The Arts at South Austin Apartments: Townhomes Under $1,200 in 78745, But Read This First

Here’s something that doesn’t happen much in Austin’s apartment market anymore: a 140-unit property where multiple residents have stayed three, five, even ten years. The Arts at South Austin on St. Elmo Road keeps popping up in my client searches for the same reason. Townhome floor plans starting around $1,033 in the 78745 zip code, managed by a long-term owner-operator who isn’t flipping the property in three years. That’s rare. I’ve tracked pricing across 1,000+ Austin properties for the past several years, and this kind of lineup almost never happens.

But here’s what listing sites won’t tell you: the Google reviews split hard about seven months ago when a popular onsite manager was fired. One-star reviews showed up overnight. Recent reviews from new management have been positive. So which version of this property are you actually signing up for? That’s what this review is about.

Quick Facts: The Arts at South Austin

The 4.1 Google rating looks solid, but it hides a story. About 70% of reviews are 4 or 5 stars from residents who’ve been here for years. The other 30% cluster around a management shakeup roughly seven months ago. I’ll break down exactly what happened, who’s running the property now, and whether the recent positive reviews hold up.

Best For / Skip If

Best For

You want a townhome layout at Class B pricing. Most townhome-style apartments in South Austin are attached to newer communities charging $1,500+. The Arts has 1BR/1.5BA townhomes listed at $1,033 and 2BR/1.5BA townhomes at $1,171. That’s a real price gap. Two floors, a patio, and more square footage than most flat layouts at this price point. If you’re tired of the standard box layout and want some separation between living and sleeping space, you’ll feel the difference here.

You value a small, stable community over amenity packages. This is 140 units. You’ll recognize your neighbors. Several people in the reviews have been here 3+ years. One has been here a decade. The property runs monthly events, and the reviews read like people who actually know their neighbors, not just people who share a parking lot. If you’re coming from a 300+ unit complex where nobody knows anyone, that’s a real difference.

You’re looking for South Austin access under $1,300. The address puts you on St. Elmo between South Congress and South First, with I-35 right there. South Congress shops and restaurants are about 2 miles north. Not walking distance. But close enough to use it regularly without paying SoCo rent.

Skip If

You have a restricted breed or multiple large dogs. The pet policy here is more flexible than some listing sites suggest. You can have one dog up to 75 lbs, or two pets under 30 lbs each. That covers a lot of breeds. But Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers are restricted, and management can still say no to any pet they want. If your dog is a restricted breed, check out Austin communities with no breed restrictions instead.

You need brand-new finishes and modern construction. This property was built in 1984 and renovated in 2009. The renovation added granite counters, vinyl flooring, and updated fixtures. But the bones are over 40 years old. That means thinner walls than anything built after 2010, an older plumbing system, and the usual 1980s apartment quirks: settling, noise between units, outlets in weird places. If you’re comparing this to new construction, you’re comparing the wrong things.

You’re uncomfortable with management uncertainty. A popular onsite manager was fired about seven months ago. The Google reviews tell two different stories now. Current management is getting positive feedback, but the transition is recent. If management stability matters to you, keep an eye on this one.

Wondering if The Arts at South Austin fits your situation?

Fill out a quick form and I’ll reach out to go over your specifics: income, credit, pets, timeline. I can check whether you’ll likely qualify before you spend $50 on an application, and I’ll share any current specials that might not be listed online. You’ll hear from a real person (me), not an automated system.

Location Deep Dive

What’s Actually Nearby

The Arts sits at 400 W St Elmo Rd, between South Congress Avenue and South 1st Street in 78745. This isn’t the walkable SoCo strip with coffee shops and vintage stores. That stretch of South Congress (roughly 1200-1800 S Congress) is about 2 miles north. You’ll drive to it, but it’s a quick trip.

Daily errands are closer. H-E-B at Oltorf and South Congress is about 2 miles north. Southpark Meadows (Target, Best Buy, Ross) is about 5 miles south on Congress. And St. Elmo Center sits 0.3 miles away for the basics.

St. Edward’s University campus is roughly a mile north. The property sits in Austin ISD. Schools are St. Elmo Elementary, Bedichek Middle, and Travis High.

There’s shuttle route access and school bus pickup. CapMetro bus stops are on South Congress, and the Walk Score is 70 (moderately walkable). The transit score sits around 40-50, so you’ll have bus access but you’re still driving for most things.

