vino67

Hello, I just quit my job here in San Diego and I am strongly reconsidering relocating. One of the cities that I have been considering is Austin. Can anybody provide feedback on pros and cons of this city? From what I've read, it's a fun city with many open-minded individuals however the summers are scorching hot. Any thoughts?

Thx

a_MAY_zing_1

stay in san diego sd is so beautiful...don't get me wrong austin is great but sd is so much better!

svann

San Diego vs. Austin is a difficult call.

I moved here with my family about three years ago from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. We really enjoy living here and have no intentions of moving elsewhere in the foreseeable future. I no longer consider my old town "home". Before springing for Austin you should probably consider a visit first.

If you were forced to move outside of Cali it would be a good move for you, provided there's a job waiting when you arrive. On the plus side Austin has more of a college town feel, not unlike Berkeley. If you lean towards the conservative side you might want to reconsider. Austin is unlike the rest of our state and nothing like Dallas or Houston. The area is similar to hilly parts of California but it isn't the same. The summer can be brutal but sometimes it isn't any worse than SoCal. There's plenty of lakes and streams, in fact we're flooding these days. You can always cool off in Barton Springs pool with a year round temperature that rarely breaks the 70's. The Gulf of Mexico is three hour's drive, however you can feel its' presence on very humid days. There's always entertainment with an active downtown scene.

That being said there are some downsides. Our traffic situation is growing worse. The highways are small while the number of drivers is growing fast. The population is expected to double and we're only starting to explore mass transit options. Local politics are fairly liberal and tend to get messy. Some of our city leaders used to sell flowers on the street corner. Depending on your field jobs can be scarce. Being the home of the state university there's always a student willing to fill available jobs so wages aren't on par with other cities in the state. The tech boom is long gone while the very high price of housing remains inflated by the former "boomers". Folks from Cali wouldn't think the cost of living is very high but it is much higher than the state norm.

vino67

great info. thx!

I'm not actually being forced out of Socal. I'm in/was in the tech industry but just quit because I was really burned out. I'm looking to move out of here for a variety of reasons, one of which is that I need a change of scenery. I'd also like to get a house and I could get a decent one with the equity I've earned on mine here in SD.

How prevelant is flooding? What about tornadoes? Is extra insurance normally purchased for situations like this? I've been in SD basically my entire life and I only know about earthquakes. I considered Austin because I am looking for a city with weather that is not too cold (no Pacific Northwest), has friendly people, has relatively affordable housing (compared to SD), and one that is semi-large. The traffic in SD is not Los Angeles-bad but is getting worse by the year.

I'm planning on a trip out there in mid-January to get a better feel for the city.

svann

Insurance for flooding is the same kind of special coverage you will find anywhere. The rates depend on the area you live in and the likelihood of flood damage. The weather pattern is variable. There were many dry years and now we've had some in a row that are above normal. I wouldn't suggest a low lying area. This is a hilly place so the flooding isn't city-wide, just the low spots near lakes and streams or areas with poor drainage. As for the other types of storm the biggest threat is from severe thunderstorms. High winds and large hail create plenty of property damage. Tornadoes are also a threat but not as bad as areas further north in Tornado Alley stretching up through the plains.

The weather can dip sub freezing but a few days later bounce into the 80's. Your mid-January visit should give you a pretty good idea. If we get an ice storm or snow it usually happens late or at the start of Spring. Nothing that sticks around for long.

The people here are very friendly, especially in Austin, pretty laid back. Housing is more affordable north and south of town but the commute is getting longer every day. Locations near downtown are very pricey in historic neighborhoods. There is some urban living available with condos and apartments in the middle of downtown as well.

Good luck with your search.

vino67

What about any suggestions on some of the desirable communities?

girlracer-uk

Hi Vino. I don't have an S2000, but I know Stefan from his visits to the Elise board and I myself just moved to Austin in September, from London no less. We moved here because we love Austin, not because we wanted to move to the US (I didn't especially, but I DID want to live in Austin). That should sum up how cool we think this place is.

We lucked out and got a huge house from 1911, right in the middle of south austin (downtown - 5 mins. from the Capitol building). Our neighbourhood is quiet and incredibly friendly, but we're also only a couple of mins drive from a countless number of great restaurants and the bustle of downtown. It's a perfect mix for me, like living in the city and the countryside all at once. It's very green and very dog-friendly (just in case that was a consideration for you!), and the hill country roads are some of the best driving roads I've ever experienced. Yes the freeways get busy during rush hour, but on the whole I don't consider the traffic a problem at all - it's all relative I guess. It takes me 15-20 mins to get to the airport, outside of rush hour. Having the rivers, lakes and parks all around the city make it a very beautiful and relaxing place to live, plus we beneift from all the cool stuff that bigger cities get - first-run movies, rock bands passing through, 24-hr restaurants and lots of free wireless, yet it's got a lot of 'small town' stuff - independently owned businesses (coffee shops, eateries, bookstores, etc). We've even got a local chain of movie theatres where they serve you food/drinks whilst you watch the film, or sometimes bands play too. (http://www.drafthouse.com)

The area I live in is called Travis Heights. We also considered Tarry Town (a bit more upscale and family friendly - Travis Heights is a little more bohemian). We found in Tarry Town you were paying extra because of the better school district, which in turn attracted young families - a big turn off for childless free spirits like us! Everyone on our little street has lived there for at least 10 years, and when we moved in almost every one of the neighbours popped by and said hi or gave us a gift.

I found this site helpful when checking out houses: http://www.austinhomesearch.com

If you need a good realtor let me know, ours was awesome and worked with us whilst we were still in the UK.

btw: yes, I was trawling s2ki.com cos I'm considering an S2K!

AustinS2k2003

I say Austin - SD may be nice year round, but Austin's weather is a good second and the cost of living will be lower here for you - no state income tax, lower gas prices, etc.