The Heights at 8721 Apartments Review in Austin, TX: New 2024 Construction Under $1,000
A brand new 726 square foot one bedroom inside Austin city limits, with a net effective rent of $918 a month. That’s not a typo. The Heights at 8721 opened in 2024 at 8721 Eastern Heights Blvd in 78724, and it’s running two months free on a 12 month lease right now.
I track Austin rental pricing daily through ApartmentData.com and direct contact with leasing offices. I’ve toured well over 500 communities across this market. So when a 2024 build lists under $1,100, my first question is always the same one you should be asking: what’s the catch?
There are two here, and neither one shows up on a listing site.
The first is that this is an income restricted tax credit property. There’s a hard ceiling on what you can earn. The second is age. Most of the units need somebody in your household to be 55 or older. But they’ve got a handful where that rule doesn’t apply. Almost nobody tells you that second part.
Here’s the full breakdown, including the construction complaints that the 4.0 star rating hides.
Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 8721 Eastern Heights Blvd, Austin, TX 78724 |
| Neighborhood | Walnut Creek, far east Austin |
| Year Built | 2024 |
| Total Units | 207 across two four story buildings |
| Management | Elmington Property Management |
| Rent Range | $999 to $1,399 (1BR $999 to $1,099, 2BR $1,299 to $1,399), verified August 13, 2026 |
| Square Feet | 702 to 1,028 |
| Housing Program | Tax credit (LIHTC), all units at 60% AMI |
| Income Cap | $56,220 for one person, up to $106,020 for eight |
| Age Requirement | At least one household member 55+ in most units. A limited number of units have no age requirement |
| Current Special | 2 months free, move in by 8/31 |
| Application Fee | $25 per adult |
| Security Deposit | $676 on the one bedroom |
| Utilities Included | Water, sewer, trash |
| Lease Terms | 12 months only |
| Pet Policy | 2 pets max, $0 deposit, $350 one time fee per pet, $25 per month per pet, breed restrictions, pet interview required |
| Google Rating | 4.0 from 92 reviews (full listing on Apartments.com) |
That 4.0 is doing a lot of work. Lots of five star reviews praising the leasing office. A smaller pile of one star reviews describing mold and sewage backups. Very little in between.
Who This Works For
You’re over 55 and shopping for senior housing under $1,100. This is who they built the place for, and it shows. They’ve got a putting green, a game room, a community room, and they actually run social activities. One reviewer’s mother uses the pool, the putting green, and the classes and workshops they run. At $999 to $1,099 in a 2024 building, that mix is rare in Austin.
Your household income lands between roughly $33,000 and $56,220. This is the sweet spot, and it’s narrow. Too little and you won’t clear the income floor. Too much and the program says no. I’ll show the exact math in the screening section.
You’re on a fixed income and need utilities predictable. Water, sewer, and trash are included in rent. No valet trash charge, no pest control fee, no water billing. Most Austin properties tack on $75 to $130 a month in those charges. Here it’s just rent and electric.
You want new construction without new construction pricing. The 2024 build gets you granite counters, stainless appliances, island kitchen, garden tubs, and walk in showers. Some units have 14 foot ceilings. You’d pay $1,500 and up for the same finishes at a market rate property.
You’re under 55 and everyone told you this place is off limits. It mostly is, but not entirely. The property holds a limited number of units with no age requirement, and you won’t find that on any listing site. You have to call and ask. Availability is thin, so ask early.
You have a dog and hate pet deposits. The pet deposit here is $0. You pay a $350 one time fee and $25 a month per pet. Breed restrictions apply and they do a pet interview, so bring your dog. If you’ve got a breed that keeps getting flagged, our verified list of Austin apartments that allow large dogs is worth a look before you tour.
Who Should Skip It
You need to be walkable to anything. The walkability score here is 20 out of 100. Transit is a 0. The nearest full grocery store is the HEB on Ed Bluestein about 3.5 miles away. This is a drive to everything address, full stop.
You’re on a tight move in timeline. Tax credit applications take longer than market rate ones, and this property has a track record of that going badly. Two Google reviewers describe delays that left them without housing. If you need keys in two weeks, this is the wrong building.
Nobody in your household is 55 and the open units are gone. Most of this building is age restricted. If those few unrestricted units are leased, you’re waiting.
Your income is going to jump soon. You can exceed the cap after you move in without getting kicked out, but you have to be under it on the day you qualify. If you’re mid job change, the timing matters.
Every adult in your household is a full time student. That’s a no under the tax credit rules unless you fit one of the narrow exemptions.
