clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
Photo of a small frame house
1609 Newton Street
Via Redfin

The 10 smallest houses for sale in Austin right now

Real charmers and some absolute teardowns

By Cindy Widner
View as Map
1609 Newton Street
| Via Redfin
By Cindy Widner

There are many reasons the market for small homes is growing. Price is a big one, but the trend toward paring down, living in a way that makes less impact on the earth, and transitioning through various life changes are all factors as well.

We have been partnering with real-estate analytics site NeighborhoodX to take a close look at sales price ranges in different Austin neighborhoods, ranking asking prices on a per-square-foot basis; this list grew out of that analysis.

We wanted to focus on single-family homes this time, partly because small condos tend to be clustered in a couple of parts of town (the UT area and a certain complex in South Austin) and partly because they tend to be more varied, stylewise.

The smallest freestanding houses for sale right now in Austin range from 516 to 628 square feet in size. That said, many of them sit on good-sized lots and are positioned as development sites rather than as residences in and of themselves.

The prices for these homes range from $150,000 (7511 Bethune Avenue in St. Johns) to $515,000 (1609 Newton Street in Bouldin Creek).

On a per-square-foot basis, they range from $277 per square foot for the St. Johns property to $851 per square foot for 1207 East Ninth Street in Central East Austin.

You can dive into NeighborhoodX’s chart for more detailed info here.

Read More

1706 Webberville Road

Copy Link

Asking price: $219,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathrooms, 516 square feet

The lowdown: The rather inelegant arrows pointing out this smallest of East MLK homes to distinguish it from its larger neighbor telegraphs that it’s being marketed as a teardown, but photos of the interior make it look entirely livable, maybe while you’re building the duplex the listing advises.

1706 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78721
Photo of a blue house with an arrow pointing to it
1706 Webberville Road
Via Redfin

7611 Bethune Avenue

Copy Link

Asking price: $150,000

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 550 square feet

The lowdown: Another home advertised as a “scrape and build” or rental as the dirt appreciates, this classic frame home looks pretty cute, but there are no photos of the interior in the listing, so the jury’s out on livability.

7611 Bethune Ave, Austin, TX 78752
Photo of small white frame house
7511 Bethune Avenue
Via Coldwell Banker

705 Ramos Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $237,000

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 552 square feet

The lowdown: This Govalle listing’s giveaway as a probable teardown is the photos of bigger, newer homes nearby, as well as a lack of interior photos.

705 Ramos St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a small, older, gray frame house
705 Ramos Street
Via Redfin

1207 East Ninth Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $477,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 560 square feet

The lowdown: This sweet home is on a stretch of similarly well-kept, modest houses on a short street across from a church and half a block from the Texas State Cemetery, very close to downtown.

1207 E 9th St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a small green frame house

1201 South Sixth Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $460,000

Size: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 576 square feet

The lowdown: A cute and livable cottage that overlooks the Bouldin Creek Greenbelt with original hardwoods, recent AC, and paint.

1201 S 6th St, Austin, TX 78704

1802 Miriam Avenue

Copy Link

Asking price: $305,000

Size: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 580 square feet

The lowdown: This East Austin home in walking distance from the UT's baseball Disch-Falk Field and not-so-slowly being surrounded by large multifamily builds is probably bound to be demolished by the buyer, but it’s nonetheless interesting to consider in the context of the area’s history.

1802 Miriam Ave, Austin, TX 78702

75 Chicon Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $350,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 600 square feet

The lowdown: We’ve featured this 1922 Holly area home before, simply because it’s emblematic of that neighborhood’s historic housing stock. It might just need a paint job, but there are no interior photos in the listing.

75 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a wooden frame house
75 Chicon Street
Via Coldwell Banker

64 San Marcos Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $295,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 600 square feet

The lowdown: A detached condo in the East Cesar Chavez neighborhood, this place is the rare small property in East Austin that isn’t being marketed as a teardown.

64 San Marcos St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a fairly new house
604 San Marcos Street
Via Coldwell Banker

902 East 54th Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $339,000

Size: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 624 square feet

The lowdown: Hardwood floors, a big backyard, and a convenient North Loop location make this abode appealing.

