Random Questions (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio: real estate, loft, crime)

[socalmama]

We are considering moving from OC, CA to Austin. We are most interested in Steiner, Lakeway and Cedar Park. However I think once we visit (in two weeks) we'll settle on Steiner. Anyway, I just need to know if there are some stores there that I have here. Such as, Do you have Trader Joes? Nordstroms? Ann Taylor Loft? Costco? Target? All a must for a So. Cal. stay at home mom like me! LOL!

Other random thoughts and questions...
Also, are you able to get fresh veggies and fruit there?
Do you have loud thunderstorms?
Will it be difficult to get my 20 month old into the best preschool w/out having been a wait list since she was born?
Do you have activity classes offered through a parks and recreation?

That's all the stupid questions I can think of right now. I'm sure I'll be back.
Thanks in advance.
OCMama

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by socalmama

We are considering moving from OC, CA to Austin. We are most interested in Steiner, Lakeway and Cedar Park. However I think once we visit (in two weeks) we'll settle on Steiner. Anyway, I just need to know if there are some stores there that I have here. Such as, Do you have Trader Joes? Nordstroms? Ann Taylor Loft? Costco? Target? All a must for a So. Cal. stay at home mom like me! LOL!

Other random thoughts and questions...
Also, are you able to get fresh veggies and fruit there?
Do you have loud thunderstorms?
Will it be difficult to get my 20 month old into the best preschool w/out having been a wait list since she was born?
Do you have activity classes offered through a parks and recreation?

That's all the stupid questions I can think of right now. I'm sure I'll be back.
Thanks in advance.
OCMama

No Trader Joes, yet. There is a petition that many on the board have signed to get them to come out to Austin. Search for Trader Joes and you will see a thread that compares TJ's with some Austin establishments. There are some good alternatives, but pricey.

I don't shop at Nordstroms, so don't know, but Costco is about 9 miles away, and we go there about once to twice a week. Target is about 5 miles away.

In terms of activities, there are actually a good number right in Steiner, so that should cover you no problem.

What part of OC are you coming from? We were in RSM, so we like the similar topography out here in Steiner. Today I took my two daughters (7 and 8) to Lake Travis at about 10:30A, so it was still pretty cool (about 81F hehe) and breezy so the 86F water temp felt nice and warm.

I remember when we lived in MV, we would go to the lake early in the morning, and the water would be about 78F, but it was still about 70F air temp, so it is the same feeling, just with higher temps here.

[socalmama]

We currently live in No. Tustin/Cowan Heights area. We use to live in RSM but that was pre-children. I hated RSM then but looking back if we lived there when we had kids I'm sure I would have loved it. Also we were out there when nothing was built out yet. Early 90's. Are you in Steiner? What brought you out to Austin?

[Txstar]

There is a Nordstrom at Barton Creek Mall and I beleive that another Nordstrom store is going to open in 2010 at the Domain in north Austin (according to their website).

I don't live in Steiner, but last time I drove out that way it seemed to be booming with houses. It will be a matter of time before all the shopping heads out that way.

[gigi927]

In Steiner you'll be 5 minutes from Target, 15-20 minutes from Lakeline Mall (not sure if there is an ann taylor loft there), 20 minutes at least from Costco and 25 minutes to Barton Creek Mall (currently the nearest Nordstrom).

I live in a community 10 minutes closer into town from Steiner, but considered a neighboring community. While Costco is only 9 miles away the problem is that there is not an overly direct route from Steiner. I feel it's a bit far away IMO. I had to pick up my kid's birthday cake there one day at 3 p.m. on a Friday and it took me 35 minutes.

You would be much closer in to all of those things in Cedar Park. As far as Lakeway, depending upon what part of Lakeway you're in you'd actually be closer doing shopping in the SW part of town v. driving to the NW part of town.

Yes, we have loud thunderstorms compared to California (lived in south OC for a year).

Yes, you will have a hard time getting your child into a preschool without being on a waitlist. n this part of town right now even the larger facilities like Children's Courtyard and Primrose are pretty booked up. The church based preschools are even more difficult. If you decide to move, you should put your kid on the waitlists now with the hope of getting them in next fall. Registration is usually in February. What the "best" preschool is is open to interpretation. And it is just preschool after all - a well adjusted child will do well no matter what school they're at!

