New to Austin, need to find a 2-2 apartment with budget of $1600-$1700 near downtown, HELP! (Plano: section 8, real estate)

[kcoady926]

Hello everyone!

My boyfriend and I will be relocating to Austin in March or April. We are going in January to explore the area for 4 days and check out apartments. I really have NO IDEA where to start other than rent.com and a few google searches. We both work remotely so job/location is not a real issue. However, we are young (late 20's/early 30's) and want to be close (ideally walkable/bike) to things to do. Not drinkers, enjoy the occasional bar, dinners out, coffee shops, shops, parks, etc.

I think ideally downtown would have the most to offer, but we are open to any location in Austin that is fun and walkable. We are looking for a 2/2 and have a pretty decent budget $1600-$1700, however I'm finding most places to be around $1850-$2200 that I'm looking at. I'm not sure we want to spend that if it won't really be worth it. There's gotta be somewhere out there that fits our needs! Here is a list of apartments I hope to visit, any thoughts on them would be greatly appreciated as well as any other suggestions. Thank you!!

How is Ladera Vista? I know it's not Downtown, but is it close enough to things to do? The rent is spot on, and the reviews are GREAT!

1. Elements at Mueller - This seems to be my #1 choice, seems like a good location and price is okay
2. Bell Austin Southwest - great reviews, decent walks score, but how is the area in your opinion?
3. Bell Quarry Hill - any advice here?
4. The 704 - brand new, out of budget, but would it be worth it?
5. Midtown Commons - new, in budget, but would living next to train be awful? Is the area safe?
6. Residences at the Domain - in budget, lots of shopping right outside doorstep, but bad reviews

Help!!

[centralaustinite]

Work with an apartment locator -- free to you and the best way to find a place when you are new to town. They are legit. There are many, the one I used to find my first place in Austin 20+ years ago is still in business, Habitat Hunters.

Re: Midtown Commons, the train is quiet, area safe

[787]

The Bell SW feels like its in the middle of nowhere because of the aquifer. There is less retail over there because of it. They are also building section 8 "projects" across the street from it - 140 units / 3 stories. Not good for the area. It's alos next to Bowie HS so there's going to be kids all over that palce. I'd avoid it.

Look on South Lamar, TONS of stuff going up there, and your sure to find something.

[scm53]

I wouldn't consider either of the Bell developments, based on your "fun and walkable" comment. But since you don't have to live close to work, I'd think hard about any near town location - you will be paying, in a large part, for work proximity that doesn't matter to you. Yes, part is closeness to downtown nightlife. Bigger part is work proximity.

I'd recommend you consider the apartments at Hill Country Galleria. We lived there while we were building. Walkable to bars, restaurants, shopping, movies, Whole Foods. Nice new development with covered parking. Yes - it is suburban. Yes - it is a drive into town. But you won't find perfection, and it seems to be a nice balance of what matters to you.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Re: Midtown Commons, the train is quiet, area safe

Sorry, but that far north and east end of Crestview remains sketchy. That stretch of Lamar is not what I would call walkable, especially at night. It's getting gentrified, but as long as the two flop house motels, homeless camp, and uh "business folks" remain, it's not a stretch of road I'd recommend to someone new to town looking for the walkable things the OP is interested in. I own multiple properties in Crestview so I'm aware of what's happening in that area. The MidTown Commons complex itself is nice though.

OP, you should probably look at the Amli 5350 building on Burnet Road as well as the multiple new developments on south Lamar.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by scm53

I'd recommend you consider the apartments at Hill Country Galleria. We lived there while we were building. Walkable to bars, restaurants, shopping, movies, Whole Foods. Nice new development with covered parking. Yes - it is suburban. Yes - it is a drive into town. But you won't find perfection, and it seems to be a nice balance of what matters to you.

This is the polar opposite location of what a young person desiring a city lifestyle would be looking for.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

This is the polar opposite location of what a young person desiring a city lifestyle would be looking for.

As defined by you. Read what the OP is looking for, and what their constraints are, before you inject your biases:

We both work remotely so job/location is not a real issue.

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want to be close (ideally walkable/bike) to things to do. Not drinkers, enjoy the occasional bar, dinners out, coffee shops, shops, parks, etc.

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open to any location in Austin that is fun and walkable. We are looking for a 2/2 and have a pretty decent budget $1600-$1700,

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YOU injected "what a young person desiring a city lifestyle" - not the OP.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by scm53

As defined by you. Read what the OP is looking for, and what their constraints are, before you inject your biases:



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Check



Check

YOU injected "what a young person desiring a city lifestyle" - not the OP.

Let's see ... "fun and walkable" for young folks. Downtown mentioned multiple times and even in the title. Style of apartments they mentioned. Time after time you prove that you have no understanding of what kids in this age group are looking for when they mention certain things and the reasons they're moving to Austin. Perhaps someday you will stop pushing your Plano-esque cheap clone suburb agenda on people are seeking the exact opposite of those things.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

Sorry, but that far north and east end of Crestview remains sketchy. That stretch of Lamar is not what I would call walkable, especially at night. It's getting gentrified, but as long as the two flop house motels, homeless camp, and uh "business folks" remain, it's not a stretch of road I'd recommend to someone new to town looking for the walkable things the OP is interested in. I own multiple properties in Crestview so I'm aware of what's happening in that area. The MidTown Commons complex itself is nice though.

OP, you should probably look at the Amli 5350 building on Burnet Road as well as the multiple new developments on south Lamar.

Well, I said it was safe and I stand by that, even with a certain sketchy element around, rates of violent crime in the area are low. Hang on to those properties -- you will make a mint as real estate values are only going up. I've seen properties that are which were in the $80-160K range five years ago sell for $200-325K! Twelve years ago your description of flop house motels, homeless camps and "business folk" applied to S. Congress!

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Well, I said it was safe and I stand by that, even with a certain sketchy element around, rates of violent crime in the area are low. Hang on to those properties -- you will make a mint as real estate values are only going up. I've seen properties that are which were in the $80-160K range five years ago sell for $200-325K! Twelve years ago your description of flop house motels, homeless camps and "business folk" applied to S. Congress!

Oh yeah --- don't I know it. It's an area we've believed in for a long time and it's so exciting to see what's happening there (and not just from the personal financial aspect.) That particular stretch of Lamar just doesn't yet have many of the walkable amenities that people looking for those kinds of things want. Many businesses still cater to the unsavory element. The transient population has become pretty aggressive there as the murder of a resident of the gated apartment community kitty corner to the Midtown Commons by a transient last July showed. So yeah, still lots of improvement to do.