Highland Villas

Pros

• The new property manager is excellent, quick to respond, and reliable.
• The staff are friendly and attentive, with maintenance promptly addressing issues.
• The property is beautiful, clean, and well-kept.
• The location is perfect and close to everything.
• Affany is described as wonderful, welcoming, and responsive.
• Residents describe Highland Villas as a wonderful place to raise a family with a quiet, friendly community.
• The community accepts packages and pickups are reliable.
• The property is quiet, safe, and peaceful with responsible neighbors.

Cons

• They warned others not to rent Highland Villas, citing health and safety concerns.
• They stated there were severe mold issues that maintenance only carpet-cleaned instead of remediating, making the unit unsafe.
• They claimed the complex pursued rent despite unsafe living conditions and refused to take responsibility for health hazards.
• They described neglect behind the walls and a lack of real concern for tenant wellbeing.
• They reported a range of problems (mold, bed bugs, roaches, drug activity, cigarette butts, trash, broken elevator, limited pool access, and even assaults) creating a dangerous environment.
• They criticized management and maintenance as incompetent or unresponsive, with rude or absent office staff and poor communication.
• They alleged the owner/management prioritize money over residents and cannot keep employees, leading to ongoing issues and delays with deposits.

Review

Highland Villas Apartments presents itself in the community as a place with real charm and character, and for many residents it lives up to that promise. Across the comments, people describe a quiet, well-kept property with a friendly atmosphere and neighbors who feel responsible and respectful. Several renters highlight the front office as a point of contact worth reaching out to, pointing to Janiqua as a helpful presence in the office. The vibe for many is homey and convenient: nice landscaping, a clean exterior, and a sense that the grounds are cared for on a steady basis. A number of residents also note the value of the location - close to the places they need to be and a community that feels safe and manageable, with complaints largely about occasional service hiccups rather than persistent danger.

On the managerial side, there is widespread praise for the current leadership in several reviews. One commenter calls the new property manager "excellent," emphasizing how quick she is to respond and how reliably she handles issues. There is a recurring thread about staff who are both proactive and personable: managers who walk the property, keep an eye out for trash, and cultivate a friendly, welcoming environment. People repeatedly mention that maintenance does not just respond; they act, and they do so with a sense of urgency that makes residents feel heard. The sentiment about the management team, particularly when it comes to Affany, is consistently positive, with many residents promising that the staff is approachable, the building is well run, and issues are addressed promptly.

Among the consistently strong points are the daily operations that keep life at Highland Villas smooth for many tenants. The ability to receive packages easily, the staff's willingness to assist, and the sense that offices are open and responsive when residents need them all contribute to a feeling of reliability. Several residents describe move-in experiences that were handled professionally and with attention to detail: a manager who provided information, who was courteous, and who helped ensure that units were in good shape when people took possession. The overall tone for these reviewers is one of satisfaction with the living environment: spacious units, a quiet community, and a sense that tenants are treated with courtesy and respect.

Yet, the positive picture is sharply interrupted by a chorus of alarming and visceral concerns voiced by other residents. The most serious and recurring issue concerns health and safety, especially mold. A number of reviews allege severe mold problems in units - mold in vents and walls, even spreading to personal belongings. The narrative goes beyond surface-level maintenance requests: the complaints describe multiple visits by maintenance that did not remediate the underlying problem, and in one account, a carpet cleaner was brought in instead of a mold remediation team. The upshot, according to these residents, was not only ongoing health risks but also a feeling that the complex would pursue rent even after declaring a unit unsafe or unlivable. The most extreme claim ties mold to a broader pattern of neglect, with one account recounting HUD involvement and lease termination due to mold, bed bugs, roaches, and other safety concerns - paired with reports of drug activity, sexual assaults, and a general sense of neglect behind the scenes.

In addition to mold, other reviews amplify the sense of risk and frustration. Several tenants describe chronic maintenance failures or slow response times that jeopardize daily comfort and safety. Instances include air conditioners failing in extreme heat, with reports of fans and filters being neglected for weeks, leaks in bathrooms, and situations where emergency maintenance lines do not connect to a functioning on-call team. One reviewer paints a vivid picture of a home that becomes uninhabitable in heat, with no immediate remedy and no clear lines of accountability. Elevator problems, pool access issues, and messy common areas are all cited as ongoing inconveniences that compound the sense that some days are spent contending with breakdowns rather than enjoying the property.

The communication experience with management is another important thread. For some, the office feels accessible and responsive, but for others, the experience is the opposite: staff described as curt or inattentive on initial contact, with anecdotes about being cut off during price discussions or not receiving promised information. Several reviews emphasize the importance of documenting everything, suggesting that tenants maintain written records and an email trail to protect themselves and ensure accountability. In some cases, this caution seems to reflect a broader pattern of inconsistent communication that can leave residents frustrated and unsure about next steps when problems arise.

Taken together, the collection of voices about Highland Villas paints a complex picture: a property that can be an excellent home for some, with supportive managers, clean grounds, and a quiet, neighborly environment, while at the same time housing a substantial share of alarming safety, maintenance, and communication issues for others. For prospective renters, the contrast isn't easily dismissed. Some people swear by the community's strengths - the responsive staff, the clean and well-kept grounds, and the convenient location - while others urge caution and emphasize due diligence. The most practical takeaway is to approach with eyes wide open: tour the property with careful attention to unit condition and safety features, ask pointed questions about mold remediation history and ongoing health concerns, verify current maintenance response times, and seek out recent residents to hear their latest experiences firsthand.

In the end, Highland Villas appears to be a place of two very different realities. For some, it is a well-managed, pleasant community with friendly staff, reliable maintenance, and a sense of belonging that makes daily life feel easy and comfortable. For others, it is a warning - a place where health and safety might be compromised, where maintenance delays can turn routine issues into major headaches, and where inconsistent communication can leave tenants feeling uncertain and overwhelmed. As with any rental decision, a prospective resident would do well to weigh these perspectives thoughtfully, visit the property in person, request current tenant references, and document everything from the start. If there is one constant across the stories, it's that Highland Villas has the capacity to be both a very good home and a source of serious concern, depending on who you ask and what you experience during your time there.

Restaurants

• Taco Casa-Bryan (0.2 miles)
• McDonald's (0.2 miles)
• Twin Peaks (0.5 miles)
• Taco Cabana (0.5 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (0.6 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (0.6 miles)
• Jack In The Box (0.7 miles)

Physicians

• Scott & White Clinic - Briarcrest (0.5 miles)
• Marr Eye Center (1.3 miles)
• Ricardo S. Lemos, MD (1.3 miles)
• Mark B. Lindsay, MD - East 29th St Optical (1.4 miles)
• Cardiovascular Surgery of Brazos Valley (1.4 miles)
• St Joseph General & Bariatric Surgical Associates (1.4 miles)
• Weight Loss Surgery - St. Joseph Health - Bryan, TX (Ste 105) (1.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.5 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Brazos Valley Long Term Care Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• Pharmacy Corner (2.1 miles)
• H-E-B Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)

Theaters

• Bryan PREMIERE LUX Cine 15 IMAX & Pizza Pub (0.8 miles)
• Cinemark (2.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Gbsa Professionals (1.4 miles)
• CHI St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital (1.5 miles)
• Central Texas Rehabilitation (1.5 miles)
• St Joseph Hospital (3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Central Church of Christ (1.9 miles)
• First Presbyterian Church (2.3 miles)
• Central Baptist Church (3 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (2.1 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• First Watch - College Station (2.7 miles)

Parks

• Merry Oaks Park (2.8 miles)