Contemplating move to Austin from Boston, MA (Houston, Dallas: for sale, rentals)

[Volitans]

Gotcha. Thanks everybody.

[leorah]

We live just north of Austin; been here 6 years. Before moving here we lived just south of Boston for 30 years, so we are very familiar with what it’s like to live in New England.

The Austin area has a large and ever-growing Asian community so you would likely find a good number of people here that share your ethnic heritage. http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=252512
The culture here, however, as others have emphasized, is very, very different from what you like and are used to. Austin isn’t diverse in the way people in the northeast use the term. Housing in Austin is expensive. Finding schools comparable to those you are used to might be a challenge. Traffic is terrible; parking is frequently non-existent. A commute from one side of town to the other can be more irritating and lengthy than you’d believe looking at the distance on a map. And the summer heat will be unbearable for you.

So, you might ask, why did we move here? My husband is a native Texan and I come from a place in the Midwest with similar values. We like living in a politically diverse area with a live and let live mentality. We retired early so commuting isn’t an issue. We love the sunny days and blue skies, and the summer heat is an acceptable trade off for the snow and cold we used to hate. And we love the people here. Massachusetts wasn't a good fit for us, like Texas probably won’t be a good fit for you.

[nativeaustin]

Why would you call me a liar? I said 15-18 miles. Please read the post before calling names. Thank You.

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by Volitans

Considering a move from Concord, MA (20 miles outside of Boston) to Austin, TX, for a great job opportunity.

Us: Asian-American family of 4, two kids age 10 and 6. We value diversity, great schools, and for me a reasonable commute. Have been researching so far and have read great things about Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, and Round Rock ISD.

House budget up to 800-900K.

It seems like Eanes would be a stretch budget-wise. Lakeway and the surrounding area seems nice, but worried about diversity and commute. As an FYI, my current commute is 1:15 hr and I really don't want a similar situation again. Cedar Rock and NW Austin demographically seems like a better fit, but again, worried about commute. Also it seems that Round Rock ISD is behind Eanes and Lake Travis (correct me if I'm wrong . . and not really sure if it matters much anyways).

Another huge reservation I have is the weather. I'm Northeast born and raised, and I actually like snow and the cold (which makes sense to me during the winter!). I am deathly afraid of how hot I hear it gets in Austin. And an Xmas without snow seems incongruous . . . .

Any help/insight would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

I am a NE transplant in Texas, and love it, but the lack of winter is one of the reasons why. I don't mind the heat, and love the fact that I haven't shoveled in 12 years. Austin, as expensive as it is by Texas standards, is still much, much, cheaper that Concord, MA. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck for $900K, even in Eanes ISD. It's all a moot point if you're "deathly afraid" of hot weather. I concur with the other poster who suggested CO.

[m1a1mg]

Some other thoughts.

If living in Austin for a few years gets you the career progression you need, that can't be found elsewhere, then suck it up and deal with it for as long as required. But don't lie to yourself. How willing are you to move ahead in your career?

Snow for Christmas? There are non-stops to the North.

[Volitans]

Originally Posted by m1a1mg

Some other thoughts.

If living in Austin for a few years gets you the career progression you need, that can't be found elsewhere, then suck it up and deal with it for as long as required. But don't lie to yourself. How willing are you to move ahead in your career?

Snow for Christmas? There are non-stops to the North.

That is the million dollar question. But you are right if I end up coming I won't complain. Different culture and politics I can take, but 100+ degree days for weeks on end . . . I'm having trouble getting past that one.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by Volitans

That is the million dollar question. But you are right if I end up coming I won't complain. Different culture and politics I can take, but 100+ degree days for weeks on end . . . I'm having trouble getting past that one.

Yes, and it is for real. Summer temps start in May and are usually still here on Halloween -- we worried about our kids passing out in too heavy costumes at Halloween and everyone is still in sandals. Usually, there is relief in November. Imagine someone moving to Boston who doesn't like snow and can't stand the cold. It can be a real problem. Had a neighbor for 9 months who thought he could handle Texas heat because he had livedin Atlanta -- but he couldn't cope, had a French bulldog who nearly died in the heat. And he couldn't handle how LOOOOONG our summers are.

There are ways to cope, just like New Englanders have down coats, remote car starters, wooly socks etc. We have kick ass AC everywhere, deeply tinted car windows, sunscreen and hydrate like a religion. But there is truth to the saying that our seasons are "almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas"

[lynarthur]

And just FYI - many on the board have very strong opinions about things, which may or may not truly reflect what it would be like for you if you were to move here. Come visit and check it out for yourself. It is hot here for a long time, but I don’t think it is any more oppressive than below freezing winter and snow in the Midwest (where I am originally from). It is more expensive than other areas of Texas, but nothing like coastal area or major metros. Same thing for traffic -it is a lot worse than it used to be and there is little-to-no public transit, but compared to other major metros the traffic here is a joke.

[Cardiff Giant]

I grew up in NY (LI) and moved here after 7 years in Manhattan (and 5 in Ann Arbor before that). I adjusted easily to Austin, as long as you set your expectations you'll be fine too. The food here is good and getting better. It was pretty bleak when we moved down 13 years ago.

We're in Eanes and you can purchase a home in my neighborhood for 8-900k. There are currently a few listings right in that range. We're about 13 mi. west of downtown and my commute to UT can take anywhere from 20-45 minutes, more if there's a "wreck" as we call them here. I can get to campus in 20 minutes in the morning in summer if I make all the lights which does happen on occasion but it is the exception. My neighborhood is diverse, my neighbors across the street are Hispanic, the family next door to them is Turkish, 2 houses down on my side there's a Japanese family.

Have you visited yet? Come down and check it out for 3-4 days, especially in August. You'll get used to the heat. I vowed never to complain about it and while I've come close, I've been good about it so far. Think of it like Boston winters, you just find indoor activities to do when it's too hot out. The best part is, when it finally does cool off (first week of Oct IME) it's glorious.

PM if you have any questions! Good luck.

[strangecat]

I want to offer some perspective on the heat because some people are getting carried away...

When I first moved out of the NE, the air conditioning in my car died within 3 days of relocating. I happened to be in college at the time, so I didn't have much money. I let it go unfixed for 3 years. Yes, I drove around with no A/C for 3 years. I always wore breathable clothing, took 1-2 water bottles and parked under trees to take the edge off. My car had black interior with leather seats, so I'm sure I could have cooked an egg on the dashboard.

Funny enough I did not, at any point, come close to dying, melting, or even crying. Certainly you can deal with some Texas heat with a nice A/C and pool in the backyard for the 3-4 years you plan on being here. The first month or two will be the worst, but you can acclimate. Plus you'll save money on clothes- leave the peacoat in Boston.

Honestly, if you only plan on being away from Boston for a few years then why not go on a little adventure?