The Bouldin Apartments Review: Pricing, Pros & Cons [2026]

South Lamar has ten apartment communities within a half-mile of each other. Most were built between 2012 and 2014. The Bouldin, finished in 2024, is the newest addition to that corridor by a full decade.

I track pricing across Austin’s submarkets daily, and this stretch comes up constantly in my client searches because the location is hard to beat. But here’s what I keep running into: renters see the brand-new finishes and the Paperboy coffee shop downstairs and assume everything else is equally polished.

Not yet. The Bouldin carries a 3.6 Google rating across 40 reviews. That’s a small sample for a 309-unit building, and early reviews at lease-up properties tend to skew toward extremes. But the complaints that do show up follow a pattern (management responsiveness, building system issues) that’s worth understanding before you lock into a 15-month lease.

This review breaks down every cost you’ll actually pay, including the 3-months-free special and what your net effective rent really works out to. It covers the screening criteria that could disqualify you and what 40+ residents across multiple platforms say about daily life here. I’ll also compare The Bouldin directly against Fifteen15 South Lamar, Gibson Flats, and MAA South Lamar so you can see where your money goes furthest.

Austin rents are declining 6.3% year-over-year, and concessions are available at the majority of properties in this submarket. If you’re considering a move to South Lamar in 2026, this is the full picture.

Quick Facts: The Bouldin at a Glance

Best For / Skip If

Best For:

• Remote workers who want walkable food and coffee without a car. Paperboy is literally connected to the building, Postino is next door, and a Walk Score of 77 means you can handle most errands on foot. The coworking lounge and fiber internet round it out.
• Renters relocating to Austin who want new-construction on South Lamar. This is the only apartment on this corridor built after 2023. Everything else within a half-mile is 10+ years old. If updated finishes and smart home tech matter to you, this is the only option that checks those boxes.
• Couples or roommates splitting a 2-bedroom who want to stay under $2,000/person. With the 3-months-free special, a B1 floor plan at $3,761 base drops to roughly $3,019/mo net effective. Split two ways, that’s about $1,510 each for a 1,048 sq ft two-bedroom in one of Austin’s most central neighborhoods.
• Dog owners with large breeds (but check the fine print). No weight limit is rare for a Class A property. But The Bouldin does have breed restrictions and requires pet screening, so confirm your breed qualifies before falling in love with the unit.

Skip If:

• You need reliable building access at all hours. Multiple residents report fob systems failing late at night with no concierge available. If you work late shifts or keep odd hours, this is a pattern worth taking seriously.
• You have a credit score below 600. This is a Greystar Class A property with a 3x income requirement. The screening won’t flex much. If your credit has blemishes, second chance apartments are a better starting point.
• You expect a fully stabilized luxury experience on day one. The Bouldin opened in 2024 and is still in its lease-up phase. That means ongoing construction in some areas, staffing adjustments, and systems that aren’t fully dialed in. Several reviews mention elevator issues and inconsistent concierge coverage. If you want a community where all the kinks are worked out, a property like MAA South Lamar (built 2012, established management) might be a better fit.
• Your budget is under $1,500/mo for a studio. Even with 3 months free, the smallest S1 studio nets out around $1,052/mo. But that’s on a 15-month lease, and the base rent resets to $1,311+ at renewal. If that renewal number doesn’t work for your budget, you’ll be stuck moving again in just over a year.

Think The Bouldin might be the right fit?

Fill out the form and we’ll reach out to go over details, confirm whether you’ll qualify, and share any current specials that might not be listed online. We’ll text you back within a few hours, and yes, you’ll be talking to a real person, not a bot.

The Bouldin Floor Plans and Pricing Breakdown

I spend a lot of time comparing pricing along this stretch of South Lamar. The Bouldin’s sticker prices are misleading if you don’t run the math on their concession. The headline range is $1,311 to $4,213 per month, but nobody should evaluate this property at face value. Three months free on a 15-month lease changes the real cost dramatically. And it only applies to year one.

Here’s what each floor plan actually costs right now.

Floor Plan Pricing (Verified February 2026)

Net effective rent calculated using 3 months free on a 15-month lease (multiplier: 0.8026). Savings apply to first lease term only.

