NoA on McNeil Townhomes and Flats Austin Review: Northwest Austin Townhomes With Attached Garages and Move-In Specials — Austin, TX

When you look at enough Northwest Austin apartments, you start noticing which properties keep popping up in the same searches. NoA on McNeil shows up constantly for one reason: townhome layouts with attached garages starting under $1,600. As a licensed apartment locator (TX #679806) who tracks this corridor daily, I can tell you that combination is hard to find without jumping into a 2020s new build at $2,200+.

The locator data I have shows 6 weeks free on a 12 month lease, which would drop your net effective rent into the mid-$1,300s for a one bedroom. The property’s own website currently lists 2 weeks free. Specials here change by floor plan and move date, so confirm before you run the numbers. Either way, the math is worth looking at. But here’s what listing sites won’t tell you: this is a 1998 build. Some HVAC units are original. There have been rodent reports in certain buildings. And that McNeil Drive address means road noise and emergency vehicle sirens are part of the deal.

This review breaks down whether the math still works after you factor in all of that.

Quick Facts

The 3.7 Google rating tells part of the story. I went through all 129 Google reviews, the 8 verified reviews on RentCafe, and checked Birdeye, CorporateHousing, and Facebook. I’ll break down what’s driving those numbers below. One thing worth knowing: this property was formerly called Townhomes at Sendera Trails before Simpson Property Group bought it in 2022 and changed the name. Some of the older reviews on Birdeye and other aggregators still reference the Sendera Trails name, but they’re about this same property. The short version: staff gets consistent praise, but the 1998 building age is what drags the scores down.

Best For / Skip If

This Property Works Well If…

You want a townhome layout without paying new construction prices. Most of the two bedroom townhome floor plans here come with two full floors, a fireplace, and an attached garage. That’s a setup you’d normally pay $2,200+ for at newer Northwest Austin properties like The Edition or DK Riata. Here, your net effective two bedroom starts around $1,504.

You work at Apple’s Parmer Lane campus or Riata Crossing. NoA on McNeil sits almost exactly between both Apple campuses. You’re looking at a 5 to 10 minute commute either direction, even during rush hour. If your office is on the Parmer or 183 corridor, it’s hard to beat this location for price.

You have larger dogs. No pet weight limit at this property, with a max of 2 pets allowed. Most Austin apartments cap at 50 to 75 pounds. If you have a Lab, a Shepherd, or any breed that tips the scales, your options just got wider. The community also has a dog park and pet washing station.

You want an attached garage. Every floor plan here includes an attached garage, which is rare for what you’re paying. If you want covered, private parking or need secure storage space, that’s a real plus. Garage door openers are an extra $50.

Skip If…

You’re noise sensitive. The property sits directly on McNeil Drive. Multiple reviews mention road noise and emergency vehicle sirens. This is a 1998 build, and the walls aren’t going to block much. If quiet is non-negotiable, tour a unit facing away from the street and listen carefully.

You need weekend office access. Leasing office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM. Saturday and Sunday: closed. If you work traditional hours and need to handle lease business in person, you’ll have to take time off.

You’re looking at buildings 7, 8, or 10. A resident review called out rodent issues in those buildings, with dead rats spotted between them. Management responded, but the resident said traps were moved rather than the problem being fully fixed. Ask the leasing office directly if the pest problem has been handled before signing.

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Location Deep Dive

What’s Actually Nearby

NoA on McNeil sits on McNeil Drive in the 78729 zip code, right in the McNeil/Milwood pocket of Northwest Austin. The McNeil Crossing shopping center with an H-E-B is about a 2 minute drive or a 9 minute walk. You can grab groceries without getting on a highway.

Within a 5 minute drive: Smokey Mo’s BBQ, Nawabi Hyderabad House, Parkline Shopping Center, and a handful of fast casual spots along Parmer Lane. The Domain is about 5 miles south on MoPac, roughly a 10 minute drive outside of rush hour.

Rattan Creek Park and Springwoods Park are both close by for trail access and outdoor time. Lakeline Mall is about 3 miles northwest.

This is not a walkable area for daily errands beyond the H-E-B. The Walk Score is 63 (Somewhat Walkable), which in practice means you can handle a few things on foot but you need a car for most everything else.

