(78731) Northwest Hills / Far West / Bull Creek Apartment Listings & Reviews

West Austin pricing without the West Austin price tag.

Northwest Hills, Far West, and Bull Creek (78731): Tree-covered, quiet neighborhoods between MoPac and 360 with one bedrooms from $761 to $2,374, twelve apartment communities, and buildings from 1974 to 2020.

I’ve toured apartment communities across the 78731 ZIP code, and this is the part of Austin where the math stops making sense to people who don’t know the area. You’re inside the MoPac loop. Fifteen minutes from downtown. Surrounded by old live oaks and limestone creek beds. And you can still find a one bedroom under $1,000. That combination doesn’t exist anywhere else this close in.

Every community in this ZIP code has a full review below. Each one covers what listing sites leave out: actual screening criteria, real fee breakdowns, net effective rent math, and honest resident feedback compared to what I saw on my own tours.

A few things worth knowing about 78731 before you dig in.

This ZIP runs almost entirely on Far West and the streets feeding off it. Far West Blvd is the main commercial strip. Epoch Coffee, Saffron (the best Indian food in northwest Austin), Kapatad Filipino, Boulevard Bar and Grill. The Far West HEB is the grocery store. Randalls is up on Mesa. It’s not a walkable neighborhood in the way downtown is walkable. You need a car. But everything you need day to day is within a five minute drive. That strip has more locally owned restaurants than most of what’s been built north of 183.

The price spread here is real. Acacia Cliffs starts at $761 for a one bedroom. Korina at the Grove tops out at $3,760 for a three bedroom. That’s a $3,000 gap within the same ZIP code. One bedrooms at the rest of the ’70s buildings start between $874 and $1,060. The one newer build, Korina (2020, six stories, Greystar), prices like a different neighborhood entirely. If you’re watching your budget, the older buildings are where the value sits. If you want modern finishes and a pool that looks like a resort, you’re paying for it.

Bull Creek is the reason a lot of people pick this ZIP over Great Hills or the Arboretum. Bull Creek District Park is 47 acres of trails, swimming holes, and waterfalls right in the neighborhood. Bright Leaf Preserve is another 216 acres next door, though it’s guided access only on the second weekend of each month. Deer in the parking lot is normal. You can be on a trail along the creek in five minutes and at your desk downtown in 20. The Barton Creek Greenbelt gets all the press. Bull Creek is quieter, less crowded, and closer to where you’d actually live up here.

Schools pull a lot of families into this ZIP. Doss Elementary to Murchison Middle to Anderson High. That’s one of the strongest feeder patterns in Austin ISD. Anderson runs the only International Baccalaureate program in the district. Families pick apartments in this ZIP specifically for that school path. It keeps those communities full even when the rest of the market softens.

The commute works if you’re heading the right direction. MoPac south to downtown runs 15 to 20 minutes outside of rush hour. The express toll lanes help during peak times. North on MoPac to the Domain or the Arboretum is five to ten minutes. If you work the northwest tech corridor (Google, Apple, Dell offices up 183), this ZIP puts you close without living in the suburbs. Going east across town is a different story. Plan on 30 minutes minimum to get anywhere past I-35.

Pick a community below to read the full review, or fill out my super short form if you want me to narrow it down based on your budget, timeline, and screening situation.

Which 78731 communities will actually approve you?

No listing site answers this question. They show you photos and prices, and you find out whether you qualify after you’ve paid the application fee. Here’s what I know from sending clients to these communities.

If your credit is above 650 and your income is 3x rent, all twelve communities in this ZIP are open to you. Pick based on price, location, and amenities. You don’t need a locator for screening help. You need one for concession negotiation and fee math.

If your credit is 600 to 649, you still have options, but they narrow. The older Class B communities run by regional management companies are the sweet spot here. Bridge at Northwest Hills (Apartment Management Professionals), Greystone Flats (Sandalwood), Peaks at NW Hills (RPM Living), and The Ridge (BH Management) all fall in this range. These management companies tend to have lower credit minimums than the national companies. The Class A communities like Korina at the Grove (Greystar), MAA Park Mesa, and MAA West Austin will likely want 650 or higher.

If your credit is below 600, this ZIP gets harder. The ’70s buildings with regional management are your best shot. Acacia Cliffs (Price Realty) and Grove at Northwest Hills (Investres) are the two I’d start with based on what they charge and how they screen. At this credit level, expect higher deposits. A third-party guarantee service (one month’s rent upfront, drops the income requirement from 3x to 2.5x) gets you in at places that would otherwise say no.

If you have a broken lease or eviction on your record: Age matters more than the event itself. Over five years old with clean credit since? Most of the Class B communities will work with you. Under two years old? You’re looking at Acacia Cliffs, possibly Grove, and you’ll almost certainly need a third-party guarantee. Property debt (a balance owed to a previous complex) is the one thing that closes doors everywhere. Pay it off first or use a guarantee service. There’s no third option.

If you need second-chance screening flexibility and want to stay in 78731, tell me your situation. I’ll tell you exactly which of these twelve will work with your profile before you spend $50 to $150 on an application fee.