How We Calculated That

The Bouldin’s current special is 3 months free on a 15-month lease. Here’s the math for a 1-bedroom A1 at $2,199 base rent:

• 15-month lease = 456 days
• 3 months free = 90 days
• Multiplier: (456 – 90) ÷ 456 = 0.8026
• $2,199 × 0.8026 = $1,765/mo net effective

That’s $434 less per month than the listed price. Real savings. You can run your own numbers with our net effective rent calculator. But here’s what most listing sites won’t tell you: when that 15-month lease expires, your renewal offer will almost certainly be at or near the full base rent. If $2,199 doesn’t work for your budget long-term, you need to factor that in now.

💡 WHAT YOUR LOCATOR KNOWS

A 3-months-free concession on a 15-month lease is an aggressive offer, and it signals The Bouldin is still filling units. That’s not a red flag. It’s consistent with broader Austin market conditions where occupancy sat at 92.7% as of October 2025, making it the second-weakest among the nation’s 50 largest apartment markets. Properties in active lease-up sometimes have flexibility on parking fees or lease start dates that they won’t advertise. It doesn’t hurt to ask, mainly if you’re signing in a slower leasing month like December through February.

True Monthly Cost: What You’ll Actually Pay

What does a 1-bedroom A1 renter with one dog and a reserved parking spot actually pay each month? More than you’d think:

That’s $371+ more per month than the “$2,199” you see online. Non-reserved garage parking drops to $50/month, bringing the total closer to $2,420. Either way, reserved underground parking alone adds $3,000 over a 15-month lease.

And that doesn’t include one-time move-in costs: $150 application fee, $500 security deposit, $500 pet deposit, and $350 one-time pet fee. A renter with one dog is looking at $1,500 before getting keys, plus first month’s rent. For a deeper breakdown of how these charges stack up across Austin, see our guide to hidden apartment costs.

⚠️ HIDDEN COST ALERT

The Bouldin advertises $0 admin fee, which is unusual for a Greystar property and a real savings versus competitors. But the $150 application fee is on the high side for Austin (most properties charge $50–$75). If you’re applying as a couple, that’s $300 in one-time application fees before you’ve signed anything. This matters even more given that the FTC sued Greystar in January 2025 for advertising low base rents while burying mandatory monthly fees like valet trash and pest control, exactly the kind of add-ons that push The Bouldin’s true cost above $2,570. Make sure you’ll qualify before applying. A free apartment locator can check your eligibility first so you don’t waste that money.

How The Bouldin’s Pricing Compares

Context matters. Here’s how The Bouldin stacks up against its nearest South Lamar competitors for a 1-bedroom:

Your closest comparison is Fifteen15 South Lamar. Less than a quarter-mile away, built in 2023, and its 1-bedroom starts at $1,311. That’s nearly $900/month less than The Bouldin’s entry 1-bedroom at base rent. Both are new-construction Class A properties on the same block.

So what justifies the gap? The Bouldin’s slightly newer build, gas appliances, and smart home tech. For a lot of renters, that won’t be enough.

At full price, The Bouldin’s 1-bedroom costs roughly double what MAA South Lamar charges. The 3-months-free special narrows it, but there’s still a meaningful gap. What you get for the extra cost: a brand-new building, gas appliances (rare for Austin apartments), fiber internet, and Paperboy on the ground floor.

Whether that price difference is worth it depends on how much you value new construction versus a track record of stable management. That’s the tradeoff. And if you’re open to looking beyond this corridor, there are more Class A options in South Austin worth comparing.

Want to know what’s actually available right now?

The pricing above is what’s public, but specials shift weekly and the best concessions don’t always make it to the website. Fill out the form and we’ll text you what’s current at The Bouldin and at competing properties nearby. We talk to these leasing teams daily, so we know what’s actually on the table.

Location Deep Dive: What 1401 S Lamar Actually Feels Like

Most apartment listing sites will tell you The Bouldin is “near South Congress” or “close to downtown.” Technically true. Practically misleading. I work in this part of Austin regularly, and the day-to-day reality of 1401 South Lamar is different from what you’d picture if you’ve only driven through on a weekend.

