Alton, TX 202 Apartments for Rent

Alton, Texas, started its life as a stop for railroad workers from the Alton Illinois Railroad company.

The city of Alton is on the outskirts of Mission and McAllen and takes you down to the southernmost tip of Texas. It has a population of 12,341, a powerful community spirit, and strong multi-cultural influence thanks to the nearby Mexican border. This town also puts you close to the Gulf of Mexico, letting you smell the nearby ocean without too long of a trip.

Moving to Alton

A Few Things to Know

Alton homes tend to be newer, as the city was not officially incorporated until 1978. Single family rental homes in Alton, TX, dominate the rental market, although there are several apartment complexes nearby. Some of these properties include Bella Rose Luxury Apartments, Plantation Apartments, and San Pedro at Sharyland Plantation. Rental housing in Alton also includes condos, although these are more limited compared to other housing types.

Types of Rentals

When you look at properties in this area, prepare yourself to deal with a variety of management situations. You have real estate agents, private landlords, and rental management companies all vying for your attention. This small community has a solid mixture of rented and owned properties, with more of an emphasis on the rental properties.

What You'll Need

Take a sledgehammer to your piggy bank because you'll need money for security deposits, pet deposits, and application fees when conducting your apartment search. While not all private landlords require the full set of fees, most do ask for at least one month's rent for the security deposit. Be prepared to slap down the first month's rent upfront, too. Grumbling won't work, so put your grownup pants on and pay up!

Finding a Home

When you look at Alton, TX, rental housing, ask about the average utility bills, whether you have central air or air conditioning units, what lease terms are available, and what the total square footage of the apartment is. Also, test out appliances to confirm everything is working. Additionally, travel through the neighborhood at night to determine whether or not it's an appropriate noise level for you to get to sleep. You aren't dealing with any high crime or highways to keep you up at night, but sometimes the neighbors are too disruptive for your personal tastes. Although this might seem like a lot to investigate, it will keep you from making a huge mistake. Remember, once you sign a lease agreement, the landlord owns you, at least for the term of the contract.

On the Move

Once you find the perfect apartment, pack up your existing home. If you're moving an entire apartment worth of furniture and personal belongings, talk your truck-owning friend into coming around, or invest in a rental truck for the afternoon. It's well worth getting the proper moving equipment instead of letting chair legs poke out of your car windows. For the easiest apartment moves, label the boxes with the contents and the room it should be moved into. That way you don't have a mountain of boxes waiting for you in the middle of the living room, while the rest of the rooms remain barren. Finally, enlist your friends for some heavy lifting, or hire a moving company to handle it all for you. If you go the moving company route, look for companies that have insurance in case anything happens to your property during the move, and look into companies that your friends and family recommend.

Alton Neighborhoods

Alton is divided up into roughly three different neighborhoods, though they are all small offshoots of the one main Alton enclave. Allow yourself ample time to search each area thoroughly before plunking down your deposit to your new dream rental.

City Center: The City Center neighborhood of Alton is the most walkable area in town, although you still need a car to reach almost everything in this city. The small local businesses and restaurants congregate in this neighborhood, making it more of a commercial district than a residential area. This area has the highest home values out of the three neighborhoods.

Corina's Corner Colonia (Aloha Village Colonia): This Alton suburb is less populated than the previous neighborhood. It is less walkable but it does have its own benefits when it comes to getting around. Commute to jobs and amenities are quite a bit shorter on average for residents of Corina's Corner than are traveled by people in other neighborhoods across the U.S. You need to go into the City Center or nearby towns for groceries, shopping, and nightlife options.

Dude Hill Colonia Number 2 (Inspiration Road Number 1 Colonia): This is the lowest priced neighborhood out of the three, located on the southern part of Alton. Like Corina's Corner Colonia, this neighborhood is not particularly walkable, and you need a car to get from point A to point B. However, it does benefit from the lower house prices, as rentals in this area are the least expensive in the city, while still retaining most of the benefits that Corina's Corner Colonia has.

Living in Alton

Alton is a small southern town with all of the friendliness and small town nature that you would expect. Nearby towns aren't much larger, so all of the nearby locations give you that rural community feel as well. Your work locally is contained within the nearby area, as the next closest big city is over an hour away. The nearby parks and beaches appeal to the outdoor recreation lover, while Alton itself does have restaurants and other options for local entertainment.

While this is a small town, it's seeing positive business growth and an investment by the local government. Recently, it earmarked $9.6 million for a sewer project to connect over 500 houses into the central sewer line. It also has been seeing new businesses such as Golden Chick, Subway, and McDonald's. This growth speaks well to the livability of this area, as well as its future. This area is the perfect suburb for Texans who want the classic quiet, small town feel and plenty of opportunity to take a vacation in Mexico.