Water damage is a dealbreaker for you. The worst review on the property comes from a Google Local Guide who attached photos and video. They’re talking about mold from sloppy construction, damaged flooring throughout their unit, and raw sewage backing up into tubs and toilets. That review was updated last month. I’m not saying every unit has this. I am saying ask about it directly and inspect before you sign.
Ready to See If The Heights at 8721 Fits Your Situation?
I can tell you whether your household income clears both the floor and the ceiling here before you fill out a tax credit application. If the numbers don’t work, I know which nearby communities will.
Get started here
Location: What Living Out Here Actually Looks Like
The Heights sits in the Walnut Creek pocket of far east Austin, off Loyola Lane between Decker Lane and US 290. You’re inside Austin city limits and in Travis County, but you’re 9 miles from campus and the feel out here is closer to Manor than to Mueller.
What’s Actually Nearby
Groceries are the honest weak point. The closest full service store is the HEB at 7112 Ed Bluestein Blvd, about 3.5 miles and 8 to 10 minutes by car. JD’s Super Market #7 on Decker Lane is around 3 miles out with better produce prices. Loyola Grocery is a corner store with gas, open until midnight, good for a gallon of milk and not much else.
Springdale Shopping Center is 2.8 miles out, Walnut Creek Shopping 3.4 miles. Cross Creek Hospital is 4.4 miles and 7 minutes, Dell Children’s 6.7 miles. Walter E. Long Park sits on the lake 6.4 miles east, and Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park with its off leash area is 9 miles northwest.
Highway access is the real selling point. US 290, SH 130, and the 183 toll road are all within a few minutes. One resident put it this way: “you can go north or south or just 15 min to DT.”
Commute Math
| Destination | Distance | Off Peak | Rush Hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Austin | ~9.5 mi | 18 min | 30 to 40 min |
| University of Texas | 9.0 mi | 14 min | 25 to 35 min |
| Austin Community College, Eastview | 7.2 mi | 15 min | 20 to 25 min |
| Tesla Gigafactory (Del Valle) | ~12 mi | 18 min | 25 to 35 min |
| The Domain | ~13 mi | 20 min | 35 to 45 min |
| Austin Bergstrom Airport | 17.7 mi | 29 min | 35 to 45 min |
Rush hour figures are my estimates for this corridor. The painful direction is west toward downtown and northwest toward the Domain, where you merge into I-35 or US 183 traffic. Head south or east on SH 130 and you barely notice it.
Transit isn’t a real option. Highland, the closest rail station, is 6.8 miles away. CapMetro runs buses out here, but the transit score at this address is a 0 for a reason.
The Honest Neighborhood Read
78724 is one of the last parts of Austin proper where new construction pencils out at these rents, and that’s why Elmington built here. What surrounds it is still mostly warehouses, empty lots, and older housing. It’s improving. It’s not there yet.
Noise score is 60 out of 100. Traffic. If you’re taking a unit facing the road, stand on the patio at 5:30pm before you sign.
Austin ISD serves this address, and Dobie Middle and LBJ Early College High both carry low GreatSchools ratings. That matters more if you’re one of the younger households this place lets in. Our East Austin apartments guide covers what the rest of the east side costs and how it screens.
Pricing and What You’ll Actually Pay
Floor Plans
| Bed / Bath | Sq Ft | Base Rent | Net Effective | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 / 1 (A1-60%) | 726 | $999 to $1,099 | $835 to $918 | 11 units available as of August 2026 |
| 1 / 1 (A1 ALT 3-60%) | 726 | $999 | $835 | Limited availability |
| 1 / 1 | 702 | $999 | $835 | Smallest plan |
| 1 / 1 | 763 | $1,099 | $918 | Largest one bedroom |
| 2 / 2 | 1,025 to 1,028 | $1,299 to $1,399 | $1,085 to $1,169 | Large patios, corner units have wrap arounds per residents |
The Net Effective Math
Here’s how the two months free actually works out on the most common plan, using the daily math that Austin properties price on:
- Base rent: $1,099 per month
- Concession: 2 months free on a 12 month lease
- Free days: 60
- Lease days: 365
- Multiplier: (365 − 60) ÷ 365 = 0.8356
- Net effective rent: $1,099 × 0.8356 = $918 per month
- Monthly savings: $1,099 − $918 = $181
- Full lease savings: $181 × 12 = $2,172
On the $999 units the same math lands at $835 net effective, saving $164 a month.