The Walk Score Truth

The Bouldin has a Walk Score of 77, which puts it in the “Very Walkable” category. Higher than Austin’s city average of 42. Above the Bouldin Creek neighborhood average of 82. But the number tells you what’s possible, not what’s pleasant.

Walking north along South Lamar toward Barton Springs Road is where the Walk Score earns its number. You’ve got Paperboy coffee connected to the building itself, Postino across the parking lot, and a cluster of restaurants and bars within a 5- to 10-minute walk. H-E-B on South Congress is about 1.2 miles east, a 25-minute walk or a quick bike ride.

South of Oltorf is a different story. South Lamar gets car-oriented fast. Sidewalks thin out, the speed limit climbs, and the pedestrian experience drops off. If your errands are mostly food and nightlife, the Walk Score holds up. Need a Target run or want to hit Barton Creek Mall? You’re driving.

Bike Score of 66 and Transit Score of 51 tell a more nuanced story. CapMetro Route 803 stops on South Lamar, and the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail is about a mile east. But for daily commuting, most residents here are still car-dependent for anything north of the river.

Commute Times from The Bouldin

I always tell clients: test your commute before you sign. Here’s what to expect from 1401 S Lamar:

If you work downtown, at the Capitol, or remotely, this location is hard to beat. Commuting south toward Tesla/Giga is manageable too because you’re running against rush-hour traffic. But if your office is at the Domain or north of 183, think carefully. That 40- to 55-minute slog on MoPac will wear you down.

The Commute Math Most Renters Skip

Here’s a calculation I run with clients that usually shifts the conversation. Say you’re comparing The Bouldin’s $2,199 1-bedroom against a place in Round Rock at $1,600. You’d save $599/month. Great, right?

Not so fast. Round Rock to South Lamar is about 50 minutes each way during rush hour. That’s roughly 1 hour 40 minutes per day, or 33 hours per month sitting in traffic. Value your free time at even $15/hour and that’s $495 in time cost. Tack on $150–$200 in gas and wear, and you’ve spent $645–$695 to save $599.

The math doesn’t work.

Location-wise, The Bouldin makes the most financial sense for renters whose lives center on downtown, South Austin, or remote work. If you work north of the river and don’t value the South Lamar bar scene, you’re paying a lifestyle tax.

What’s Actually Nearby

Here are the places that matter for daily life, with real distances:

Food & Coffee (walkable):

• Paperboy — connected to the building (ground floor)
• Postino Wine Café — 0.1 miles
• Uchi — 0.3 miles
• Elizabeth Street Café — 0.4 miles

Groceries:

• H-E-B (South Congress) — 1.2 miles / 5 min drive
• Whole Foods (Lamar & 5th) — 1.0 miles / 4 min drive
• Trader Joe’s (Arboretum) — 8.5 miles / 18 min drive

Fitness:

• Lifetime Fitness — open, adjacent to building
• Barton Springs Pool — 0.8 miles
• Ann & Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail — 1.0 miles

Healthcare:

• St. David’s South Austin Medical Center — 2.9 miles / 7 min drive
• Austin Regional Clinic (ARC South 1st) — 1.2 miles

Schools (Austin ISD):

• Zilker Elementary, O. Henry Middle School, Austin High School

Restaurant access here is hard to beat for this price range. Having Paperboy in your building and Uchi a 5-minute walk away is a real perk. Groceries require a car but aren’t bad, with two options under 5 minutes by car.

On safety: CrimeGrade rates zip code 78704 as a D for overall crime, ranking in the 19th percentile nationally. That sounds alarming, but context matters. 78704 is a large, dense urban zip covering everything from Travis Heights to South Lamar to parts of SoCo. CrimeGrade notes that residents “generally consider the northwest part of the zip to be the safest,” which is the side closer to The Bouldin. If this is a concern, check the CrimeGrade heat map and zoom into the micro-area around 1401 S Lamar.

