Problem 1
Too many lease-ups at once
Several buildings fill at the same time, so specials change week to week. A special you saw last Tuesday may not be the one offered today.
Area · Far North Austin · Travis and Williamson counties
New Apartments in Far North Austin, Where Vacancy Gives You Room to Ask
Prices pulled Oct 25, 2026 at 6:14 AM CT Travis · Williamson · Hays · Bastrop · Caldwell
From the Parmer Lane tech campuses to the Wells Branch and Tech Ridge corridors, new buildings are competing for the same renters.
- Free to you, and your rent is the same either way
- 144 new communities tracked (as of Oct 25, 2026)
- Prices pulled every morning
Area at a glance
25.0% Vacancy Source: Matthews, Q2 2026
$1,316 Metro effective rent Source: Northmarq, Q2 2026
10.8 wks Board median special Source: Board, Oct 25, 2026
Feed Tracked here Source: area.tracked, pulled daily
Area counts, "after special, from" prices, and typical specials render from the feed (area.* tokens), pulled Oct 25, 2026 at 6:14 AM CT. Values shown as "Feed" fill in from the live board.
- Licensed Texas brokerage Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC, TREC #562021
- Free to renters Communities pay the brokerage. Your rent is the same either way.
- Prices pulled every morning Every card shows the date and time it was pulled
- Score can't be bought Commission rates never affect score, sort, placement, or picks
Why it goes wrong
Why New Apartment Searches in Far North Austin Go Wrong
The local problem
Specials that change week to week along Parmer Lane
What you see
You tour a building on Parmer Lane, come back a week later, and the special you were quoted is gone. A mile away, a similar building offers two more weeks free on the same floor plan.
Why it happens here
Far North had the metro's highest vacancy at 25.0% in Q2 2026 (Matthews), so many lease-ups compete at once and reset their specials often.
What we do
Our lease-up search confirms this week's special in writing, then asks the building with the shorter special to match a comparable plan or lower the base rent.
Problem 2
Tolls hide in the commute
SH-45 and 183A can save time to Round Rock and the northwest, but ten toll trips a week at $4 adds about $173 a month.
Problem 3
The ISD changes at the county line
Wells Branch and Tech Ridge addresses can fall in different districts. Listings don't always say which.
Unique to this area
What brings renters to Far North Austin, and how we help here
Most renters who ask us about Far North Austin are starting a job on the Parmer Lane tech corridor or commuting to the Domain, and want a newer unit than the older complexes along I-35. The area runs from the Apple Americas Operations Center on Parmer Lane east through Scofield Ridge and Tech Ridge, and north into Wells Branch at the Williamson County line. With 25.0% vacancy in Q2 2026 (Matthews), the highest in the metro, new buildings here compete hard for the same move-ins.
Approximate free-flow ranges across the area's tracked buildings. Each building card shows its own drive minutes, route, and toll.
Needs we hear here
- A job move to Apple or the Domain
- A short drive north to Round Rock
- A newer unit with garage parking
- Room to ask on the special
Local frictions
- Toll vs. free route choice on SH-45 and 183A
- Many buildings competing at once, so specials vary week to week
- School district changes across the Travis and Williamson line, so check the ISD by address
What we do here
- 1 Rank buildings by free-flow minutes to your campus
- 2 Ask for more room on the special where vacancy is highest
- 3 Add tolls into true monthly
- 4 Confirm the ISD by address and list it as a fact
Free to you
Ways We Search the New Buildings for You
Communities pay the brokerage, so every search costs you $0 and your rent is the same either way. The first services listed matter most here.
Lease-Up Apartments in Austin Buildings already open and filling, sorted by stage and fill estimate, with what's finished and what the special does to your monthly cost. Most asked for here Austin Apartment Specials at New Builds Specials confirmed within the last 7 days, each decoded to net effective and year two, with base rent shown beside every discount. Most asked for here New Apartments Near Work in Austin New buildings matched to your job by free-flow drive time, route, and toll, with the toll added into your true monthly. Most asked for here New Construction Apartments in Austin: The New Build Board Every in-scope community on one map, with base rent, the special, net effective, true monthly, and year two pulled every morning. New Apartments Opening Soon in Austin Pre-leasing communities with opening dates we confirmed within 30 days, matched to the date your current lease ends. Build-to-Rent Homes in the Austin Metro New detached and townhome rental communities, priced on the same true-monthly basis as every apartment on the board. Income-Restricted New Apartments in Austin New buildings with income-qualified units, labeled on every card, with dated 2026 income limits and voucher rules. New Apartments Near Transit in Austin New buildings by distance to MetroRapid and rail stops, from each building's durable profile. Moving to Austin: Renting a New Apartment Before You Arrive A remote shortlist for renters relocating to the metro: five-county overview, electric by area, tolls, and live video walks of the actual unit.
Every building, decoded
New buildings in Far North
Each card renders from the feed with base rent, the special, net effective, true monthly, year two, electric, ISD, and the pull time. Pulled Oct 25, 2026 at 6:14 AM CT.
