S.M.A.R.T Housing in West Campus Austin Texas

Hello Longhorns!

It is currently the beginning of October, meaning UT Students are about a month and a half into the 2021-2022 school year. It is at this time that properties in the campus area begin to release their 2022-2023 availability and pricing. It is also usually around this time that students start reaching out about pre-leasing for the following year. Since everyone is interested in getting the best deal for the nicest property, I will share one tip that can be of use. If you qualify for S.M.A.R.T Housing, you can lease a studio or 1 bedroom for around $500 or more under the market rate. Please keep in mind, you will only find S.M.A.R.T Housing at high-rise/apartment properties and not at condos or houses. Additionally, it is usually only offered on studio and 1 bedroom units.

What is S.M.A.R.T Housing in West Campus, Austin, Texas?

S.M.A.R.T. Housing is a program created by the city of Austin to assist students who are either receiving need-based financial aid or who are paying for school through student loans.

How do I qualify through financial aid?

If you are currently receiving need-based financial aid, you may automatically qualify. You would need to look at your current Financial Aid Award Letter for Fall and Spring, then compare your grants/scholarships/loans to the approved need-based Financial Aid list. If you have any items that appear on the list, no matter the amount, then you automatically qualify for S.M.A.R.T. Housing.

How do I qualify through income verification?

If you do not qualify based on the need-based financial aid list, then you can attempt to qualify based on your annual income. We would have to contact each leasing office directly for more information on income verification.

How does the leasing process work for S.M.A.R.T Housing?

1. Pre-qualify for S.M.A.R.T. Housing.

a) If you are qualifying through Financial Aid, bring your Financial Aid Award letter for Fall/Spring into the leasing office of your choice.

b) If you are qualifying through Income Verification, bring your most recent W2 and your 3 most recent pay stubs, your Financial Award letter for Fall/Spring, and your tuition bill into the leasing office of your choice.

2. Submit your housing application and complete snd necessary S.M.A.R.T. Housing forms.

3. Once your S.M.A.R.T. Housing paperwork is complete, you will be able to sign a Lease Agreement.

If you are currently looking for S.M.A.R.T Housing, I recommend reaching out so we can chat about housing in the UT Campus area. I can provide access to tools and resources, as well as expertise, to help you view properties for lease in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

How do apartment locators in West Campus help UT Austin students find a lease for free?

Hello Longhorn!

As of the time of writing this, I have been specializing in UT Austin off-campus housing for about 3 years. With that said, one common question I get is, how do apartment locators in West Campus help UT Austin students find a lease for free? Interestingly enough, it is actually quite a simple answer. The property pays the locator directly for touring with clients and assisting them with the application and leasing process. In the end, it is a win-win for everyone involved. The property owner gets a tenant for the schoolyear. The UT student gets assistance searching for and applying for the perfect spot. And the locator gets paid. Honestly, this is one of my favorite things about the job, that I get to provide a very valuable service at a free cost to the consumer.

If you are currently looking for a condo, house, or apartment for the coming UT school year, I recommend reaching out so we can chat about housing in the UT Campus area. I can provide access to tools and resources, as well as expertise, to help you view properties for lease or sale in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thanks,

Realtor Tineo

Texas Administrative Code, Determination of Resident Status, In-State- Tuition

Hello Longhorns,

So, you are an out-of-state student or parent who has been accepted to the University of Texas at Austin. Congratulations on this achievement. After acceptance to the University, you should strongly start to consider the costs of in-state vs non-Texas resident tuition costs. By using the UT tuition calculator, I arrived at the following in-state vs non-Texas resident costs. An in-state, full-time student could expect to pay around $11,000. A non-Texas resident can expect to pay around $39,000. I encourage you to check out the costs and tuition rates calculator and run the number for your specific case.

With that said, there is a path forward for non-Texas residents to gain Texas Residency and pay in-state tuition. One such path forward is to purchase property in Texas that way you can be classified as a Texas Resident by the University of Texas Admissions office. By purchasing property, you should be able to update your determination about residency by the following school year if everything is done correctly and timely.

The goal of this article is to highlight useful information for those planning to gain Texas Residency. One key piece of information I would like to highlight is that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board establishes the rules that govern Texas residency for higher education in Texas. As such, as someone interested in making sure you meet the criteria, I recommend reviewing the rules. Key topics covered in the Texas Administrative Code for Determination of Resident Status are listed below.

• Who is classified as a Texas resident and entitled to pay resident tuition at all institutions of higher education.