Will You Actually Get Approved? Screening & Application Guide

This is where most apartment websites go quiet. They’ll show you floor plans and amenity photos all day, but try finding actual screening criteria and you hit a wall. I talk to leasing teams across Austin every day, and Greystar properties follow a fairly consistent playbook. Here’s what to expect at The Bouldin. For the full step-by-step, our apartment application guide covers the entire process.

The Official Requirements

What Those Numbers Mean in Practice

Greystar uses automated screening. Your application runs through a third-party system before a human ever sees it. Miss the thresholds and you get auto-denied. Your $150 is gone. There’s no “let me explain my situation” step built into the initial review.

It’s also worth knowing that attorneys general from nine states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, and Tennessee) sued Greystar alongside other major landlords over alleged use of RealPage’s algorithmic rent-setting software. Greystar settled for $7M in November 2025 without admitting wrongdoing. This doesn’t directly affect your screening, but it’s context worth having about how the company operates. On the transparency front, Greystar now lists all mandatory fees at the bottom of their floor plans page — something I’ve started seeing across the Greystar properties I work with. Scroll to the bottom before you tour so there aren’t any surprises.

The income math is the first wall. At 3x rent, here’s what you need to earn to qualify at each tier:

A single renter needs to earn roughly $79,000/year to qualify for the cheapest 1-bedroom. Two-bedrooms? Combined household income above $135,000. No listing site spells that out.

Run your own numbers with our 3x rent calculator, and if you’re short on the threshold, low income requirement apartments are worth considering.

If Your Credit Is Below 650

Here’s a reality check based on how Greystar properties usually screen:

Credit 650+: You’re in good shape. Standard deposit, smooth approval assuming clean rental history and sufficient income.

Credit 600–649: Most Greystar properties still work at this range, but you may face a higher deposit. Worth having a conversation with the leasing office before applying to confirm.

Credit 570–599: This is the gray zone. Some Greystar properties will work with you at this range; others won’t. At The Bouldin specifically, being a lease-up property might work in your favor since they’re still filling units. But don’t assume it. Ask first.

Credit below 570: This property will almost certainly deny you. Don’t spend $150 finding out. If you’re in this range, bad credit apartments are a better starting point.

Broken lease or eviction on record: Greystar’s automated system will flag property debt within the last 3–5 years. If that’s your situation, broken lease apartments are a better starting point. A locator can check this for you in about 5 minutes.

💡 WHAT YOUR LOCATOR KNOWS

One advantage of working with a free Austin apartment locator is that we know which communities we can approach given the specifics of your situation, before you spend money on application fees. At $150 per applicant, The Bouldin’s fee is one of the highest in this submarket (Gibson Flats and MAA South Lamar both charge less). If there’s any uncertainty about your approval, checking with someone who talks to Greystar’s leasing team regularly can save you real money.

The Renewal Reality

This matters more than most renters realize, especially at a property offering aggressive first-year concessions. Your net effective rent of ~$1,765 for that A1 one-bedroom? That’s a year-one number. When your 15-month lease expires, expect the renewal offer at or near the $2,199 base rent. Possibly higher, depending on where the market sits.

Greystar properties usually offer minimal renewal concessions. Residents at other Greystar-managed buildings in Austin report renewal increases of 5–15% with limited negotiation room. Plan to either budget for the higher rent or be prepared to move after your initial lease.

Right now, the Austin rental market is renter-friendly with concessions across the board. Apartment List data shows Austin rents fell 6.3% year-over-year as of January 2026, the steepest decline among major U.S. metros. CoStar reports that 65% of Austin apartment complexes offered concessions in 2025. So you may find comparable or better deals elsewhere at renewal time.

Amenities That Actually Matter (And What’s Just Marketing)

Every listing site shows the same amenity checklist. Pool: check. Fitness center: check. But how amenities work in practice matters more than whether they exist on a brochure. Here’s an honest look at what The Bouldin offers and where it falls short.

What Actually Sets The Bouldin Apart

Gas appliances. Gas stoves and gas dryers are genuinely hard to find in Austin apartments. Most new construction goes all-electric because it’s cheaper to build. If you cook regularly (and living near Uchi and Elizabeth Street Café tends to raise the bar), a gas range is a real quality-of-life win. Multiple reviewers called this out specifically.