Live cards
These cards load from the daily feed
We never print a building's price or special as fixed text. Stale prices hide, and unconfirmed specials don't publish. Ask for the current list and we'll send it the same day during hours.
Room to ask: the leverage block
Vacancy measures how many units sit empty. At 25.0% in Q2 2026 (Matthews), Far North had the highest vacancy of any submarket in the metro, ahead of San Marcos at 19.9%, Northeast at 17.0%, and Southeast at 16.2%. High vacancy doesn't say anything about the area itself. It says buildings need renters, which usually means more room to ask on price, the special, or fees.
Here's how we use it. When a building is filling and nearby buildings are too, we ask for the deeper special on a comparable floor plan, a waived fee, or a lower base rent. A lower base matters most because year two prices from base rent. A $50 lower base saves $600 in year one and carries into the renewal; a bigger special that keeps the base high doesn't.
The Austin New Build Score never scores location. Leverage is a measure of room to ask, not area quality.
The concierge
From Shortlist to Keys in Five Steps
- 1 Shortlist We make the calls and confirm unit, special, and written fee sheet. Same day during hours.
- 2 Compare Net effective, true monthly, and year two side by side, plus our top two picks and the tradeoff.
- 3 Tour Up to four buildings in one routed afternoon, or a live video walk of the actual unit.
- 4 Apply We pre-check the income multiple and documents before any application fee.
- 5 Sign and move in We read the concession, fee, and flood addenda with you, then help start electric and water.
Ready to Use 25% Vacancy as Leverage?
Free to you, and your rent is the same either way. No application fee until we've pre-checked approval, and nothing to sign with us.
Local knowledge
New Apartment Know-How in Far North Austin
Getting around Far North Austin
Far North runs along three spines. Parmer Lane carries most east-west trips between the Apple campus, Samsung Austin Semiconductor to the east, and the I-35 frontage. MoPac (Loop 1) runs north-south on the west side toward the Domain and downtown, with tolled express lanes for part of the route. I-35 is the eastern spine toward Round Rock and downtown.
Two toll roads matter here. SH-45 links the area east-west at the county line, and 183A runs north into Cedar Park and Leander. Both can save time, and both add a monthly cost. Ten one-way toll trips a week at $4 is about $173 a month (toll per trip × trips per week × 52 ÷ 12). We add that number into true monthly when your commute uses a toll road, and show the free-route option beside it.
If you're commuting downtown, the I-35 downtown work from 2027 to 2033 can change which route is fastest through the middle of your lease. We flag that on any shortlist with a downtown commute.
What the new buildings here look like
New construction in Far North is mostly garden-style and wrap buildings of three to five stories, with some mid-rises closer to the Domain and Parmer Lane. Many have structured or tuck-under garages, and some charge separately for reserved spots. Ask about parking before you compare rent.
Because several buildings are in lease-up at the same time, the same floor plan can carry different specials a mile apart. We see this most along the Tech Ridge and Parmer Lane corridors. That's useful for you: when two buildings with similar finishes are both filling, the one with a longer special or lower required fees often matches the other when asked.
Check amenity open dates in writing at any building still finishing a phase, and ask about construction noise hours if another building is going up next door.
How we help
Why Parmer Lane Commuters Use Us
- Every new building here priced on net effective, true monthly, and year two
- Buildings ranked by free-flow minutes to your campus, with route and toll
- We ask for more room on the special where vacancy runs highest
- Unit, special, and written fee sheet confirmed the same day during hours
- Up to four tours in one routed afternoon along Parmer Lane and I-35
Market context for Far North
Metro effective rent was $1,316 in Q2 2026, down 5.0% year over year and up 1.8% quarter over quarter (Northmarq). Asking rent was $1,508 in May 2026 (Yardi). We say effective or asking every time because the gap between them is the concession.
The metro delivered a record 32,089 units in 2024, and 18,108 were under construction in Q2 2026 (Northmarq). Deliveries fall from about 13,000-14,900 in 2026 to about 7,000 in 2027 (Austin Apartment Association; Northmarq). Far North's high vacancy reflects how much of that new supply opened here at once.
What we cover in Far North Austin
We cover new Austin apartments along the Parmer Lane corridor, Tech Ridge, Wells Branch, and Scofield Ridge, on both sides of the Travis and Williamson county line. Every building must be ground-up new construction with first move-ins from 2024 to 2027. Electric is Austin Energy at most addresses here, but we check each one; we'll help you set it up before move-in. School districts include Pflugerville ISD and Round Rock ISD depending on the address, listed as facts with their lookup links.
Parmer Lane corridorTech RidgeWells BranchScofield Ridge
ZIP codes we cover: 78728, 78753
- Electric
- Austin Energy at most addresses; check each address
- School district (fact)
- Pflugerville ISD and Round Rock ISD (by address)
- Vacancy
- 25.0% (Matthews Q2 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- City of Austin / Travis and Williamson counties
Landmarks and routes
- Apple Americas Operations Center
- The Domain
- Samsung Austin Semiconductor
- Tech Ridge Center
- Tech Ridge Park & Ride
Parmer Lane, MoPac, and I-35 carry most trips toll-free; SH-45 and 183A are tolled. MetroRapid 801 starts at the Tech Ridge Park & Ride.