• List of documents that may be provided to support a claim of physical residence in the State of Texas.

• Domicile of the dependant’s parent is presumed to be the domicile of the dependent unless the dependent establishes eligibility for resident tuition.

I hope this information is helpful, but I am sure you will have questions! Please keep in mind this is just one of the topics to be aware of as you try to establish Texas Residency by purchasing property in Texas. I recommend reaching out so we can chat about key timelines to be aware of, the best season for making a purchase and set you up with access to tools that will help you stay up to date on the newly listed properties in the neighborhood. Feel free to submit an inquiry on my contact page and I will reach out ASAP.

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo

How early do UT Students need to start looking for off campus housing options to pre-lease?

Hello Longhorns!

At the beginning of every fall semester in West Campus, the neighborhood starts becoming active as Sororities begin arriving a week or so before everyone, as they conduct rush week. The following week is followed by a flood of returning students, parents, and u-haul trucks, as the majority of the properties in West Campus open their doors for move-in. Eventually, UT Austin begins classes and most students become focused on adjusting to their new routine, attending classes, and getting adjusted to their new living situation. Everything is pretty ho-hum regarding housing through September and into the beginning of October. By ho-hum, I mean people are worried about school, not housing they won’t even move into for another 11 months…

Eventually, at the end of October things settle down and some early birds start thinking about housing for the next year. This is the exact time I would recommend reaching out to me to discuss your housing goals for the year. It is advisable to start thinking about the budget you intend to set, how large of a property you want to live in, in what part of the neighborhood you want to live or with what friends you may want to live with.

As your realtor and locator, I usually have new clients complete a questionnaire that helps me identify what your needs are so we can find you the ideal highrise, condo or house to call home for the next 1, 2, 3 or more years. Once a type of property is in mind, I set clients up with a property portal, for free, that will send them updates as housing options that fit their criteria start to become available. Once you have portal access, you will be empowered as you will be able to constantly observe the housing market and keep an eye on your favorite properties. 

Getting back to it barely being October, 10 months from the beginning of the next school year. I recommend observing the portal until you find your ideal spot. Sometimes this happens quickly, and sometimes it happens very slowly over the course of a few months of looking. Once you have a few properties in mind that you are interested in, I recommend scheduling some tours to visit the property and view all the available units. Something important to note, since condos are each individually owned, they all have different finishings; this is why it is important to tour a few units at any given property to make sure you get your favorite one.

After you successfully identify a property you like, I will help you apply and make sure we try and take advantage of any leasing specials a property might be offering.

If you are interested in renting a house in the UT Campus area, please reach out. I can provide access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for rent or sale in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thanks,

Realtor Tineo

West Campus condo vs highrise apartment

Hello Longhorn!

So, you have settled into the semester, begun classes at The University of Texas, and gotten used to your routine. Before you know it, you already hear about friends signing their lease for the next school year. As you begin thinking about housing options, one of the very first decisions you will have to make is whether you will live in a Highrise property or a Condo property. If you aren’t sure of the difference, I will discuss below for you.

Highrise

Highrise properties in West Campus are pretty much all the tallest and newest buildings and make up the largest amount of bed spaces available in the neighborhood. Some examples to consider are Moontower , Villas on Guadalupe, Signature 1909, The Standard, American Campus or The Quarters on Campus. Below are some traits unique to High-rise properties.

• Furnishings, usually at Highrise properties they have furniture packages ready to go for around 70% of the bed spaces they have available. Furnishings usually include a bed frame, nightstand, sofa, coffee table, dresser drawers and a TV stand.

• Amenities, usually at a high-rise property you will get some nice community perks. They can include swimming pools, gyms, study centers, yoga studios, rooftop lounges and a little concierge desk at the entry of the property.

• Rent Prices, are pretty much always higher than condo prices. In my estimation, a 1 bedroom unit in some of the premiere high-rise properties will cost at least $1,300 if you manage to find a great deal, but can easily go up to $1,800. Please keep in mind that is not taking into account utilities or parking.

• Roommate Matching, is often something offered at Highrise properties. Essentially, once management decides to open up units to roommate matching, you can just select one bedroom and they will attempt to match you with people that you might enjoy rooming with. One perk to roommate matching is that you will most likely sign an individual liability lease. The perk to an individual liability lease is that you are only responsible for your rooms rent payment.

• Parking, is something almost every Highrise property offers. Something to note, I see lots of new buildings going up, but there is fewer and fewer places to park! With that said, a parking spot is like $100-$200 bucks depending on the property. If you lease early, you are pretty much guaranteed a parking spot in the garage.

• First Months Rent and Security Deposit. One perk to living in a Highrise property is the low upfront fees. Generally, they have security deposit specials where you only have to pay like $200 bucks. The first month’s rent is usually not due until you move in. Something to note, although the upfront fees are low, you must take into account the annual budget to see if you are truly saving money.

Condo

Condo properties in West Campus are generally smaller in size and may have as little as 10-15 total units, although some have many more. They tend to be older properties, but they have a much less commercialized feel. This is partly because condos are owned by individuals for the most part and not huge business entities. If buying is something you may be interested in, you can actually make yourself money by purchasing one while in college instead of renting for 4 years.

• Furnishings, in about 90% of Condo properties, I would say you should expect the unit to come unfurnished. If you do find the 10% that are furnished, it is likely to be hand-me-down furniture, so do temper expectations. Unfurnished units however are my personal favorite. I would suggest leaning into the decoration process and purchasing some stuff that fits your style.

• Amenities, pretty much don’t exist at Condo properties. Properties that do have amenities, will only include a pool, dog-park, bike rack and maybe a nice courtyard for relaxing. If renting a condo, the lack of amenities might actually be a positive. At least Jack, Jill, Johny and Brad won’t be raging at the pool, or acting like the coolest kids in town at the resident center everyday.

• Rent Prices, at Condos are generally hundreds of dollars less per month. Sticking with the 1 bedroom example, I have found hundreds of students a 1 bedroom, in West Campus, with a private washer/dryer and parking included for $1,000 - $1,400 depending on how upgraded of a place you want.

• Roommate Matching, at Condo properties usually doesn’t exist. What you have to do is find a buddy, or two, or five and then proceed to look for a property. One difference to point out, is that when renting a condo with friends, you will sign a joint-liability lease. That means everyone is equally responsible for the rent. This as opposed to just being responsible for your bedroom rent only.

• Parking, at Condos is a little more complex than at a High-rise. The reason for this is because, since each unit is individually owned, some units may only have 1 parking spot even though the unit has 2 bedrooms. On the bright side, parking is usually included. So, with a little care, you should be able to sign for a unit that has the appropriate amount of spots included for free.

• First Month’s Rent and Security Deposit differ at a Condo when compared to a Highrise. At a Condo property the security deposit is usually equal to the first month’s rent amount. Lately, I have seen some properties reducing it to $500 or so per room. The first month’s rent is typically due within 2 weeks of signing your lease. Before getting to shocked by the high upfront fees, I would like to remind you that the security deposit is refundable if your unit is left clean, without damage. Additionally, I would remind you to run the number for an annual budget. If you manage to get a unit that is many hundred less per month, you will end up saving over the duration of the lease even though you pay more upfront.

If you have made it this far, congratulations! I hope I was able to provide some useful information that may help you decide between living at a Condo property or a Highrise property. If you are interested in renting a house in the UT Campus area, please reach out. I can provide access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for rent in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,

Renting a house in West or North Campus

Hello Longhorns,

If you are thinking about renting a house in West Campus with your friends, you have come to the right place! Renting a house is an awesome alternative to renting a large apartment for a few reasons that I will highlight below. To give you an idea on rent prices, at this time a house in West Campus and North Campus is renting for anywhere from $700-$1,200+ plus per bedroom, depending on quality of finishings, location and age of the property.

House Perks: 

1. You have a private back yard.

   • A private back yard can be pretty awesome. You can relax, BBQ or do a home-workout, invite friends over for get togethers and let your pets enjoy the yard space.

2. You have a private driveway for parking.

   • No more fighting or paying monthly for parking in West Campus. An extra perk is that visitors can park in your driveway easily, without having to get a parking pass.

3. No shared walls, no leasing staff and no shared amenity spaces.

   • In a house, you have ultimate privacy to do your own thing. When you come home, you won’t have to see the leasing staff like you would in an apartment complex. Additionally, you don’t have shared walls, halls or amenities with any other residents!

4. You have a unique housing situation

   • Houses in West Campus are rare and present the opportunity to enjoy your college years in style.

5. Houses are large

   • Depending on your criteria, you can easily find a house with 2000+ sqft, numerous bedrooms, extra office space, garage storage, and extra guest bathrooms.

If you are interested in renting a house in the UT Campus area, please reach out. I can provide access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for rent in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,

UT Austin West Campus 1 Bedroom Sales Price

Hello Longhorns!