Smart home integration. App-controlled lighting, smart thermostats, and keyless entry come standard. Window shade automation got positive mentions from residents. These aren’t aftermarket add-ons; they’re built into the unit design. Not necessary, but they signal actual investment in the build quality.

Fiber internet. Fiber optic lines run throughout the building. For remote workers, this matters more than the pool or the clubhouse. Reliable high-speed internet in a multi-unit building isn’t a given (older construction in this corridor often has terrible connectivity), and The Bouldin gets it right.

Sound insulation. Multiple residents specifically mention excellent soundproofing. Tyler Yoon’s review states the building “is constructed extremely well and noise is never an issue.” For a concrete-and-steel high-rise, that tracks. This is a real advantage over the wood-frame mid-rises that dominate this corridor. Gibson Flats, MAA South Lamar, and Windsor South Lamar are all wood-frame builds from 2012–2014 where noise transfer is a common complaint.

One thing to know: a heavy freight rail line runs about 50 feet from the east side of the building. Trains run roughly every hour, 24/7. The Bouldin’s concrete construction handles this better than its neighbors (residents at Windsor South Lamar, for example, report feeling the trains), but if you’re noise-sensitive, ask to sit in the unit you’re considering when a train passes. Units facing the building’s center or west side will have the least exposure.

What’s Standard (Don’t Pay a Premium for This)

Pool, fitness center, spa/jacuzzi, clubhouse, business center. All fine. But every Class A property on South Lamar has some version of these. Table stakes at this price point, not differentiators.

Concierge service is listed as an amenity, but reviews paint a different picture. Multiple residents report it’s unevenly staffed, mainly during evening and overnight hours. If reliable 24/7 lobby coverage matters to you, pin down the current staffing schedule during your tour.

Lifetime Fitness is open adjacent to the building, and it’s a real standout. A full-scale Lifetime within walking distance is rare anywhere in Austin. Ask the leasing team whether residents get any kind of discount or priority access.

What’s Missing

Underground parking is pricey. For a property charging $3,700+ for a 2-bedroom, the parking adds up: reserved spots in the underground garage run $200/month, which totals $3,000 over a 15-month lease. If you’re coming from a property with included parking, that’s a real line item to budget for.

Pet amenities are basic. There’s a pet washing station, which is useful but standard. No dedicated dog park or enclosed off-leash area on-site. For a property with no weight limit that clearly welcomes pet owners, the lack of a dedicated dog run is a missed opportunity.

🔑 NEGOTIATION LEVERAGE

That $200/month reserved parking adds $3,000 over a 15-month lease. It doesn’t hurt to ask whether the leasing team can offer a parking credit, especially during slower leasing months. I’ve had clients at other lease-up properties (The Muse, for example) get parking discounts written into their lease. No guarantee here, but with 3 months free already on the table, it signals flexibility. Ask.

Resident Reviews Decoded: How to Read a Lease-Up Property’s Ratings

As of February 2026, The Bouldin has a 3.6 out of 5 on Google with 40 reviews. For a 309-unit building that’s been leasing for less than a year, that’s a small sample. Lease-up properties almost always show polarized ratings early on because the people most motivated to leave reviews are either thrilled by the newness or frustrated by growing pains. What matters is the pattern behind the numbers, and that takes a framework most apartment sites won’t give you.

The Lease-Up Review Curve

Here’s something I’ve seen play out across dozens of new Austin properties: lease-up communities almost always produce a polarized review pattern. First comes a wave of 5-star reviews from people excited about the shiny new building and a great tour experience. Then, 3–6 months in, the 1-stars start arriving from residents hitting daily growing pains.

The Bouldin follows this pattern almost exactly. Five-star reviews skew heavily toward tour visitors and early move-ins praising the building’s design and the leasing staff (Jennifer, Marissa, and Tory get called out by name repeatedly). One-star reviews come mostly from residents who’ve been living there long enough to hit daily friction: building access failures, maintenance entering units without notice, and inconsistent concierge staffing.

Neither extreme gives you the full picture. The 5-star tour review telling you the building is “gorgeous” isn’t wrong. It is. But that person hasn’t lived there through an elevator outage at midnight. And the 1-star reviewer who says it’s “the worst in Austin” is reacting to real problems but likely hasn’t lived in a truly poorly maintained building for comparison.

