Sell Your 78705 Condo or House | West Campus

The 78705 UT-Adjacent Playbook

What Actually Sells in West Campus

West Campus and 78705 are two markets in one ZIP: a student-housing investor market (cap-rate driven, LLC buyers, UT walking distance is the whole game) and a young-professional owner-occupant market (small condos and Hyde Park-south character homes). Selling to the wrong pool costs 15% to 25% of price.

Two Buyer Pools, One ZIP

The 78705 investor buyer is a real estate LLC that underwrites at 5% to 8% cap rate based on student rental income. The owner-occupant buyer is a UT graduate student, medical resident, or young professional valuing walkability and character. These two pools pay very different prices for the same unit. Investors underwrite at 6x annual gross rents; owner-occupants at 10x. Your listing has to pick a pool.

UT Walking Distance Is the Whole Game (Investor Side)

For the student-rental investor pool, walking distance to UT campus is the primary value driver. Sub-5-minute walk (Nueces, Rio Grande, San Antonio corridors): premium. 5 to 10 minute walk: standard. Over 10 minutes: cap-rate discount because student demand thins. Name the specific walk time to the UT Tower in your listing.

Rental Restrictions in Condo Associations Kill Investor Value

Some 78705 condo buildings have HOA rules capping the percentage of units that can be rented out. If your building is at or near the cap, the investor pool cannot buy your unit (they cannot lease it). This kills 60% of demand and shifts you to the smaller owner-occupant pool. Verify your building's rental cap before listing; frame accordingly.

Hyde Park South Is a Different Market

The southern edge of 78705 bordering Hyde Park (blocks around 32nd, 34th, and Speedway) has character homes and larger condo/duplex stock that trade to owner-occupants, not student-rental investors. Prices here are lifestyle-driven ($400K to $700K for updated condos, $700K to $1.5M for character SFR). Do not conflate this with the student-rental market to the south.

Student Housing New Construction vs Original Condo Stock

78705 has purpose-built student housing (mostly high-rise, 2010s to 2020s construction, amenity-heavy, rented by-the-bed) and legacy small condos (1970s to 1980s, 400 to 700 sqft, rented per-unit). These are different products with different buyer pools. Do not comp new-construction student housing against legacy condos.

Parking and University Ave Frontage

For 78705 rental investors, parking spaces are worth $15K to $30K each because students bring cars. On-street parking availability affects underlying investor demand. Blocks with restricted street parking (permit only, poor availability) trade at discounts because the investor cannot deliver parking to prospective tenants.

Furnished vs Unfurnished Turnkey Positioning

The strongest 78705 rental-investor listing is furnished, turnkey, ready-to-rent-day-one. Investors pay real premiums (5% to 10%) for units where they can begin collecting rent within 30 days of closing without any conversion work. If your unit is furnished, price it as an investor turnkey product, not as a bare-shell condo.

What Sells in 20 Days vs. Sits for 100

Turnkey furnished 2BR condo, sub-5-min UT walk, no rental cap issues, delivered with pro forma: 15 to 25 days to investor buyer. Small 1BR condo in a building at rental cap, over 10 min walk from UT: 90+ days. Fully-updated Hyde Park-south character home priced for owner-occupant pool: 30 to 60 days.

Also Selling in a Different Central Austin ZIP?

Luke is the direct-service listing agent across all six core Central Austin ZIPs. Read the seller playbook for the ZIP your home is actually in: 78701 Downtown · 78702 East Austin · 78703 Tarrytown / Clarksville · 78704 Zilker / Bouldin / Travis Heights · 78705 West Campus / UT · 78723 Mueller / Windsor Park.

How Luke Sells Your 78705 Property

The 60-Day 78705 Listing Playbook

Every 78705 seller Luke works with goes through the same six-step process. Timeline: 60 to 100 days from first consultation to close in a normal market.

Week 1

Free consultation and honest valuation

Luke visits your 78705 property in person, walks through every room, notes prep opportunities, and pulls sub-neighborhood-specific comparable sales. You get a written valuation with three scenarios (aggressive, market, and conservative pricing), plus a pre-list prep plan that pays for itself in net proceeds.

Weeks 2 to 3

Pre-list prep, professional photography, listing copy

Luke coordinates any pre-list work you choose to invest in, orders professional interior + drone photography, and writes lifestyle-first listing copy that speaks to the actual 78705 West Campus / UT buyer. Every photo and every sentence is intentional. No template.

