Questions you should answer so we can better help you research austin relocation (rentals, condo)

[Austin97]

Here are a few questions, maybe others can add more then we can make a sticky

For all the questions, try to prioritize what is most important

1) What is your budget?
2) How large of a house do you need? what kind of views? what size lot? how old? updated? style? HOA?
3) What part of town is your job? What type of job (planning for the next job)
4) What kind of commute is acceptable?
5) What kind of schools are you looking for?
(special needs, highest rating, nerdy, gifted, ethnic diversity, economic diversity, strength in particular sports, private, religious etc)
6) What hobbies do you/kids have?
(things like keeping chickens, horses, hockey, wakeboarding, golf may dictate where you should live)
7) What kind of entertainment are you looking for?
(big box shopping, boutique shopping, bars/nightlife, hanging out on the water)
8) What kind of food preferences do you have?
(vegetarian ,vegan, italian, pizza, meat etc)

[Idlewile]

Good idea, thanks for posting this.

I see this sticky often:

Where are you coming from?
Why are you moving?
Where will you be working? What type of work is it?

Will you buy or rent?
What is your budget ?
What kind of place are you looking for?

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you?
Do you need/want good public schools?

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
(examples: families with young children, young, mature, artsy, diverse, safe, close-knit, block parties, etc)

List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)

[Debsi]

We are only supposed to have two stickys per forum per the administrator of this site.

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by Debsi

We are only supposed to have two stickys per forum per the administrator of this site.

That's okay; couldn't we just merge this topic with the Wecome to Austin sticky so that the list of questions appears first and then the other posts within the thread that offer great info for newcomers/those considering Austin appear after the questions? I see that on a lot of local boards.

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by Idlewile

That's okay; couldn't we just merge this topic with the Wecome to Austin sticky so that the list of questions appears first and then the other posts within the thread that offer great info for newcomers/those considering Austin appear after the questions? I see that on a lot of local boards.

The posts will remain in chronological order if merged.

[Austin97]

Lets get the questions worked out here, then someone can just add the summary of questions to the welcome to austin thread. We can then just link to that post when new people dont post enough info

[Idlewile]

Well, personally, I would vote to remove the sticky from the photo thread and make this the only other sticky since the vast majority of questions this board receives are surrounding relocation and where in Austin to live; organizing it as such would prove more efficient for both local experts and those seeking info. Otherwise, just post it in the current Welcome thread and link to it.

[OpenD]

I was also going to suggest that this be the first message in the Welcome to Austin sticky. Maybe there is some other way to accomplish this, because the Captain's page alone is priceless, but everyone needs to read this info. It's tiresome to keep making the same comments over and over: "Renting or buying? How many bedrooms? What's your budget?" etc.

As to content, I think these two paragraphs from the TOS are hard to improve on. The only problem is that nobody reads the TOS when they register, obviously.

Please use the Search this Forum tool to find info you need, as much has already been written about schools, jobs, weather, crime, prices, rentals, walkability and other aspects of a location. If you don't find it, please sign in and ask your questions. New users should use the Search this Forum tool before posting a question that may have already been answered. Let us know that you have searched the forums, so we don't assume otherwise.

When asking questions about a location, give as much detail as you can, so we can zero in on the info you need. If house hunting, what is your price level or rental amount. How many BR's, Baths, square feet, lot size, etc, do you need? Pets? SFH, TH, Condo, mobile home? In-town, rural, college town, military town, mountains? Schools for children? Gated community, golf course community, active senior community? Do you need to stable a horse? Is there an RV or boat trailer to consider? The more you tell us, the sooner our regular posters can reply with specificity. Same for any other criteria you have. Please avoid open-ended requests like "I'm moving to your city, tell me EVERYTHING I need to know."

[austin-steve]

I agree a "How to effectively ask for help" sticky would be great. Austin is one of the hottest destination cities in the country, and really good job growth.

I would include a "how to search" to the list the OP suggested. Maybe "before you ask, search". With links to the top 10 threads that answer most questions.

Steve

[Debsi]

I hate to lose the easy access to Austin images though. It adds a lot of value for many users of this site, even if they are not regular posters.

Naturally, I share everybody's frustration with new users not reading the TOS, but that's not a problem I see ending anytime soon!