Moving to Austin. Who lives there? (Formerly, moving advice)

[Reg]

I bet he's gonna be Assistant Regional Manager.

[Sky]

Assistant TO the regional manager!

[Lantyssa]

He wanted to bask in my awesomeness but knew moving to ground zero would burn out his retinas.  Austin was the perfect distance.

[Nija]

I'm moving across town and I'm paying about $500 for the pod and I considered it a decent deal.

Moving that far for that cheap is a pretty good deal.

Enjoy TexASS.

[Signe]

  I like this one!

[ahoythematey]

You're on a pink thing lately, aren't you?

More Austin Stuff: Stay the hell away from Mopac/loop-1 and I-35 during rush hour traffic if at all possible, traffic is bad everywhere during that time but if anyplace is going to be jammed it's there.  Panhandlers all over, use your best judgement.  For vietnamese food, Pho Thai Son is hard to beat; for various meats you want Fogo de Chao.  Try and see movies at the alamo drafthouse, avoid the AMC at Barton Creek mall; hallways there smell like piss everytime I go.

[Lantyssa]

  I like this one!

I figured we needed one that was :squeeing and girliness:.

You're on a pink thing lately, aren't you?

It's purple, but it goes with her avatar.

[ahoythematey]

Looks pink to me!

[JWIV]

Looks pink to me!

purple

[Cheddar]

I have been tempted by positions there (through my company) but thats a large move.  Plus, selling house and stuff would suck.

But more moneys is always nice.

[Lantyssa]

Purple fading to lavender.  Since I made it, I should know. 

[Strazos]

I have 2 friends moving to Austin soon. Trying to be game devs or somesuch things.

Sorry, Heat + Stupid = Epic Fail.

I don't know how any of you intelligent types can stand it.

[Salamok]

I have 2 friends moving to Austin soon. Trying to be game devs or somesuch things.

Sorry, Heat + Stupid = Epic Fail.

I don't know how any of you intelligent types can stand it.

Vegas was hot, Fresno was hot.  Austin is just right.

[schild]

I have 2 friends moving to Austin soon. Trying to be game devs or somesuch things.

Sorry, Heat + Stupid = Epic Fail.

I don't know how any of you intelligent types can stand it.

I don't buy this - you live in Jersey and don't have friends. How can one post be so Chock Full'o Lies?

[dusematic]

Snap.  Ice burn.

[Signe]

The toxic green glow of the New Jersey night sky can sometimes be quite beautiful. 

[Selby]

Sorry, Heat + Stupid = Epic Fail.

Austin almost never gets truly hot.  Humid at times, yes.  Truly hot?  110 in the shade hot?  Very rarely if ever.  I'd move to Austin tomorrow if I could find a job there.

[Triforcer]

I bet Lum hired him.  The Slow News Day conspiracists were RIGHT!!1!

[Lantyssa]

Austin almost never gets truly hot.  Humid at times, yes.  Truly hot?  110 in the shade hot?  Very rarely if ever.  I'd move to Austin tomorrow if I could find a job there.

I really like San Marcos.  Close enough to Austin or San Antonio, but has the small college town feel.  The weather is pretty nice, and the hot part of the year tends to be dry.  Considering Schild is coming from AZ, it's way cooler, too.

[MahrinSkel]

Hauling the car on a trailer would mean packing all the people, and all the stuff to keep them halfway sane, into the cab.  Then, when the distractions fail, you're trapped in a small steel cage with insane people.

If you don't already know where you're moving, you've got a lot of good choices.  Generally the better neighborhoods are to the west, price (and commute time) increasing as you get further out (it doesn't get really bad until you hit Lake Travis).  South West is pretty good in general (that's where I am, south end of MOPAC),  If schools are a priority and you don't want to hob-nob with the millionaires in Lake Travis ISD, the south-west or West Lake Hills are your best bets.  You might be tempted to go north or south for cheaper housing, don't.  Not only will commutting on I35 eat anything you gained, but you will be out of Travis County Autonomy Zone and back in Texas.

--Dave

[schild]

Ah, we were looking just northwest, about 7 miles exactly from 6th street. I'll have my friend take a look south/southwest.

Any particular neighborhoods/apartment areas to look at?

[Signe]

I have a friend who lives in Lago Vista which is somewhere around there, I think.  Evidently, it's a good area if your big on water sports.  (which I'm not)  The house they bought was really really expensive but if there are 12 of you, as usual, you could probably swing it!

[Phildo]

So what's the name of your new band, Schild?

[Salamok]

Ah, we were looking just northwest, about 7 miles exactly from 6th street. I'll have my friend take a look south/southwest.

