The Ultimate South Austin Apartment Guide

Why should you trust our guides?

We’ve toured hundreds of apartments, and helped tons of people find places to live. We’ve seen a lot, and our clients tell us a lot. This is a totally different perspective that you’ll get from Google or Yelp. 

But we do have our limitations. We haven’t lived at every apartment complex (because that would take hundreds of years). We’ve been to most apartments, but not all. We’d be lying if we said our guides were objective. They aren’t. Our tastes & opinions may vary from yours, but we hope that we can give you the best insight possible before choosing a place to live. 

Why do this?

Our business is to help people find apartments to live in. The goal is to provide so much f(#*$ing value as possible that you’ll reach out to us to help you find your next apartment. We’re 100% free to work with. Soooo……squid pro row?

What to expect when renting in South Austin

South Austin is an excellent place to live. Nowhere else will give you a more authentic experience of Austin. While it has gotten fairly expensive, there is a wide variety of housing options to choose from. You can go from super high end swanky, to medium range modern mid rise, to affordable older but renovated apartments. If you want to have a great authentic local Austin lifestyle, this is the place to aim for.

High End Super Swanky Apartments

Price Range

• Studio = $1650+
• 1br = $1800+
• 2Br= $2500+
• 3BR = $3500+
  

Catherine

Pros

• Include picture of view from sky lounge
• Right along the river & across from Downtown.
• Stupidly Nice building
• The most amazing sky lounge in all of Austin which also doubles as a bar.
• Feels like an extravagant hotel

Cons

• The pool could be better, but that’s not what you’re here for.

Overall Thoughts

Stupidly nice high rise with a ridiculous sky lounge. Worth visiting just for the view. good for very high end clients with stupid budgets. Compares well with Northshore/Bowie/Whitley, Gables Park Tower

Water Marq

Pros

• Amazing amenities like gym, community center (great for dinner parties)
• Great pool
• RIght along the river, probably the best apartment in Austin if you love to run along the river or go kayaking.
• Some very interesting floorplans
• Close to South congress

Cons

• Not much to walk to in the immediate area around the area
• Feels like you’re on the edge of a busy road rather than tucked into a community.

Overall Thoughts

This is a stunning property. One of the best in Austin. The amenities are ridiculous. The pool overlooks downtown. The gym is one of the best in the city. It’s right along the river. Of course it’s expensive, but if you can afford it, this is a top contender. Only downside is not having much in the immediate area to walk to.

High end Mid rise

Price Range

• Studio = $1500+
• 1br = $1600+
• 2Br= $2300+
• 3BR = $3300+
  

One slight step below the top tier properties in South Austin, these apartments are some of the most desirable in Austin. They balance high end modernity with authentic Austin locations that will give you a real feel for the city. that you would expect for what you’re paying, but won’t overwhelm you with ostentatious hotel style luxury. 

422 at the Lake

Pros

• Awesome location across the Downtown. Can easily walk across the street into Downtown
• Clean & modern

Cons

• Amenities aren’t much to get excited about
• Right along the south 1st bridge which can get loud and obnoxious.
• Small floor plans
• Expensive

Overall Thoughts

Solid overall modern build along the river and Downtown. some units are loud due to the road noise. good for medium-high end budgets. usually other properties are a better value

Lamar Union

Pros

• One of the coolest apartments in Austin
• Amazing amenities
• Super fun pool
• Alamo drafthouse is right downstairs! Super cool.
• Lot’s of cool restaurants, shops and various things to do right outside the community.

Cons

• Gym could be better
• Feels like a maze sometime
• You may live in the building without the pool.
• Lots of small floor plans
• Very expensive now!
• Pool may get too fun!
• Overall Thoughts

Overall Thoughts

Lamar Union is one of the coolest apartments in Austin. It’s a ridiculously cool style with a lot of cool nearby in walking distance. The prices can get kinda high, but if you can get a good deal it’s definitely one of the coolest options in town. A must visit!