Map shows the general area. Building addresses and drive times are on each card.
New builds by area
Where the new buildings are, and what they cost after the special
Counts, typical special, and 'from' prices render from the feed with each row's pull date. Areas with fewer than 3 new builds aren't listed.
Five-county map
Click a point or a row to cross-highlight. Vacancy: Matthews Q2 2026. Electric: address and property checks, Oct 25, 2026.
Tracked count, market-rate studio/1BR "after special, from" price, typical special, and 2026 first move-ins render from the feed (area.* tokens) with the pull date on each row. ISD is a fact, not a rating. 12 more area pages are in progress.
Straight answers
Far North Austin New Apartment Questions
Direct answer first, then the source and date. If your question isn't here, ask us on the form or by text.
Why is apartment vacancy so high in Far North Austin?
A large share of the metro's new supply opened here in a short window. Matthews put Q2 2026 vacancy at 25.0%, the highest in the metro, so lease-ups along Parmer Lane often have room on the special or fees.
Which parts of Far North do you cover?
The Parmer Lane corridor, Tech Ridge, Wells Branch, and Scofield Ridge, including ZIPs 78728 and 78753, on both sides of the Travis and Williamson county line. Every ground-up building with first move-ins from 2024 to 2027 is included.
How long is the drive to the Apple campus on Parmer Lane?
Most new buildings here sit about 5-15 free-flow minutes from the Apple Americas Operations Center, with no toll on Parmer Lane. Each building card lists its own minutes and route.
Can I take transit from Tech Ridge?
MetroRapid 801 starts at the Tech Ridge Park & Ride and runs down North Lamar through downtown to Southpark Meadows. Where a building is within a practical walk of that stop, its card shows the distance.
Who provides electric in Far North Austin?
Austin Energy serves most addresses north of Parmer Lane and around Tech Ridge, with no plan choice. A 12-month letter of credit from your current utility can waive its $200 deposit, and we help you start service before move-in.
Which school districts serve Wells Branch and Tech Ridge?
Pflugerville ISD and Round Rock ISD, depending on the address. The Wells Branch MUD straddles Travis and Williamson counties, so every card names its district alongside a lookup link.
Can you guarantee a price or approval?
No. The community sets both. We get the price, the special, and the approval criteria in writing before you sign anything in Far North Austin.
Neighboring areas
Compare Far North with nearby areas
Vacancy 17.0% · Matthews Q2 2026
New apartments in Northeast Austin
East Parmer's newer lease-ups sit minutes from SH-130, while the Harris Branch side trades a longer drive for different utility setups.
Open Northeast Austin Vacancy Metro figure · No submarket figure published; metro data usedNew apartments in Far East Austin
Decker Lane's lease-ups sit in unincorporated Travis County yet still run on Austin Energy and Austin Water, a mix that changes the monthly math.
Open Far East Austin The 60-second form
Get the Far North shortlist
You don't have time to call 20 leasing offices. We do, and confirm the unit, the special, and the written fee sheet the same day during hours.
- 1 Same day We call or text during hours with a shortlist plan.
- 2 In writing Unit, special, end date, and fee sheet confirmed before you tour.
- 3 Year two shown Every pick shows year two at 0% and +3%, plus a 24-month total.
Prefer to talk? Call or text 512-000-000, Mon-Fri 8 AM-8 PM · Sat 9 AM-6 PM · Sun 12-5 PM.
Free, same day during hours
Step 1 of 3 Get my shortlist
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We'll call or text the same day during hours with your shortlist plan.
Guides
Guides for renting in this area
Explainer
Where New-Build Vacancy Is Highest in the Austin Metro
Far North 25.0%, San Marcos 19.9%, Northeast 17.0%, Southeast 16.2% (Matthews Q2 2026). What vacancy means for room to ask on a new apartment.
Read the guide
Decision guide
Toll Roads Around Austin: What 183A, SH-130, and SH-45 Add to a Commute
Toll roads by corridor, how to estimate a monthly toll bill, TxTag basics, and how to add tolls to your apartment's true monthly.
Read the guide Related pages
Keep comparing
Area
Northeast Austin
East Parmer's newer lease-ups sit minutes from SH-130, while the Harris Branch side trades a longer drive for different utility setups.
Area
Far East Austin
Decker Lane's lease-ups sit in unincorporated Travis County yet still run on Austin Energy and Austin Water, a mix that changes the monthly math.
Board view
Near Work
New buildings matched to your job by free-flow drive time, route, and toll, with the toll added into your true monthly.
Free to you, and your rent is the same either way
Get Your Far North Austin Shortlist Today
Send us your move date and all-in budget. We confirm the unit, the special, and the written fee sheet the same day during hours, then show you year two before you tour.
We don't guarantee pricing or approval. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign.