Moving to Austin July - need recommendations close to UT (West: rent, condos)

[jerryjai]

Hi,
My wife and I will be relocating to Austin in mid-July from California. My wife will be attending graduate school in Austin.

We wish to purchase a 3BD house/condo - 1400+ sq.ft, in a budget of $220K in the 5-6mile radius of UT (services by UT shuttle is another important criteria). We've started doing some searching and have found matching homes in the areas of Far West and E.Riverside.

How do these two areas compare? Which community is safer? Which area will provide the better quality of life?

Thanks for your responses.
jerryjai

[TexasHorseLady]

What are your interests otherwise? Those are two very different areas, and "qualify of life" can mean something very different to different people.

[jerryjai]

I meant closeness to shopping, restaurants, cafes and at the same time being in a safe and good neighborhood. Also since my wife will be attending school, we would prefer to be away from noisy neighborhoods.

[TexasHorseLady]

In that case (maybe the noise factor), you'd be more likely to like the Far West area, in my opinion. I'm assuming what you found over there is a condo, right, in that price range?

[Trainwreck20]

I would highly recommend FW over E.Riverside, based on almost any criteria.

[jerryjai]

I came across new homes by Newmarkhomes called Edgewick, which are being built close to E Oltorf and Riverside. They seem pretty nice. How is this neighborhood? I've also seen condos on Parker Ln and Wickersham Ln. This area seems to be very well serviced by UT shuttles. Going by the UT brochure, it seems that the E Riverside is mostly populated by students/young working professionals. Am I thus correct to say, that this neighborhood is safe?

[atxcio]

E Riverside area is less safe than Far West. It is undergoing some redevelopment, but is still home to far more crime (and adjacent to some worse neighborhoods.) I'd use caution purchasing in that area; perhaps rent first. At least visit and go to the grocery store and walk around nearby to get a feel for the neighborhood. Drive around after dark, too. DO NOT BUY until you do that.

The Far West area is more expensive, so you won't get the same bang for your buck as far as a house or condo (actually, I don't think there are any houses there for $220).. but, you will be in a safe area surrounded by good neighborhoods.

[Alexis_Jones]

I just ran a search and found a nice, new contruction condo in South Austin for $199k with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 1924 sq.ft. It is not on the UT shuttle route, but is half a block away from a bus stop. Did you know that you can ride the bus for free with your UT ID card? My advice is to contact a Realtor who can do the majority of the leg work for you. There are plenty of us on this forum!