So. Cal native thinking about moving to Austin. Advice please. (Mission: real estate, renting)

[xMxer341x]

So as the title states I've lived in So. Cal. my entire life! I'm almost 22 years old and it freaks me out when I think about not being able to afford a house & renting something forever which is simliar to wasting money. My gf's family also moved there a year ago & we've been doing the long distance thing trying to keep our relationship alive because we really have something worth saving.

I guess to get to the point I really wanna know if anyone has experienced the transition from So. Cal to Austin. I'm a Motocross racer, I snowboard, LOVE authentic Mexican food and I love the beach. I would basically be giving that all up besides the Motocross part because there are some good tracks out there & I'm not sure if there is good Mexican food out there yet. I've had decent.

I have been there about 5 times and every time I have a blast. I love how most of the people are much more friendly, & how real estate is realistically priced.

But I have not been there long enough to experience the symptoms of not being able to snowboard or go to the beach & sit in the sand & clear my head on life. Or the symptoms of being away from my whole family. & I'm really worried about job placement. Ya think most people stay in CA because they like paying up the behind for things? Nope...but there are TONS of jobs out here which is why so many people wanna live here or why many people are forced to stay here. I'm a Graphic/Web Designer with some good exp. & when I look for jobs out there I don't find a whole lot but there are some. It worries me. I'm not trying to sound like a whiner cause that's not me. I'm just being wise about my decision to move pretty far away considering I was born here & I don't have much family, they are all here.

I don't wanna make a mistake and be in a jam stuck out there. So I would appreciate any type of advice.

Thanks!

[atlanta hope]

There's lots of I.T. work in Austin... you should be fine. For a smaller city, there's actually a lot of work by the looks of it. You should contact Aquent and a few other temp agencies and see what they have to say about the market. Also if you look at craigslist.org, commarts.com, and aiga austin...

If you've been 5 times and have a blast, I think you've answered your own question!

[TexasHorseLady]

If you love authentic Mexican food, next time you're here, check out Azul Tequila. Check out their menu. Their interior Mexican dishes (more affordable than Fonda San Miguel, without the ambiance that FSM offers) may take care of at least one of those issues.

[austifornian]

I think what he is experiencing is not so much a lack of authentic Mexican food but a lack of coastal mexican food in Austin.

Kind of like the first time I ordered fish and chips in the south - I was surprised when they arrived at the table covered in fried corn batter but it didn't make them any less authentic.

[TexasHorseLady]

Okay, give me an example of a dish and I'll go on a search for a source (I really am all about the food!

[Soccersupporter]

Originally Posted by xMxer341x

So as the title states I've lived in So. Cal. my entire life! I'm almost 22 years old and it freaks me out when I think about not being able to afford a house & renting something forever which is simliar to wasting money. My gf's family also moved there a year ago & we've been doing the long distance thing trying to keep our relationship alive because we really have something worth saving.

I guess to get to the point I really wanna know if anyone has experienced the transition from So. Cal to Austin. I'm a Motocross racer, I snowboard, LOVE authentic Mexican food and I love the beach. I would basically be giving that all up besides the Motocross part because there are some good tracks out there & I'm not sure if there is good Mexican food out there yet. I've had decent.

I have been there about 5 times and every time I have a blast. I love how most of the people are much more friendly, & how real estate is realistically priced.

But I have not been there long enough to experience the symptoms of not being able to snowboard or go to the beach & sit in the sand & clear my head on life. Or the symptoms of being away from my whole family. & I'm really worried about job placement. Ya think most people stay in CA because they like paying up the behind for things? Nope...but there are TONS of jobs out here which is why so many people wanna live here or why many people are forced to stay here. I'm a Graphic/Web Designer with some good exp. & when I look for jobs out there I don't find a whole lot but there are some. It worries me. I'm not trying to sound like a whiner cause that's not me. I'm just being wise about my decision to move pretty far away considering I was born here & I don't have much family, they are all here.

I don't wanna make a mistake and be in a jam stuck out there. So I would appreciate any type of advice.

Thanks!

I can say with a lot of confidence that if you moved to TX you will own a house one day and probably a nice house. We moved from Irvine CA to Keller TX last November and it was quite a move up for us.

I grew up in SoCal, lived near the beach, and frequented HB, Newport, Trestles, Wedge all my life. I am quite a bit older than you so leaving the beach area was not too difficult for me. My oldest son who is 24 still lives in CA, it would be very difficult for him to leave the beach which is why he lives in CA and we live in TX. I can only hope that he will see the light and move out of CA while he is still young. I wish we would have done it 20 years earlier.

Austin is a great place. I have friends that moved there from Irvine about 12 years ago when the kids were in HS. If your girlfriend and you are real serious to the point of marriage in the future I can't think of a better place to start that journey. If it is just casual don't move. You should not have too hard a time finding work as there is a lot of High Tech industry in Austin. Breaking into the TX job market appears to be a little more difficult when you are coming from out-of-state but you will find a good job in Austin.