What the Reviews Actually Tell You

I categorized every review theme across Google to find the signal in the noise. Here’s the pattern:

Negative themes (mentioned in 25%+ of critical reviews):

• Building access failures. Fobs not working, main doors left unsecured, residents locked out after midnight with no concierge available and no response on the emergency line. This is the single most consistent complaint. Multiple residents (Hayley, the anonymous resident, Liz Long, Madison Leach) all describe the same problem on their own. That’s a pattern, not an outlier.
• Maintenance entering without notice. Gary Harness describes maintenance visiting his unit twice without notice and leaving the door unlocked and cracked. Camarin Smith reports items being moved in her unit and the door being left unlocked. Two independent accounts of the same issue raise real questions about internal protocols.
• Gap between “luxury” marketing and daily experience. Several residents specifically use quotation marks around “luxury” in their reviews. The frustration isn’t that the building is bad. It’s that the marketing sets an expectation the operations can’t currently meet.
• Ongoing construction. Samm Rosenberg mentions dust from ongoing projects affecting health. The Bouldin was still finishing elements during its initial months. For a building marketed as move-in ready, continued construction was a fair gripe, though this should improve as the property stabilizes.

Positive themes (mentioned in 25%+ of favorable reviews):

• Leasing staff (Jennifer, Marissa, Tory). The leasing team gets named individually in review after review. CJ Castro, Adriana Hernandez, Stacy Williams, Vijay Manohar, and others all call out specific staff members. Paul gets positive mentions from some residents but drew a pointed complaint from at least one reviewer who described him as condescending. Overall, the front-of-house team earns consistent praise.
• Building design and unit quality. Avery Eyster’s detailed review calls out “thoughtful design details” and app-controlled features. Serene Cha mentions “excellent soundproofing.” Hudson Frey describes the apartment as “quiet.” The physical product always earns praise.
• Location and Paperboy connection. Sarah Johnston, who relocated from California, calls it a “hidden gem.” Multiple reviewers mention Paperboy coffee downstairs as a daily quality-of-life perk.

The Review Authenticity Question

Two reviewers (Long Jessica and Allison Chavez) independently claim that Bouldin staff asked Paperboy customers to leave 5-star reviews in exchange for a 15% discount. Greystar says The Bouldin isn’t directly affiliated with Paperboy and manages its perks program internally. I can’t verify either side. But the same claim from two separate accounts is harder to dismiss outright.

That said, Greystar’s rebuttal to Long Jessica includes a specific detail that checks out: she says she won’t renew in March, but move-ins didn’t begin until May 2025, so no leases would expire that early. That’s a legitimate catch and it raises fair questions about her account.

Separately, several 5-star reviews clearly come from people who toured but didn’t move in (Luca Wilder came for ACL, doomspiderqueen visits a friend, Dave Powell’s review is two words). Tour-visitor reviews are real experiences, but they tell you about the sales presentation, not daily life. Weight your reading accordingly.

Management Response Pattern

Greystar’s response strategy here is worth a look. On negative reviews, they frequently reply by saying the reviewer isn’t in their system as a current or past resident. This happened with Allison Chavez, Long Jessica, Samm Rosenberg, and others. It’s a pattern, even though some of these reviewers posted photos of the property.

To Greystar’s credit, one rebuttal did include a verifiable detail: Long Jessica claimed she wouldn’t be renewing in March, but Greystar noted that move-ins didn’t begin until May 2025, meaning no leases would expire that early. That’s a legitimate catch. But the broader pattern of disputing identity rather than addressing complaints still stands. Elevator outages, dirty common areas, unsecured doors — those issues either exist or they don’t, regardless of who reports them.

💡 WHAT YOUR LOCATOR KNOWS

Review patterns at lease-up properties tend to stabilize around months 12–18, once the on-site team finds its rhythm and the early concession residents start renewing (or leaving). Right now, The Bouldin is in that volatile window where reviews are least reliable as a predictor of your experience. The most useful data point isn’t the current 3.6 rating. It’s whether the same complaints (building access, maintenance protocols) are still appearing in 6 months. If you’re considering this property, ask the leasing team directly: “What’s changed since the building access reviews?” Their answer will tell you more than any star rating.