Commute Math

Route notes: I-35 is right there for north-south commuting, which is both a benefit and a curse. Morning rush heading north into downtown adds 15-20 minutes to the off-peak time. Ben White (Hwy 290) gets you to MoPac, which helps if your commute heads west toward the Hill Country or up MoPac to the Domain area.

Neighborhood Vibe

The St. Elmo corridor is working-class South Austin. It’s not Instagram-worthy and nobody is calling it a hot neighborhood. New construction is happening nearby: Bishop Momo (2024), St Elmo Living (2023), and Prospect (2023) have all opened within half a mile. Developers see something here. But right now the immediate surroundings are still strip malls, auto shops, and older residential streets.

The honest trade-off: you get access to the parts of South Austin people actually want to be near — without paying the premium that comes with a Congress Avenue address north of Oltorf. That gap is real. It’s worth several hundred dollars a month.

Pricing and True Cost

Floor Plans

A few things to notice. The townhome floor plans (A2, B1) show the lowest base rents, but both are currently unavailable. At 93% occupancy in a 140-unit property, that tracks — the most popular floor plans rarely sit empty. The available 1BR flat (A1) starts at $1,137 with three units open right now. The B2 two bedroom has three units available around $1,239.

Net Effective Rent Note

The current special at The Arts is a $99 deposit plus a waived $150 admin fee on a 6-14 month lease. Unlike many Austin properties right now, there’s no free rent concession listed. That means your net effective rent equals your base rent. The savings here are upfront: you’re paying $99 to move in instead of a standard deposit plus the $150 admin fee.

For context, many South Austin apartments are running 6-10 weeks of free rent right now. The Arts isn’t competing on concessions. They’re competing on base rent, townhome format, and the $99 deposit, which keeps your day-one costs low.

Upfront Move-In Cost Estimate (1BR Flat at $1,137)

With one pet, add the $300 pet fee. Total with pet: $1,586.

Fee Breakdown

Required fees (everyone pays):

Optional/conditional fees:

The mandatory monthly fees ($5 pest + $13.50 trash = $18.50/mo) don’t show up in the advertised rent. That adds $222 to your annual housing cost. Not a huge number compared to Austin’s worst offenders, but it’s real money that listing sites skip over.

True Monthly Cost

For a 1BR flat at $1,137 with one pet:

That $1,180 all-in monthly cost for a 1BR in 78745 is competitive. The nearby new construction options (Bishop Momo, St Elmo Living, Prospect) start their 1BR rents in the $1,045-$1,300 range but typically stack on $50-100 in mandatory monthly fees.

Want to know what specials are actually available right now?

Specials change. What’s listed above was accurate when I pulled it, but I talk to leasing teams weekly and offers shift. Fill out the form and I’ll get you the most current numbers, including any unit-specific deals that aren’t advertised online.

Screening Criteria

The property doesn’t publish detailed screening criteria on its own website. I dug through the listing sites to find what they don’t advertise.

Income Requirement: 3x Rent

The 3x income requirement shows up on every listing site I checked. Standard for a Class B property in Austin.

Credit and Screening Flexibility

Here’s where this property gets interesting. I found something on ThriftyApartments, a Texas-licensed brokerage that focuses on second-chance placements. They list The Arts as accepting broken leases, evictions, and bad credit. They also show the credit requirement as “Not Required” and list workforce housing income caps. If that’s right, the property is in an affordability program.

I want to be straight with you: the property’s own website doesn’t confirm any of this. No other major listing platform mentions income restrictions or second-chance screening. The workforce housing data comes from a single source, and the way that site displays its data is messy enough that “Not Required” could mean something other than credit.

So what do I actually know? The property class tells part of the story. Built 1984. Class B pricing. Small, owner-operated community. Properties like this in Austin are often more flexible on screening than their paperwork suggests. The decision-makers are onsite, not at a corporate office running automated screening software. That doesn’t mean they accept everything. It means there’s room for conversation.

Before you apply, ask the leasing office directly:

• Is there a minimum credit score?
• How do you handle broken leases or prior evictions?
• Do any units have income caps or participate in a workforce housing program?
• Is the screening done in-house or through a third-party service?

These questions save you $50 on an application you might not need to submit.