Cole

Pros

• Awesome Barton Springs location
• Super easy to get downtown
• Tons of stuff to do in the area.
• Smaller community
• Big floor plans
• Actually has some 3 bedroom options!

Cons

• A bit older than other properties in the area.
• Pool & gym are a total joke here. But you do have a retail gym nextdoor which is nice.

Overall Thought

Cool neighborhood, small community feel. great Barton Springs location. pool is tiny and sucks. The gym sucks. They have huge floor plans which is awesome small community which makes it tough to get availability. Worth knowing about.  

Groves South Lamar

Pros

• Very nice and modern
• Great dog park
• Good functional floor plans
• Near the greenbelt.

Cons

• For the price, you may get something just as good much closer to Downtown.
• The community is a very tight fit in it’s space, so it may feel claustrophobic.

Overall Thoughts

This is a beautiful new apartment with amazing amenities. It’s a great building. Prices can be high however. And the community may feel too claustrophobic. Sometimes it’s priced to the point where you’re better off being closer to Downtown.

Medium-end Modern Mid Rise

These are becoming the most common and overall best value type of apartment in Austin. Typically, they are under 10 years old, have good build quality, modern appliances & finishing. You can expect a gym, pool, community space, and gated garage parking. These are the most popular buildings with my clients.

Price Range

• Studio = $1250+
• 1br = $1300+
• 2Br= $1900+
• 3BR = $2400+

Post South Lamar

Pros

• One of the best values for an apartment in austin given the location. A great blend
• Modern building, multiple pools
• Close to Downtown
• Lot’s of food nearby.

Cons

• Huge community! This is one of the largest communities in Austin.
• Traffic on South Lamar is bad
• Not as nice as the others nearby, but the prices usually make up for it.
• The area isn’t super walkable, but you can get around to a few places (like Ramen Tatsuya)

Overall Thoughts

Post is one of the best properties in South Austin. They usually have great prices too. Lot’s of pools, amenities, and solid units. Some units are along South Lamar can be loud, but it’s one of the best values in town. 

Tree

Pros

• One of my favorites in South Austin
• Great pool & Gym
• Usually prices are good.
• Tons of trees!
• Great dog park
• On South first, very close to lot’s of cool places
• Easy access to the nearby highway

Cons

• Farther south than others in it’s price point
• Rooms and hallways feel dark

Overall Thoughts

I really like this building. It’s tucked farther at the end of South First. While it’s a bit further, it’s a great option. Sometimes they have really good prices. The dog park area is great. The pool area is awesome too. Only downside is they have dark hallways. 

Bell South Lamar

Pros

• Solid overall community
• Well priced.
• Has some townhomes!
• Lot’s of the units tucked into the community have that classic tree-lined South Austin feel
• Pool is modeled after Barton Springs
• Decently close to Downtown & other South Austin goodies.

Cons

• Not outstanding in any category.
• Right along South Lamar which can make some units loud
• A little further down South Austin, but not too far.

Overall Thoughts

This is one of the better apartments in South Austin and South Lamar. While its middle of the pack in the modern buildings in the area, it’s a good overall building. Prices are usually good here. 

The 704

Pros

• Solid overall modern apartment complex.
• Has some cool rooftop amenity views
• If you like 2 stepping, it’s right next to Austin’s famous Broken Spoke

Cons

• Right along South Lamar which gets loud
• Very dark hallways.
• Rooftop amenities don’t have shading which kinda makes it irrelevant.
• Lower quality style compared to competition.

Overall Thoughts

Not a bad building, but I would put it on the lower end of modern mid-rise buildings. Of the modern mid rise apartments in this part of South Austin, I think Tree and Bell South Lamar are better. 

Muse

Pros

• Along South Congress
• Cool outdoor pool area
• Nice tree lined South Austin community

Cons

• Been going through a ton of renovation lately, so it’s a wait and see to find out how they turn out.
• Surrounded by a ton of new buildings which makes it feel claustrophobic.
• Living on South Congress sounds more cool the first time you visit Austin, but not a big deal once you’re actually here.
• High prices for the age of the building.