902 E 54th St, Austin, TX 78751
Photo of a green frame house
904 East 45th Street
Via Estately

1609 Newton Street

Copy Link

Asking price: $519,000

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 628 square feet

The lowdown: This house is cut as pie, and even if the buyer doesn’t scrape it, it looks like there’s still room for a second structure on the lot.

1609 Newton St, Austin, TX 78704
Photo of a small frame house
1609 Newton Street
Via Redfin
© 2023 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Link copied to the clipboard.

1706 Webberville Road

1706 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78721

Asking price: $219,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathrooms, 516 square feet

The lowdown: The rather inelegant arrows pointing out this smallest of East MLK homes to distinguish it from its larger neighbor telegraphs that it’s being marketed as a teardown, but photos of the interior make it look entirely livable, maybe while you’re building the duplex the listing advises.

1706 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78721
Photo of a blue house with an arrow pointing to it
1706 Webberville Road
Via Redfin

7611 Bethune Avenue

7611 Bethune Ave, Austin, TX 78752

Asking price: $150,000

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 550 square feet

The lowdown: Another home advertised as a “scrape and build” or rental as the dirt appreciates, this classic frame home looks pretty cute, but there are no photos of the interior in the listing, so the jury’s out on livability.

7611 Bethune Ave, Austin, TX 78752
Photo of small white frame house
7511 Bethune Avenue
Via Coldwell Banker

705 Ramos Street

705 Ramos St, Austin, TX 78702

Asking price: $237,000

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 552 square feet

The lowdown: This Govalle listing’s giveaway as a probable teardown is the photos of bigger, newer homes nearby, as well as a lack of interior photos.

705 Ramos St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a small, older, gray frame house
705 Ramos Street
Via Redfin

1207 East Ninth Street

1207 E 9th St, Austin, TX 78702

Asking price: $477,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 560 square feet

The lowdown: This sweet home is on a stretch of similarly well-kept, modest houses on a short street across from a church and half a block from the Texas State Cemetery, very close to downtown.

1207 E 9th St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a small green frame house

1201 South Sixth Street

1201 S 6th St, Austin, TX 78704

Asking price: $460,000

Size: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 576 square feet

The lowdown: A cute and livable cottage that overlooks the Bouldin Creek Greenbelt with original hardwoods, recent AC, and paint.

1201 S 6th St, Austin, TX 78704

1802 Miriam Avenue

1802 Miriam Ave, Austin, TX 78702

Asking price: $305,000

Size: 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 580 square feet

The lowdown: This East Austin home in walking distance from the UT's baseball Disch-Falk Field and not-so-slowly being surrounded by large multifamily builds is probably bound to be demolished by the buyer, but it’s nonetheless interesting to consider in the context of the area’s history.

1802 Miriam Ave, Austin, TX 78702

75 Chicon Street

75 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702

Asking price: $350,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 600 square feet

The lowdown: We’ve featured this 1922 Holly area home before, simply because it’s emblematic of that neighborhood’s historic housing stock. It might just need a paint job, but there are no interior photos in the listing.

75 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a wooden frame house
75 Chicon Street
Via Coldwell Banker

64 San Marcos Street

64 San Marcos St, Austin, TX 78702

Asking price: $295,000

Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 600 square feet

The lowdown: A detached condo in the East Cesar Chavez neighborhood, this place is the rare small property in East Austin that isn’t being marketed as a teardown.

64 San Marcos St, Austin, TX 78702
Photo of a fairly new house
604 San Marcos Street
Via Coldwell Banker

902 East 54th Street

902 E 54th St, Austin, TX 78751

Asking price: $339,000

Size: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 624 square feet

The lowdown: Hardwood floors, a big backyard, and a convenient North Loop location make this abode appealing.

902 E 54th St, Austin, TX 78751
Photo of a green frame house
904 East 45th Street
Via Estately

1609 Newton Street

1609 Newton St, Austin, TX 78704

Asking price: $519,000

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 628 square feet

The lowdown: This house is cut as pie, and even if the buyer doesn’t scrape it, it looks like there’s still room for a second structure on the lot.

1609 Newton St, Austin, TX 78704
Photo of a small frame house
1609 Newton Street
Via Redfin