Perhaps you’ve heard about the influx of people moving into the Live Music Capital of the World. There’s good reason why Austin is one of the country’s fastest-growing large cities.
Austinites have been feeling the crush for several years now, and unfortunately, neither the traffic nor the rent prices show any sign of easing up. While the average rent in Austin for a three-bedroom apartment is about $1,800 a month, there are some places that cater to those with diamonds on the soles of their cowboy boots.
Take, for instance, The Bowie. The penthouse here starts at $12,284 – but goes up to a whopping $31,741 a month.
Living the high life downtown
Photo courtesy of The Bowie
If you’re comfortable dropping the cost of a new Subaru Forester every single month for rent, you’ll be settling into a luxe downtown high rise overlooking the Colorado River. Beyond being the epicenter of Austin’s killer music scene, downtown is the city’s cultural hub with all the amazing restaurants, shopping and nightlife you’d expect from a city with this much buzz.
You’ll also be right across the street from a Whole Foods – along with a Trader Joe’s if you’re slumming it. Just outside your door, pick up the Shoal Creek Trail, a hike-and-bike oasis that follows the creek to Lady Bird Lake. Ready to take advantage of all that outdoor fun in the middle of downtown? Good thing you have free use of The Bowie’s community bikes, stand-up paddle boards and kayaks.
A peek inside your posh new pad
Wondering what up to $380,892 annually looks like? Think shiny, sleek and upscale, with all the bells and whistles. Your 2,654-square-foot, three-bedroom/three-bath penthouse features floor-to-ceiling windows, sky-high ceilings and three private terraces. From glossy hardwoods and oversized closets to rainwater shower heads and soaking tubs, you can expect comfort and style in every corner.
Swanky building amenities
Photo courtesy of The Bowie
So, you’d like to do a little entertaining in your new space? Stir things up in the catering kitchen, then cozy up by a fire pit on the 31st-floor outdoor deck. Better yet, beat the brutal Austin heat in the resort-style rooftop infinity pool.
There are ample hang spaces indoors, as well, plus a conference room with teleconferencing if you need to get a little work done (hey, somebody’s gotta pay for this place).
Pets even have a place at The Bowie. In addition to an outdoor dog park on the 10th-floor deck, you’ll even find a dog grooming room. Yet, when it comes to feeling like a VIP, nothing beats the 24-hour concierge service.
Green with envy
If you like your glam with a splash of green, you’re in luck. The Bowie is a Silver LEED-certified green building. You’ll find vehicle-charging stations in the garage, and B-cycles (Austin’s popular bike-sharing program) are easy to access from your building. Even in the heart of the big city bustle, you’ve got miles of riverside trails to explore.
Adding it up
We’re told that we should spend no more than a third of our income on rent. That means you need to be making nearly a million bucks annually to comfortably afford your penthouse at The Bowie.
Does spending up to $380,892 a year on rent give you pause? Consider what else you could buy for around that same amount:
- A vacation villa in Santorini, Greece
- 98,859 Chicken McNuggets Happy Meals
- A 2018 Ferrari GTC4Lusso
- 2,033 bottles of Dom Perignon
- 1,420 Tier 5 University of Texas football season tickets
If you still have your eyes set on the Bowie penthouse, at the time of publication, the unit is available. But if you can’t shell out THAT much money for living expenses, here are a few other more affordable options.
- Mosaic at Mueller – $10,950/month
- The Catherine – $9,405/month
- 3500 Westlake – $6,346/month
- Gables Park Tower – $6,195/month
- Infinity Residences at the Triangle – $4,455/month
Or you could just get a studio at the Bowie. They start at $1,919 a month.
The rent information included in this article is based on January rental property inventory on ApartmentGuide.com and rent.com and is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing or availability guarantee for any apartment.