Overall Thoughts

I’m not a big fan of this place. While the building is decent, it’s priced very high for the type of building it is. It’s cornered behind a large building so it feels claustrophobic. Probably best to find a better quality building elsewhere in South or Southeast Austin. 

The Lola

Pros

• Really awesome pool
• Cool South Congress location

Cons

• High prices for the age and quality of the building
• Feels like a Lawyer’s office. (I can say this confidently as the son of a lawyer)

Overall Thoughts

The inside feels like a lawyer’s office. The building is a bit older, but it’s priced like a modern building. While the pool is great, I think you can get a better quality building elsewhere for lower prices. Worth it only if you really want to be on South Congress

District Soco

Pros

• Usually well priced for the kind of building it is.
• Located on South Congress

Cons

• Located on the less-cool part of South Congress.
• Feels like it’s in the middle of a strip mall.
• Style is extremely bland. It feels like they did the bare minimum to be considered a modern property.
• In modern mid rise category, it’s near the bottom of overall quality. I would put Bell, Tree and Post South Lamar above this one.
• Consider this one only if their prices are much better than competitors

Overall Thoughts

District Soco isn’t a big building on my radar. It doesn’t have any defining traits, other than being modern, that makes it uniquely good. I would only check it out if they have really good prices. 

Crescent

Pros

• Close to Downtown
• Modern building

Cons

• Very tight community. Feels almost claustrophobic.
• Many units don’t come with washer/dryers.
• Lower end quality for a modern building

Overall Thoughts

For a modern building, there are much better options around town. I’m not a big fan of this one. 

Davis Soco

Pros

• Gone through lot’s of good renovations
• Really cool amenities like pool area, gym
• Right by the Crux Climbing Rock Climbing gym which has a ton of cool stuff nearby.
• Close to the highway which can take you to all around Austin.

Cons

• Far south along South Congress which may have a lot of noise.
• You won’t get any cool South Congress vibes here.
• Not much to walk to right outside the building
• The area feels a bit strip-mall-y.

Overall Thoughts

This is a solid building on the farther end of South Congress. They’ve done some great renovations. Sometimes that have really good prices, and big floor plans. Worth knowing about. 

Thornton Flats

Pros

• Unique community
• Tucked into a really nice South Austin neighborhood
• You can get an authentic South Austin lifestyle living here.
• The leasing staff feels a lot more homey than others I’ve encountered
• Feels more like a smaller condo community

Cons

• Almost no amenities
• No pool
• No elevator
• No dog park.
• Priced like other apartments that do have amenities.

Overall Thoughts

This is a nice apartment tucked into a residential neighborhood. It’s a sneaky cool place, but lacks the amenities of a normal apartment. Worth knowing about. 

Gables Terrace

Pros

• Perched up on a hill which can give some some epic views
• Cool community tucked into nature. Feels secluded

Cons

• A little isolated from the rest of South Austin. You’ll have to go on the highway to get into town.
• Nothing to walk to
• The closest stuff nearby is a generic shopping mall.

Overall Thoughts

Kind of a sneaky one! Good prices for South Austin, but kind of off the radar. sometimes the price and value is good. some good views too.

Older Renovated Apartments

Price Range

• Studios: $1000+
• 1 Bedrooms: $1100+
• 2 Bedrooms: $1500+
• 3 Bedrooms: $1800+

These are the older properties built from the 80’s-00’s that have gone through a lot of renovations. These are some of the best value apartments in South Austin. If you’re looking for a good way to be in the heart of South Austin for a reasonable price, these are the ones to go for. 

Skyline at Barton Hills

Pros

• A really cool community. Biased since I have a lot of friends here and I like to come be festive and such.
• Amazing location walking distance from the Greenbelt
• Walk to Taco Deli!
• Walk to Thoms Market!
• Super awesome and huge pool.
• Has undergone total renovations & re-design.
• Has one of the most authentic old-Austin community vibes.
• Feels like you’re living in the Greenbelt.
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Many units don’t come with washer/dryers
• Even though they’ve been totally renovated, they are still older.
• Being tucked in nature means you’re gonna get some critters you don’t want hanging out in places you don’t want them to be.

