Upping our budget to $2800 .. which areas for a rental? (Austin: for sale, real estate)

[Jimmyp25]

If you make that much at 2800 why not buy something?

[orngkat]

I would recommend Allandale as filling most of your parameters. Quiet, leafy with a nice park nearby. I found this rental for considerably less than your max if you want a house:
6401 Cary Dr, Austin, TX 78757 is For Rent - Zillow

[emeraldcitymer]

Originally Posted by Jimmyp25

If you make that much at 2800 why not buy something?

I don't think it's a good idea to buy because and we don't know enough about the neighborhoods and we don't even know if we like Austin enough to make a long-term decision to stay there for even a few years. I would prefer to spend less than $2800.. personally.. but many on the forum let me know that's possible unless we want to be really far out.. so we upped our budget so we can still be within 25 minutes of downtown.

[petro]

You can find a place fitting your requirements for way less than $2,800 in Austin. For example, here's a 2 bd in Hyde Park for $2,100. And that's just one example—there are many others. Based on what you're looking for, centralaustinite's neighborhood suggestions are spot on.

Edit: Here's another great rental in French Place.

[texxas]

Originally Posted by emeraldcitymer

I am a little confused with a lot of numbers people are throwing out there..

For instance, I saw this listing, a luxury building..
a one bedroom is $1900
and a 2/2 is $2600...
Still under $2800.. why is this building so much less than the typical rates for central austin apartments?

AMLI Downtown Floor Plans

I lived at The Whitley (Whitley Apartments | Austin TX) and our 2 bedroom was $2600. GREAT DEAL RIGHT? Parking was an addition $100 for the first car and then $150 for the second, with a grand total of $250 extra for parking tacked on to our rent. Plus utilities/cable/internet/renter's insurance/pet insurance & PET RENT. We're now talking well over $3,000 per month.

On top of that, it was a two bedroom but the apartment was TINY and one of the bedrooms did not have windows. Obviously they had more floor plans to choose from.

It was a great location for walking to downtown events and going out, but not worth the extra thousands. Also, I had to drive everywhere! Whole Foods was almost a mile away...

Anyways, I'd say move to Zilker or Clarksville. These are the neighborhoods that are the epitome of Austin's soul.
Also Tarrytown, Enfield, Brykerwoods, you get it....

[Spacepup]

Originally Posted by emeraldcitymer

I don't think it's a good idea to buy because and we don't know enough about the neighborhoods and we don't even know if we like Austin enough to make a long-term decision to stay there for even a few years. I would prefer to spend less than $2800.. personally.. but many on the forum let me know that's possible unless we want to be really far out.. so we upped our budget so we can still be within 25 minutes of downtown.

Good call.

I'm biased but I'd say aim for Crestview/Brentwood. Quite walkable, big trees (for Austin), dog friendly, some great cafes and local restaurants on the borders of the neighborhood(s), central enough to get downtown if you want, and a nice neighborhood park with jogging path and pool. ~2-2.5k should get you a nice reasonably-updated SFH rental. Signs tend to go up listing places for rent before they show up on craigslist and the like so you should see if you can get someone local to circle through or ask on the listserves. More stuff will start coming available now that summer is arriving.

Oh and if your husband is in working from home the neighborhoods also have the best selection of internet providers if that matters for his work: AT&T U-verse, Time Warner Cable, AND Grande communications (what I use for telecommuting).

[alwaysmiling]

Check out the neighborhood guide on airbnb. Then cross reference it with zillow to see where u wanna be for the money...

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by emeraldcitymer

I don't think it's a good idea to buy because and we don't know enough about the neighborhoods and we don't even know if we like Austin enough to make a long-term decision to stay there for even a few years. I would prefer to spend less than $2800.. personally.. but many on the forum let me know that's possible unless we want to be really far out.. so we upped our budget so we can still be within 25 minutes of downtown.

I must have missed the other thread. 2800 should be good anywhere in town except the fanciest downtown condos.

Not sure who said you needed to spend 2800, that doesnt sound right to me. I would think 1500-2000 would be fine.

[hillcountryheart]

There's a definite different "feel" between north and south of the river. I'm more a "south" person and always have been. It' a good call to rent for a year; yeah, you could buy a place on that budget but you have to be ready to strike fast and it's best if you're not already encumbered with a current mortgage should you buy a place that's not right for you. Was in Bouldin last night and despite my anti-hipster hives, I STILL love the place, the air-kissers discussing their next vacation be damned.

[mesmer]

Definitely check out 78757. If you can find anything in the neighborhood behind the village drafthouse/hopdaddy's, I'd bet you'd really enjoy that area.