Commute Math

Route notes: MoPac and 183 are your main corridors. MoPac’s express toll lanes can save 10 to 15 minutes during rush hour, but expect to pay $3 to $8 depending on traffic. The Lakeline Station for Capital Metro commuter rail is nearby, which connects to downtown, but the schedule is limited.

Neighborhood Vibe

This is suburban residential. Mature trees, quiet neighborhood streets behind the complex, not much happening after 9 PM. The McNeil corridor sits between Parmer Lane’s commercial strip and the older residential neighborhoods of Milwood and Jollyville. It’s calm. It’s quiet. And if that’s what you want, good.

The honest trade-off: you get affordable rent and quick access to Northwest Austin’s tech employers. You give up walkability and nightlife. If your life revolves around downtown or South Austin, this will feel far. If your commute runs along Parmer or 183, this is a solid spot at a competitive price.

Pricing and True Cost

Floor Plans

*Net effective calculated using the 6 weeks free figure from the locator source file. NoA’s website currently lists 2 weeks free. Confirm the current special before applying. Pricing verified July 2026.

Every unit includes an attached garage. Several townhome floor plans also include a fireplace. Full-size washer and dryer connections come standard. A few flat floor plans include W/D connections only, not supplied units. Ask which floor plan includes what before you tour.

Net Effective Rent Calculation

Here’s the math on the most common one bedroom (677 sq ft flat at base rent of $1,567):

Current special: 6 weeks free on a 12 month lease

Using the daily multiplier method:

• 12 month lease = 365 days
• 6 weeks free = 42 days
• Multiplier: (365 − 42) ÷ 365 = 0.8849

$1,567 × 0.8849 = $1,387 net effective rent

That’s $180/month in savings spread across the full lease term. On a two bedroom townhome at $1,700, the net effective drops to $1,504. That’s a $196/month difference from the listed price.

All the Fees

Required fees (everyone pays these):

Optional fees (only if they apply to you):

That’s $77/month in mandatory fees on top of your rent before pets. Most listing sites don’t show you that number. It matters.

True Monthly Cost Example

Here’s what you’ll actually pay each month with a one bedroom and one dog:

That’s $102/month more than the advertised net effective. Without a pet, you’re still at $1,464/month after mandatory fees.

Move-in costs:

Specials change. The locator source file listed 6 weeks free, but their website currently shows 2 weeks free. Specials may vary by floor plan or may have changed. I talk to leasing teams weekly, so reach out if you want to know what’s live right now.

Want to know what specials are actually available right now?

I talk to property teams every week. The specials listed online aren’t always current, and some deals aren’t listed at all. Fill out the form below and I’ll check what’s live for your move date.

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Screening Criteria

Income Requirement

The property data I have doesn’t list an income multiplier, and their own FAQ page doesn’t publish one either. They verify income through RentGrow and The Work Number. Based on Simpson Property Group’s portfolio and properties like this, expect 3x monthly rent as the standard.

Here’s what that means in real numbers:

If you work for yourself or your income isn’t steady, ask the leasing office what they’ll accept as proof. Some properties want two years of tax returns. Others take bank statements.

Credit Expectations

NoA on McNeil doesn’t publish a minimum credit score. This is a renovated Class B+ property run by a national management company. Here’s what I’d expect based on that:

650+ credit: Smooth approval, lowest deposit. You should have no issues here.

600–649 credit: Likely approved with a standard or slightly higher deposit. Most renters at a property like this get through without issues in this range.

570–599 credit: Possible, but expect a higher deposit. If you have other screening issues on top of the credit score, you might need a third-party guarantee service.

Below 570 credit: Approval gets harder. National companies like Simpson screen tighter than independent owners. If your credit is in this range, I’d want to pre-screen you before you spend $100 on the application. There may be better-fit properties in Northwest Austin for your situation.

What Gets You Denied

Let me be direct about what typically triggers automatic denial at a property like this:

• Active property debt (money owed to a previous landlord)
• Eviction judgment, especially within the last 2 to 3 years
• Violent felony convictions within the lookback period
• Not enough income documentation
• Sex offender registry status

If you have a broken lease, an old eviction, or credit issues, those won’t get you denied everywhere. But you need to know where you stand before you apply. That’s where a locator saves you money.

