Each available unit below has an "availability date" indicated. In some situations the current tenants can move out sooner than the availability date indicated... sometimes not. So if you need to move sooner than the date indicated by the property, just let us know the move-in date you need when you email us.

I keep my game pretty tight so normally I do not have any units just sitting empty (unless we happen to be working on that unit). My vacancy rate averages less than 2% annually--which represents natural turnover. People move in, people move out--so we are always going to have a few days of vacancy here and there while we are doing make ready, making repairs, updating the unit, etc. Typically I have a unit leased before the current tenant vacates, with just a day or two in between to make sure the unit is in tip top condition.

The availability date for each unit is indicated below along with a contact email for that property. Just click the "View Unit Details" link by any property that you are interested in and then send an email to the address indicated if you'd like to find out about showing dates and times for that particular unit.

(You may also want to check out the Home age for a little background on Medusa Properties and how we roll.)

Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	50s Modern in Afton Oaks (Houston, TX) oakshire1@medusaproperties.com Bored with doing the same "Turn-of-the-Century" restoration projects for the previous five years, in 2002 I decided to mix things up bit with a little Mid-Century Modern. This classic 1950s 8-plex is one of only a few original, small complexes built in Afton Oaks that are still standing. (http://www.aftonoaks.org/) Because of its excellent in-town location, unusually large lots, and strictly enforced deed restrictions, the prevailing model in Afton Oaks is to tear down the existing 1950s "ranch-style" houses (@ $500K a pop) and replace them with faux French McMansions (@ $2 million a pop). Most of the original, smaller, vintage apartment buildings like this one have been laid low by that same paradigm. As tempting as that might be to me financially, I kinda liked Afton Oaks the way it was--quaint and unpretentious--so I decided to recycle this classic building instead of sacrificing it to the gods of consumption. This project was fun mainly because we got to work and re-work the same basic floor-plan--eight times. This allowed me to tweak the scope & look a bit after each unit to keep improving the functionality and aesthetics of each unit from first to last. (My own mini Case Study project.) My goal was to end up with eight unique units--and I think achieved that goal. No two units in the building are alike. Aside from the common floor plan of two bedrooms and one bath--and some shared color schemes--every unit has its own personality. Sometimes the differences are subtle. Sometimes they are drastic. But each has its own individual character. The tenants are generally an eclectic mix of young professionals (25-45) + two dogs & three cats. This property has more of a community feel to it than any other property that I have owned--which I like. If you work or play inside the loop, this location is hard to beat. "Galleria" is an oft abused reference point in Houston real estate--especially in apartment listings. This property is literally three blocks due east of the Galleria shopping centers--tucked right inside Loop 610. You could walk out your front door & be trying on shoes at Neimans in about five minutes. There is also a 24 Hr Fitness, a Kinkos/FedEx, and three Starbucks within easy walking distance. (damn those $5 iced chai lattes w/double shots of espresso!) There is also great freeway access to 59, 610, and I-10. And the shopping is the best in the state; (where else in Houston can you live close enough to walk to Crate & Barrel, Central Market, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Nordstrom, and Anthropologie?) http://www.shophighlandvillage.com/center.html For what they are--smaller, Mid-Century two bed / one bath flats--these are about the nicest units in this price range that you are going to find anywhere near this location--possibly anywhere inside the loop. See unit details below for pics & info on each individual unit. Click any thumbnail to enlarge. (Project Resources) Thorntree (quartz & slate), DalTile, ICI Paints, K&N Appliance, the Detering Company (trim & moulding), Custom Precision Stainless (custom kitchen sinks & other stainless details), Ferguson (misc. plumbing fixtures & door hardware), Trinity Hardwoods, Klassic Hardwoods (recycled flooring), CheMa Carpentry (cabinets & trim), M&M Lighting, Bobbitt Glass, Emmanuel del Angel (project manager