Establishment Apartments Austin: Honest Review of This Budget 78704 Option at 3501 S 1st St

A one bedroom in Austin’s 78704 zip code for $919 a month. Not a misprint. Not a 2018 listing.

That’s the net effective rent at Establishment Apartments after you factor in the current two months free special on a 12 month lease. The base rent starts at $1,100 for a 630 square foot one bedroom, but the concession math changes the picture. I track pricing across this corridor through ApartmentData.com and direct property contacts, and $919 for a South First Street address is hard to find right now.

But here’s what listing sites won’t tell you about Establishment: this is a 1972 building that’s been through five management companies. The current Google rating sits at 3.4 stars across 336 reviews. Nine of those reviews mention rats. Another nine flag the laundry facilities. And the property’s own website says “no breed or weight restrictions” while the actual lease bans 12 specific dog breeds.

Those are the kinds of details that matter before you sign anything.

Quick Facts: Establishment Apartments

The 3.4 Google rating tells part of the story. ApartmentRatings adds 71 more reviews going back through several management companies. Same complaints on both platforms: pests, water shut-offs, laundry problems, and a property that keeps changing hands. I’ll break all that down below.

Best For / Skip If

This Property Works If…

You need a 78704 address on a tight budget. Establishment’s net effective rent of $919 for a one bedroom puts it among the cheapest options in this zip code. Most one bedrooms in the 78704 run $1,200 or more. If staying in South Austin near the South Congress and South First corridors matters to you and your budget is under $1,000 a month after concessions, this is one of a handful of properties that gets you there. For a broader look at affordable apartments across Austin, we track pricing daily.

You want free parking included. Open surface lot parking is included at no extra charge. That’s not nothing. Plenty of properties in this corridor charge $50 to $150 a month for parking, and those fees add up fast over a 12 month lease.

You need a roommate friendly layout. The two bedroom, two bathroom floor plans give each person their own bathroom at 950 square feet. Base rent starting at $1,475 (net effective: $1,233) splits to about $617 per person. That’s a solid deal for two people sharing a South Austin apartment.

You want a shorter lease option. Establishment offers leases starting at three months. Most Austin apartments lock you into 12 to 15 months. If you’re between leases, testing a neighborhood, or dealing with a temporary relocation, that flexibility is useful. But keep in mind the two months free special only applies to the 12 month lease term.

Skip If…

Pests are a dealbreaker for you. This is blunt, but it matters: nine Google reviews specifically mention rats. Six more mention pest control issues. Multiple reviewers describe roaches coming from outlets and sinks. A 1972 building has 50+ years of infrastructure for pests to get comfortable in. If that’s a firm no for you, look elsewhere.

You have a restricted breed dog. The property bans 12 breeds including German Shepherds, Huskies, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and Pit Bulls. If you have one of those breeds, apartments that allow large dogs in Austin are worth checking out instead.

You need in-unit laundry. Some units come with stackable, supplied washer/dryer units. Others only have full-size connections. And nine Google reviews specifically flag problems with the laundry facilities. Confirm the exact washer/dryer situation in your specific unit before you sign.

You need responsive management during a crisis. Multiple reviews describe unresolved maintenance issues lasting weeks or longer, including a stretch with no hot water. ApartmentRatings reviewers report water getting shut off to the entire complex regularly. The property has changed management companies five times, and each transition wipes out everything the last team learned about the building.

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Location Deep Dive

What’s Actually Nearby

Establishment sits on South First Street between Oltorf and Ben White, in the Dawson neighborhood of South Austin. You’re in the 78704, one of Austin’s most popular zip codes, but this specific stretch feels different from the walkable retail areas closer to downtown.

H-E-B at Oltorf is about 1.2 miles north. Summer Moon Coffee is within walking distance on South First. You’ve got a cluster of South First Street restaurants and bars within a mile heading north toward the SoCo area, including some of Austin’s better food trucks and taco spots. South Congress Avenue is a 5 to 10 minute drive depending on traffic.

Heading south, you hit Ben White Boulevard in under a mile, which connects to I-35 and MoPac for commuting.

Commute Math

The South First/Ben White location gives you decent access to downtown and the airport. North Austin commutes get rough during rush hour since you’re fighting I-35 or MoPac traffic in the heavy direction. If where you work drives where you live, our Austin apartments by commute guide breaks that down.

CapMetro bus routes serve the area. Route 10 runs along South First Street with stops near the property. Check current CapMetro routes for updated schedules, because route changes happen regularly.