Pin this down before you sign: are the two free months taken off the front of the lease, or spread across all 12? If they’re front loaded, months three through twelve are $1,099, not $918. Get the answer in writing.
Required Fees
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $25 per adult | Non refundable, due at application |
| Security deposit | $676 | One bedroom, refundable |
| Monthly required fees | None disclosed | No valet trash, no pest control charge, no water billing |
That $25 application fee is one of the lowest in Austin. Market rate properties run $50 to $85 per adult.
Here’s something: there’s no admin fee anywhere. I checked the property site, Apartments.com, After55, Rentable, and ApartmentHomeLiving. None of them list one. The only money due at application is the $25. Confirm at the office anyway, but this looks real.
Optional Fees
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pet fee | $350 one time per pet | Non refundable |
| Pet rent | $25 per month per pet | 2 pets max, breed restrictions |
| Pet deposit | $0 | Unusual and in your favor |
| Parking | Not published | Available on site, confirm cost |
What You’ll Really Pay Each Month
A single renter in the $1,099 one bedroom with one dog:
- Net effective rent: $918
- Pet rent: $25
- Electric (Austin Energy, one bedroom): $90 in winter, $180 in peak summer
- Water, sewer, trash: included
- Real monthly cost: $1,033 to $1,123
Notice how close that stays to the $999 headline. That’s because the utilities are baked in. At a market rate building you’d be adding $35 valet trash, $8 pest control, and $55 water on top.
So what do you need in hand on day one? $25 application + $676 deposit + $350 pet fee + $1,099 first month = $2,150.
Want to Compare This Property’s True Cost to Nearby Options?
There are four other new builds within two miles of here, and two of them are also income restricted. I’ll pull the current net effective rents on all of them so you’re comparing real numbers.
Screening: Will You Get Approved?
This is where a tax credit property works differently from everything else you’ve applied to. At a normal apartment there’s a floor on your income and no ceiling. Here there’s both, plus an age question on top.
Age Comes First
Before income, the office has to put you in the right unit type. Most units need at least one household member 55 or older, and the rest of the household can be any age. A limited number carry no age requirement. Ask which bucket you’re in on the first call, because it decides what’s actually available to you.
The Income Window
The ceiling is published and it’s firm. Your gross household income has to be at or under these numbers on the day you qualify:
| Household Size | Maximum Annual Income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $56,220 |
| 2 people | $64,260 |
| 3 people | $72,300 |
| 4 people | $80,280 |
| 5 people | $86,760 |
| 6 people | $93,180 |
| 7 people | $99,600 |
| 8 people | $106,020 |
Some units have lower limits than what’s on the chart. Ask which one you’re being qualified for.
The floor isn’t published, and that’s not an accident. Elmington uses the same LIHTC paperwork as every other tax credit community, and that paperwork normally spells out the minimum income multiplier. This property’s version skips it. Other Elmington properties running the same paperwork list either 2x or 2.5x rent. Here’s what 2.5x looks like:
| Unit | Base Rent | Monthly Income | Annual | Hourly at 40 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR, 702 to 726 sq ft | $999 | $2,498 | $29,970 | $14.41 |
| 1BR, 763 sq ft | $1,099 | $2,748 | $32,970 | $15.85 |
| 2BR, 1,028 sq ft | $1,299 | $3,248 | $38,970 | $18.74 |
| 2BR, 1,025 sq ft | $1,399 | $3,498 | $41,970 | $20.18 |
So for one person taking the $1,099 unit, your income window is roughly $32,970 to $56,220 a year. That’s about $15.85 to $27 an hour. Miss on either side and you’re out. [VERIFY: exact income multiplier with the leasing office]
Social Security, disability, pension, child support, tips, commissions, income from assets. It all counts. That cuts both ways, and it’s why people on fixed incomes sometimes fail the ceiling test when their investment income pushes them over.
Credit and Background
The property doesn’t publish a credit minimum. [VERIFY: credit score threshold] Based on how tax credit properties in this class screen in Austin, 570 to 600 usually works if your rental history is clean. Money you still owe a past landlord is usually a problem. These places tend to be easier on credit and a lot stricter on paperwork, which is the opposite of what most renters expect.
What Gets You Denied
- Household income over the maximum limit when they qualify you
- Every adult in the household is a full time student, with no qualifying exemption
- Refusing to cooperate with income and asset verification
- Not being able to stay the full lease term
- Failing any part of the resident selection criteria
That student rule catches people. The exemptions cover TANF recipients, anyone formerly in foster care, students in a job training program, single parent households, and married couples who can file jointly. If none of those fit and everyone in the household is enrolled full time, you won’t qualify.
