Stone Hill Apartments Austin Review: 10 Weeks Free on a 2019 Build (But Read the Fine Print First)

Stone Hill Apartments keeps landing in my searches when clients ask about newer Pflugerville properties under $1,400/month. The photos look good, the 4.4 Google rating is strong, and right now they’re running 10 weeks free. As a licensed apartment locator (TX #679806) who tracks Pflugerville pricing daily, I’ve learned to ask: what’s the real monthly cost after all the fees?

That’s where Stone Hill gets interesting. Residents say their actual monthly bill runs $400 to $500 above the advertised rent. That’s not unusual for newer Class A properties in this part of Pflugerville, but it changes the math on that 10 weeks free pretty fast.

Here’s what the listing sites won’t break down for you: the true cost after mandatory monthly fees, whether the screening criteria will work for your situation, and what the reviews actually say when you look beyond Google. That’s what this review covers.

Quick Facts: Stone Hill Apartments

Here’s something that should jump out immediately: a 4.4 on Google but a 2.1 on Apartments.com. That’s a big gap. The Google reviews are mostly about staff praise (Shadow in maintenance, Claudia, Iris in the leasing office). The Apartments.com reviews go the other direction: pipe flooding, towing, move-out charges, thin walls, and parking shortages. Both platforms are telling the truth. They’re just telling different parts of it. I’ll break down what each side is saying below.

Best For / Skip If

Who Stone Hill Works For

You want newer construction without paying downtown prices. Built in 2019, this is a seven year old property that still looks new inside: granite counters, stainless appliances, 9-foot ceilings. One bedrooms start at $1,299, which is competitive for this build year in Pflugerville. With the 10 weeks free, net effective rent on the cheapest one bedroom drops to around $1,050/month. That’s hard to beat for a property this age.

You have pets and you’re tired of weight limits. Stone Hill has no weight or breed restrictions, which is legitimately rare. Most Austin-area apartments cap at 50 to 75 pounds. If you’ve got a large breed dog, your options just got wider. They’ve also got a dog run, pet wash station, and fenced yards on some units. For more on pet friendly options in the area, check out our Pflugerville luxury apartment guide.

You’re commuting to the tech corridor. Dell’s Parmer campus is about 10 minutes away. Samsung’s Austin campus and Apple’s north Austin offices are within a 15 to 20 minute drive. Stone Hill is close to SH-130 and has quick access to SH-45, so you can get to most of the big tech campuses up north without fighting I-35 traffic.

Who Should Skip Stone Hill

You’re on a tight budget and can’t handle surprise fees. Residents say total monthly costs run $400 to $500 over advertised rent. Valet trash is mandatory. You’ll probably see charges for pest control, community fees, and other stuff that doesn’t show up in the advertised price. If your budget has zero room to flex, get the full fee breakdown in writing before you apply.

You park in the wrong spot for five minutes and lose your mind. Towing is an active complaint in the reviews. People keep getting their cars towed even after registering them. When it happens, you’re looking at $400 or more to get your car back. If getting towed would ruin your day, ask the leasing office exactly how their registration system works before signing.

You want published screening criteria before you apply. Stone Hill doesn’t publish their credit minimums, how far back they check for evictions, or background check policies online. For a Class A Horizon property, I’d expect the usual cutoffs (600+ credit, 3x income, clean rental history within 2 to 3 years), but I can’t pin down specifics from anything published online. If you have any screening concerns, reach out to me first so I can check before you spend the application fee.

Ready to See If Stone Hill Fits Your Situation?

I can tell you whether you’d pass this property’s screening before you spend the application fee. If it’s not a match, I know which nearby Pflugerville properties will work better.

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Location Deep Dive

What’s Actually Nearby

Stone Hill sits in the Stone Hill Town Center area of Pflugerville, right off Pfluger Farm Lane. The H-E-B on Kelly Lane is about 1.5 miles away, which is your closest full grocery store. Stone Hill Town Center is about a mile away with restaurants and a few shops. It’s a quick drive but a long walk.

The Pflugerville Pfarmers Market runs seasonally at Pfluger Park, roughly 2 miles south. Lake Pflugerville is about 3.5 miles north if you want a trail run or kayak access. The closest CapMetro bus stop is about a mile away on Pflugerville Parkway, but let’s be honest: this is a car dependent location. You’re not walking to work from here.

For dining, you’ve got options along FM 685 and Pflugerville Parkway. Nothing within walking distance of the property, though.