Neighborhood Vibe

This part of South First is more residential than the retail strips further north. It’s not the walkable restaurant row that people picture when they hear “SoCo” or “South First.” You’ll want a car or reliable transportation for groceries and most errands.

The neighborhood is quiet at night by Austin standards. You’re set back from the heavier traffic areas. The downside is that you don’t get the energy of the bar and restaurant scene without driving to it.

Pricing and True Cost

Floor Plans

Rents use YieldStar computerized pricing, so they fluctuate. The numbers above reflect current availability.

Net Effective Rent Calculation

The current special is two months free on a 12 month lease. Here’s the math on the lowest one bedroom:

• Base rent: $1,100/month
• Lease term: 12 months (365 days)
• Free rent: 2 months (60 days)
• Daily multiplier: (365 – 60) ÷ 365 = 0.8356
• Net effective rent: $1,100 × 0.8356 = $919/month
• Monthly savings: $1,100 – $919 = $181/month

Over the full 12 month lease, that’s $2,200 in total savings. Real money.

But remember: if you break the lease early, most communities require you to pay back the prorated concession amount. That two months free isn’t a gift. It’s spread across your lease term, and leaving early can trigger a clawback.

Here’s the part people miss: the property qualifies you on the base rent of $1,100, not the $919 net effective. That means your income needs to cover 3x of $1,100 ($3,300/month or about $39,600/year), not 3x of $919.

Fee Breakdown

Required Fees (everyone pays these):

Optional Fees:

The property doesn’t publish a mandatory monthly fee schedule, and RentDeals confirms renters are responsible for all utilities. That means you’ll pay electric, water/sewer, and internet on your own. For a one bedroom in Austin, expect $130 to $225 a month depending on the season. Summer AC bills push that higher.

One Google reviewer claimed $300 to $400 in added utility charges. That’s above the typical range and could mean RUBS water billing or other fees that aren’t disclosed online. Ask the leasing office for a full breakdown before you sign anything. We wrote a separate breakdown on hidden fees and your real rent cost if you want to dig deeper.

True Monthly Cost Scenario

Here’s what a single renter with one pet in a 1BR unit would actually pay:

That’s $1,069 to $1,164 a month all in, before renter’s insurance ($10 to $30/month). If the $300 to $400 utility claim from that Google review is accurate, you’re looking at $1,239 to $1,339 instead. Big difference. Get the real number from the leasing office.

Want to Know Your True All-In Cost?

We calculate your real monthly number. Including the fees the listing page doesn’t show. Get a detailed cost comparison for Establishment and similar South Austin options.

Screening Criteria

Establishment doesn’t publish detailed screening criteria on their website. That’s common with Cardinal Group properties. I dug through third-party listing sites to confirm the income threshold, and I can fill in the rest based on what I see at similar renovated Class C communities in this corridor.

Income Requirement

Establishment requires 3x gross monthly rent in total household income before taxes. Both RentDeals and ApartmentList publish this, and it lines up with the standard for this property class. Here’s what that means in real numbers:

Remember: they qualify you on the listed base rent, not the net effective rent after concessions. That’s how it works at every Austin community I deal with.

Credit Expectations

No published minimum credit score for this property. Based on its class (1972 build, renovated, Class C pricing), properties like this typically work with credit scores in the 550 to 600 range. Below that, you’re not automatically out. But expect a higher security deposit, and your income and rental history need to be solid. If you’re dealing with credit challenges and looking for second chance apartments in Austin, there are communities that do individual review rather than auto-decline.

Denial Triggers

While I can’t confirm Establishment’s exact cutoffs, typical denial triggers at properties like this include:

• Active eviction filings or evictions within 2 to 3 years
• Outstanding property debt from a previous apartment
• Felony convictions within 5 to 7 years (varies by offense type)
• Your income can’t be verified at the required threshold
• No rental history, or a history they can’t verify

Application Process

1. Apply online through the property website ($50 per applicant, not refundable)
2. Screening runs through a third-party service (expect 24 to 72 hours)
3. Approval, conditional approval with higher deposit, or denial
4. If approved, sign the lease and pay move-in costs

What a Locator Does at This Property

Here’s where working with someone like us changes the math. Before you pay that $50 application fee, we can:

• Pre-screen your profile against this property’s actual criteria to tell you if it’s worth applying
• Save you from burning application fees at properties that will auto-decline your situation
• Identify the exact unit and floor plan that gives you the best deal at your income level
• Compare Establishment’s true cost against nearby competitors so you know if this is actually the best option

This service costs you nothing. The property pays the referral fee from their marketing budget. Your rent stays the same either way.