I think that people stay in CA out of ignorance. They just get used to the lifestyle and kind of in a rut. When I did my research regarding housing, jobs, taxes, weather, and everything else that goes with life, the advantages in TX far outweigh the advantages in CA. Keep in mind that this is coming from an old man (51) that might see things differently than a 22 year old. I do consider myself young at heart though. Good luck!

[xMxer341x]

Wow I really appreciate all the replies/advice! As for the Mexican food references I def. need to check them out! I will be in Austin again next weekend. My GF's family just moved to pflugerville...How is that town?

'Atlanta Hope' Thanks for the references for jobs! I knew of Craigslist but not the other ones.

'TexasHorseLady' We have a dish called the "California Burrito' but I don't think Texas would have that one. Really good though..it's like a Supreme Burrito with French Fries in it & avocado. But I was just referring to ingredients & salsas. A few places I went the beans didn't taste the same nor did the salsa.

'Austifornian' Ya I think your probably right..it just goes with the culture of that state. Im supposed to be dieting anyways haha so I can't let that effect my decision. 8)

'Soccersupporter' Thats where I was born...OC. A lot of my friends live in Newport, HB, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo area. & being that your older more like my fathers age it is soothing to hear the advice you give. I am really fed up with the rude people but I don't blame anyone. Come on now lets be realistic, most people in CA aren't LIVING they are trying to survive & stress is a major reason why so many people are rude. They work so hard just to stay level they are never getting ahead & I know exactly how that feels. I find my self irriated at times for now reason. I stress a lot & I'm only 22. I don't have the normal 22 year old life cause I grew up with only my father & basically learned to work hard at a young age. While most kids get to actually LIVE. I still continue to feel like Im getting no where when really I've done a lot for my age. I haven't graduated college yet as I'd like too but I've been for 2 years & I really gotta learn to credit myself for that. I make decent money for my age $15/hour but theres no way I can afford somewhere on my own with that & bills. & when I go to Texas I see people are LIVING, they are breathing & they are enjoying life more so. This has really been stressing me out. My father supports it in a way but in another way he feels I wont like it. He is a entrepreneur here and has been since 92. That's what my goal is...Im starting a clothing company but I have yet to launch it. A clothing company can get really big in So. Cal. & you can make some good money. Do you think I would be shooting my foot trying to start something like that in Austin? I know I'm probably rambling but it feels good to vent cause I really don't have anyone out here that wants to listen to me. Or give me positive advice & support what I wanna do.

& as for me and my gf. It's not just casual we've been together for almost 2 years. I know it's not long but it's a start. But as it stands now when were together it's amazing. But this whole long distance is really taking its toll on our relationship. ITs getting to the point wether we live in the same state or were not together at all. It just adds more stress. I also know I need a back up plan cause **** happens and we all know that. Either way you look at it I'm going to be taking a gamble no matter what. I just wanna make sure moving there is gonna help me & be more of a stress free positive influence on my life more then anything. CA will always be in my heart no matter what.

[TexasHorseLady]

What kind of clothing company? These days, there is so much that you can do wherever you are, using the internet, that it really depends - if you're talking about a store, it might matter, if you're talking about design, maybe not so much. (Keep firmly in mind that I know nothing about the clothing business when reading this commentary, okay? Except for buying clothes, of course.)

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Austin, if that's what you're asking.

[hound 109]

'TexasHorseLady' We have a dish called the "California Burrito' but I don't think Texas would have that one. Really good though..it's like a Supreme Burrito with French Fries in it & avocado. But I was just referring to ingredients & salsas. A few places I went the beans didn't taste the same nor did the salsa.

I'm partial to more of a Sonoran or Jalisco (meat & meat & cheese & meat type dives) type Mexican Food. Really like the "Tapatilla" chain & others that serve the "laborer" clientel. Also enjoy the "taco trucks"....there's nothing like a "taco truck gordita" with green sauce & a dr. pepper. But.....


....this might be kind of what you're looking for....you can order it the way you like it & then name it for them.

Freebirds World Burrito


There are also a couple of other "Fresh-Mex" places in town. Salsaritas & La Salsa....maybe others.

If you want some Carribean/Dominican/Yucatan type food that will set you free....try Cafe Mangu. (hint - shredded pork )

[Soccersupporter]

Originally Posted by hound 109

'TexasHorseLady' We have a dish called the "California Burrito' but I don't think Texas would have that one. Really good though..it's like a Supreme Burrito with French Fries in it & avocado. But I was just referring to ingredients & salsas. A few places I went the beans didn't taste the same nor did the salsa.

I'm partial to more of a Sonoran or Jalisco (meat & meat & cheese & meat type dives) type Mexican Food. Really like the "Tapatilla" chain & others that serve the "laborer" clientel. Also enjoy the "taco trucks"....there's nothing like a "taco truck gordita" with green sauce & a dr. pepper. But.....


....this might be kind of what you're looking for....you can order it the way you like it & then name it for them.

Freebirds World Burrito


There are also a couple of other "Fresh-Mex" places in town. Salsaritas & La Salsa....maybe others.

If you want some Carribean/Dominican/Yucatan type food that will set you free....try Cafe Mangu. (hint - shredded pork )

Oh there was a catering truck in CA where I worked that had an incredible chorizo, pappas, and juevos burrito. I could use one now.