Commute Math

The SH-130 toll road is your best friend here. It keeps Dell and Samsung commutes reasonable. Downtown is doable outside rush hour but painful when traffic hits, especially if you’re hitting I-35 southbound between 4:30 and 6:30 PM. For more on how this part of Pflugerville stacks up for tech workers, see our Dell Parmer apartment rankings.

Neighborhood Vibe

Pflugerville’s east side is still growing. Construction is still happening in several nearby developments, so don’t be surprised if you hear equipment during the day. At least one resident mentioned construction noise right next to their building that kicked in after they renewed their lease. Nobody warned them.

The area is quiet at night according to most reviews. Residents keep mentioning how peaceful the complex is after dark. It’s a gated community with controlled access, which helps. That said, one ApartmentHomeLiving review mentions police near the complex on a regular basis, and another talks about a break-in at the office. I haven’t been able to back either one up on my own.

Pricing and True Cost

Floor Plans

Stone Hill has 12 floor plans across one, two, and three bedrooms. Here’s the full breakdown with current pricing:

One Bedroom Plans (1 BD / 1 BA):

Two Bedroom Plans (2 BD / 2 BA):

Three Bedroom Plans (3 BD / 2 BA):

Net Effective Rent Calculation

Here’s the real math on that 10 weeks free. I’ll use the La Mesa (1BR, $1,299/mo) as the example:

• Base rent: $1,299/month
• Special: 10 weeks free (70 days)
• Lease term: 12 months (365 days)
• Daily multiplier: (365 – 70) / 365 = 0.8082
• Net effective rent: $1,299 x 0.8082 = $1,050/month
• Monthly savings: $249/month

That’s real money. Over a 12-month lease, the 10 weeks free saves you $2,990 in total. But that number only tells half the story.

Fee Breakdown

Required Fees (Everyone Pays):

Optional Fees:

True Monthly Cost Scenario

Here’s where it adds up. Required monthly fees total $85/month on top of base rent. That’s community fee, resident life fee, valet trash, and pest control.

A renter in a La Mesa one bedroom ($1,299 base) with one pet and a detached garage:

• Base rent: $1,299
• Required monthly fees: $85
• Pet rent: $10
• Detached garage: $85
• Resident liability: $17
• True monthly total: $1,496

That’s $197/month above listed rent before utilities, which aren’t included. Over 12 months, the fees alone add up to $2,364.

Some residents say the gap is $400 to $500 above base rent. But the published fee schedule only shows $85/month in mandatory charges. So where’s the rest coming from? Could be utilities (not included in rent). Could be charges that have changed since those reviews went up. Could be fees that don’t show up on the listing sites. Get the full breakdown in writing and compare it to what’s listed on ApartmentHomeLiving and ForRent before you sign. If those numbers don’t match, ask why.

Want to Compare This Property’s True Cost to Nearby Options?

I track pricing across every Pflugerville community, including fees most sites don’t show. I can tell you how Stone Hill stacks up against LC Pflugerville, Century Stone Hill South, Beacon at Pfluger Farm, and other properties within a mile.

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Screening Criteria

Stone Hill doesn’t publish their full screening criteria online. That’s frustrating if you’re trying to figure out whether to spend the application fee. Based on what I know about Horizon Realty properties and Class A communities built after 2015 in this area, here’s what to expect:

Income Requirement

The exact income multiplier isn’t published online. Most Class A properties in Pflugerville use 3x rent, so that’s what I’ve used in this table. Check with the leasing office on the actual number before you apply.

They calculate your income against the base rent, not the net effective. So even with the 10 weeks free, you still need to qualify at 3x the listed price. If you’re looking for properties with a 2.5x income requirement instead, I’ve written about communities that don’t require 3x rent.

Credit Expectations

Stone Hill doesn’t publish a credit minimum anywhere online. I checked their website, every major listing site, and Horizon Realty’s corporate pages. Nothing. For a 2019 Class A property managed by Horizon, here’s what I’d expect based on how similar properties in this area screen:

• 650+ credit: smooth approval, standard deposit
• 600-649: likely approved, possibly higher deposit
• Below 600: approval gets harder, may require additional deposit or third-party guarantee
• Below 550: likely denial at this property class

Those aren’t guaranteed numbers for Stone Hill. They’re my best estimates based on working with Class A Pflugerville properties daily. If your credit is below 650, call me before you apply. I can check with the property directly and save you the $75 application fee if it’s not going to work.

What Gets You Denied

I don’t know Stone Hill’s specific denial triggers. Nothing’s published online. Typical Class A denial triggers include:

• Active property debt (money owed to a previous landlord)
• Eviction filings within 2 to 3 years
• Violent felonies within 7 to 10 years
• Fraudulent application information
• Income below the requirement

Application Process

You can apply online or walk into the leasing office. They’re open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed Sunday.