Resident Reviews Decoded

Review Pattern Analysis

I pulled reviews across Google (336 reviews, 3.4 stars), ApartmentRatings (71 reviews), and Facebook (9 reviews, 76% recommend). The same complaints show up on every platform and under every management team. That tells you more than any single review.

The Good

Jessica, a recent property manager, gets called out by name in at least six Google reviews from the past several months. Renters describe her as attentive, informative, and professional. That kind of specific, repeated staff praise matters. When the on-site person actually listens to you and follows through, maintenance requests get handled and problems get solved faster. Fair warning: the property’s current listing names Chad S. as on-site manager, so Jessica may no longer be there. Worth asking when you tour.

A lot of reviewers like the apartment size for the price. Several mention how quiet the property is, which makes sense given this stretch of South First.

ApartmentRatings tells a different story than Google because the reviews tend to come from longer-term residents. One called the two bedroom layout “great when having a roommate since each person gets their own bathroom.” Free parking and easy access to I-35 and Ben White come up often. And a resident from the Mint Urban era who’d been there three years described the community as “great” and maintenance as “quick.”

Elizul Mar on Google praised the maintenance team and the community feel, writing that neighbors “keep an eye out for the betterment of the area.”

The Bad

The pest complaints show up on both platforms and under every management company that’s run this place. They’re not one-offs. On Google, Nagaela Hickles described killing about 10 roaches daily. Connor described roaches coming from outlets and sinks. David Tran, who lived there for an 18 month lease, wrote that he was “begging anyone looking at these apartments to NOT LIVE HERE.”

On ApartmentRatings, one reviewer wrote simply: “Bugs bugs bugs. I have seen a lot.” That was under Mint Urban, years before the current management. When a problem persists across five management companies, it points to the building itself. Not the people running it.

Water problems show up across both platforms too. On Google, one resident reported cold water lasting days, unable to bathe their kids. On ApartmentRatings, a reviewer wrote that management “will turn the water off to the whole complex regularly.” Multiple AR reviews mention noisy pipes, which tracks with 1972 plumbing that’s over 50 years old.

ApartmentRatings also turns up problems that Google reviews don’t mention: broken mailboxes left unfixed for months, bike racks where bikes get stolen regularly, and some ground-level units that are “halfway underground and don’t get any light.”

One Google reviewer reported $300 to $400 in utility add-ons beyond rent. If that’s accurate, this stops being a budget apartment pretty fast.

Management Response Pattern

Management responds to most reviews, but the responses follow a clear template. Recent positive reviews get nearly identical replies: “Thank you for your lovely review,” “We’re thrilled you appreciated,” “We look forward to welcoming you back.” The responses to negative reviews are more varied but often redirect to a contact form rather than addressing specific complaints.

That tells you something about how they’ll handle your maintenance request. Template responses look like someone at a corporate office copying and pasting, not a property manager who’s actually reading your review. Not a dealbreaker on its own, but it’s a signal.

The Uncomfortable Truth

No listing site will write this section. That’s the point.

The Pet Policy Contradiction

Establishment’s website homepage says the community is “pet-friendly with no breed or weight restrictions.” The property’s actual pet policy, buried in the footer and lease documents, bans 12 specific breeds: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Chow Chow, Akita, Presa Canario, Cane Corso, Wolf Hybrid, Alaskan Malamute, and Siberian Husky.

That’s not a minor discrepancy. If you tour, fall in love with the price, put down your application fee and admin fee, then find out your German Shepherd isn’t welcome, you’re out $250 and back to square one. Always confirm breed restrictions in writing before you apply.

Five Management Companies and Counting

Establishment has cycled through at least five management companies: Roscoe Properties, Mint Urban, RPM Living, Karya Management, and now Cardinal Group Management. How do I know about Karya? A Google review response from management linked directly to karyamanagement.com. Each change wipes the slate. New staff, new maintenance priorities, new everything. Old Yelp listings for previous management names are marked “CLOSED.”

Why does this matter? Management turnover at this rate means the reviews you’re reading reflect different teams. The five star review from two years ago was under different management than the one star review from six months ago. And the same problems showing up under all five companies (pests, water, laundry) tell you the building has structural issues that no management team has been willing or able to fix.

The Review Authenticity Question

Look at the most recent batch of Google reviews. Multiple five star reviews from accounts with exactly one review, all posted around the same time, using similar phrasing: “clean finishes and a contemporary design,” “clean lines and a polished look,” “clean, spacious units with a welcoming community vibe.” The wording is almost identical across different accounts.