[Mike78613]

I live in Cedar Park, has great schools and know of two police officers in town, they said the crime is low if really any and we have plenty of activities for the kiddo's!! Stiner Ranch reminds of The Stepford Wives kind of neighborhood.

I like cookies sometimes, but I don't want the neighbors all up in my kool-aid

I can tell you if you live out in CP or Leander area, I feel a boom coming here. So much going on, plus this is coming!!

Now..... what!!

[stvlong]

I'm a native OC transplant to Cedar Park. Grew up in Mission Viejo. Parents moved there in 1967, back when it was a nice town. Now its just a yuppie playground where neighbors sue each other for stupid things, like bushes being too high. The Austin area is quickly becoming another OC. Think twice, even three times before moving here. It is very much like OC, but there are no jobs. Unless you want to work as a $9 cashier at Wal mart or the like, stay in So Cal. Put up with the traffic, attitude, and foreign languages on the radio. Sure, real estate is cheaper, but taxes are not. They assess the value of your house every year, and, consequently, the taxes go up every year. Traffic is getting worse everyday. They have not learned the lessons here that California never addressed, mainly not building the roads out as they build more houses. Every red light you hit you must wait 2 minutes until it turns green. They are on timers, not magnetic sensors. Sometimes you hit it right, but most of the time you don't. You'll have to deal with idiotic democrats who complain about everything they have absolutely no control over, like troops being in Iraq, the price of gas (yet they drive the big SUV), Bush, etc. You'd think they'd do something more practical, like getting the stop lights fixed, but that doesn't allow them to complain, so why bother. I hear that Trader Joes may build here someday, but don't count on it. Whole Foods is based here and you can bet they will prevent them from opening with all the fighting power they have. Dell is big here, but everyone I've met who works there says, "Dell, no we call it hell." It rains a bit more here, its more humid, there is no beach to go to, no Disneyland, the radio stations suck, only one good college for your kids (UT), and lot of other negatives. Go to Las Vegas. That way you can always drive for 4 hours and see your old home. You can get a good deal on houses, and the casinos have pumped a lot of money into the schools and libraries. Oh, Houston sucks, and Dallas is not any better. Takes over 2 hours to reach Houston. Dallas is near 4 hours. San Antonio is around 1 1/2 hours. To sum it up, you'd be moving into another OC, which means lots of traffic, attitude, keeping up with the Jones, no decent jobs, high summer electric bills, possible although rare snow and ice in winter, and other problems. I'm leaving soon. Not telling where I'm going. Don't want you following me there. It's a place MTV hasn't done a "Real World".....yet.

[CravenClan]

I think anyplace will be what you make of it, and I have seen sssoooo many different OPINIONS on this forum, you really have to go see for yourself. While some people LOVE San Diego, I do not, and I am only 40 minutes from there, can afford to live and NEVER would!! I think all to many times, people wnat to tear a place down, that they may have only been to a few times, and relay it on this board....But EVERYONES wants and needs, likes and dislikes are different, that is what makes the world go 'round.

[booz30]

What About The Weather Is It Severe Like Fort Worth Area I Sure Hope Not I Dont Care About The Heat Just The Severe Storms I Went On You Tube Clicked Austin Storms And There Wasnt That Many Then Clicked On Fort Worth Storms And There Were At Least 100 Postings So Can Somebody Tell Me Some Good News:d:d

[newrrmom]

Such as, Do you have Trader Joes? Nordstroms? Ann Taylor Loft? Costco? Target? All a must for a So. Cal. stay at home mom like me! LOL!
no Nordstroms yet will be in domain soon....no TJ and who knows, it's all talk now, but wholefoods is really in charge here-JMO
Yes-costco, Ann Taylor Loft??? I know An Taylor is at outlets. Brand new super Targey's to be found

Other random thoughts and questions...
Also, are you able to get fresh veggies and fruit there? very good produce
Do you have loud thunderstorms? VERY...VERY loud-scary, takes some getting used to!
Will it be difficult to get my 20 month old into the best preschool w/out having been a wait list since she was born? Yes, but my move wasn't planned and I found a awesome preschool with a great teacher for cheap, so it can work.
Do you have activity classes offered through a parks and recreation? yes many in burbs, don't know about Austin proper?

Texas is Texas, it is definitely not like CA. many here from CA. so you will get many people who know where you are from and it will feel like home in that sense. It is just different.... one of those you just have to live here to know type things.

I don't like the bugs at all, they love to bite me