The Application Process
- Turn in your application with $25 per adult
- Income and asset verification, which means paystubs, tax returns, W-2s, award letters, and bank statements
- Screening decision
- Lease signing and move in
Step two is the long one. Budget three to four weeks, not the three to five business days a market rate property would take. Two Google reviewers got caught in that gap. One says it left them without housing.
Here’s what separates working with a locator from applying blind: I can tell you whether your income clears both the floor and the ceiling before you turn in paperwork. I’ll tell you which documents they’ll want, so you’re not making four trips to the office. If The Heights looks tight for your situation, I know which nearby communities have more room. Got credit or background issues on top of the income question? Start with our second chance apartments guide.
Resident Reviews, Decoded
One thing to know going in: Google is the only real review source on this property. There’s no ApartmentRatings profile. Apartments.com shows zero ratings. The Yelp page has no reviews. So everything below comes from 92 Google reviews. And single source data is thinner than it looks.
Pattern Analysis
| Theme | Mentions | Trend | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff praised by name | 31 of 72 reviews with text | Improving | |
| Helpful or kind staff (Google topic tags) | 31 | Improving | |
| Security, gates, vandalism | 7 | Steady | |
| Mold and water damage | 5 | Steady | |
| Beautiful apartments, large floor plans | 7 | Steady | |
| Application process delays | 3 | Improving |
The Staff Story Is Real, and It’s New
Thirty one of the 72 reviews with text name a specific employee. That’s unusually high, and the names split into two clean eras with zero overlap.
Reviews from about a year ago name Rose, Manny, and Marlene. Reviews from the last eight months name Leslie Bowser (manager), Marie in leasing, Kathy Addison, and David and Jovani in maintenance. Carlos shows up in a review from last week as the new maintenance supervisor, so the turnover is still happening.
That matters because the reviews you’re reading are mostly not about the team you’d be dealing with. The entire office turned over.
Where the Complaints Cluster
I count roughly 22 negative reviews total. Fourteen of them date to the lease up period, which ran through 2024 into early 2025. Those describe bed bugs, roaches, five days without hot water, a sprinkler head falling out of a ceiling, broken gates, and a car vandalized less than a week after someone moved in.
Only one lands in the five to eleven month window. Five land in the last four months.
So things really are getting better. But it’s not a clean line. The most detailed critical review was updated last month. That reviewer is talking about mold, damaged flooring throughout units, buckled floors, separated baseboards, and raw sewage backing up into tubs and toilets.
The Management Response Problem
Elmington answers nearly every review, often the same day, including ones with no text at all. That’s better than most.
The quality is another matter. Several replies are misfiled. A blistering mold and sewage review got a response thanking the reviewer for positive feedback about a staff member. Another addressed a reviewer named Ellen as “Larie.” A two year resident’s warm five star review got a reply asking to discuss her concerns.
One resident says flat out that the support email address in those replies never gets answered.
Read that pattern for what it is. Somebody offsite is cranking these out, not the people in the office. Don’t take a fast review reply as proof that a maintenance request will move fast.
The Uncomfortable Truth
No listing site will write this section.
The Age Rule Is Buried Where Nobody Reads It
Apartment Finder calls it a 55+ community, flat out. Affordable Housing Online tags it “Near Elderly (55+).” Rentable lists “Over 55 Active Community” as an amenity. But the property’s own homepage doesn’t mention age at all, and none of those listing sites explain the actual rule.
The actual policy sits several clicks deep on the property’s affordable housing FAQ page: most units need someone in the household who’s 55 or older, other household members can be any age, and a small number of units skip the age rule entirely. EMJ Construction, the builder, says the same thing.
And both groups get burned by it. Renters under 55 read “55+ community” on a listing site and never call, so the units they could actually get sit empty. Renters over 55 sign expecting an all senior building and find younger households and kids on site. One reviewer noted children living there. Two more toured by accident and got turned away. Ask which unit type you’re being shown, and ask how many of the no age requirement units exist.
A Two Year Old Building Shouldn’t Have These Complaints
Mold shows up in five reviews on a building that opened in 2024. So do sewage backups, weather damage, and buckled flooring. This is two wood framed four story buildings, and wood frame buildings don’t forgive water getting in while they’re going up.
I’m not telling you the building is falling apart. Most residents aren’t reporting this. I’m telling you that when a two year old building draws water complaints this specific, you inspect before you sign. Look under sinks. Check baseboards and the bottom edges of door frames. Ask which units have had water damage repaired, and get the answer in writing.