Here’s what you gain by working with a locator: I can check whether your income, credit, and rental history are likely to pass Stone Hill’s screening before you spend the application fee finding out. If Stone Hill looks tight for your situation, I know which nearby communities have more flexibility. Call me.

Resident Reviews Decoded

I pulled reviews from Google, Apartments.com, ApartmentHomeLiving, ForRent, and Yelp. Where you look changes the story. Google gives Stone Hill a 4.4 across 258 reviews. Apartments.com and its sister sites? A 2.1 across 7 reviews. Yelp has 20 reviews split across two listings because the property changed names when management switched from JCI Residential to Horizon Realty. That split matters, and I’ll explain why.

Review Pattern Analysis

What Residents Love

Shadow. That’s the short answer. This maintenance tech gets called out by name more than any staff member I’ve seen in Pflugerville reviews. Fast, professional, and genuinely caring about his work. One resident said he was at their door five minutes after they put in a request. Another called him “the best maintenance person ever.” When a property has a maintenance tech that good, it covers a lot of other sins.

The leasing team gets strong marks too. Claudia, Iris, and Adriana are mentioned by name across dozens of Google reviews. Every time it’s the same thing: friendly, responsive, and willing to help.

The property is quiet at night. That comes up again and again in the Google reviews. One resident who lived there three years said “you’d think the property was deserted.”

What Residents Complain About

Charges after moving out are the most consistent complaint across every platform. At least five Google reviewers and two on Apartments.com say they got charged for things they’d call normal wear and tear. One resident got hit with $50 for an oven cleaning fee and $150 for blinds. An Apartments.com reviewer put it bluntly: they charge you for everything when you leave, no matter how much you clean. If you eventually move on, document everything with photos and video the day you move in and the day you move out.

Towing is aggressive. Across Google and Apartments.com, you’ll find people saying their car got towed even after they registered it. Costs run $400 or more. One reviewer had a rental car (after a car accident) towed the day after picking it up. The leasing office says they know about the registration system problems.

Thin walls show up on Apartments.com but barely on Google. One reviewer said you can “hear neighbors on all sides and below you, as if they’re living inside your apartment.” Another mentioned dogs barking nonstop. It’s a 2019 build with wood frame construction, so noise carrying between units is a real possibility. How bad it gets depends on your specific unit and who’s living next to you.

At least one longtime resident on Apartments.com had their unit flood twice from pipe problems. A burst pipe sat there broken for months before anyone fixed it. During winter freezes, they had to remind the office to deal with it. That’s a serious problem for a building that’s only seven years old.

Parking is tight unless you pay. Open parking runs $45/month, garages go from $85 to $150/month. And if you don’t want to pay? Free spots are limited, especially around certain buildings. That one comes up on both Google and Apartments.com.

Management Response Pattern

Horizon responds to almost every Google review, positive and negative. Most of the responses are template language. They’ll thank someone for feedback, say they take concerns seriously, and ask the resident to reach out. But they rarely address what actually went wrong. On Apartments.com, responses are less consistent. And here’s an odd one: on at least two negative Google reviews, management said they couldn’t find the reviewer’s name in their records.

The Uncomfortable Truth

No listing site will write this section. Here’s what you need to know before you sign.

The Walls Are Thin for a 2019 Build

This is a three story wood frame building. On Apartments.com, you’ll find people saying they can hear neighbors through walls, floors, and ceilings. One said it felt like neighbors were living inside their apartment. Google reviews don’t bring this up as often, which could mean the issue is worse in certain buildings or units. Before you sign, ask to see the specific unit you’d be renting, not just a model. And if noise is a dealbreaker, ask about top floor end units where you’d have fewer shared walls.

The Towing Situation Is a Gamble

People keep getting towed here even after registering their vehicles, and it costs $400 or more when it happens. The leasing office says they know about the registration system problems. One resident was towed the day after picking up a rental car following an accident. That’s a $400+ hit right when rent is due. Get something in writing showing your vehicle is registered, screenshot it, and keep it on your phone.

Charges When You Leave Can Sting

This is the most consistent negative theme across every platform. People say they got charged for cleaning, blinds, and minor wear items. One reviewer got hit with $50 for an oven and $150 for blinds that cost $10 at a hardware store. Your best defense: take photos of everything when you move in, document every scratch and scuff, and do the same when you leave. Email the photos to the office so there’s a paper trail.

