentfast maintenancefood trucks

How we scored this

How We Score
Star rating 51
Review volume 99
Review recency 100
Review sentiment 61
Profile completeness 100
Verification 30

Breaking down the ratings

5
143
4
18
3
4
2
3
1
23

FAQ

How quickly does maintenance respond?
Maintenance typically arrives within 24 hours for repair requests.
Does the complex have secure parking?
Yes, there is on-site parking, though one review mentions concerns about vehicle theft and rodent damage in the garage.
Are there community events?
Yes, the complex hosts holiday parties, pool movie nights, and brings in food trucks weekly for dinner.

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Strong 4.5 rating masks a sharp divide: most residents praise Teresa, Jeremiah, Charlie, and other named staff for quick fixes and genuine care, plus clean grounds and location near Southpark Meadows. But parallel reviews document months-long AC failures ignored by management, German roach infestations that staff blamed on residents, paper-thin walls, and serious safety lapses when trespassers and homeless individuals climbed fences and entered patios. One resident felt unsafe enough to avoid sleeping alone; another waited 30+ days for a promised refund after a denial. The property shines for short-term visitors but shows systemic gaps in crisis response and accountability. Management inconsistency is the core tension. Reviewers who moved in before 2025 often report helpful teams; those who transferred or renewed recently describe a "complete 180" toward unresponsiveness. Staff turnover appears high, so your experience hinges on who staffs the office on your move-in day and whether urgent issues land on a responsive person's desk or fall through cracks.

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Many residents praise fast maintenance response, clean grounds, and staff like Isabel for genuinely helping them choose the right unit. Yet significant complaints emerge about lax building security, unreturned deposits, and management inconsistency; newer tenants report serious issues including vehicle damage, unaddressed mold, and poor follow-up from front office despite mixed responsiveness on grievances. The community center and food pantry are mentioned as genuine perks, and long-term tenants often renew leases happily. Recent management shifts appear to have triggered frustration, though friendly office interactions still happen. The tension between reliable day-to-day upkeep and serious security/administrative failures is the defining split in resident experience here.

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Last updated 2026-09-22