If you find my guide useful give me a holler in the contact form (at the end of this page) so I can find you the right place! Or if my guide was ultra-super-helpful and is enough to make a decision, please list me (Alex Concepcion) as your referral and I’ll shower you with excess praise and funky gifts.
There’s a reason many of you friends (or future friends) will brag about being on Team South Austin. The Greenbelt, ample bars & restaurants in quick walking/driving distance. It’s very close to downtown. No wild college parties.
Basically, it’s filled with people who have their s*%$ together and are actually good at living balanced lifestyles. How cool is that? Unfortunately, since it’s so awesome, prices have been going up. Way up. Fortunately, there are still a healthy amount of affordable apartments here you can call home without having to pay an arm and a leg.
All of these these are older apartments that have gone through significant “Princess Bride” type make-overs with fancy new names and renovations. So if you’re looking scale up to a newer modern building, you should look here for South Austin’s Best Modern Mid Rise Apartments.
This list highlights my favorite well-priced apartments in South Austin (78704).
The price ranges we’ll look at are the following.
Studios $900-$1100
1 Bedrooms: $900-$1300
2 Bedrooms: $1300-$1600
3 Bedrooms: $1500-$1800
Retreat at Barton Creek
This place will easily be one of your top three options if you’re looking to live in South Austin.. Probably #1. The Retreat is a nature fanatics wet dream. It’s like, right on the f*&*$ Greenbelt. Like, right there. In your backyard. The pool is excellent. The kind of place you will actually be excited to bring your friends to on Sunday Funday before or after you go hiking. It’s going to be seriously hard to beat this place. Plus, GOOGLE FIBER!.
Pros
- GREEN F-ING BELT
- Compared to the others on this list, looks relatively modern
- Awesome pool
- Big leash free dog park
- Nicely remodeled interiors.
- Google fiber!
- Lots of sweet grocery stores nearby. Central Market, Sprouts, Wheatsville.
Cons
- You who else loves nature? Little bugs. Nothing a frequent pest-control visit can’t fix.
- Carpet in bedrooms
- Units still feel old, despite renovations.
- The Retreat is often the most expensive on this list. You may be better off spending a tad bit more and getting into a modern mid rise building nearby.
The Grove on Manchaca
The Grove is always one of my go-to stops in South Austin. It’s smack in the middle of South Austin right on Manchaca (which for some reason is pronounced Manchack). It has a quiet cozy nature feel with trees everywhere which is cool. Meanwhile, you can walk a few blocks to bustling South Lamar. The dog park here is massive, and they have a cool community garden. They’re even making a big technology push, by including cool items like Nest Thermostats, August Smart locks, and Google Fiber. This is usually my first stop for clients who want to live in South Austin affordably.
Pros
- Google Fiber!
- Nest Thermostats & August Smart Locks included
- Big lap pool
- Big leash free dog park
- Quiet nature-y feel.
- Walking distance to South Lamar.
- Community Garden!
- Friendly leasing staff.
Cons
- Some units don’t come with washer/dryers
- Location may feel a bit far south for some people
- Kitchens tend to be small and cramped
- Since it’s tucked into nature, you may get the occasional bug.
South Lamar Village
South Lamar Village is fairly far South on this list. It’s not a huge problem given it’s easy access to Mopac. The renovations are fairly well done overall, but it’s hard to ignore how old the community feels. Despite this, the reasonable prices, location, and solid pet-amenities makes this a great option for somebody who wants a reasonably priced South Austin apartment, especially with a dog.
Pros
- Lots of awesome grocery stores nearby like Central Market, Sprouts, Wheatsville
- Even though it’s on the bottom of South Austin, it’s close to the entrance of Mopac which can take you quickly to Downtown & North Austin (assuming low traffic of course)
- Giant leash free dog park with an agility course.
Cons
- On the far-South edge of South Austin
- Pool isn’t very inspiring
- Feels a bit outdated, despite renovations.
- A bit parking-lot-y compared to the others on this list with more a nature vibe.
Waters at Barton Creek
Some random trivia! My first night in Austin I crashed on a friends couch here at Waters after an cocktail fueled night on Rainey Street. Cool story bro!
Anyways, A quick google search of this place will reveal…..not so great reviews. Uh oh! But new management has taken over this extremely well located apartment in some kind of Gordon Ramsey-let’s-take-over-your-restaurant-reality-show kind of way. This is why the first thing you see on the website is “NEW MANAGEMENT NOVEMBER 2017” Presumably, the previous company has gone on to do wonderful things that have absolutely nothing to do with managing real estate ever again.
So it’s going to take a lot of work to untangle it’s reputation from the old sucky management company. All of that being said, I’m comfortable saying that this is now a solid apartment option. It’s extremely well located only a few minutes away from Downtown, Zilker, and Barton Springs. Trader Joes is your grocery store, only a few blocks away. They’ve got a large ample tree-lined pool area, and a big ol leash free dog park. Plus, they’ve got Google Fiber!
Pros
- New management!
- Great location
- Badass pool!
- Very close to downtown
- Google Fiber!
- Washer/dryers included
- Trader Joes!
- Right next to Mopac for easy access to the rest of Austin.
- Close to the Greenbelt.
- Big spacious balconies.
Cons
- They’ll still need time to fix things left-over from the old management company
- Some washer/dryers are in closets which is….an odd choice.
- Lot’s of nature may mean lots of small bugs
- Balconies are old, and look like it.
Soco on the Lake
Where most of these apartments on this list tend to have a Greenbelt-y nature feel, SoCo on the lake has a……drum roll…..you guessed it! Lake feel!. If you don’t mind paying a little extra for the location while being an older building, it’s a great option. I put it last on this list due to it’s high price point. At these prices, you may be better off at a more modern apartment complexes with better amenities
Pros
- Amazing location just south of the river
- Immediate access to the river, running & biking trails
- Nice balconies/patios
Cons
- At this price range, lots of modern apartment complexes become available in the South Austin/Riverside area, so you may be better off there.
- Expensive building for being older.
- Carpet Monster!
Summary
So what have we learned today kids?
We learned that despite the ever-increasing rent prices of South Austin, it is very much possible to get affordable rent down there. While you may be living in a older property, these places have undergone significant renovation that give you that “man, I’m sure glad I don’t live in a rat infested dumpster” feeling. If you want some help in your apartment hunting journey, please message me so we can this party started.
Working with Me
Hello there! I’m Alex Concepcion. Cool Apartment Locator Guy Extraordinaire.
Like pretty much everyone here, I’m a transplant from another city. I arrived from the wild and exotic country of Miami, Florida where I traded groovy salsa music and the beach for breakfast tacos and brisket. Now I call East Austin home where I host funky dinner parties, buy overpriced cocktails, and climb rocks at the Austin Bouldering Project.
Having gone through the chaotic transition of moving to a new city, I know what it’s like to be all freaked out and worried about picking the right place to live (and eat). I’ve fortunately found myself in the position where I can help people like you make the best possible transition.
Working with me means basically having a super useful personal research assistant guy do all the heavy lifting. If you’re not familiar with the neighborhoods, I can also put on my knock-off-Anthony-Bourdain-hat and be your personal food-obsessed tour guide (which is my favorite part of what I do).
Even cooler, I’m totally free to work with. I get paid directly by the apartment complex only when you move in.(which doesn’t affect your rent amount). I’m free like that HBO subscription your friend doesn’t know you use when Game of Thrones is on. I would be flattered to help you find the perfect place to live.
-Alex
