Lirica

This brand-new, 338-home building on East 7th in Govalle is about three miles east of downtown and still leasing up. What the tour shows best is the setting: the courtyard kept a stand of big old oaks, with a deck under string lights. Inside, the clubroom has a long bar with green stools and floor-to-ceiling windows, the gym looks out at the trees, and homes have black-framed windows, quartz and smart entry. Up top there's a fifth-floor sky lounge facing downtown.

Base rent on the official site runs $1,889 to $1,999 for a one-bedroom and $2,649 to $2,714 for a two. The special is up to 12 weeks free on select homes, so a $1,889 one-bedroom on a 12-month lease nets out to about $1,453 a month. The catch is fees: the total monthly price runs about $228 over base rent, and it isn't itemized. That makes the real starting cost about $1,681 with the special and $2,117 without it. Application, admin and deposit amounts aren't published.

Downtown is about 9 minutes by car and the airport 13, but this stretch of East 7th is still mostly industrial, with a Walk Score around 46, so you'll drive to East 6th and Cesar Chavez. Expect move-ins and finishing work for a while. Ask which homes get the full 12 weeks and what the $228 covers.