The Plumbing Has Had Problems

At least one longtime resident had their unit flood twice from burst pipes, with one pipe left broken for months. During winter freezes, they had to remind the office to fix it. For a building that’s only seven years old, that’s worth asking about. Ask the leasing office if they’ve fixed the pipes across the property and if any units have had water damage.

Ready to Move Forward, or Want to See Alternatives?

If Stone Hill fits your budget and situation, I can help you lock in the 10 weeks free and make sure you know every charge before you sign. If the fee structure is a concern, I’ve got similar Pflugerville properties where you know exactly what you’re paying upfront.

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FAQ

Is Stone Hill Apartments in Pflugerville a good place to live?

Most residents think so. The 4.4 Google rating across 258 reviews is above average for the area. The biggest positives are how fast maintenance shows up and how quiet it is at night. The biggest negatives are the fee structure and how aggressive the towing is.

How much does a one bedroom cost at Stone Hill?

Base rent starts at $1,299/month for a 695 sqft one bedroom (La Mesa plan). With the current 10 weeks free special, net effective rent drops to about $1,050/month. But mandatory monthly fees add another $85, and some residents say their total bill runs $400 to $500 above base rent once you add in utilities and optional charges. Ask for the full cost breakdown before you apply.

Does Stone Hill allow large dogs?

Yes. No weight or breed restrictions, which is rare in Austin. $350 non-refundable pet fee plus monthly pet rent. Dog run and pet wash station on site.

What’s the commute from Stone Hill to downtown Austin?

About 25 minutes off-peak, 40 to 55 during rush hour. SH-130 and SH-45 are your main routes. Commuting to Dell or Samsung? That’s only 10 to 20 minutes.

Does Stone Hill have a gated entrance?

Yes. It’s a gated, fenced community with controlled access.

What school district serves Stone Hill Apartments?

Pflugerville ISD. Check with the district directly for enrollment boundaries at specific campuses.

Is Stone Hill managed by Horizon Realty Advisors?

Yes. Horizon Realty Advisors runs it now. JCI Residential was the original management company. Horizon took over around 2020 or 2021 based on review timelines.

Does Stone Hill have in-unit washer and dryer?

The property lists “W/D in Select Units.” Some floor plans include washer/dryer connections or machines inside the unit. Ask the leasing office which specific units have this, because it varies by plan.

What are residents saying about maintenance at Stone Hill?

Maintenance is the property’s strongest point. Not even close. Shadow, the lead maintenance tech, gets called out by name in over 15 Google reviews for being fast and thorough. Same day or next day turnaround on routine requests? That’s standard here, not a fluke.

Are there garages available at Stone Hill?

Yes. Attached garages, detached garages, and carports are available. Pricing runs $85 to $150/month depending on the type.

The Bottom Line

Stone Hill Apartments has real strengths. A 2019 build with no pet weight restrictions, a maintenance team that residents love by name, and 10 weeks free that drops effective rent below $1,100 for a one bedroom in Pflugerville. The 4.4 Google rating across 258 reviews backs it up.

But there’s a catch. The gap between advertised rent and what you actually pay each month is real. When residents keep saying they pay $400 to $500 above base rent, that $1,050 net effective starts looking more like $1,450+ once you’re actually living there. The towing situation adds risk. And the unpublished screening criteria make it hard to plan.

This property makes sense if:

• You’re commuting to Dell, Samsung, or other north Austin employers and want a short drive
• You have a large dog and need a property without weight restrictions
• You can get the full fee structure before signing and it works with your budget
• You want newer construction and a maintenance team that actually shows up

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• You’re budgeting strictly off the advertised rent without counting the extra fees
• The towing and parking registration situation would cause you serious stress
• You need published screening criteria so you know what you’re walking into
• You’re comparing Stone Hill’s listed rent to older Pflugerville properties without accounting for all the extra fees

My take: Stone Hill is a solid Pflugerville option if you go in with your eyes open about the total cost. The 10 weeks free is generous, the building is still relatively new, and the maintenance team is legitimately one of the best rated in this part of Pflugerville. Just don’t let the advertised rent be the only number you look at.

Need Help?

Work With Me

My service is free. The property pays a referral fee from their marketing budget, and your rent stays the same whether you use a locator or apply directly. I can check your situation against Stone Hill’s criteria, pull the exact fee breakdown, compare it to nearby Pflugerville communities, and make sure you’re not wasting application fees.

Go Solo

If you want to handle it yourself, contact Stone Hill directly at (512) 990-7110 or visit their website at livestonehill.com. Just tell them “Ross Quade from Austin Apartment Team” referred you on your tour and application. Text me at 512-360-0852 when you apply so I can make sure everything’s on track. The leasing office is open Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and closed Sunday.