Want to move to Austin this summer!
 

I live in Southern California and have my whole life. It's too expensive here and life is crazy so my husband and 2 1/2 year old son want to move to Austin Texas. Housing in So. Califonia has skyrocketed and we have a lot of money in equity in our house so why not cash out!!!
I need info about what it's like to live in Austin for young families. What about the weather? I am use to the mild climate of So. Cal., and what about the bugs? I hear you all have huge bugs there. How about jobs? My husband is not into the computer tech feild he is more of a transportation/warehouse manager or general labor kind of guy. Is there jobs like this there?
Thanks for any input!!!

austin is a super place for famillies and young kids. Gets pretty hot in the summer - July-Sept it's not unusual to have 100 plus. Bugs are over-dramatized. yes, there are bugs, but if you live in populated areas shouldn;t be a big problem. There are roaches but again, not a big problem. In "the country" you'll see scorpions once in a while. Jobs - not a problem. Although there are tech jobs, it's just a city like anywhere else where all sorts of jobs are needed. I would advise you to hire a local real estate person or do some serios research into areas of town - to me, it's all about where you live in Austin. Some parts, like the suburbs are just not "Austin" to me...

Before I moved to Austin I had no clue...no family or friends either. When I went for my first interview, I fell in love with the place. I live about 10 miles from my employer. I have a 2 year old and she is in a great home daycare center. I wanted to keep her with just a few kids...she's adjusted quite well. Anyhow, I'm meeting lots of people who are not from Austin, so why not come over? LOL. You really forget about the heat when you have so much stuff around to do. It's not that it's busy...it's just that it's entertaining! I love it. My husband loves it.

My neighbor owns a real estate company...I only found him after we moved here...otherwise I would have used him. He's extremely knowledgable. If you're serious about moving, I'd consider giving him a call. E-mail me if you want his info. I think his website is located here: www.txaar.com

Good luck!

Honestly, since your husband is in the warehousing field, you might look in San Antonio instead. That industry is very big there, and it is a lot less prevalent in Austin.

I have family in Austin and we go back for 10 days almost every year. Let me tell you that the traffic thru downtown Austin is HIDEOUS!!! It may not be the equivalent of LA but worse than Orange County by far. I'd suggest looking to the Round Rock area. Try to find employment close to when you live as well. Otherwise go to the south of Austin about 30 minutes.

It can get hot and humid but I actually like that part of our trip. I guess it may be bad if I had to work in it every day. I've never had a bugs issue in Austin....it can be bad when we're outside in the country at the family ranch.

Be prepared, Austin is basically a California city. Liberal politics, alot of aliens, traffic, transients all over downtown and a bunch of hippies at UT. **Austin is NOT Texas**

"Austin is not Texas". Amen! That's exactly what makes Austin so special. Label the people liberal if you must, but the only thing I call them is "tolerant". Something I can definitely say you are obviously not. Are all the Mexicans in Texas "aliens" to you?

I like thier motto . . .

Keep Austin Weird!

Rich

My daughter lives there, going to law school at UT. We really like it there, and may of considered moving there if it wasn't for the summer heat. And we'd miss the CA coast (we're only a 1/2 hr. from the coast).

In response to the Traveler, I guess I should have been more direct and stated *ILLEGAL* aliens....and no I'm not very tolerant of anybody who is in this country illegally.

If Austin being "un-Texas" is so appealing, why come to Texas in the 1st place? If that's not what you want, there's alot of other places to visit. You want Austin w/o the heat and bugs? Go to San Diego. We have even more illegal aliens and transients than Austin.

Austin was a great city when I was growing up as a kid. Unfortunately, too many non-Texans moved in and made Austin into where they came from.

k2rider, you are certainly welcome to your opinion. I happen to love living in Austin and I'm sure I'm in the majority with that opinion. I read one of your previous posts saying you grew up in California and that you can't wait to get away. I truly hope you get away soon and that you find the perfect place with no transients, aliens, or other undesirables. Of course, if you do find that perfect place, rest assured that others will find out about it and will soon be moving there too.