Transfer from North Dallas burbs to SW Austin or Quit? (Plano: real estate, transfer to)

[Cczaphod]

My company wants me to transfer to an Austin division. I'm looking for opinions from others who have made similar moves. Need to decide if I should just get a new job in Dallas, or stay with my company and move.

I'm a software developer with 20 years of experience and specialize in web applications. Dallas seems more "tech" based on my minimal research of Austin, but I'd rather not look for a new job right now. On the other hand, I've been in Dallas since I left College Station (yes, I'm an Aggie) and have never had trouble finding work.

I've taught the kids "Gig-em", but they're young enough to learn "hook-em". They're in an "exemplary" elementary now, so school districts are part of our search criteria. We moved out to the bounds of the tollway in Dallas for more space, so that's another prime driver for us.

Looking for compare/contrast with Dallas.

Thanks

[llkltk]

I lived in Dallas once. Never will again. I say move to Austin. It's so much better of a town than Dallas. Especially if you live in the burbs of Dallas. Your kids don't have to be Longhorns fans to live here. Most of the schools in SW Austin are exemplary. Take a chance, try something new. Austin is a beautiful city and safer than Dallas.

[hoffdano]

Dallas seems more "tech?" How so? Dallas has no real strength in software vendors. Yes there are companies, some large, that do software development. But if you want to work for a company that makes its living developing software Austin is a much better choice.

Austin is surprisingly Aggie friendly. Yes the burnt orange Deloss-Dodds-we-are-the-Joneses-arrogance can be irritating. But there are a lot of Aggies here for the usual reasons people choose Austin.

There are many choices for very good public schools in the Austin area. Start a thread on that and you'll get lots of good answers.

[FalconheadWest]

We made the move from North Dallas to SW Austin (Bee Cave) almost 3 years ago. My husband is an engineer and the main tech companies are here. It was either someone in Dallas gets laid off and they hire someone new in Austin, or someone from his company transfers to Austin... I didn't get a say as I said NO several times as I had to give up my very lucrative real estate business up there, but we're here now, and I was able to start over down here, and recreated my business.

I lived in Dallas (Richardson) for 25 years, so I'm biased, but Austin isn't bad once you put the grudge of the move aside. Austin is MUCH more slow-paced than Dallas and don't expect to get your food quickly after you order it at a restaurant, but the traffic isn't as bad as Dallas.

[homeinatx]

While I am not a fan of SW Austin (as this board knows well), I would pick SW Austin over anything in CoCo in a heartbeat. You have the same generic, bland and ugly cookie-cutter housing, but much prettier topography (hills and mature trees), mostly bigger lot-sizes, mostly equivalent, if not better-rated schools, much less traffic, and you can be in downtown Austin in 20 minutes in non-rush hour. You and your family would also have much better access to outdoor recreational activities: lakes, trails, etc than anything in the northern suburbs of Dallas. You will have less access to middle-brow chain-store shopping, and there is not much "ethnic food," but otherwise the MPCs in SW Austin are, IMO, MUCH, MUCH more attractive than their equivalents in Collin County. Where would you be working? Downtown, no problem, but a lot of the Tech employers are in far north Austin, and, if that is the case, SW Austin would give you a fairly nightmarish commute. I would agree with hoffdano that Austin is aggie-friendly.

[Cczaphod]

I'd be working off 360, which is why I'm looking SW.

We love boating and spend much of the summer on lake Lewisville, love Sneaky Pete's for boat in lunch. Like to hike, but only do it in Maui (it's pretty flat in Dallas). We were boating in Waco and Wylie this year, as well as AK, farther south seems to mean less water at the moment....

DFW has been called Silicon Prairie, but maybe that blew up with the dot coms.

Already have the job, just need to make the geographical leap. I've been listening to NPR to get myself in the mind set (or at least to prepare not to strangle any liberals)

[Trainwreck20]

It seems you might be paying a bit too much to the stereotypes. First off all, the politics in any suburb are pretty close to any other suburb with only subtle shifts, perhaps. It all depends on what you mean about liberal. You will hear libertarian thrown around, but I run into more fiscal conservatives that are social liberals - do what you want, but don't make me pay for it.

If you like boat, Lake Travis and the highland lakes above and below it make for some great boating (when there is water).

[MtnLion512]

There are plenty of Aggies here, your kids won't be forced to bleed burnt orange. You also won't be ostracized for not being a liberal/a tree-hugger/a hipster/______. Especially if you plan to live in SW Austin.

I believe there are several posters who live(d) in Legend Oaks & Circle C areas of SW Austin...I'm sure you'll get some good comments. 360 can get gnarly traffic-wise, so definitely would be good to live relatively close to work or you might not notice an improvement in traffic from Dallas From the info you've given, it's hard to see how Austin would be a downgrade both career-wise and QOL-wise for you & your family.

[Fleur~de~lis]

We lived in Plano/Frisco for 15+ yrs before we were relo'd to DC. Just had an opportunity to relo back to TX & chose Austin over D/FW area. We're very happy here - love the area & school our DS attends. People are friendly, but not gushy. I've seen plenty of Aggies around here. Come on down - there's room for everyone .

[texastrigirl]

Lived in both, preferred the pace and size of Austin over Dallas but did not dislike Dallas. It just wasn't where I wanted to raise my kids at the time. Just feel Austin overall is a more manageable size.