(78745) Westgate / Sunset Valley / Cherry Creek Apartment Reviews

The ZIP Code Austin Locals Don’t Want You to Discover

South Austin Apartments (78745) Communities along South Congress, Manchaca Road, Brodie Lane, and South 1st. Rents from the low $800s. Built 1983 to 2023.

I’ve worked with clients in 78745 who had $900 budgets and clients shopping $3,000 floor plans. It sits directly south of 78704. A lot of the people I send here started by looking at SoCo or South Lamar before the rent math pushed them one ZIP code south. The access is almost identical. The monthly payment is not.

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 how resident feedback lines up with what I saw on my own tours.

A few things to know about 78745 before you start reading.

The neighborhoods inside this ZIP are different markets at different prices. Cherry Creek and Brodie Lane are more family-oriented with bigger units and more space between buildings. East Congress is where the newer mid-rise buildings are, with nicer finishes and higher rents. Garrison Park and Sweetbriar sit between those two extremes.

A lot of new construction has landed here since 2020. That’s pushed the top of the market past $3,000 at places like Lenox SOCO and Windsor South Congress. But the older communities are still here too, and those are where most of the sub-$1,000 rents live.

You have more routes downtown than almost any other ZIP code. South Congress, South 1st, South Lamar, Manchaca, I-35, MoPac. Off-peak, 12 to 15 minutes. Rush hour on MoPac is a different story, but having five or six options means you’re not stuck behind one backup. And the airport is south of you, so that trip skips downtown entirely.

Schools depend on which part of 78745 you’re in. This is all Austin ISD, but the feeder patterns split. West of Manchaca Road feeds toward Covington Middle and Bowie High, which is the stronger path. East of Manchaca feeds toward Bedichek Middle and Crockett or Travis High.

If you have a big dog, start here. More first-floor units, more green space, and breed and weight policies that are looser than what you’ll find in 78704 or downtown.

The vibe is South Austin without the South Austin price tag. Radio Coffee & Beer on Manchaca is right on the 78704 border. Veracruz All Natural tacos from the truck out back, live music on the patio. Doc’s Backyard in Sunset Valley on Brodie is the neighborhood bar. H-E-B is on Brodie and Sprouts is on Manchaca. For restaurants and nightlife, you’re 10 minutes from everything on South Congress and South Lamar without paying to live on top of it.

Pick a community below to read the full review, or get in touch if you want me to narrow it down based on your budget, timeline, and screening situation.