For many, one of the most important factors to get organized as you begin your college journey is housing. After all, you will probably spend more money on housing than you will paying for the college credits you earn. As you begin college, you have a few possible options to consider. 1) Live at home. 2) Live on campus. 3) Rent a property. Or 4) Buy a property. In my opinion, option 4 of buying a property sounds like the best economic bet. Unless of course you really find value in sharing a room with strangers or giving money to a property management company or landlord. The reason for this, of course, is buying is an investment. The money you pay toward a mortgage, you can recoup with positive equity during a sale. Additionally, many graduates choose to become investors and rent out their owned properties when they graduate. This is an excellent way to keep earning money even after you have graduated.

With that said, you might be wondering how much a 1 bedroom condo in West Campus sells for… Conducting a comparative market analysis of West Camps sales in the last 90 days, 8 condos were sold, with a sales price ranging from 154k-235k. The variation in the price has to do with location, square-footage, what year the building was built, how many parking spots are included, and what the quality of finishings the unit has.

If you are interested in purchasing a condo in the UT Campus area, or Austin area in general please reach out. I can provide access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for sale or rent in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Buyer’s Questionnaire or Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,

UT Austin Sales Price For A 2 Bedroom Condo In West Campus

Hello Longhorns!

For many, one of the most important factors to get organized as you begin your college journey is housing. After all, you will probably spend more money on housing than you will paying for the college credits you earn. As you begin college, you have a few possible options to consider. 1) Live at home. 2) Live on campus. 3) Rent a property. Or 4) buy a property. In my opinion, option 4 of buying a property sounds like the best economic bet. Unless of course you really find value in sharing a room with strangers or giving money to a property management company or landlord. The reason for this, of course, is buying is an investment. The money you pay toward a mortgage, you can recoup with positive equity during a sale. Additionally, many graduates choose to become investors and rent out their owned properties when they graduate. This is an excellent way to keep earning money even after you have graduated.

With that said, you might be wondering how much a 2 bedroom condo in West Campus sells for… Conducting a comparative market analysis of West Camps sales in the last 90 days, 11 condos were sold, with a sales price ranging from 263k-504k. The variation in the price has to do with location, square-footage, what year the building was built, how many parking spots are included, and what the quality of finishings the unit has.

If you are interested in purchasing a condo in the UT Campus area, or Austin area in general please reach out. I can provide access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for sale or rent in the campus area. Additionally, feel free to complete a Buyer’s Questionnaire or Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,

UT Austin, North Campus or West Campus for Housing

Hello Longhorns!

A common question I get from University of Texas at Austin parents, undergraduate students, and graduate students is, what is the difference between North Campus and West Campus?

To begin, it is probably best to clarify exactly where I consider these neighborhoods to be. West Campus, is directly to the West of UT. Essentially, when you cross Guadalupe from UT and head West, you are in West Campus until you run into Lamar Blvd. The northern border of West Campus would be at about 29th st. The southern border of West Campus would be at about MLK Blvd.

North Campus is directly to the North of UT. Essentially, when you cross Dean Keeton from UT you are in North Campus until you run into 38th st. The eastern border of North Campus would be Interstate-35. The Western border of North Campus would be at about Guadalupe. One differentiator to point out is that the boundary of the north campus neighborhood would be a bit more open to interpretation as it blends with Hyde Park, North Loop and The Triangle neighborhoods.

West Campus is the heart of student housing around the college. You will find numerous condos, houses and high-rise properties for rent and sale; as well as numerous fraternity and sorority houses. In my experience, being in West Campus you are surrounded by a student population and right in the heart of all the action. You will find numerous food truck courts, restaurants, bars and spots to shop. Additionally, you can walk to campus in less than 15 minutes pretty much from anywhere; and on any day school is going on you will see people everywhere on bikes, scooters and foot.

North Campus has a reputation with Graduate students looking for a little more quiet lifestyle. As long as you aren’t too close to Guadalupe or Red River, I would agree that it is a little quieter. With that said, North Campus is a great neighborhood with numerous bus routes heading to campus, more houses and more parks/greenspace. One thing to note, there aren’t many high-rise properties like you would find in West Campus. This has something to do with zoning in the neighborhood. With that said, there are a ton more houses, townhomes and duplexes to choose from in North Campus. So if finding a yard, or more street parking is something you are interested in, this could be the neighborhood for you.

To highlight a few more neighborhood characteristics I have noticed.

1. Parking in West Campus comes at a premium, renting a space in a high-rise can be as much as $200+ per spot, per month. Traditional rentals usually come with 1 spot per bedroom. One thing to note about West Campus is that there is pretty much no guest parking, ANYWHERE. In North Campus, you will find parking is normally included and less strictly enforced; so finding spots for guests is much easier.