Week 4

Go live on MLS + full marketing distribution

Your listing hits ACTRIS MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, and every syndicated platform simultaneously. Same day: targeted outreach to the specific buyer-agent network that transacts most frequently in your 78705 sub-neighborhood, social distribution to Luke's network, and open-house scheduling if strategic.

Weeks 5 to 8

Showings, feedback, offers, negotiation

Luke personally handles every showing and every incoming offer. You get daily updates during active periods, weekly market feedback, and immediate calls when an offer comes in. Negotiation happens directly between Luke and the buyer's agent; no team assistant, no delay.

Weeks 9 to 12

Under contract to close

Once you accept an offer, Luke coordinates inspections, appraisal, title work, and closing logistics. You get a weekly checkpoint call and immediate outreach when any decision or approval is needed. Nothing falls through the cracks in the final two weeks.

After close

Post-close support and future planning

After closing, Luke helps with next-step logistics: 1031 exchange coordination if applicable, next-home purchase representation if you are staying in Austin, and referrals to trusted movers, cleaners, and settlement service providers. Every past client stays in Luke's network.

Frequently Asked

78705 Sellers Questions Answered

Should I sell my 78705 condo to an investor or an owner-occupant?

Depends on your specific unit. Small condos (1BR studio, 400-700 sqft, in a walking-distance building with no rental cap issue) sell fastest to student-rental investors at cap-rate-driven prices. Larger condos (2BR+, updated finishes, in a building with rental caps at or above 50%) can sell to young professionals or medical residents at 15% to 25% higher prices. Choose the pool that matches your unit.

What is a rental cap in a 78705 condo association?

Some condo HOAs cap the percentage of units that can be rented out at any time (commonly 25% to 50%). Once the cap is reached, no additional owners can lease their units. This directly limits the investor buyer pool: if the cap is met, investors cannot buy because they cannot rent. Check your building's bylaws before listing.

How much does UT walking distance affect condo price?

Meaningfully. Sub-5-minute walk to campus (Nueces, Rio Grande corridors) commands a 15% to 25% premium over the same unit 10+ minutes away, because student demand thins with distance. For the investor buyer pool, walking distance is the primary underwriting input.

What is the difference between purpose-built student housing and legacy condos?

Purpose-built student housing (2010s to 2020s high-rises, rented by-the-bed, extensive amenities, LLC-managed) is a different product than legacy 1970s-1980s condos (rented per-unit, owner-managed, minimal amenities). Different underwriting models, different buyer pools, different comps.

Should I furnish my 78705 rental condo before selling?

For the investor buyer pool, yes: turnkey-furnished units command 5% to 10% premiums because investors can begin collecting rent within 30 days without conversion work. For the owner-occupant pool, staging (not permanent furnishing) is sufficient.

What is Hyde Park south and why is it different from West Campus?

The southern blocks of Hyde Park (roughly 32nd Street to 34th Street, Speedway to Duval) are in 78705 but function as a character-home market, not a student-rental market. Buyers here are young professionals and medical residents valuing walkability and character. Prices are lifestyle-driven, not cap-rate driven.

What cap rate do 78705 rental investors typically underwrite at?

5% to 8% depending on property class, walking distance to UT, and building condition. Newer purpose-built student housing (amenity-heavy) can underwrite at slightly lower cap rates (4.5% to 6%). Legacy 1970s condos with deferred maintenance underwrite higher (7% to 9%). Your listing pricing should be underwritable to a target cap rate.

How much are 78705 parking spaces worth?

For student-rental investors, assigned parking is worth $15,000 to $30,000 per space depending on building and lease demand. Buildings with poor parking availability (permit-required, thin supply) trade at discounts because the investor cannot deliver parking to tenants.

How do I get started?

Call Luke at (254) 718-2567 or email [email protected]. First step is a free written valuation with buyer-pool positioning (investor vs. owner-occupant), building rental-cap review, and turnkey/pro-forma packaging if applicable.

Start Your 78705 Sale

Get a Real Read on What Your Budget Buys

The best next step for a sub-$600K South Lamar buyer is a 30-minute conversation with Luke. Real budget context, honest corridor recommendations, and a same-day setup for MLS alerts calibrated to your criteria. No pressure. No obligation.

Direct (254) 718-2567

Email [email protected]

Office 1401 West Ave, Suite B · Austin, TX 78701

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