Anyone move to Austin....and hate it? (Georgetown, Pflugerville: home, rent)

[scongress1234]

Originally Posted by dsimicata

I am shocked to hear Austin is "ordinary" by a poster a few posts up. I've only been once on business and didn't get a chance to see much of the area, but I always thought of Austin as a very special place (based on what I had heard).

Now I find out it is an ordinary place. I had actually thought of exploring it further but now question that..

I think many people conjure up magical images of Austin that create unfair expectations for folks looking to move/visit there. First, it isn't really that large of a city....metro-wise, it isn't that impressive, and there just isn't that much going on outside of festival season and the live music. It has a tremendous music scene, but so do many smaller metros.
The vast majority of the residents live in a more nondescript lifestyle, with the same big-box stores, mega-apartment complexes, subdivisions, and such. It is, after all is said and done, just a medium-sized city. I honestly was getting bored of it after only three months living there. I seemed to be walking the same streets and going to the same places week after week. Dallas and Houston are both far more dynamic cities after all is said and done. Austin is laid-back, but that doesn't make it a great city in itself. San Diego is laid back, and has FAR more to offer, from beaches to museums ad infinitum. Austin is simply a laid-back medium sized city, with an even slower dynamic than other cities its size, like Columbus and Indianapolis. People just put unfair expectations on Austin, from the Chamber of Commerce on down, is all.

[sberdrow]

but have you all noticed that all the "hate Austin "threads are the biggest, most viewed more written on? Must be something to it.

[twange]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

but have you all noticed that all the "hate Austin "threads are the biggest, most viewed more written on? Must be something to it.

That's because the people who really like Austin, are generally too busy to bother with this forum. They simply don't need to trumpet it's virtues. They're OUT DOING THINGS. Do you think that because the evening news is filled with negative, scary things that there isn't any good left in the world? Plus, forums are a great place to vent, without having to really share a conversation. Like a journal, it can be sort of anonymous. I spend WAY too much time on here, but it's really because I like to write and a lot of my work is "in and around" my computer. My wife tells me that the more time I spend on city-data, the more negative I get.

Now I think that there's definitely something to that.

Bye. Going back outside to practice my guitar

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

but have you all noticed that all the "hate Austin "threads are the biggest, most viewed more written on? Must be something to it.

Actually, that's no suprise as they are the more sensational and controversial opinions. And a lot of people feel the need to respond for whatever reason. Ever seen a "Which one is better -- Dallas or Houston?" thread? Now THOSE generate a lot of comments and views. All the Dallasites have to chime in when their city is bashed, and the Houstonians the same...

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Actually, that's no suprise as they are the more sensational and controversial opinions. And a lot of people feel the need to respond for whatever reason. Ever seen a "Which one is better -- Dallas or Houston?" thread? Now THOSE generate a lot of comments and views. All the Dallasites have to chime in when their city is bashed, and the Houstonians the same...

I think the Dallas/houston thread is interesting, but they are too much the same. The Austin vs Phoenix thread, now thats worth reading.

[elduderino38]

Austin ordinary? hardly.

I moved here from chicago 8 years ago (a fantastic city by the way) because i hate the cold and tired of the mammoth size and traffic. Austin traffic can be annoying and bothersome no doubt but compared to chicago traffic i can deal. i do miss the italian beef sandwiches and good pizza though.

at any rate i love it here and never going back

[lisamikefoster]

I think Austin is quite possibly the most over-rated city in the country. Over crowded, polluted, full of self importance, not overly family friendly, horrible traffic and property taxes that would choke a horse.

It's often marketed as a pleasant mid-sized university town. And the 4 block perimeter around UT is definately that...but once you get away from UT, it's ugly suburban sprawl with poor growth management and horrible traffic.

I spent 5.5 years there and couldn't wait to get away. I'm in Salt Lake City now...and don't regret the move at all. Sure SLC is crowded and full of suburban sprawl, but liveability-wise, it's heads and shoulders above Austin.

[TexasHorseLady]

Glad you're happy in Salt Lake City Moderator cut: personal

Do somewhat wonder at your description of the city, however - somehow I don't think you and I are (or were) in the same town at all, especially that "not overly family friendly" part.

[AustinGuy]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Do somewhat wonder at your description of the city, however - somehow I don't think you and I are (or were) in the same town at all, especially that "not overly family friendly" part.

Comparing Salt Lake City to any other city in terms of "family friendliness" is going to make the other city come out short almost every time. After spending some time there, I don't think I've seen another place that caters so much to families as SLC.

[TexasHorseLady]

Well, there's "family friendly" and then there's "family oriented" (as in, as you say, catering to families and being all about families - of a particular definition, by the way, there's lots of kinds of families - all the time). Austin would fit, I think, into the former category but not the latter so much. So maybe you're correct and that's why we're both looking at the same city and seeing something entirely different.