Moving to Austin, work@DT (cesar chavez st), where to live? (rent)

[centralaustinite]

If you want a short commute, then the only options are those outlined by Kohmet: downtown, Clarksville/Enfield, close-in East Austin, or Bouldin/Travis Heights, S. Lamar.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by YooCanFly

Komeht,

thanks for the details. What is the price range for an average 1 BR (~500-700sqft?) in the areas you mentioned?

So far, everyone's telling me to live in the downtown. Why is that? is the commute (traffic) really that bad?
or there's no quality apartments outside DT?

i'm one of those guys who doesn't need anything to survive. I thought someone like me, could live in the countryside, as long as the commute is short. Still, everyone's recommending the DT, and I have to take that advice seriously Just want to know why.

The commute is bad in Austin. Of course you can find quality apartments outside central Austin. But that's a different question than finding a good QOL.

Personally - you could not pay me to live outside central Austin - I'd move to a different city before being subjected to that. Living DT offers further benefits for someone young and single in that you can ditch the car, and enjoy the best parts of Austin at your back door.

You can't live in the countryside and have a short commute here - that doesn't exist anymore. But you can live in sprawl and have a bad commute or you can live centrally and have no or minimal commute. For me - the trade offs aren't worth the price. A bigger place for junk I don't need? Or a place close to everything I want to do. . .this is not a hard decision for me. Can't speak for others - but there's a reason the prices are higher central - people are willing to pay a premium to live there.

Anyway, if it were me in your shoes - I'd be in the CBD.

[centralaustinite]

You can find duplexes and small complexes in the areas (Enfield/Clarksville, East Austin, French Place, Travis Heights, Bouldin, Zilker) just outside the downtown central business district too.

Most are not advertised on CL or have an on-line presence. But here is one that just came into my inbox (a nice bike ride to your work location) as an example:

2/1, updated, bright and fresh feel - nice laminate wood floors throughout

Lovely fenced in front yard, a private front porch courtyard set back from the street behind cedar planters and a raised bed organic garden for ready and waiting for your fall vegetables.

Notice that they omitted the sq footage, most likely small. They are asking $1450 for rent with a year's lease.

[CptnRn]

I do not know how reliable it is, as I have not heard anyone say if they were able to actually find an apartment using https://www.padmapper.com/search/apa.../Texas/Austin/

But it does seem to indicate a fair amount of apartments close to downtown, if not downtown proper, in the $950-$1350 range. There are a lot of areas close to downtown that are a short bus ride away, and the local busses all have bike racks on the front to facilitate local bike commuting.

[A-Tex]

There are two or three new large mid-rise apartment complexes being built along south Lamar between Barton Springs and Oltorf as well as another apartment tower being built at Cesar Chavez and Lamar. Depending on when you arrive, those might be available as well.

I think perhaps the biggest drawback in not having a car in a new city where one's needed in most other areas of town is that you'll need to do a little planning to explore outside of your area in-town or to take day trips out of Austin.

[YooCanFly]

cool thanks guys for the advices/feedback! will definitely bookmark this page and look at the suggestions & digest all the links over time.