Help: Moving to Austin for Job (Kyle, West: apartment complex, for rent, crime)

[SciFiNerd1]

Hello Austin,

Because of my new job, my wife and I will be moving to Austin with our newborn son. My new job is with the state of Texas located on North Lamar Blvd. in West Campus neighborhood.

We are looking for places to rent that is commute wise to work. Do you have any suggestions of where we should look? My salary is still in middle of negotiations so I’m not sure of our price range yet. My wife plan to return back to work in six months after our son is a little older. I am aware that Austin is much more expensive than Arkansas.

If we have to, we can settle with two bedroom apartment instead of three bedrooms and it does not have to be in Austin. A friend suggested Manor and Hutto for affordability but it seems far from work.

[centralaustinite]

We need at least a price range for a 2 bedroom apartment, can you do $1400 a month? $1200?

[mrsb9494]

I pay 1600 a month for a crap hole 2 bedroom apartment on Lamar (I live with my sister and she wanted to be close to school) So if that sounds expensive I would stay away from Lamar and the downtown area.

[SciFiNerd1]

I am so sorry. I realize that I made a mistake. It is on South Lamar Blvd. and Manchaca Road area in South Austin.

I believe I could do $1,200-$1,600 for rent with TX salary.

My friend also suggested Buda and Kyle as affordable alternatives. I wonder how commute from these suburbs would be.

[mrsb9494]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

I am so sorry. I realize that I made a mistake. It is on South Lamar Blvd. and Manchaca Road area in South Austin.

I believe I could do $1,200-$1,600 for rent with TX salary.

My friend also suggested Buda and Kyle as affordable alternatives. I wonder how commute from these suburbs would be.

you're right by my apartment complex actually. I would try maybe the "Park on Brodie Lane" apartments...only a few miles from your work and they are nice. We almost lived there, and right by HEB, the best grocery store.

[ashbeeigh]

Oh...now I see you’re south. I don’t have suggestions other than to get a licator (I had a long answer for the birth lamarlocation).

[centralaustinite]

Yes, please get an apartment locator, they are free to you and reputable and they will save you so much time and hassle.

I would rent first, near your work, good location, in your price range and then when you have sussed out Austin a bit, look to buy a home in Buda or Kyle. The schools in Hays CISD are rapidly improving, live there for five years and then move up to a home in sw Austin or just stay put in Buda/Kyle.

[SciFiNerd1]

Are there bad areas in South Austin I should avoid?

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

Are there bad areas in South Austin I should avoid?

Not really, depending on how bad you consider bad. I can't (off-hand) think of any place I would be worried more than another. There is more property crime in Austin than violent/personal crime, so you can pretty much get your car broken into anywhere, but you aren't very likely to be assaulted.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

I am so sorry. I realize that I made a mistake. It is on South Lamar Blvd. and Manchaca Road area in South Austin.

I believe I could do $1,200-$1,600 for rent with TX salary.

My friend also suggested Buda and Kyle as affordable alternatives. I wonder how commute from these suburbs would be.

Check out Cherry Creek in 78745, South of Stassney and North of Wm Cannon, east of Westgate and west of Manchaca Road. It's a nice, well kept, quiet, safe middle class neighborhood of mosty 1970's ranch style homes and lots of big trees that provide plenty of shade in the summertime. It's relatively affordable by Austin standards, and no more than a 10 minute drive to Manchaca and South Lamar, its usually about 15 to 20 minute drive to downtown Austin, convenient to Mopac, Barton Creek Mall, Central Market, Whole Foods, 3 nearby HEB's within 10 minutes, Southpark Meadows, the largest shopping area in Austin, and lots of good restaraunts in South Austin. Its one of the most convenient areas in all of Austin. You should be able to find a pretty nice house or apartment in that area within your rent budget. My parents live in that area and their neighbors rent 3 bedroom, 2 bath for $1500 a month.

I believe there is less crime in most of South Austin west of 35, than there is in the area of North Austin on North Lamar you thought were going to be going to, which Im thinking is by the Texas DPS.