2. Both neighborhoods have similar rental prices.

3. If you are looking for something furnished, West Campus is probably your best bet as that is where all of the properties with furniture tend to be.

4. Public transportation in both neighborhoods is pretty comparable.

5. If you are looking for a house, townhome, or duplex, North Campus will have more options.

That is a brief summary of North and West Campus!

If you would like access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for sale or rent in the campus area, complete a Buyer’s Questionnaire or Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,

Cost of renting a 1 bedroom in UT Austin, West Campus

Hello Longhorns!

So, you are going to the University of Texas at Austin and are tired of life with a roomie. Do you find yourself wondering how much a 1 bedroom place costs? No worries, I have some information for you.

The first choice you will have to make will be deciding between living at a high-rise property or a condo. High-rise properties tend to be newer, offer some amenities (Pool, Gym, Coffee Bar), offer some utilities included (Usually only internet), charge for parking ($150-$200) and offer furniture for an additional charge (Usually $50-$100). I would estimate if you were trying to find a 1 bedroom in a high-rise property you could be looking at anywhere from $1,150 if you got lucky and snagged a deal, to $1,600+. Don’t forget to add parking, furniture, and utilities on top of that amount. Something else to keep in mind when considering living at a high-rise is that they offer a bit more of a social living environment. For example, you will be sharing the gym or pool with numerous residents and you will see the leasing staff as you walk in the building every day. Some people enjoy the social environment and some people would prefer a bit more privacy.

Condos, on the other hand, provide a more private living experience and can be great for your budget. The lowest price point for a condo in West campus is right around $900. Something to keep in mind with units at this price point is that they tend to have a shared laundry room. If shared laundry is not your thing, be prepared to up the budget to about $1,000; that should give you plenty of options to consider. As with most things in life, there are more fancy condos as well that can increase the budget. One other aspect of condos is that they tend to be more dispersed across the entire West Campus neighborhood, as opposed to conglomerated around 24th and Rio Grande. Another point to touch on is parking, for the most part, every condo comes with 1 parking spot per bedroom; this is a great way to save money when compared to a high-rise. After all, who really wants to pay $150 per month to park their car? I know for sure I do not.

I hope this information was helpful!

If you would like access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for sale or rent in the campus area, complete a Buyer’s Questionnaire or Renter’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,

Gaining Texas residency by purchasing property and establishing domicile.

Hello Longhorns!

Texas law classifies each person who applies for admission to a Texas public college or university as:

• A resident of Texas;

• A nonresident; or

• A foreign (international) student.

How you’re classified is important because it determines whether you pay non-resident tuition rates or in-state rates, which are lower.

Determining Residency

When a student applies for admission, the university uses the information provided on the admissions application to make an initial determination about residency.

Responses to questions on the form show that the student does or does not meet the requirements for one of the two options available for establishing residency below:

High School Graduation

This option for establishing Texas residency is available to citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and to international students.

To establish residency through high school graduation, you must:

1. Graduate from a Texas high school or receive a GED in Texas; and

2. Live in Texas for the 36 months immediately before high school graduation; and

3. Live in Texas for the 12 months immediately before the census date (usually the 12th class day) of the semester in which you enroll at the university (or another college or university).

4. If you are an international student seeking residency through high school graduation, you must submit a Residency Affidavit (PDF) stating that you will apply for permanent residency when you are eligible to do so.

Establishing Domicile Requirements

If you are independent for tax purposes, you may gain resident status if you establish domicile in Texas. If your parent(s) claim you as a dependent on their federal income tax return, they must establish domicile in the state for you to claim residency.

To establish domicile, you or your parent(s) must meet the following criteria:

1. Live in Texas for 12 consecutive months; and

2. Establish and maintain domicile for 12 consecutive months, as evidenced by:

• Gainful employment in Texas;
  Note: Student jobs do not qualify as gainful employment.

• Sole or joint marital ownership of residential real property in Texas by the person seeking to enroll or the dependent’s parent, having established and maintained a domicile at the residence;

• Ownership and operation of a business in Texas; or

• Marriage for one year to a person who has established domicile in Texas.

Purchasing property is an effective way to gain Texas Residency and qualify for in-state tuition rates. If you would like access to tools and resources to help you view data and properties for sale in the campus area, complete a Buyer’s Questionnaire and I will reach out ASAP!

Thank you for your time,

Realtor Tineo,