Best time to apartment shop near UT for August (Austin: apartment complexes, neighborhoods)

[esmooth]

I'll be moving to Austin in early/mid August from New Jersey and was wondering when the best time to apartment shop is (I plan on flying down a long weekend before the move to check places out). I'll be working at UT and so would like to have an easy commute (either walking, biking, or a quick and easy bus ride). I'd also like to stay away from the undergrad scene. Any good suggestions of neighborhoods?

I'm looking for a 1 bedroom and my budget is around $1000. I'm open to large complexes or a small place. Are apartment locators worth talking to?

Thanks!

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by esmooth

I'll be moving to Austin in early/mid August from New Jersey and was wondering when the best time to apartment shop is (I plan on flying down a long weekend before the move to check places out). I'll be working at UT and so would like to have an easy commute (either walking, biking, or a quick and easy bus ride). I'd also like to stay away from the undergrad scene. Any good suggestions of neighborhoods?

I'm looking for a 1 bedroom and my budget is around $1000. I'm open to large complexes or a small place. Are apartment locators worth talking to?

Thanks!

Pre-leasing has already started. If you wait until the weekend before, you might not find anything, or you'll be left with the stuff nobody else wanted.

Contact a UT Austin Apartment locator. You want one specific to the UT area, not a generic one that works the entire city, because the UT locators operate in their own world and have a closed system for sharing listings and available pre-lease units.

Locators and apartments advertise pre-leasing in the Daily Texan, UT's newspaper.
The Daily Texan | Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

Steve

[Westerner92]

You're running out of time to be honest. For the best places close to campus, November to February is the best time. Avoid West Campus, go for North Campus, Hyde Park, or just east of I-35 on Dean Keeton/Manor.

[CptnRn]

Another options is the Far West Blvd area, lots of apartments around it in a good neighborhood, mostly married students. UT runs a student shuttle bus from campus to that area, which is free to employees and students.

[df175]

Originally Posted by esmooth

I'll be moving to Austin in early/mid August from New Jersey and was wondering when the best time to apartment shop is (I plan on flying down a long weekend before the move to check places out). I'll be working at UT and so would like to have an easy commute (either walking, biking, or a quick and easy bus ride). I'd also like to stay away from the undergrad scene. Any good suggestions of neighborhoods?

I'm looking for a 1 bedroom and my budget is around $1000. I'm open to large complexes or a small place. Are apartment locators worth talking to?

Thanks!

If you're only working at UT (not a student), the best option imo is to live along the #801 or #803 (starts in August) bus lines ("MetroRapid") but be sure you're really near a stop, as it's a limited service with stops only every 1/2 to 1 mile. Car parking is very expensive and not worth the hassle. Bus is free with UT ID.

You can see these routes here:
http://www.capmetro.org/metrorapid.promo.aspx?id=2775


As an out of state person and with no trustworthy local contact, you either need to go with a large corporate type apartment place (but $1000 will be a stretch for newer buildings.. more like $1200) or to use a locator service, which will be able to find cheaper older places, generally $800+.

Then overlap the bus routes with apartment complexes- use Google Earth maps/streetview(older photos) to see the apartments, or Padmapper. Stick within ~5 miles of campus.

After your first year you'll have a better sense of things and find better pricing etc based on your likes and needs.