Grad student coming to ut from richmond, va (Austin, Atlanta: for sale, real estate)

[kcpowers1]

Hello all,

I am moving to Austin with my girlfriend this summer so I can start grad school at UT. I was fortunate to get funding and she is a professional, so our budget is pretty reasonable: 1000 or less for a big 1 bedroom or 2 bed.

I think most of my classes will be on Dean Keaton and I will probably be commuting on public trans or a motorcycle. I just was wondering if there are landlords/neighborhoods I should avoid or if there are places people would recommend. I have a few friends from austin who say South Austin is the way to go, but I'd like to be close to school also. If anyone has Richmond experience to make analogies, that would be great!

Thanks a lot and I look forward to being your neighbor!

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by kcpowers1

Hello all,

I am moving to Austin with my girlfriend this summer so I can start grad school at UT. I was fortunate to get funding and she is a professional, so our budget is pretty reasonable: 1000 or less for a big 1 bedroom or 2 bed.

I think most of my classes will be on Dean Keaton and I will probably be commuting on public trans or a motorcycle. I just was wondering if there are landlords/neighborhoods I should avoid or if there are places people would recommend. I have a few friends from austin who say South Austin is the way to go, but I'd like to be close to school also. If anyone has Richmond experience to make analogies, that would be great!

Thanks a lot and I look forward to being your neighbor!

$1k should get you a very decent 1 bedroom apartment in North Campus (the area sorta bound by Dean Keeton, Red River, Guadalupe, and 38th or 51st - depending on who you talk to). I would stay away from West Campus (west of campus along Guadalupe), since that area is mostly undergrads and tends to be a lot louder/hectic with the frat houses and such.

The North Campus / Hyde Park area is a much more quiet area popular with grad students and is within walking/biking distance to the Law/Engineering/Fine Arts section of campus - or all of campus via the shuttle system. You're also within walking/biking distance to some great coffee shops, restaurants, and even an HEB, Sears, Petco, etc. The Capital Metro network is pretty dense in the area, so that gives you access to all (ok, most) the good spots in Austin without a car. You also have plenty of parks in the area to run the dog or run...yourself.

Ok, I'm done selling. Def check out the North Campus / Hyde Park area.

[kcpowers1]

Thanks thesonofgray. Much appreciated.

[mark311]

I agree with the Hyde Park recommendation. If you prefer to be a bit further away from campus, then the Far West area just up Mopac a bit is still on the UT shuttle route.

[atlanta hope]

I went to VCU and lived in the Fan district. I loved living there during college -- and now I love living in Austin. Austin has far more interesting things going on than Richmond. Not to mention I dig the weather here more so than VA.

[kcpowers1]

Originally Posted by atlanta hope

I went to VCU and lived in the Fan district. I loved living there during college -- and now I love living in Austin. Austin has far more interesting things going on than Richmond. Not to mention I dig the weather here more so than VA.

Atlanta hope,

Thanks so much for responding! I'm actualy coming from the Fan and I am a recent VCU grad. Ive been getting a lot of suggestions to look in Hyde Park. So far, everything Ive heard from people on the forum and friends is that Hyde park is a great place to live and very convenient to campus. Would you say that it is similar to the Fan? I mean as far as proximity to campus, mix of young people and families, and things like that. Thanks again for posting!

[atlanta hope]

Originally Posted by kcpowers1

Atlanta hope,

Thanks so much for responding! I'm actualy coming from the Fan and I am a recent VCU grad. Ive been getting a lot of suggestions to look in Hyde Park. So far, everything Ive heard from people on the forum and friends is that Hyde park is a great place to live and very convenient to campus. Would you say that it is similar to the Fan? I mean as far as proximity to campus, mix of young people and families, and things like that. Thanks again for posting!

You'll like Hyde Park. You'll find a similar experience albeit the fab brick row houses. You won't find any Monument Ave either. Austin has far more jobs than Richmond though. Richmond doesn't offer much after you finish school.

[AustinExPat]

One effect of the recent enthusiasm for condos in Austin is that many brand new condos (new buildings as well as newly converted apartments) in a variety of urban areas of Austin are for rent, either because they didn't sell or because investors bought them. New interiors, new appliances, no grubbiness. What you can do is go to a real estate website that links to the multiple listings, and some that are for rent will be listed along with the ones that are for sale.

I wouldn't rule out South Austin. Last summer when I was looking at condos to buy, I thought some of the condos on South Lamar, South 1st, and South Congress were interesting. Example: Akoya, on South Lamar. It was not in a good location for us for practical reasons, but it's half a block from Kerbey Lane Cafe, and that made it terribly tempting. Some of their units are listed for rent in multiple listings and probably haven't been lived in yet.

One other thought: if you're getting a PhD, you could easily be at UT for 5, 6, or 7 years. That's long enough that you could consider buying, given how low interest rates are and how prices have come down. I would have done that when I was in grad school in Pittsburgh if I'd had a second person in the household to make it affordable.

[kcpowers1]

I really appreciate the responses. We're going to fly out for a long weekend in a month, so its going to be a lot easier to have an idea of where we should be focusing.

Austinexpat: I'm in the three year MFA program, and we have thought some about buying, mostly because the few friends I have that came to Richmond from Austin said I probably won't want to leave once I get there.

Again, Thanks to all for responding.