I can’t say for certain these aren’t genuine. But when I see a cluster of single-review accounts posting near-identical praise in the same month, I flag it. Read the detailed reviews from people who’ve actually posted before. Those tell you more.

Need Help Weighing the Trade-offs?

Every apartment has catches. The question is whether they’re catches you can live with. Tell us what matters most to you and we’ll tell you whether Establishment or something else in the 78704 is a better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Establishment Apartments in a good location?

It’s on South First Street in the 78704 zip code, one of Austin’s most popular areas. The specific block is more residential than the retail strips further north, so you’ll need a car for most errands. Downtown is 10 minutes off-peak.

How much does a one bedroom at Establishment cost?

Base rent starts at $1,100 for a 630 square foot one bedroom. With the current two months free special on a 12 month lease, net effective rent drops to $919 per month.

Does Establishment allow pets?

Yes, up to two pets with no weight limit. But there are breed restrictions covering 12 dog breeds including German Shepherds, Huskies, and Pit Bulls. The $400 pet fee is per apartment (you won’t get it back), and pet rent is $20 per pet per month.

What is the income requirement at Establishment?

Establishment requires 3x gross monthly rent in total household income. For the $1,100 one bedroom, that means you’d need to earn at least $3,300 per month ($39,600 annually). They qualify you on the base rent, not the net effective rent after concessions.

Does Establishment have in-unit laundry?

It depends on the unit. Some come with stackable washer/dryer units supplied by the property. Others have full-size connections only, meaning you’d need to buy or rent your own machines. The property also has shared laundry rooms, though multiple reviews flag problems with the laundry facilities.

Who manages Establishment Apartments?

Cardinal Group Management. The property has cycled through at least five management companies: Roscoe Properties, Mint Urban, RPM Living, Karya Management, and now Cardinal Group.

Is Establishment Apartments safe?

One Google reviewer mentioned a window being broken in their living room. On ApartmentRatings, a reviewer reported bikes regularly stolen from the property’s bike racks. The property is fenced, which helps. The South Austin area around South First is a residential neighborhood, but lock up anything of value.

What are the move-in costs at Establishment?

Expect $50 for the application fee, $200 for the admin fee, a security deposit (currently 50% off with the lease special), and the $400 pet fee if you have pets. Total move-in costs before your first month’s rent will run roughly $650 or more depending on your deposit amount.

Does Establishment have a pool?

Yes. The property has a swimming pool, plus a picnic area, outdoor kitchen, dog walk trail, and clubhouse.

What school district serves Establishment Apartments?

Austin ISD. Zoned schools are Galindo Elementary, Fulmore Middle School, and Travis High School.

The Bottom Line

Establishment gives you something hard to find in Austin right now: a one bedroom in the 78704 zip code for under $920 a month after concessions. Free parking. No pet weight limit. Short lease options starting at three months. At 139 units, it’s small enough that management has some flexibility.

The trade-off is real, though. This is a 1972 building with documented pest issues, a management company that changes every couple of years, and a pet policy that contradicts its own website. The 3.4 Google rating sits where it does for reasons you can read in the reviews.

This property makes sense if:

• Your budget tops out around $1,000/month and you need to stay in the 78704
• You value free parking and short lease flexibility
• You’re splitting a two bedroom with a roommate and want separate bathrooms
• You don’t have a breed-restricted dog

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• Pest issues will keep you up at night (literally or figuratively)
• You need reliable in-unit laundry from day one
• You have a German Shepherd, Husky, Rottweiler, or other restricted breed
• You want a property with stable, long-term management

If the math works and the downsides don’t bother you, Establishment is a legitimate budget option in one of Austin’s most expensive zip codes. If any of the above are dealbreakers, there are other properties in this corridor worth looking at.

Need Help Deciding?

Work With Us (Free)

Finding the right apartment in South Austin means knowing which properties match your budget, your screening profile, and your dealbreakers. That’s what we do. We’ll compare Establishment against similar communities, pre-screen your application before you pay fees, and make sure you’re not overpaying for what you get.

This service costs you nothing. The apartment pays our fee from their marketing budget. Your rent is the same whether you use us or not.

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Go Solo

If you’d rather handle it yourself, go for it. Tour the property, ask to see the actual lease with breed restrictions in writing, confirm the full monthly cost including all utility fees, and check the specific washer/dryer setup in your unit before signing. Tell them AustinApartments.com referred you.