What Typically Gets You Denied

Based on typical Class B screening patterns:

• Active property debt (money owed to a previous landlord) is the hardest barrier at any property
• Felonies within the lookback period (typically 5-7 years at this class)
• Insufficient income documentation
• Restricted dog breed or pet that exceeds weight limits

Application Process

1. Apply: $50 application fee per person (not returned if denied)
2. Screening: Background, credit, rental history, income verification
3. Decision: Typical turnaround is 24-72 hours
4. Lease signing: If approved, sign your lease and lock in the current special

The property requires registration via email or phone for locator referrals. That matters because it means your locator needs to be registered before you apply.

Why Work with a Locator Here

Here’s what separates working with a locator from applying blind: I can tell you whether you’re likely to qualify before you spend $50 finding out. If The Arts’ screening looks tight for your situation, I know which nearby properties have more flexibility and which ones will definitely decline you. My service is free. The property pays my referral fee from their advertising budget, not you.

Resident Reviews Decoded

Listing sites show you a 4.1 rating and call it a day. That number is useless without context. I went through 120+ Google reviews plus listings on Yelp, ApartmentHomeLiving, Apartments.com, and ApartmentGuide to see what’s actually going on.

Review Pattern Analysis

What Residents Praise

The staff gets called out by name more often here than at most properties I review. Before the management transition, Emilee was mentioned by name in review after review. People wrote things like “the only reason I renewed” and “best management ever.” You don’t see that at most properties.

After the transition, the names changed. Brenda (current manager) and Ariel (current leasing agent) are getting similar praise in recent reviews. One apartment locator review from a week ago called the current staff “amazing.” A resident who moved in September 2025 called it “by far my favorite place I’ve lived in Austin since 2013.”

Maintenance is the other thing that keeps coming up positive. A reviewer from four months ago said the maintenance team handled a request “in 10 minutes.” Several residents who’ve been here for years say the maintenance team is why they stayed. This is a small property, and that size works in your favor when something breaks.

What Residents Criticize

The negative reviews cluster around two events.

First, the management transition roughly seven months ago. When Emilee was let go, several residents posted one-star reviews specifically about the firing. These reviews mention safety decline, homeless trespassing, gate issues, and general chaos. Management responded to each with a consistent message about “misinformation and frustration from a few individuals unhappy with those changes.”

The second set of concerns is older. On Apartments.com and ApartmentHomeLiving, reviews mention flooding (Austin flash flooding is a citywide issue, and the property addressed drainage), a domestic dispute involving a vehicle, and gates not working. Management pushed back on several of these, giving their side of specific situations.

The 1984 construction era comes up in the reviews too. Thin walls, older infrastructure, and the kinds of issues you’d expect in a building from that decade. Nobody calls them deal-breakers, but they’re part of living here.

How Management Responds

The Medve Group responds to nearly every review, positive and negative. That’s unusual for a smaller property. The responses are a mix of template and personalized. On negative reviews, they’re direct, sometimes blunt. One response to a critical review said: “There are certainly other apartments around. It’s best to find the best apartment that fits your individual needs.” Another disputed a reviewer’s claims point by point.

This tells me two things: management is paying attention, and they’re not afraid to push back. Whether you see that as confidence or defensiveness depends on your perspective.

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 Management Transition Isn’t Fully Settled

About seven months ago, the property fired a manager who residents really liked. Multiple people said they renewed specifically because of her. That triggered a wave of negative reviews, and it rattled the community.

The new team is getting good reviews. A locator who works with the property regularly said good things about them within the past week. But seven months isn’t long enough to call the transition complete. If you’re signing a 12-month lease, you’re betting on the current team keeping things on track.

The Pet Policy Has Breed Restrictions That Matter

The weight limit is more flexible than some listing sites show: one pet up to 75 lbs, or two pets under 30 lbs each. That covers most breeds. But Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers are restricted. Management also “reserves the right to approve or deny any pet regardless of weight, height, or breed at their discretion.” That clause gives them a wide lane. If your dog’s breed is anywhere near a restricted list, get approval in writing before you pay the application fee.

You’re Living in a 1984 Building

The 2009 renovation updated finishes: granite counters, vinyl flooring, stainless appliances. It did not replace plumbing, electrical, HVAC ductwork, or the building’s structural shell.

