New to Austin-Area Recs

blushngold

Hi Ladies!  My husband and I will be moving with our seven month old daughter to Austin the first week of January.  We are coming from PA and have no idea where we should be looking to live.  We are going to rent for a year so we can figure out what area we love and want to buy a house in.  My husband will be working 9-5 downtown.  Our budget is around $1,100 and we need at least two bedrooms.  Anywhere we should look or avoid?

Thanks so much! 

HulaViv

If you can, I would recommend something off of 2244. Near Barton Creek mall there is an apartment complex, or two as well as duplexes for rent.

 

If you don't want to live that far south I would recommend the Farwest area. It is more central, but it is still pretty convenient.

 

When I moved here ten years ago, I lived north near the Arboretum area. It is very nice, but you have a bit longer of a drive.  

 

I know it is general, but I hope it helps.

Pumpkins+Junebug

If your husband is okay with a bit of a commute, you can find bigger / better value houses if you look way north or way south.

We love our current neighborhood, just south of the river near Zilker Park. It's awesome for kids and very central. There are a lot of new apartments around here and near downtown, too. We are currently renting a 3/2 duplex for 1150, while we house hunt. I'd really like to buy either in our current neighborhood (78704) or in the 78703 / 78756 zip codes.

I'm a native Austinite (recently moved back) and since we're house hunting and recently rent-hunted as well, I have a good idea of prices in a lot of neighborhoods. PM me if you want

astroMom

It should be easy to find something in that price range.  Normally I would have something close to your job, but I think it might be good to look where you think you will settle, so that you can get an idea if it will really work.  We live in the Westwood HS district & love the hills & schools.  It is very family-centric but of course not close to downtown.  Will your husband be close to the downtown train station?  That would open up where you could live.  You could definitely get something way cheaper & save your money for a downpayment, yay!

blushngold

Thanks so much ladies!  I'm not sure about the train station, I'll have to look into that.  Pumpkin, I will send you a PM