Frequently Asked Questions

Do you accept pets?
Cats & other small pets are welcome at ALL of our locations with no additional deposit or monthly charge.  We have a handful of properties that are dog-friendly.  Look for the listings that have a cute dog photo....these are the Fido-friendly ones.  The amount of the dog deposit and/or additional monthly rent depends on the property, your type of dog & your credit so please call the office for more details. 

What is your smoking policy?
All of our properties are non-smoking. 

Do you offer short-term leases?
We only offer 12 month leases however if you’re interested in homeownership, see below for shorter term lease options…

I’m kind of interested in buying a home at some point.  What are my options?
When you rent select Garcia Properties apartments, you can take advantage of our Future Homebuyers Program.  Although we use 12-month leases, they contain a special clause which allows you to break your lease at any time without penalty as long as you buy a home using Garcia Properties to purchase & finance it.  As a licensed brokerage, we have access to all properties currently listed on the market—not just our own listings. Whether you are looking for a single family home, condo, townhouse, or duplex, we can kind you the perfect place to call your own! As a buyer’s agent, our real estate expertise is yours to use for free.  Please give us a call for more details & to see which properties qualify for this program.

How can I make an appointment to see your apartments?
Just give us a ring at the office Monday thru Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. & we’ll set it up for you.  Sorry, we do not schedule appointments via email.  As we are a small company & do not have a receptionist, you sometimes will get voicemail since we’re out showing properties or assisting other folks.  Please leave us a message & we’ll get right back with you.

What do your apartments include?
All of our apartments include, at a minimum, a stove & refrigerator.  They also include water, sewer & trash.  Above & beyond that, please peruse our list of available apartments for more specifics. 

What is the average utility bill for your apartments?
How much your utility bills will run is completely up to you.  Some people like to keep their apartment jungle hot & run around in their tighty whities.  Others bundle up like Eskimos & invest in lots of down comforters.  Once you have a particular apartment in mind, you can call Ameren UE or Laclede Gas to request a historical monthly average but again, it just depends on what temperature you keep your thermostat set at.  A general rule of thumb if you’re trying to keep your bills low:  Pay a little bit extra for an apartment that has newer thermal windows.  You’ll come out ahead in the long run. 

I’m not looking to move for six months.  Is it to soon to start looking?
Yes.  We typically know our availability 30-60 days in advance.  While browsing our list of available properties, you will notice that each one lists the date that it will be available.  This is the approximate date that the lease would begin should you choose to rent it. 

What’s with the 20 Questions when I call to schedule an appointment?
First of all, I think you’re exaggerating a bit.  There aren’t 20 questions; it’s really only like 14.  But seriously, you might notice that we screen our prospective tenants quite carefully.  Although it takes a few minutes of both of our time, once you’re living in one of our properties you will appreciate the fact that we do this!  There are far too many landlords out there whose only requirement for tenants is possessing cash & a pulse.  Eeeek! 

Do you offer furnished apartments?
No, sorry.  However, there’s a very nice company called Arch Interim Housing that can help you with that. 

What is the application process like?
The application focuses on a few things:  Firstly, that your credit is decent.  It does NOT need to be perfect but we need to see that you pay the vast majority of bills on time & as agreed.  Secondly, we’re looking to see that you’ve been a good tenant in the past (providing this isn’t your first apartment).  And thirdly, that you’re financially able to pay for the apartment. 

What kind of deposit is required?
There is a flat rate security deposit of $400 required at lease signing.  If you have extraordinary credit, we may be able to work with you on that.

What happens if I submit an application & deposit & then change my mind?
Please wait to submit an application until you are sure that you want (& are able) to commit to signing a year lease, otherwise the $100 holding deposit will be forfeited.

Do you accept Section 8 vouchers?
Nope; sorry!

Do you have any all-electric apartments?
We have a few but most have gas (for the heat, stove & water heater) & electric (for the cooling, lights, etc).  If the apartment is all-electric, that will be mentioned in the listing.

I just called into the office.  Was that a baby screaming/dog barking/cat meowing in the background?
Yes.  We sometimes bring our babies, cats & dogs to work.  We’re crazy like that.