and overall badass). For more info about renting one of these units (policies, procedures, showing dates & times, etc.) see email at the end of each unit description below. View Unit Details Afton Oaks / Highland Village HOUSTON, TX 77027 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	Turn-of-the-Century Mansion (now 6-plex) - (Avenues - Salt Lake City - UT) Built in 1905 as an enormous single family residence, this classic Avenues mansion was converted into 6 large units at some point over the past 100 years. My aim when taking on these projects is not to "remodel" these old buildings but to restore them. This may seem like the same thing to a layman but if you have ever sunk your teeth into a 100 yr old building, you understand the difference. (And if you have been looking at apartments in the Aves for very long you will definitely SEE the difference in these units.) Restoration involves stripping off years of cheap, ill conceived & trendy "updates", poorly done repairs ("handy man" specials), pulling off the old doors, moulding & hardware, stripping off the many, many coats of paint & flooring--the tacky finishes du jour that have been grafted onto the building over the years, upgrading the infrastructure (plumbing, electrical, HVAC)--then put the old doors, fixtures, moulding, and hardware back on. Invariably some of the original fixtures have been damaged or lost. So that takes me to places like Georges Architectural Salvage to track down replacement doors, knobs, and fixtures. As you can imagine, this process takes a LOT of time and energy--and of course, plenty of cash money. But the end result is the essence of what makes these old buildings so much more liveable than most of what's been built after the 1940s: original hardwood floors from old growth forests, tall ceilings, big windows with the original art glass, subway tile & mosaic floors, cast iron fixtures, claw tubs. In a word: Vintage. Another great feature of this building is the original wrap-around front porch--great for chilling out and watching the world go by, studying, surfing the web, or just practicing your bongos or guitar (as a former tenant, Josh, was fond of doing). There is also plenty of extra storage space in the basement for bikes, kayaks, ski & snowboard stuff, camping gear, suitcases, boxes, seasonal items, or that ugly lamp that you just cannot seem to part with. (Each tenant gets their own dedicated area in the basement and we have never run out of space--it is a BIG basement.) For the eco friendly tenant the city bus stops right out in front for easy access to the U of U, TRAX, the hospitals, and downtown SLC. And we have a pretty comprehensive recycling center set up on site--including bins for paper, plastic, & glass. I have also installed a high speed internet connection in the building for the tenants to share (Ethernet & WiFi)--which saves everyone about $50/month--which is nice. We can all use a little extra coin in the pocket these days! When I see what else is out there for rent in the Aves it kind of makes me sad. So many landlords buy these great old buildings and "remodel" the history and charm right out of them. They end up looking like the latest Home Depot displays. But the sad reality is that it is easier, faster, and a lot cheaper to go to Home Depot and buy junk fixtures & plastic "laminate" floors than it is to spend a month on your hands and knees stripping off paint, and scraping and sanding on the orignal hardwood floors. But man, once you get through the four layers of linoleum and tar paper, and you smell that virgin fir that was hand felled and hand milled by the Pioneers... and a big drop of sweat slips off your brow and hits the floor and soaks in and you know it is gonna be there for another 100 years... man, that's something. (Project Resources) - Jean Flesher Construction - (801) 259-1364 - LeDel Pace Plumbing (801) 589-5822 - Renovation Innovation - Daltile & American Olean - Kingdon Sheet Metal - ICI Dulux Paints - Georges Architectural Salvage So, click on any thumbnail below to see the full sized pic and shoot me an email if you like what you see. * More local info: http://www.slc-avenues.org/ View Unit Details 3RD AVE @ N ST SLC, UT 84103 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	Victorian Duplex near Liberty Park (SLC, UT) Great old Victorian near Salt Lake's Liberty Park. Built as a single family home in the late 1800s by the city's first fire chief. Split into two units sometime around the 1940s. The upstairs is one unit. The downstairs is another. Both units have: - Tall ceilings. - Original fir hardwood floors. - Large windows. - 1/4 acre lot (2x normal city lot). - Large rose & vegetable gardens + fruit trees. Old houses like this have a ton of charm and character but they may be a little drafty in the winter and the floors may creak a bit. Nothing in life is perfect. For me the trade offs have always been worth it. Others are better suited for new, shiny, happy, econobox living. Such is life. :) Pet policy for this building: Cat(s) or small-to-medium dog allowed in downstairs unit. Cat(s) (but no dogs) allowed in upstairs unit. (No exceptions.) The two tenants in this building split the utilities. Gas+Electric+Water+Internet run about $125/month/person (averaged over 12 months in 2008). See details below for availability. Click on any thumbnail to enlarge. View Unit Details 1372 south 300 east Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	Mid-Century Modern Lofts & Flats! (Upper Kirby - Houston - TX) I rescued this little gem from the chopping block in August of 2006. With all the tenants evicted, gas meters pulled & terminated, and the water shut off at the main--the wrecking ball was on its way... But I felt like she had a lot of life left in her. So I got out the pencil & pad and started sketching... Before I bought the property the building had been owned by the same family since it was built in the 1940s. The entire street used to have many similar properties on it; all but this one had been torn down over the years. The 67 yr old woman who sold me the building lived there with her family when she was a child. Fortunately for me she had no interest in restoring the building. Getting on in years, she had been living off the rents & letting the property run down for the past few decades. This property is just off Kirby, between 59 & Richmond--making it one of the shortest commutes to just about anywhere in the city. 10-15 minutes from every university and college in town; 5 minutes from the Medical Center; walking distance to River Oaks, Greenway Plaza, movie theaters, shopping, and many great restaurants. (Japon & Miyako are both across the street... mmm... sushi!) (Haven, a $5,000,000 new restaurant, is going in right next door.) The property has six units total: four larger one bedrooms in the main building and two apartments over the garages. The look is 50/50 vintage/modern--but definitely not "traditional", "contemporary", or cookie cutter in any way. I guarantee that you will not find ANY units at ANY property, in ANY price range that have the kinds of fixtures and finishes that I have in these units. The two lower units in the main building (#1 & #2) have stained concrete floors & large private patios in the front. The two upper units are all hardwoods with a private deck off the back. Kitchens & baths are completely custom & high-end with all stainless steel appliances from Bosch (dishwashers), Siemens (dual fuel ranges), GE (microwaves fridges & washers & dryers) + natural stone counters, and built-in laundry. Very modern but with a shout out to the buildings 1940s heritage. Medusa Properties is a very eco-friendly preservationist. We recycle everything we possibly can when restoring these old buildings--and use high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, sprayed-in foam insulation, insulated windows with low e coatings, etc. And we stick to the basics when building back: glass, steel, wood, concrete. That's about it. We like to keep it simple. (Project Resources) - M&M Lighting - fixtures & fans - Thorntree - natural stone - Detering Company - trim, moulding, doors, & windows - Custom Precision Stainless - stainless sinks & shelves - Montalbano Lumber - building materials - DalTile - subway tile, etc. - West End Roofing - Ferguson Plumbing Supply - Rivas HVAC - Custom Cabinets & Trim - cabinets & trim carpentry - Eddie Figueroa - flooring - EnergyGuard - expanding spray foam insulation - Renovation Innovation - interior design & project management For more details about these units send an email to upperkirby1@medusaproperties.com . View Unit Details Algerian Way Houston, TX 77098 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	1940s Bungalow In Oak Forest Clean lines and a very human scale are the hallmarks of this 1940s bungalow in the historic Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston. Great location. Close to schools and shopping. Large fenced lot with big detached garage & dacha in back. $10,000 in new driveways and sidewalks--including a big turn-in / circular drive in the front. (off-street parking for 5+ cars) Great starter home for young professional or small family. Lots of schools and parks close by. Deed restricted neighborhood with very active association keeps the area looking great. Oak Forest is being called "the new Bellaire" due to the large lots & new houses going