The Application Process

1. Apply online. $100 application fee per person. You don’t get this back.
2. They run your screening through a third-party service. Expect 24 to 72 hours for results.
3. The leasing office lets you know if you’re approved or denied.
4. If approved, sign your lease and pay move-in costs.

Note: Locator referrals at this property go through Compliance Depot. I handle that part.

Here’s what separates working with a locator from applying blind: I can tell you whether you’re likely to qualify before you spend $100 finding out. If NoA on McNeil’s screening looks tight for your situation, I know which nearby properties have more flexibility, and which ones will definitely deny you. This service is free. The property pays my referral fee from their marketing budget. Your rent is identical either way.

Resident Reviews Decoded

Listing sites show you a 3.7 rating and leave it at that. That number doesn’t tell you much on its own. I went through all 129 Google reviews, the 8 verified reviews on RentCafe, and pulled what I could from CorporateHousing and Facebook. Here are the patterns worth paying attention to.

RentCafe Resident Ratings (Subcategories)

RentCafe breaks their 4.0 overall into categories. Way more useful than a single number:

Parking and noise are the two lowest scores. That lines up with everything I found across platforms.

Review Pattern Analysis

What Residents Consistently Praise

Staff gets the most attention. Avery is called out by name in at least four separate Google reviews for being responsive, friendly, and on top of things. Emily (the onsite manager) gets praise too. One resident, Nate, lived there for two years and specifically called out both by name. You don’t see that at every property.

The 2021 renovation made a real difference. Reviews mention the upgraded units look modern and the finishes feel solid. Quartz countertops, vinyl plank flooring, stainless appliances. It’s a clear step up from what the 1998 originals looked like.

Here’s something that stood out. One resident (opal berry) has lived there for almost six years and moved to a larger unit within the property rather than leaving. That tells you something about what it’s actually like to live here that a star rating doesn’t capture.

What Residents Consistently Criticize

The 1998 bones of this building show up in the complaints. RentCafe reviews mention HVAC units on certain floor plans are original to the building. That’s 28 year old equipment. If your AC dies in an Austin July, that’s not a small problem.

But it’s worse than that for townhome renters specifically. A verified resident reported in December 2024 that the AC in the townhome layouts only cools the top level properly. The second level runs too hot or too cold. If you’re choosing a townhome for the extra space, make sure you understand how the cooling works on both floors before signing.

Road noise from McNeil Drive and emergency vehicle sirens keep coming up in reviews across multiple sites. This isn’t a quiet side street. It’s a main road that connects to Parmer Lane and 183. RentCafe’s resident noise rating of 3.5 out of 5 backs this up.

Guest parking is limited. If you have people over often, they’re going to have a hard time finding a spot. Parking scored 3.0 out of 5 on RentCafe, the lowest score of any category.

A 2025 review said the front gate keeps getting broken or hit. For a gated community, that’s worth asking about during your tour.

How Management Responds

Simpson’s team responds to almost every Google review. That’s better than most management companies I track. But the responses are copy-paste. “We are thrilled to hear” and “We are ecstatic to hear” show up over and over. When a negative review comes in, the response is polite but steers everything to a private conversation. Standard corporate playbook. Not bad, but don’t expect the personal touch you’d get from an independent owner who actually lives near the property.

The Uncomfortable Truth

No listing site will write this section. I’m not trying to kill the deal. I just want you to know exactly what you’re signing up for.

The 1998 Infrastructure Is Real

The 2021 renovation updated the stuff you see: countertops, flooring, appliances, fixtures. But a renovation doesn’t replace the plumbing, electrical, or HVAC behind the walls. Residents say some HVAC units are original to the property. That’s 28 years on equipment that usually lasts 15 to 20. Ask the leasing office which floor plans have updated HVAC and which don’t. This is a question worth asking before you sign.

The Townhome AC Problem

If you’re picking a townhome for the extra space, read this first. A verified RentCafe resident reported that the AC in the townhome units only cools the top floor well. The second level runs too hot or too cold. Another resident backed this up, saying the HVAC on certain floor plans is lacking and still original to the building. If you’re looking at the townhome layouts with two floors, ask about the cooling on both levels. Tour both floors and check the vents. In an Austin summer, that’s a big deal.

