Goodbye Boston, Hello Austin: A FEW QUESTIONS... (Rockport: how much, hotels)

[centralaustinite]

They have heat and humidity in New England?!

Yes, you will want to wear sunscreen often. I wear it daily. In the summer, my family of five will go through a face stick and big bottle of sunscreen every two weeks. We are significantly closer to the equator here -- just a bit further south than Cairo Egypt -- so the days are more regular year around (not as dark in the winter, not as much daylight in the summer) and the UV is high!! Try wearing clothing with sunscreen built in. Saves on sunscreen and is highly effective.

Please report back and let us know how you acclimate!

[BlueBear1]

You sound well-researched, and you have a good attitude. You'll do fine. In fact, I bet you will love it. If the car thing becomes an issue, deal with it then. An apartment locator is free and can help with the apartment search. Do come back and report how you're doing!

[Lafemmenikita1]

Hi BuckJustice!
I like your spunk! I've lived without a car before in Canada and Japan and I've been fine, but Texas is hardcore America and Americans see a car as part of their status. No car = no status. I'm a recent ex-grad student who is used to living poor, so I feel your pain.
But enough with that the car woes! You are determined to be car less and I admire stubborness so I'm going to help you out.
We moved down here from Buffalo just a month ago, stayed with family for a little bit, and then found an apartment with Balcones through a really nice apartment locator lady named Nikki. I can give you her number if you like. She also helped my SIL find an apartment closer to town.
There are multiple apartments under the Balcones title; ours is Balcones Club. It is located a minute by car from the H-E-B, the local grocery chain, on 12860 Research Boulevard, Austin, TX 78750. I'm not very familiar with Tech Ridge, but the HEB on Tech Ridge is 7 miles away by car. Using google maps, a mid morning commute by bus would take you at least an hour to hour and a half.
Our apartment is a 900sqft 1 bedroom + office. Our lease is 8 months and the rent we pay is $896 a month, plus our share of utilities, so grand total this month we owe for September is $917.
Balcones Club does not receive favorable reviews on yelp, but it's mostly unfair. There's a pool, rather meager gym, and laundry hookups. It might not be the best fit for you because of the lack of laundry facilities, but I bet you're used to that in Boston and know how to deal. Washatopia laundromat is 1.2 miles from the apartment complex.
The management at BC work hard and do what they can. Our AC broke a week after moving in, but they gave us a portable AC to get us through the week of waiting for it to get fixed. As far as bugs go, I've seen two ants, 3 rolly pollys in the tub, and 1 earwig. Oh, and a gecko!
Here's a link to their website:
Balcones Club | Apartments in Austin, TX
You can try calling them, but good luck getting through. The office has a strict policy of never answering their phone if there's a client in there. Also, they require proof of employment or a cosigner, and they need you to make 3 times your rent.
You are so lucky to work on Tech Ridge! Are they hiring? Can you hook us up?
You will be super close to Ho Ho Chinese BBQ, one of the best Chinese joints I've been to here! It's right between 35 and North Lamar by the Golden Corral.
Let me know if this helps you and if you have any other questions. I've got a soft spot for New England transplants and barely know anybody except family in this godforsaken hellhole. :P
Don't let the naysayers get you down. It can be done!

[ScoPro]

I see a car as a necessity, not as status.

[petro]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

I see a car as a necessity, not as status.

Yeah, I also disagree with Lafemmenikita1's status comment.

I didn't have a car when I lived in Boston (and it was great), but had to get one when I moved here. It sounds like OP has a solid plan to find housing close to the bus line to get to and from work. I'd strongly suggest that he look for housing in one of the north central neighborhoods that are on the bus route (triangle, brentwood, crestview). That way he'll have walking/biking access to shopping, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, etc.

I agree that a car is pretty much a necessity here, but I also think OP will be fine if he's smart in his planning.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by BuckJustice

Well thank you everybody for your input.

First and foremost, lets start with the car. If a car is so necessary in Austin, then every friend I make will already have one, right? Just kidding.....

Now listen, I am not a naive north-easterner that thinks that a bus is a God given right. I have always enjoyed reading about different cities and states ever since I was a child, and I am well aware that Texas ain't Boston.

I am expecting the worst, and hoping for the best. I'm not sure if some of you read, but I CANNOT get a car and insurance right now. My freaking license is suspended at the moment because of multiple violations. A car can wait. Because . . .

This 801 MetroRapid bus come ALL THE TIME.
The 801 not only goes to my work, but it also hits downtown. SO.... why not move right near an 801 stop? It comes very often, runs very late, and starts very early (Boston subways and buses close right after midnight, if you can believe it. You can't even get last call at a bar or watch the end of a concert). It can take me to work, home, and downtown. And because of real time transit apps nowadays, I won't be standing in the sun waiting for bus all the time.

I just want to live off that bus line, I'm not interested in exploring the system. Well, I like to explore but I won't be dependent on it.
If anyone thinks this is a bad idea, let me know why, I'd love to hear from someone who rides this bus often.

My last thoughts about the whole car thing is this: I can rent a car, Uber it, or use one of the other services I've heard about in Austin. I rented a car the other weekend just because I wanted to go to Six Flags on the other side of Massachusetts. It's cheap, man. Trips out of town? Well, I assume it would be with people I've met. I have no people to visit Texas cities (besides a cousin San Antonio). And yes, I have heard that there are actually buses that go from city to city out there.

Why all the pessimism? Are you guys just so used to having a car that you can't imagine life without it? I am on an adventure. I need something totally different, and I don't have much to lose.

I'm gonna try it, and tell the board what a magnificent success I become!

Given your positive (right) attitude, I'm sure you can make it work for you. Having a bicycle will give you added flexibility, its not always 105 degree or raining here. All of the buses have bike racks on them so you can take it with you if you want to.

[BuckJustice]

Yes, I have researched it well so far, and it's still two months until I head down there!

As far as a car being status symbol, I don't really befriend people who would look down upon someone if they don't have a car, and I'm not a very materialistic person in general. I won't have a car, but at least I'll have done money to do fun things. And if I need to, I can rent a car for a weekend.

I am hoping to move up in my company, and maybe I can afford a car later. As it is, my future boss in Austin wants me down there ASAP because he likes what he's heard about me.

[WildChicken]

You need or a car or you will spend hours each day on a bus.

[jackalope48]

Without a car November will be a good month to move in and get awareness of the surroundings. Typically it's the best weather month in Texas. You might look at the motorized bikes for traveling off the direct bus routes. A lot of Texas cities have bike racks on the front or back of the buses so they can spend their money increasing frequency rather than creating more routes. Basically encouraging people to ride their bike to a main line rather than have lots of trailing small lines. You might check and see if your work has a shower for people commuting by bike as well as you might find that easier at some point.(depending on how far from the bus stop it is you may want it in August just from walking from the bus to work).

Bugs are a given anywhere. Ask your potential landlords whether they spray and how often.

Have a good backpack and water bottle for carrying stuff around in.

Our beaches put Cape Cod to shame. Ours actually have sand rather than rocks.

[AMJ27]

I don't have too much to add, but I just wanted to say that I think that you'll be fine without a car. It would be much, much easier with a car, but I think that as long as you realize what you are getting into and live as close to the bus line you need that you will be fine for the time being. There are grocery delivery services and Uber to make things easier. You can take a lot of Uber rides for the price of a car payment, insurance, and gas.