Howdy, pardner! Welcome to Amarillo, a truly Texan Wild West-style locale (minus Will Smith). Established in the late 1800s as a ranching town and railroad depot, Amarillo was economically ravaged by the Dust Bowl and has only recently been revitalized due to the burgeoning defense logistics and hospital industries. Despite this, the ranching and rodeo lifestyle remain prevalent within city limits.
Feel like you've been out riding fences for too long now? Well Desperado, kick off those dusty cowboy boots and let's find you an apartment.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Amarillo is home to a large number of rodeos, equestrian competitions and motor sport expositions held annually in downtown Amarillo, including the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo and the World Championship Ranch Rodeo.
Nature-lovers take heart. Twenty-five miles south of Amarillo is the extensive and scenic system of canyons known as Palo Duro. The six miles of multi-use trails within the park can access Lighthouse Peak, the area’s signature feature.
So, about the weather. Amarillo has a semi-arid climate, and it’s centrally located in the flat, dusty, wind-swept plains of the Texas Panhandle. Consistently high and dry summer temperatures in the summer and blizzards in the winter make Amarillo a city of extremes. Well, the spring must be lovely then, right? Funny you should ask.
Neighborhoods
The areas of Plemons, Llano and Wolfin are located furthest southwest of the hollowed out downtown. Here, homes preserved by the National Register of Historic Places are occupied by mostly single-family owners. Rental options are occasionally available in private residences and the infrequent apartment building. While prices here are not outlandish when compared to, say, Houston, they are, on average, slightly higher than in neighborhoods to the immediate north. Expect to pay between $500 and $700 for a moderately sized two bedroom.
The Northwest side of town is home to a number of newly constructed rental properties that flank the city's many nationally renowned hospitals. Condo complexes and town house communities with gyms, community centers and pools range in price here from about $600 to $800 for a one to two bedroom. The area is also home to a number of conveniently located shopping centers and restaurants.
Further west, the near-suburban Soncy offers some of the most luxurious rental living around, complete with large, new developments priced up to $2,000 a month for a three bedroom.
The neighborhoods due north of Amarillo Boulevard is where rent is frequently the cheapest. The southern portion of the Old San Jacinto neighborhood is a good compromise for the area, as rent here generally falls between $500 and $600 for a two bedroom.
Home, Home on the Range
You can see how far Amarillo has come from its ranching roots when you consider the wide variety of new construction rentals. Townhouses, large apartment complexes and condos provide the most options in terms of space, amenities and price variance. Because management companies run these properties, metropolitan Amarillo real estate agents infrequently handle rentals. Applicants for apartments in these complexes can expect to pay between $30 and $40 for a credit check and sign leases of three to six months or a year. Privately owned apartments in single-family homes are frequently listed on Internet apartment searches (it's yer lucky day) and brokered directly through the owner.
Git Along Little Doggie
Interstate 40, the wide swatch of highway formerly known as Route 66, bisects the city and provides a fairly painless commute to downtown. Outside of saddling up your Quarter Horse, Amarillo provides little in terms of transportation for residents without automobiles. Amarillo City Transit operates eight bus lines throughout downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.
As you can see, if you're ready for the rough, tough Wild West, Amarillo has a place to hang your hat in a variety of price ranges. So saddle up and get hunting, we’ll see you on the other side!