The Uncomfortable Truth

Every property has downsides. Listing sites won’t tell you. I will.

You’re paying a luxury price for a building that isn’t running at a luxury level yet.

That’s the core tension. The hardware is there: new construction, gas appliances, solid soundproofing, a South Lamar address that’s hard to beat. But the software (staffing, building systems, maintenance protocols) hasn’t caught up.

When you’re charging $2,200+ for a 1-bedroom, residents expect systems that work at midnight, not just during leasing office hours. That gap is driving the negative reviews, and it’s a real concern.

This isn’t unusual for lease-up properties. I’ve watched several Austin buildings go through this exact phase: 1155 Barton Springs, Coldwater, properties across the Domain. Most stabilize within 12–18 months.

The Austin Apartment Association projects 2026 as the year the broader market hits equilibrium, with deliveries dropping 74% from 2025 levels. The question is whether you want to ride out the settling-in period or wait until the kinks are worked out.

Maintenance has entered units without proper notice. Twice, documented in reviews.

Two independent reviewers describe maintenance entering their apartments without notice and leaving doors unlocked or ajar. Most renters don’t know this: Texas has no specific statute requiring landlords to give advance notice before entering. Entry rights are governed by your lease, not state law.

Under the standard TAA lease, landlord entry is allowed for repairs, pest control, and emergencies without advance notice. They do have to leave a written note if you’re not home. Two reports with the same details from different residents suggests a process gap, not a one-off mistake. Before signing, ask the leasing team point-blank: “What’s your policy on maintenance entry, and has it changed recently?”

The 3-months-free special is year-one pricing. Year two looks very different.

This bears repeating because it’s the single biggest financial trap for renters who don’t plan ahead. Your net effective rent of ~$1,765 for an A1 is real, but temporary. Greystar’s renewal playbook across Austin is consistent: expect 5–15% increases with minimal negotiation room.

The FTC’s December 2025 settlement over hidden fee practices means Greystar now has to display total monthly costs upfront. But that requirement covers advertising, not what they charge at renewal. Budget for $2,199+ when your lease rolls over, or plan to move. Don’t sign assuming you’ll get another concession.

The concierge coverage isn’t what was promised.

Multiple residents report the concierge desk is unstaffed during evenings and overnight, the exact times you’d most want someone there. If 24/7 lobby coverage is important to your sense of security, mainly if you work late or travel frequently, confirm the current staffing schedule during your tour. Ask for specifics: “What hours is the concierge desk staffed? Is there always someone here after 10 PM?”

You’ve got the full picture now, the good and the not-so-good.

If The Bouldin still looks like the right fit, fill out the form and we’ll help with next steps. We can check whether you’ll qualify before you spend $150 on the application, answer any questions this review didn’t cover, and make sure you’re getting the best deal currently available. No pressure, no obligation.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Bouldin Apartments

Does The Bouldin allow pets?

Yes. There’s no weight limit, which is rare for a Class A property in Austin. Breed restrictions apply (confirm the list with leasing). Expect a $500 refundable pet deposit, $350 non-refundable pet fee, and $25/month pet rent. No dedicated dog park on-site, but Butler Trail is about a mile out and large dog apartments are limited along this corridor.

What credit score do I need for The Bouldin?

The Bouldin is a Greystar Class A property, which generally requires a 600+ credit score. They use automated third-party screening with limited flexibility. If your score is below 600, you’ll likely face denial. During the lease-up phase there may be slightly more flexibility than a stabilized Greystar property, but ask before applying to avoid wasting the $150 fee.

What’s the income requirement at The Bouldin?

Standard 3x gross monthly rent. For the cheapest studio (S1 at $1,311), that’s $3,933/month or roughly $47,200/year. For a 1-bedroom A1 at $2,199, you’ll need $6,597/month ($79,164/year).

Roommates can combine income. If you’re short on the 3x threshold, a third-party guarantee may be an option at roughly one month’s rent. Know your Texas tenant rights before you sign.

