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Downtown Austin Condos For Sale

austin congress ave bridge no bats
Downtown Austin’s Congress Ave bridge by David Gottlieb

Downtown Austin has a variety of condos for sale and apartments to rent. Some new, some old. Some modern, some more traditional. Though for aesthetic reasons we differentiate Austin’s lofts for sale, the Austin building boom over the past decade has made the term “Austin condos” synonymous with downtown.

 

Start here and compare Austin condos for sale at our sister site TOWERS.

Downtown Austin is where I live, work, and play.  I can share the inside scoop on every building in our neighborhood.

Jude Galligan, REALTOR, 512-236-8898, or email me.

Austin condos are available in many sizes, and floor plan configurations, and commensurate broad range in pricing.  Average and median pricing in the summer of 2016 is hovering over $500 per square foot.  At the very upper end, we’ve observed new construction and luxury condo tower pricing exceeding $1,200 per square foot.  Factors such as building age, proximity to the lake, protected views of the lake, and building amenities have a direct impact on pricing.

downtown austin condo search
Click above to browse downtown condos.  Call Jude Galligan, REALTOR, 512-236-8898, or email me.

If you want new construction in the downtown core, then the only buildings currently available with a handful of residences never lived in is the Austonian and recently completed Seaholm Condos.  Under construction is Fifth & West Residences, 70 Rainey, and the Independent.

Generally, the higher the floor the better the view, thus prices will increase as you go up.  Notably, there is a premium to live close to Whole Foods.  This could change when downtown Austin gets a supermarket east of Congress Ave, and one is rumored to be going into the Rainey Street District.

Those with pets and enjoy the outdoors should consider the Milago Condos, the Shore Condos, and other buildings generally close to the trail.  If you enjoy listening to live music and like to be near the historical center of Austin consider Avenue Lofts, Brazos Lofts, or The Sabine.  Many people want the best views in town and should consider Spring Condos, 360 Condos, or the south facing residences at the W Hotel Condos.

Below are a few examples of downtown Austin condos for sale.

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Latest From Downtown Austin Facts

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What’s it like to be a single mom, or a married couple in downtown Austin? Take a listen…


The audio links above represent the latest radio spots from DowntownAustinFacts.com (link).  I still feel compelled to qualify their proclamation that there are only 400 condos remaining.  From one perspective, that number is insufficient to describe the number of units available for purchase.  From another perspective, that number paints an overly rosy picture of what’s available to the average buyer. To elaborate further:

First, this number (400) represents new construction and doesn’t include the approximately 175 resales that are on the market.

Second, this number represents the inventory at four buildings: the Austonian, Block 21 Residences (aka W Hotel Residences), Residences on Town Lake (aka Four Seasons Residences), and Spring condos.

Third, how many new “attainably” priced units are available?  Nearly ZERO – ok, there are five units at Sabine and two units at the Shore condos.

Let’s get this out of the way for the trolling skeptics… DowntownAustinFacts.com is a website sponsored by a consortium of builders.   That fact doesn’t change the reality that downtown Austin is facing a shortage of condos for sale over the next 5-10 years, especially priced in the 200-400k range.  THE INVENTORY IS LOCKED IN.  You will not see any new projects come out of the ground until at least 2013, perhaps longer.

-Jude

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Sneak Peek: Austin's Four Seasons Residences

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On the trail: a beautiful spring day on the Four Seasons lawn

Over the weekend we were able to take a guided tour of downtown Austin’s Four Seasons Residences.  What we have are raw snap shots of views, as captured in the middle of a construction area.  Anytime a building provides access prior to completion I am especially grateful, and it speaks to their confidence in the project.  Like our tour of the Austonian last week, it was requested that we not photograph the interiors until construction is complete, which we respected.  You can get a sense for what the interiors of Austin’s Four Seasons Residences will look like here.

As we see it, the Four Seasons is betting that true luxury buyers are seeking something warmer, more rooted in tradition and familiar with the Four Seasons brand, as opposed to the sleek monolithic aesthetic of the W, or the high profile of the Austonian.  I’ve always been excited about this project, and the building did not disappoint.  Smart layouts, impressive views, and most evident was the level of amenities that would come with home ownership.  Being connected to the Four Seasons has its perks.

west facing terrace with views of the city and lake
west facing terrace with views of the city and lake

The terraces are incredible in every unit.  Unlike many buildings that provide terraces which do no more than defy you furnish one of them, these are large and airy spaces that could be used as outside rooms.  The west facing terraces (above) were my favorites and are available with the Austin and Upper Combo West floor plans.

Like Austin’s W Hotel Residences, the Four Seasons is oriented length wise along Lady Bird Lake.  This orientation maximizes the desirable southern sunlight.  Half way up the building, the views shift from living “in the city” to “above the city”.   In my experience, there are buyers that seek out the former and the latter.  In general, the lower floors will provide better value and a sense of living in the mix of city life.

We’ve confirmed that the 11,000 ft penthouse (31st floor) of the building has been purchased for an undisclosed amount.  We estimate ~$8-9MM [for the shell space] based on pricing released last year.  Interestingly, it is rumored that as part of the deal the Four Seasons agreed to increase the height of the top floor, and perhaps the building, by two feet.

Austin penthouse at the Four Seasons
Entire penthouse (31st floor) purchased. Estimated purchase price between $8-9MM for the shell space.

In our office we discuss how the personalities of the “luxury bunch” are different.  Using comical generalizations, W buyers might tell you that “Our family splits time between Austin and Zermatt”.  Austonian buyers might tell you that “Our company just raised $20MM in VC and is planning its IPO next year.”  The Four Seasons buyer might tell you “I’m a fifth generation Texan, fourth generation Longhorn, and my roots run deep.  Hook’em!”

Thanks to Ian Stonington for setting this up.  Ian is a consummate professional that knows everything about his building, including the answers to the most esoteric questions, like “who makes the light switch?”.

Full Slideshow @ Flickr

-Jude

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W Austin Residences City Views

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Photo by BOKA Powell

Austin’s W Hotel’s monolithic gray & glass facade is arguably the sleekest and sexiest of the luxury bunch.  DAB headed to the W Austin’s “topping off” party last night with hopes of snapping some view photos.  Unfortunately, by the time the fire marshal allowed guests into the structure the sun had already set.  Apologies for the dark photos, but you can still get a sense for the night time views from the 31st floor, including the new illumination on the Austonian.  A few other downtown pics included from earlier in the day.

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Is 2nd Street Getting A Movie Theater?

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AMLI is rumored to have signed a lease with an operator for a 3-4 screen movie theater to take the space above Malaga and Z Pizza.  We’re told the theater will serve food and drinks (including liquor), and the menu would consist of items from restaurants located in the 2nd Street district.  It’s clear from the photo above that the space isn’t very deep, and it’s possible that part of the venue would extend over the sidewalk.

We don’t know who the operator is, but we do know it’s not local favorite Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas. The addition of a destination venue like this, and the wrap-up of the W-Hotel’s construction will be a breath of fresh air for neighboring retail on the 400 block of W 2nd Street.

Downtown Austin’s 2nd Street District retailers have been hit hard with the economic downturn, and the venues on 400 block have struggled to keep up with the foot traffic found just two blocks over where Jos, Estilo, and DWR are located.  Many pedestrians end up not walking beyond the W Hotel construction site.