up all over the area. http://www.ofha.org/index.html View Unit Details Rosslyn & Saxon Houston, TX 77018 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	NEW PROJECT! - EASTSIDE 4-PLEX WITH LOFT & GAR APT (Houston, TX) Alexander Pope wrote: "Hope springs eternal". But if you know anything about the Houston rental market, you know that you're not going to get everything you want in an in-town apartment for under $800/month... probably not even for $1000/month. (My 750 s.f. 1 br apartments in Montrose--which are nice--but not nearly as nice as these--rent for $1035/mo. My 700 s.f. 1 br apartments @ Kirby & 59--which are comparable to these in finishes--rent for for $1100/mo.) So, if you are looking at apartments "inside the loop"--and your budget is around $900/month--you are going to have to make some sacrifices. And in this case, it's location. This property is in the Eastwood area--a historic neighborhood just southeast of downtown Houston, which is comparable to the Heights & Montrose in style and vintage (1920s to 1940s), but is not yet as "gentrified" as those other two innerloop neighborhoods. (Give me a few years... I'm working on it.) Distance wise the property is than 4 miles from downtown Houston & less than 10 miles from MD Anderson hospital in the Medical Center. This building has been restored (not renovated) in a true, 1930s vintage style. I guarantee you won't find anything even remotely similar to these units anywhere in town--at any price. Real hardwood floors (not plastic, laminate hardwood-"look" flooring)... all original wood sash windows (all functioning and totally restored)... big, thick 3-panel Craftsman doors with big thick vintage casing and trim... formal dining with built-ins and tall Craftsman wainscoting... big, vintage style kitchens with glass-front cabinets, deep under-mount stainless sinks, vintage wall-mount faucets, subway tile and stone countertops... vintage style baths with subway tile, big tiled-in mirrors, lots of built-in cabinets, and mosaic tile floors... BIG closets... new central A/C & heat... great lighting--including vintage sconces and recessed lighting... ETC. And a nice, free, shared, common laundry (only four units use this laundry area) right outside your back door (inside the back entry of the building). As with most of my properties we've also setting up high-speed internet with WiFi here at the building for the tenants to share. Gas, water, AND WiFi are master-metered (like my Aves, Kirby & Galleria properties) and run about $35/month/person... so, all you need to do is have the power turned on in your name and you're golden. If you can find a nicer apartment--ANYWHERE inside the loop--for less money... I'll give you $200 cash. Shoot an email to linwood@medusaproperties.com for more details and to find out about upcoming showing dates and times. Click the "Applications" tab above to find out more about that process. View Unit Details 18 Linwood Houston, TX 77011 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	HEIGHTS BUNGLOW: EXCELLENT VINTAGE (Houston, TX) Cute little Bungalow in the Heights. Built 1940. Updated 2009. Highlights: - 900 + s.f. house - 2 bedrooms - 1 bath - 1 car garage - 6000 s.f. lot (fully fenced) - large back yard with alley access - original hardwood floors (just refinished!) - cute, sunny little Bungalow - fresh paint - great colors - great Sunset Heights location - washer & dryer included - most pets OK with deposit - also available for sale @ $219,000 So, if you're looking for a solid, cute, affordable little house in the Heights, touch base with me at heightsbungalow@medusaproperties.com (Project Resources) Thorntree (quartz & slate), ICI Paints, K&N Appliance, Bison Building Materials (doors, trim & moulding), Custom Precision Stainless (custom kitchen sinks & other stainless details), Chesley Plumbing(misc. plumbing fixtures & supplies), Custom Cabinets & Trim Carpentry(cabinets & trim), M&M Lighting, Heights Glass (art glass & mirror for built-ins), Emmanuel del Angel (tile & stone work). Sergio Ramirez (paint). Juan Sarabia (blown-in insulation). Ricardo Aguirre (reclaimed brick porch, sidewalk, & driveway detail). Jorge Gonzales (flatwork). David Courtois (lighting & electrical). View Unit Details 28th St Houston, TX 77008 (map)
Enlarge Photo | View Unit Details	NEW PROJECT! - MONTROSE DUTCH REVIVAL (Houston, TX) Just closed on this new bitchin 1930s "Dutch Revival" / "Cape Ann" style two-story house in the Montrose / Museum District of Houston. We'll be in there ripping and shredding in a flash and hope to have this baby turned around in about 6 months! Will be priced in the $400-500K range when we're done. View Unit Details Houston, TX 77006 (map)