Austin Apartment Reviews Guide
Menu

The Merle on Howard

Updated 2026-09-08 · 3,787 reviewed · 917 listed · Scored from 94 Google reviews · How we rank ›

4.6(94) 75 composite score See reviews on Google ✓ Google-verified
Student HousingPet-Friendly ApartmentsLuxury Apartments
The Merle on Howard
Location
Manor
Services
Student Housing, Pet-Friendly Apartments, Luxury Apartments
Reviews
94
Ranking
#169 in Student Housing
Best for
Young professionals and students who value on-site recreation and responsive, personable service.

Core details are sourced from this business's Google Business Profile (checked 2026-09-08). Website-sourced details were fetched 2026-07-21.

What we found

Most residents praise The Merle's immaculate grounds, resort-style amenities, and staff who greet problems with real names and fast fixes. Maintenance requests close within a day; the dog park and pickleball courts draw active praise. Management lapses emerge sharply in reviews: one resident's stalking crisis was met with 11 days of silence, legal miscounting, and fee threats, while another found a lease promotion dishonored at signing. A returning property manager (Mike Jones) corrected that error in two minutes, suggesting gaps persist in frontline handling.

Staff excellence appears uneven. Makayla, Tony, Izzy, KB, Leo, and Terrell earn specific mention for going past their role. Yet the same property has allowed safety violations to snowball and lease terms to be misapplied. Amenity water and electricity charges, bundled separately from the amenity fee, caught at least one resident off guard.

Praised for
  • friendly, responsive staff by name
  • well-maintained, clean grounds
  • high-quality amenities (pool, pickleball, dog park, golf simulator)
  • peaceful community feel
  • fast maintenance response
Watch-outs
  • safety response lapses in crisis situations
  • lease promotion enforcement issues
  • additional amenity charges unclear or unexpected
responsive-managementwell-maintainedclean-common-areasgreat-amenitiesfriendly-staffquiet-community
Best for: Young professionals and students who value on-site recreation and responsive, personable service.
Think twice if: Safety concerns were handled with long delays and lease-term misapplication; frontline management inconsistency is evident despite standout staff in roles.

What this place gets right

  • resort-quality amenities (pool, dog park, pickleball, golf sim)
  • named staff who respond fast and listen
  • clean, well-maintained grounds praised consistently
  • maintenance response within one day

Before you tour or apply

  • Maintenance manager Tony, assistant manager Makayla, staff KB, Izzy, Leo, and Terrell named for exceeding expectations
  • Maintenance requests completed within one day
  • Property manager Mike Jones resolved lease dispute in two minutes upon escalation
  • Dog park includes splash pad
  • Indoor golf simulator available
  • Resort-style pool area praised as luxury-quality
  • Amenity water and electricity charged separately from flat amenity fee

Resident ratings

Student Housing
Leasing team praised for helpfulness and patience; one reviewer cited lease promotion not honored at signing but corrected on renewal.
Pet-Friendly Apartments
Dog park with splash pad repeatedly praised; one of the best seen by residents.
Luxury Apartments
Resort-style pool and overall finish exceed expectations; some flagged unexpected amenity charges outside the flat fee.

How it stacks up

  • Rated 4.6 against a 3.99 average across the 249 student housing businesses listed here.
  • Has more Google reviews than 37% of the businesses in this directory.

What keeps coming up

pickleball courtsleasing processfriendly staffbasketball courtdog parkgolf simulatorluxury apartment homeshelpful teampoolbrand new complex

How we scored this

How We Score
Star rating 65
Review volume 86
Review recency 100
Review sentiment 67
Profile completeness 75
Verification 30

Breaking down the ratings

5
82
4
2
3
1
2
2
1
7

FAQ

How fast does maintenance respond?
At least one resident saw their first maintenance request completed within the day of submission.
Is the dog park worth the move if I have a pet?
Multiple reviews call it one of the best dog parks they have seen, and it includes a splash pad.
What's included in the amenity fee?
A flat amenity fee covers base services, but water and electricity charges are billed separately, which surprised at least one resident.

Similar apartment complexes nearby

Banyan Everton Single Family Homes
84

Banyan Everton Single Family Homes

4.9(158)✓ Google-verifiedPublishes prices

Staff consistently earn praise for knowledge, responsiveness, and going beyond standard service, with maintenance team cited for same-day or next-day fixes. The community appeals to those seeking well-maintained homes and quiet neighborhoods, though some residents report frustration with fee structures, pool access restrictions, and disputes over final balances.

Townhome & Garden-Style CommunitiesLuxury ApartmentsPet-Friendly Apartments
The Howard
74

The Howard

4.5(149)✓ Google-verified

The Howard earns strong marks for design, amenities, and staff warmth-five-star reviewers consistently praise the resort feel, maintenance speed, and welcoming team. However, persistent complaints about gate failures, trash in common areas, delayed communication during move-in, cleanliness lapses in the gym, and mounting fees temper the experience for a vocal minority.

Pet-Friendly Apartments
Bridge at Davenport Place Apartments
74

Bridge at Davenport Place Apartments

4.4(226)✓ Google-verified

Staff members like Brayan, Patricia, and Martin earn consistent praise for responsiveness and patience with residents. Leasing transactions and move-ins feel smooth, with the pool and grounds viewed as well-kept. However, a significant group of residents report ongoing pest infestations, slow maintenance turnaround (sometimes weeks), and escalating tension with management over noise complaints and billing errors. One resident described feeling stonewalled after repeated documented complaints to current leasing staff and ultimately escalated concerns to parent management company AMP and HACA. The split between five-star and one-star reviews reflects two different experiences: those who navigate transactions and maintenance smoothly, and those who encounter unresolved habitability issues or feel their concerns are dismissed. Pest control appears episodic rather than systematic, and residents question whether complaints about noise or damage reach meaningful resolution or trigger retaliation.

Luxury ApartmentsPet-Friendly ApartmentsAffordable & Section 8 Housing

Own this business? Get featured

Own or market a business here? Ask about featured placement and advertising on this directory. Your message goes straight to the directory team.

Last updated 2026-09-08