What does that mean day to day? Thinner walls than anything built after 2000. Potentially higher utility bills from older insulation. Occasional maintenance issues that come with infrastructure from 1984. Residents say the maintenance guys are quick, which helps. But the age of the building is something you’ll feel, especially coming from newer construction.

Ready to move forward, or want to explore alternatives?

You’ve seen the full picture. If The Arts at South Austin looks right for your situation, I can help you lock in the current special and coordinate your tour. If the pet limit, construction age, or management transition gives you pause, I know the South Austin market well enough to point you toward properties without those issues.

FAQ

Does The Arts at South Austin allow pets?

Yes, with limits. You can have two pets under 30 lbs each, or one pet between 31-75 lbs. Breed restrictions apply: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers are not allowed. Expect to pay a $300 pet fee (non-refundable) plus $25/month pet rent per pet. Vaccine records and a photo of your pet are required. Pet screening through a third-party service is also required.

What are the current move-in specials?

The current special offers a $99 security deposit and a waived $150 admin fee. Lease terms range from 6 to 14 months. No free rent concession is listed. The value here is low upfront cost, not monthly savings.

Is The Arts at South Austin gated?

Yes. The property has access gates, and the whole place is fenced. Some reviews mention gate functionality issues (gates open during business hours for deliveries, occasionally down for repairs), so ask about the current gate situation on your tour.

What floor plans are available?

Six floor plans total: three townhome layouts and three flat layouts. Sizes range from 600 to 990 square feet. Townhomes offer 1.5 to 2.5 bathrooms across two levels. Currently, the 1BR flat (A1) and 2BR flat (B2) show availability, and the 2BR townhome (B4) opens in August 2026.

What year was The Arts at South Austin built?

1984, with a renovation in 2009. The renovation updated interior finishes (counters, flooring, appliances, fixtures) but the building structure, plumbing, and electrical are original.

What utilities are included in rent?

No utilities are included. Plan to set up and pay for electric, water, gas, internet, and any other services separately.

Who manages The Arts at South Austin?

The Medve Group, a property management company out of Irving, TX. They’re the owner and operator, not an outside management company hired by an absentee investor. Decisions about the property come from the same people who own it.

How does the location compare to nearby apartments?

The Arts is on St. Elmo Road between South Congress and South 1st. You’re about 2 miles south of the trendy SoCo shopping and restaurant strip and roughly 5 miles from downtown Austin. Newer communities like Bishop Momo (0.3 mi), St Elmo Living (0.4 mi), and Prospect (0.45 mi) are nearby. Their starting rents overlap with The Arts, but they’re new construction with higher mandatory monthly fees and bigger amenity lists. The Arts competes on the townhome format and low upfront costs.

The Bottom Line: Is The Arts at South Austin Worth It?

The Arts at South Austin offers something hard to find in this market: townhome floor plans at Class B pricing in 78745, run by an owner-operator with deep roots in the property. Rents start around $1,033 for a townhome (when available) and $1,137 for a flat. Move-in deposit is $99. The retention rate speaks for itself. People stay here for years.

The trade-off is real. 1984 construction. Breed restrictions on pets. A management transition that’s still earning its track record. The current team is getting positive reviews, but you’re trusting a short history.

This property makes sense if:

• You want a townhome layout without paying $1,500+
• You prefer a small, community-oriented property over a large complex
• Your pets fit the weight and breed policy
• You’re comfortable with older construction that’s been updated cosmetically

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• You have a restricted breed (Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Doberman)
• You need modern construction with thick walls and current building standards
• Management stability is a top priority and you’re not comfortable with a recent transition
• You’re comparing to new construction in the area and expect that level of finish

The verdict: If the townhome format and the price work for your budget, tour it. Ask about the specific unit you’d be renting (renovated vs. original condition), confirm the pet policy and screening criteria directly, and talk to a couple of residents in the parking lot if you can. The bones of this community are solid. The question is whether the current management team will maintain what made residents stay for years.

If you want help figuring out whether The Arts fits your situation, or if you’d rather see similar properties without the pet restriction or construction age concerns, fill out the form and I’ll text you within a few hours.

Need Help?

You’ve got everything to evaluate The Arts at South Austin on your own. But if you want help:

Fill out the form above and I’ll text you to answer questions, check your application situation, share current specials, and coordinate next steps. You’ll talk to me directly, not an automated phone system.

Going solo? 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.