The Front Gate Doesn’t Stay Fixed

A 2025 RentCafe review said the front gate is “always being broken or ran into.” If you’re paying for a gated community, a gate that doesn’t work is a problem. Ask the leasing team how the gate is working right now and how fast they fix it when it goes down.

Rodent Issues Were Reported in Specific Buildings

A review on CorporateHousing called out rat issues in buildings 7, 8, and 10. The resident said they saw dead rats between buildings. They also said management moved traps from neighboring buildings to those three, which left the other buildings without any traps at all. Management responded and told residents to contact them. This may or may not be fixed by now, but ask the leasing office about current pest control and whether those buildings have been cleared.

Renewal Pricing May Hurt

One resident put it bluntly: “You will be out priced by these apartments in 2 or 3 years depending on your tolerance for rent hikes.” That’s pretty typical for how national management companies like Simpson do renewals. Whatever free rent you get at move-in rarely carries over. Budget for a rent increase at renewal, and ask what typical renewal bumps look like before you sign.

Ready to move forward, or want to see alternatives?

You’ve seen the full picture. If NoA on McNeil makes sense for your situation, I can walk you through the application. If it doesn’t, I’ll match you with properties in Northwest Austin that might be a better fit. Either way, it’s free.

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FAQ

Does NoA on McNeil allow pets?

Yes. No weight limit, up to 2 pets. Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are not allowed. Other breed restrictions may apply, so check with the leasing office. Costs: $400 one-time fee per pet + $25/month pet rent per pet.

What credit score do I need for NoA on McNeil?

No published minimum. For a renovated property run by a national company like Simpson, expect 600+ for smooth approval. Below 570 gets tough. I’d pre-screen you before applying.

What utilities are included at NoA on McNeil?

The property FAQ doesn’t say whether electric, water, or sewer is included. What is clear: trash ($40/month), pest control ($7 + $5/month), and an amenity fee ($25/month) are mandatory on top of rent. Ask about electric and water billing before you sign.

What’s the parking situation?

Every unit comes with an attached garage. Garage door openers are $50. Guest parking is limited per resident reviews. Parking scored 3.0 out of 5 on RentCafe.

Is NoA on McNeil good for commuting?

Strong for Parmer Lane and 183. Apple’s two campuses are both within 10 minutes. Downtown is 35 to 50 minutes in rush hour. Not ideal if your job is south of the river.

When was NoA on McNeil built and renovated?

Built in 1998, renovated in 2021. The renovation covered the stuff you see (countertops, flooring, appliances) but not all the mechanical systems. Some HVAC units are still original.

What school district is NoA on McNeil in?

Round Rock ISD. Zoned to Jollyville Elementary, Deerpark Middle, and McNeil High School (an IB World School).

Is NoA on McNeil smoke free?

Yes. Smoke free community.

What’s the shortest lease available?

4 months. But the best specials typically require a 12 month lease. Shorter terms probably won’t get the same concession. Confirm what’s available for your move date.

How big is the community?

192 units across 16 buildings, 2 to 3 stories each. Garden style, not a high-rise.

The Bottom Line

NoA on McNeil gives you a townhome layout with an attached garage and updated finishes at a net effective starting in the mid-$1,300s for a one bedroom. That’s competitive for Northwest Austin, and the Apple campus commute is hard to beat.

The main trade-off: you’re living in a 1998 building where the bones show their age in spots, and the road noise from McNeil Drive is a real factor.

This property makes sense if:

• Your commute is along the Parmer or 183 corridor
• You want a townhome or multi-level layout with a garage
• You have larger dogs that would be restricted elsewhere
• You’re fine with an older property that’s been cleaned up on the surface

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• You need quiet, especially facing McNeil Drive
• You’re bothered by old HVAC and thin walls
• Your commute is to downtown or South Austin daily
• You need weekend leasing office access

At $1,387/month net effective for a one bedroom with a garage option, the math works for a lot of people. Just go in with your eyes open about the building’s age.

Need Help?

Work with me (free)

I’m Ross Quade, a licensed Texas apartment locator. I can pre-screen your application for NoA on McNeil before you spend $100 on the app fee, and I’ll let you know if there are better options for your specific situation. The service costs you nothing.

Go solo

If you’d rather handle it yourself, just tell them “Ross Quade from Austin Apartment Team” referred you on your tour and application. Text me at 512-360-0852 when you apply so I can make sure everything’s on track.