The Concession Is Shrinking Because They’re Still Filling
Apartments.com carried three months free earlier this summer. It’s two months free now, expiring 8/31. Eleven units on a single one bedroom plan are still sitting empty at a 207 unit property that opened two years ago.
That’s not a red flag on its own. Austin’s vacancy sits near 10% and concessions are normal right now. But it tells you the leasing office has room to work with, and that the special is more likely to shrink again than grow. If the numbers work for you, the timing argument here is real, not a sales line. Our Northeast Austin apartments guide covers why concessions in this corridor look the way they do.
The Gates Have Been a Recurring Problem
“Gated” and “Video Patrol” are both on the amenity list. Seven reviews touch on security. One from a year ago calls the front gate unusable and the back gate unlit. One from last month says the back gate is still broken and the front one only recently got fixed.
Broken gates are an industry wide headache at garden style properties, not a Heights problem specifically. But if the gate is part of why you’re choosing this building, drive both entrances at night before you apply.
Ready to Move Forward, or Want to See Alternatives?
If The Heights still looks right after all that, I’ll help you get the application in clean the first time. If it doesn’t, there are four newer communities within three miles at similar price points. Text 512-865-4672 and tell me your income and household size, and I’ll tell you what you qualify for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Heights at 8721 a 55+ community?
Mostly. In most units, someone in your household has to be 55 or older, and the rest can be any age. They also have a small number of units with no age rule. Call and ask which type is available before you rule it in or out.
What is the income limit at The Heights at 8721?
$56,220 a year for a one person household, rising to $106,020 for eight people. Some units have lower limits than the published chart, so ask which limit covers your unit.
How much is rent at The Heights at 8721?
One bedrooms run $999 to $1,099 for 702 to 763 square feet. Two bedrooms run $1,299 to $1,399 for about 1,025 square feet. With two months free, net effective drops to $835 to $918 on the one bedrooms.
What utilities are included?
Water, sewer, and trash are included in rent. You pay electric through Austin Energy, which runs roughly $90 to $180 a month for a one bedroom depending on the season.
Does The Heights at 8721 allow pets?
Yes, two pets maximum. There’s no pet deposit, a $350 one time fee per pet, and $25 a month per pet. Breed restrictions apply and they require a pet interview, so plan on bringing your dog to the office.
How long does the application take?
Longer than at a market rate apartment. The income and paperwork check on a tax credit application runs three to four weeks, and this property has reviews describing delays on top of that. Don’t apply here if you need keys inside of a month.
What happens if my income goes up after I move in?
Nothing. You’re allowed to exceed the maximum limit once you’ve qualified at move in. The full time student rule stays in place the whole time you live there, though.
Can I get approved with bad credit?
The property doesn’t publish a credit minimum. Tax credit properties like this one typically work in the 570 to 600 range with clean rental history, and active debt to a previous landlord is usually a hard stop. Confirm before you spend the $25.
The Bottom Line
The value here is real and specific. A 2024 building with granite counters and 14 foot ceilings in select units, at $918 net effective, water and sewer and trash included, $25 to apply. If you’re over 55 on a fixed income between roughly $33,000 and $56,220, not many Austin properties beat this.
But the tradeoff is real. You’re signing at a building with open questions about how well it got built, in a spot with a walkability score of 20 and no transit worth using. And a management company whose review replies tell you the office and the corporate team aren’t exactly in sync.
This makes sense if:
- You’re income qualified and the ceiling isn’t a problem
- You drive everywhere anyway
- You want senior oriented amenities without senior housing pricing
- You’re a pet owner tired of paying deposits
This doesn’t make sense if:
- You need to move in under a month
- Every adult in your household is a full time student
- Your income is about to cross the cap
- You need to be walkable to groceries
- Any hint of water damage in a review is enough to make you walk
My honest read: this is a good deal for the right household and a headache for the wrong one. The difference comes down to two things. Does your income fit the window, and are you willing to inspect the unit hard before you sign? Take the tour, then ask about water.
Need Help With The Heights at 8721?
Work with me. My service is free. I’m paid a small referral fee out of the property’s marketing budget, and your rent is exactly the same whether you use me or not. I check your income against both the floor and the ceiling before you apply. I tell you exactly which documents to bring. And I pull the current net effective rents at the nearby income restricted communities so you’re comparing real numbers.
Go it alone. Totally fine. Call the leasing office directly at 512-309-7038. 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.