What utilities are included at The Bouldin?

Trash and recycling valet are included (well, baked into a mandatory fee). Residents pay their own electricity (Austin Energy), gas, and internet. Budget $85–$120/month for electric on a 1-bedroom this age, with summer months (June–September) running higher.

Gas is usually $30–$50/month. Water and sewer are submetered with a utility admin fee.

How much is the security deposit at The Bouldin?

Standard security deposit is $500. That’s on the lower end for a Class A property; many charge one full month’s rent. It may increase for applicants with lower credit scores or other risk factors.

You’ll also pay a $150 application fee (per person) and the pet deposit ($500) plus one-time pet fee ($350) if applicable. Total before keys with a pet: around $1,500.

What specials does The Bouldin currently offer?

As of February 2026, 3 months free on a 15-month lease. That’s a 0.8026 multiplier on base rent, pulling an A1 1-bedroom from $2,199 down to roughly $1,765 net effective. This is a lease-up concession. It won’t last once occupancy stabilizes.

Specials change weekly. Check current availability through our Austin apartment finder service or directly with the leasing office.

How much is parking at The Bouldin?

Reserved spots in the underground garage cost $200/month. Non-reserved is $50/month. That reserved rate adds up to $3,000 over a 15-month lease, making it one of the bigger hidden costs. Some residents have negotiated parking into their lease during slower leasing periods. If parking is a must, ask about bundling it before you sign.

Is The Bouldin a good apartment for remote workers?

One of the better options on South Lamar for remote work. Concrete-and-steel construction means you won’t hear neighbors during calls (multiple residents confirm this). Fiber internet is available, the coworking lounge gives you a change of scenery, and Paperboy is on the ground floor.

Walk Score of 77 means midday errands are doable on foot. The gap: groceries require driving.

Is The Bouldin safe?

The zip code (78704) rates a D on CrimeGrade, which sounds alarming but reflects a large, dense area. The Bouldin’s specific block on South Lamar is generally on the safer end of the zip. Key fob access is standard, though multiple reviews report fob failures and doors being left unsecured.

On paper, the concierge desk provides 24/7 coverage, but resident reviews indicate gaps during evening and overnight hours. Under Texas tenant privacy law, entry rights depend on your lease terms. There’s no state statute requiring advance notice. Ask about current building access reliability during your tour.

How do Bouldin Apartments reviews compare across platforms?

The Bouldin sits at 3.6/5 on Google (40 reviews) as of February 2026. The pattern is polarized, which is typical for lease-up properties. Five-stars skew toward tour visitors and early move-ins praising the building and leasing staff.

One-stars come from residents dealing with daily friction: building access failures, maintenance entering without notice, and inconsistent concierge coverage. Expect these numbers to shift as the property matures past the 12–18 month mark.

Bottom Line

The Bouldin delivers on the physical product. Gas appliances, concrete-and-steel construction, smart home integration, Paperboy on the ground floor, and a South Lamar address that’s genuinely walkable. The 3-months-free special makes year one competitive, pulling a 1-bedroom into the mid-$1,700s net effective.

Go in with clear eyes, though. This is a lease-up property still working through growing pains: building access hiccups, uneven concierge staffing, maintenance protocols that need tightening. Those problems are fixable, and most Austin properties go through this phase. Whether you want to live through it or wait is the real question.

The math: you’ll need roughly $79K household income for the cheapest 1-bedroom, a credit score above 600, and a clean background check. True monthly cost with parking and fees runs $2,570+, not the $2,199 you’ll see advertised. Budget for a real rent increase at renewal.

This is probably your place if you work remotely, want new construction on South Lamar, and you’re okay being an early resident while the building finds its groove. Year-one pricing is strong and the location is hard to match at this price point.

Keep looking if you need rock-solid building systems from day one, your credit is borderline, or you can’t absorb a 10–15% rent jump in year two. Check what’s available at Fifteen15 South Lamar or the other South Lamar communities we cover. A free rent analysis shows how The Bouldin stacks up against what’s actually on the market right now, with 35% of properties nationwide offering at least a month free and Austin leading the pack.

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