Overall Thoughts

Very cool complex on spyglass. great for people looking for greenbelt access and a classic Austin feel. Units have been well renovated. They have an amazingly huuge pool and community area. I really like this place. One of the best apartments in South Austin.  

Gallery

Pros

• Nice overall garden style community.
• Tucked in South Austin away from the main roads.
• Cute South Austin vibes.
• Well priced.

Cons

• A bit of an older complex
• Lot’s of units have carpet.
• Nothing outstanding about it.

Overall Thoughts

Worth knowing about for a lower budget in South Austin. At these prices you can probably get something better in Southeast Austin. 

Retreat Barton Creek

Pros

• It has its own entrance to the Greenbelt! Super cool beans.
• Got some good friends here!
• One of the best older-renovated buildings in South Austin.
• Can walk to a lot of retail stores nearby.
• Close to the highway

Cons

• Prices can be high for this category of apartments. Sometimes you’re better off spending the same for a modern mid rise.
• Far down South Austin

Overall Thoughts

This is a really nice apartment on South Lamar. It’s got great Greenbelt access. Prices can be high for an older building though. Go a little higher and you can get a more modern building nearby. 

Groves

Pros

• Really cool community vibes
• Great big pool.
• Apartments integrated with a lot of modern technology.

Cons

• Some very small floor plans
• Old building
• Kind of parking lotty

Overall Thoughts

This is one of the classic South Austin style apartments. I think it’s really cool overall. People hang out, say hi to neighbors, and all that stuff. For the lower end of a South Austin here, it’s a great pick. 

South Lamar Village

Pros

• Very affordable for the location.

Cons

• At the far end of South Austin.
• Feels like a parking lot.

Overall Thoughts

Not a huge fan of this place given the local competition. It kind of feels like a big parking lot. Decent prices though. 

Timbercreek

Pros

• Really awesome location on the north end of South first. Super close to Downtown.
• Some cool loft style floor plans

Cons

• Definitely an older property.
• For the prices, you’re probably better off going to South East Austin for a similar quality of better quality building.
• Priced for the location, not the quality of apartment.

Overall Thoughts

While the location is great here, the prices are kind of high. Too high for the quality of building. You can get better quality in South East Austin or further South Austin

City Scene

Pros

• Great prices
• Renovations and new Interiors are surprisingly modern. It’s pretty sneaky cool.
• Cute residential South Austin neighborhood

Cons

• Virtually no useful amenities
• Some units have nice little backyards

Overall Thoughts

This is a really nice neighborhood. The building is low on amenities, but the area is very good. Worth knowing about!

Just Old

To save the redundancy, most of of these have the same pros and cons. They’re comparatively affordable, but older and lower quality properties. In my opinion and experience these are the best ones worth considering in this category. Consider these if you’re really willing to sacrifice quality for a South Austin location. Otherwise I would recommend Southeast Austin, or Far South Austin. 

Price Range

Studio: $900+

1 Bedroom: $1000+

2 Bedrooms: $1400+

3 Bedrooms: $1600+

• Barton’s Mills
• Soco on the Lake
• Silvercreek
• Tambaleo
• The Madrid

Parting Thoughts

Well well well. We’ve finally made it. You’re now an expert is South Austin apartments! (at least in the ’04 zip code). And now you’re super educated. Isn’t it awesome? Anyways, South Austin is one of my favorite parts of the city. If you’re moving here, it will be one of the best places in town to look at. If you’re interested in these apartments, you would also probably be into East Austin, Southeast Austin, and Far South Austin. Hit us up if you need some help!

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The Map!

Here’s a Google Map that you can use which has everything I mentioned above. It will help you when doing research on the road! Hopefully it helps out.