Any particular neighborhoods/apartment areas to look at?

I'd agree that North is a no no but northwest Austin isn't half bad.  The cummuter train is supposed to be active this fall and that will drop you on 5th street.

Ah, we were looking just northwest, about 7 miles exactly from 6th street. I'll have my friend take a look south/southwest.

Any particular neighborhoods/apartment areas to look at?

Really depends on what you are looking for. rent or buy?  Do you want the 6th street type of life style or do you want something a little more laid back (lake rat ftw).  How important is commute to you for all we know you can work from home a few days a week. 

Commute wise most Austinites are spoiled and tend to exagerate the pain, if you are actually in Austin and going anywhere else in Austin you can pretty much get there in an hour even in heavy traffic (yes I am excluding all the lago vista, cedar park, round rock commuters). 

I'd also say that the lakeway/lake travis area isn't as expensive as Dave is making out (commute might suck though), sure if you have a view or are on the lake it is a fortune but the area itself isn't that overblown.

When I 1st moved here and was semi single I had an apartment just south of the Arboretum, it was 2 minutes from pretty much any freeway (surrounded by 360, 183, mopac and 2222) so I felt close to everywhere and it backed up to a really private wooded greenbelt where deer and racoons would hang out. 

I have a friend who lives in Lago Vista which is somewhere around there, I think.  Evidently, it's a good area if your big on water sports.  (which I'm not)  The house they bought was really really expensive but if there are 12 of you, as usual, you could probably swing it!

I'd live there in a heartbeat if it was waterfront and I could telecommute 4-5 days a week, it's probably close to a 90-120 minute commute to downtown in traffic though.

I kind of did the 6th street thing for a summer and then did the lake thing for awhile and now have a family, of the 2 imo being on the lake is far more fun, involves the same amount of alcohol. just as much if not more opportunities to get laid.  I'm biased though as I hate crowded places, generally could give a rats ass about live music and I'd much rather oogle all  the T&A at the lake.

[Signe]

I didn't know it was that far from Austin.  I just remember they named Austin as the city they go to for big stuff and where they fly in and out of when they travel.

[Salamok]

I didn't know it was that far from Austin.  I just remember they named Austin as the city they go to for big stuff and where they fly in and out of when they travel.

it's really pretty out there.  but a lot of retirees that want to keep it small they have successfully fended off the larger supermarkets and walmart type stuff for quite some time now, so if you need anything that a ma and pa type general store isn't going to have then you are driving 30min to cedar park to get it.

schild here is a map (warning it's fairly big) with the area codes that realtors use, it's a little outdated as they recently split some of the areas in half (for example there is now a 10n and 10s):
MLS MAP

Areas you you might want to live in:  1A, 1B, 1N, 4, 7, 8W, 8E, 10, 11. NW, RN, LS. 

1A, 1B, 8E and 7 aer probably the priciest with 8W and some of the LS stuff nipping at their heels.  10 and NW seem to be the "hot" markets for entry level home buyers.  The commuter rail I was talking about is going to go from the border of CL/NW to 5th street.

edit: lightened the area layer on the map so the map portion is a little more readable, new file here

[schild]

We were looking at 1N  but it does seem a little pricey all things considered. Will look into other areas. Thanks.

[Salamok]

We were looking at 1N  but it does seem a little pricey all things considered. Will look into other areas. Thanks.

you looking to rent a house or apt, or buy?

[schild]

We were looking at 1N  but it does seem a little pricey all things considered. Will look into other areas. Thanks.

you looking to rent a house or apt, or buy?

Rent, apt. Until I get settled. Don't even plan on unpacking half my shit. Looking for a 6 month lease.

[Salamok]

well For Rent is your friend then.

[MahrinSkel]

If you want the "Authentic Funky Austin" vibe without having to pay too much, 1B, 4, and 7 are your best bets.  DO NOT GO EAST OF I-35!  Until you go well north (PF), it's the DMZ.  Well, unless you want crack dealers and prostitution in your front yard.  'Cause if you need to get high or catch AIDS, commuting would suck.

--Dave

EDIT: Can't tell my right from my left

[schild]

1B, 4, and 7 are all west of the I35. Heh.

[Salamok]

yer also renting at THE perfect time, get something locked down soon before the 50k UT student body rolls into town and locks up the entire rental market.

[schild]

yer also renting at THE perfect time, get something locked down soon before the 50k UT student body rolls into town and locks up the entire rental market.

Will be locked down by this weekend or next.

[HaemishM]

A grand tour of sucky southern states? Look out, Haemmy!

I'm pretty sure schild would sooner bait a crocodile with his manhood than set foot in Mississippi.