Moving to Austin

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted here. I hope you all are doing great

I'm still in PA for now, but I will be moving to Austin, TX around the end of July or the beginning of August due to a job offer at TSD.

I was just wondering - does anyone know of any good resources I can use to find a cheap apartment as close to TSD as possible? I don't care for a fancy apartment, I just want it to be clean and free of problems. I was using an apartment agency but so far, I'm not too impressed with it.

Also, for those who live in Austin, are "administrative fees" a common practice within apartment complexes? I was offered an apartment for $850 a month (with $500 off the first month for a quick application within 24 hours), with $400 administrative fee and no security deposit. I also wouldn't have to pay the last month of rent upfront. I passed that offer up because I was a bit suspicious of it. It sounded too good to be true. Anyone know of any scam that I really should look out for in Austin, Tx? I'm trying to find an apartment now, but I was told it may be difficult due to everyone moving around in the summer.

Any advice would be really appreciated. Sorry if this is in the wrong forum; I wasn't sure where to post. Thank you in advance.

What part of town is it in? $850 is high to me for rent, but of course, I come from the late 80s. Also, be sure to find out the demographics of your neighbors. One time, in a complex off Manchaca, I had Native American neighbors from somewhere south of the border (they were very dark with no English and wore traditional western clothes and played Tejano music at all hours of the night). When they moved out, we saw the massive nest of cockroaches the unit next to ours had become. They were everywhere, covering the entire floor area, and the apartment had to be bombed multiple times to get all the egg hatchlings. They were simply men who didn't know how to keep house and were used to living like they do back home, with women keeping house (female family and wife usually) while the men go outside to work, but there were no women with them.

$850 is considerably cheap compares to most one bedroom apartments in Fremont cost $1200 or more.

Yeah, Irish. it is a common practice in Texas. Didn't you sign TAA application, did you? I hope not. Administrative fees are not refunded if you cancel. According to TAA application, I recall you will get your deposit back within three days, you will get your deposit back. I could be wrong. It's like commission-based. Anyway, you have no deposit. Type in the search engine and read Texas provision codes Ch.92 and TAA.org

Please, I strongly urge you to go look for apartments in person before you make your decision. Some landlords or property managers can be deceived.

Apartments in downtown are expensive. So are garage parking fees. You're likely to live in the older apartment if you're willing to deal with bugs and mold. They're common here. You also will run into all kinds of weirdos and political protestors on sidewalks.

I think apartment rental fees will go up in Austin when the summer is coming up. Go for short lease first. It will give you time to browse around for long lease in future.

I like these decent apartments in Round Rock north of Austin, but the flaw is it is about 30-40 minutes commute to downtown. I-35 is purely hell. It's not enough space since Austin is currently growing. Good Luck.

Watch out for the spiders in Austin they are HUGE!!!

Urban is pretty expensive. I suggest you to find suburb of Austin which is affordable. Unfortunately, you shall face the awful traffic to TSD daily. Try and find apartment closer to light-rail station which will take you to closer to there by walk or bike. Extra bucks if prefer ride bus during weather or value of time.

Barbaro said:

Yeah, Irish. it is a common practice in Texas. Didn't you sign TAA application, did you? I hope not. Administrative fees are not refunded if you cancel. According to TAA application, I recall you will get your deposit back within three days, you will get your deposit back. I could be wrong. It's like commission-based. Anyway, you have no deposit. Type in the search engine and read Texas provision codes Ch.92 and TAA.org

Please, I strongly urge you to go look for apartments in person before you make your decision. Some landlords or property managers can be deceived.

Apartments in downtown are expensive. So are garage parking fees. You're likely to live in the older apartment if you're willing to deal with bugs and mold. They're common here. You also will run into all kinds of weirdos and political protestors on sidewalks.

I think apartment rental fees will go up in Austin when the summer is coming up. Go for short lease first. It will give you time to browse around for long lease in future.

I like these decent apartments in Round Rock north of Austin, but the flaw is it is about 30-40 minutes commute to downtown. I-35 is purely hell. It's not enough space since Austin is currently growing. Good Luck.

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Hi, nope I did not sign any application at all! I was using an apartment agency and I came upon that offer. I told the agent I'd have to pass on the offer.

For now, I rented a private room through AirBnB for two months. Hopefully it will give me some time to find an apartment or some roommates, as well as give me time to get my budget straightened out with my paychecks from the new job. Everyone else has been telling me to just wait until I can be present in person to do the apartment hunting. So I am taking that advice, don't worry

Thank you so much for other tips as well! I'm sorry I did not response earlier as I was working multiple shifts in a short period of time this week.

Everyone else, I appreciate your responses too! I will watch out for the demographics of the neighborhood, pest problems, etc and figure out the transportation system here too. For now though I have my own car so I'll be using that most of the time.

Good luck!

authentic said:

$850 is considerably cheap compares to most one bedroom apartments in Fremont cost $1200 or more.

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Mine is two bedroom apt with one bathroom..on month to month lease.. $1382.31 a month.

authentic said:

$850 is considerably cheap compares to most one bedroom apartments in Fremont cost $1200 or more.

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You forget about each state are not same federal minimum wage. TX's minimum wage is $7.25 and CA is $10.00.

Austin is the most expensive city in Texas. Note that: it is the college town, so they come in and out all the time. Plus it has many major well known companies like Dell, Apple, and Samsung. They're trying to aim Austin turn into a tech city. There are many start up companies out there. However, Dallas has more defense/semiconductor/manufacturing/tech system companies than Austin. Tech culture over there is strong and competitive.

There are $1200 one bedroom and one bathroom apartments in downtown Austin. I am not kidding. I've seen $1,600 one bed and one bath and that is in Sunset Valley west of Austin. Insane.

I personally like Round Rock, because it offers everything that fits your needs except commute.

If you can move this summer, ask if you can pay room and board at TSD for a week or two while you look for apt. I did this for a week when I got a job at CSDB and moved form CA to CO
Also I'm sure you will find a current employee that would be willing to show you around and help you find a place if you ask.

Other choice is something like extended stay America motels. Should not take long to find something one you are there

deafdrummer said:

What part of town is it in? $850 is high to me for rent, but of course, I come from the late 80s. Also, be sure to find out the demographics of your neighbors. One time, in a complex off Manchaca, I had Native American neighbors from somewhere south of the border (they were very dark with no English and wore traditional western clothes and played Tejano music at all hours of the night). When they moved out, we saw the massive nest of cockroaches the unit next to ours had become. They were everywhere, covering the entire floor area, and the apartment had to be bombed multiple times to get all the egg hatchlings. They were simply men who didn't know how to keep house and were used to living like they do back home, with women keeping house (female family and wife usually) while the men go outside to work, but there were no women with them.

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You gotta be joking , that would a steal in my city , rent can start $1,000 pus and in Boston it's higher . I just looked for apartments around me and most of them start at
$1,000 plus . I come from the late 60's and 70's and I know it's hard to rent lower than $ 800 unless you spilt the rent with a roommate.