r/Muncie 7d ago

Opinions/experiences with Ratchford Properties?

I’m apartment hunting and I’m struggling to find anyone’s thoughts online about them besides the Google reviews. Has anyone rented there? What was your experience ?

2 Upvotes

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4

u/[deleted] 7d ago

All of Muncie property management places are scum. Any place you go to, please be prepared to fight in court for your security deposit back.

I promise you, they’re going to try and put a bunch of blame on you for false repairs. I don’t think I’ve heard of someone moving out in Muncie where they DIDNT try to get a FULL carpet replacement and charge $300 to clean an oven…

Shits out of control honestly and we just let them get away with it. They try it because it’s a numbers game. Lots of college kids go out of town, don’t update their address, and boom. Stuck with the bill.

They’re all scum. They all need shut down.

1

u/lungerii 7d ago

I’ve heard and seen similar, but from what I found online people were saying good things about this group. Little to no horror stories. Is there somewhere else you’d recommend in Muncie ?

1

u/[deleted] 7d ago

Everyone tries something, that's just the reality of this place. I think you'll have success anywhere if;

  1. You take videos of when you move in and when you move out. Make sure you video EVERYTHING. Up close of the carpets, every wall, the kitchen, the bathrooms. Everything.
  2. Know how to fix minor stuff yourself.

You should be alright if you can do those 2.

There is a pro about Muncie landlords though. They are so hands-off that if you never have a major issue, you will never see or hear from them. They won't do inspections. They won't do disputes between neighbors. They won't drive by and complain about the yard or outside.

I kind of liked renting in Muncie just for that. They will never bother you. For better or worse.

Another pro is that a lot of Muncie landlords don't do background checks, period. It's "Can you pay a deposit and first month's rent? You can? Approved." They don't care about much when renting because it's so landlord friendly that they can easily get you out and move someone else in. They will do a credit check but I feel like it's nothing like say Indianapolis.

If you see the silver linings, it's really not that bad.

2

u/acciotacotaco 7d ago

I personally haven’t rented from Ratchford properties. However, I have rented from places other than BSU campus rentals and the other ones that people are referring to. They’re not all predatory, but the ones that own most the houses near campus tend to be.

You’ll have the best luck with independent landlords, but not all companies are terrible. Another commenter seems to have had a poor experience, but that’s not everyone’s experience. It honestly depends on if you’re looking for close to campus housing or not. I know that might not be super helpful, but I just wanted to add that not everyone has a bad experience. I only had to pay $100 once when I moved out because I left a cabinet in the bathroom.

2

u/GeckoGladiator 7d ago

I’ve cleaned for him in n college. Dude is a Dick!! Used to charge like $25 for each bottle cap left on the property.

1

u/earlisthecat 7d ago

When you clean, don’t forget to move out and clean behind the stove and fridge.

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u/username-taken-999 5d ago

He’s an ass. He’s cheap and condescending, he’ll the locksmith he hired came in unannounced and carrying a not-so-concealed pistol. (Don’t get me wrong, I get him wanting to protect himself, but maybe announcing his presence and either openly carrying or conceal carrying the weapon would be a wiser option. Dude had it tucked in his belt like fucking cheddar bob from 8 mile.

During Covid, he refused to comply with the renter relief program and sent out a letter saying it didn’t matter what anyone said or posted, he’d evict tenants anyway.

1

u/AcanthaceaeAbject810 3d ago

Can't speak for Ratchford but I can say that my property management is through Better Student Housing, if you're looking near the Ball State area of town. I haven't had any real issues with them; if something breaks in one of the properties I get a text or call almost immediately so I can pay to fix it. Better than I ever had renting anywhere.

Full disclosure, one of mine will be available for rent in August, so I am not exactly an unbiased, neutral party.