Escape from New York to Texas - Help (Austin, Georgetown: house, buyers)

[JT24hr]

Originally Posted by whereiend

Obviously NYC has worse traffic, but it also has a world class public transit system...

My point is that if you are moving to Austin because you don't like traffic, you should reevaluate that decision. Particularly if your budget/desires are not compatible with living centrally.

Re: real estate, depends what we are comparing. Far suburbs of Austin are cheap; Manhatten is super expensive. Long Island vs. Central Austin, however, I don't think Austin is much more affordable if any. If you adjust for things like walkability, NYC is likely straight-up more affordable. If you want a big house with space to breathe, Austin is going to clearly win.

Driving really isn't an option for a lot of people. Parking is another subject people tend to forget when talking about driving in NYC vs Austin too. Parking is a breeze Downtownc ompared to NYC.

How do you adjust cost per walkability? NYC is more walkable, no doubt. It's a major urban area, Austin isn't nearly on the same scale. I think ANYONE considering moving here will realize that after spending 10 minutes in Austin. Ever go grocery shopping in NYC? I would rather drive here, thanks.

As far as more affordable. Long Island is a big place. If you're talking about a poorer neighborhood, yes it doesn't compare to the more upscale places in Austin. However if you are talking about Sagaponack, Old Westbury, and other North Shore areas, I don't think Austin has anything close $/sq foot. We're talking about $1000+/sq ft in Sagaponack and $250+/sq ft in Old Westbury.

Here's a random listing in LI somewhat close to Brooklyn:
https://www.redfin.com/NY/Manhasset/.../home/20574327

$718/sq ft

And just because it's NY, doesn't mean it's walkable if you are talking about the burbs out in LI or Brooklyn. We really need to compare exactly what neighborhood OP is talking about.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by whereiend

Obviously NYC has worse traffic, but it also has a world class public transit system...

My point is that if you are moving to Austin because you don't like traffic, you should reevaluate that decision. Particularly if your budget/desires are not compatible with living centrally.

Re: real estate, depends what we are comparing. Far suburbs of Austin are cheap; Manhatten is super expensive. Long Island vs. Central Austin, however, I don't think Austin is much more affordable if any. If you adjust for things like walkability, NYC is likely straight-up more affordable. If you want a big house with space to breathe, Austin is going to clearly win.

As I said I was born and raised in nyc. For the most part Long Island is definitely more expensive than Austin and you’ll need to make an apples to apples comparison. Long Island is a big region..an island... vs much smaller central Austin so IM not sure why you’d compare the two. Also in the city, regardless of borough, owning an actual sfh is way more expensive than central Austin. A small old attached home in my old hood in the Bronx is 800k, no yard to speak of. Throggs neck and river dale are in million dollar territory... queens is more expensive than the Bronx so you do the math.

I will say though that prices down here are rising and only compared to some of the most expensive cities can Austin be considered lower cost of living. I live in the suburbs here and I don’t find it all that cheap when you factor in taxes and other costs. And thanks to the Golden Horde of Californians and northeasterners the price tag is only gonna get more expensive. In one year I’ve watched the home price go up by 100k and keeps rising with little let up because the moneybags people thinking it’s “cheap” to live here keep driving it up.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by Roadking2003

Hmmm.....yes, the city of Austin is uber-liberal.

I don’t consider it San Francisco or Seattle level of liberal. But yeah the op obviously hasn’t carefully researched Austin politics

[whereiend]

Originally Posted by riaelise

As I said I was born and raised in nyc. For the most part Long Island is definitely more expensive than Austin and you’ll need to make an apples to apples comparison. Long Island is a big region..an island... vs much smaller central Austin so IM not sure why you’d compare the two. Also in the city, regardless of borough, owning an actual sfh is way more expensive than central Austin. A small old attached home in my old hood in the Bronx is 800k, no yard to speak of. Throggs neck and river dale are in million dollar territory... queens is more expensive than the Bronx so you do the math.

I will say though that prices down here are rising and only compared to some of the most expensive cities can Austin be considered lower cost of living. I live in the suburbs here and I don’t find it all that cheap when you factor in taxes and other costs. And thanks to the Golden Horde of Californians and northeasterners the price tag is only gonna get more expensive. In one year I’ve watched the home price go up by 100k and keeps rising with little let up because the moneybags people thinking it’s “cheap” to live here keep driving it up.

I guess I don't get comparing Rock Rock to NYC either? My point is that Austin is not that cheap. A poster above posted a 1700 Sqft house that is listed at 1.2 million. Browsing Austin redfin I also see this teardown at that price (I do realize this will never sell): https://www.redfin.com/TX/Austin/110.../home/31687711

Definitely you can go into the fringes of Austin and buy a large house on a yard that does not exist in NYC. But that's going to be a serious culture shock for this OP. I wish them luck.

[Austin97]

nassau county (closer to NYC) median is around 500K. Average home size is 2700 sq ft.

Comparable to austin. However nassau county on a day to day basis has a lot less walkability and even driveability. They dont really have any nightlife.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by whereiend

I guess I don't get comparing Rock Rock to NYC either? My point is that Austin is not that cheap. A poster above posted a 1700 Sqft house that is listed at 1.2 million. Browsing Austin redfin I also see this teardown at that price (I do realize this will never sell): https://www.redfin.com/TX/Austin/110.../home/31687711

Definitely you can go into the fringes of Austin and buy a large house on a yard that does not exist in NYC. But that's going to be a serious culture shock for this OP. I wish them luck.

I wasn’t as far as I know comparing round rock to nyc. And I agreed that Austin isn’t cheap any longer but it is not particularly close to the prices in nyc even with that tear down example. In queens for example you’d pay nearly close to that amount and still commute over an hour to your job. It wouldn’t be in a trendy area either. Brooklyn? Fuhguddaboutit. Long Island imo is still more expensive due to taxes and what you’d get. The north shore and really anywhere near a beach is ridiculously expensive. West Chester is very expensive and so is rock land.

As for culture shock whether you live in the suburbs or Austin proper, there will be an adjustment. There are many differences even in the city itself.

How you deal with these differences is up to you. I like my life here and have acclimated ok. In the case of the op he’s looking for conservative ville in the wrong city.

[Brownpine]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I wasn’t as far as I know comparing round rock to nyc. And I agreed that Austin isn’t cheap any longer but it is not particularly close to the prices in nyc even with that tear down example. In queens for example you’d pay nearly close to that amount and still commute over an hour to your job. It wouldn’t be in a trendy area either. Brooklyn? Fuhguddaboutit. Long Island imo is still more expensive due to taxes and what you’d get. The north shore and really anywhere near a beach is ridiculously expensive. West Chester is very expensive and so is rock land.

As for culture shock whether you live in the suburbs or Austin proper, there will be an adjustment. There are many differences even in the city itself.

How you deal with these differences is up to you. I like my life here and have acclimated ok. In the case of the op he’s looking for conservative ville in the wrong city.

What is mind-boggling to me is that Austin prices are approaching prices that I'm seeing in the surrounding NYC suburbs (NJ, upstate NY, and Connecticut). I'm not sure what Austin (and particularly its suburbs such as Buda and Georgetown) are offering that justifies the price beyond homes that weren't built at the turn of the century. The NY tri-state area has a tremendous amount of amenities and options split across multi-state lines that, to many, justify the high prices.


My question is: in the next 5 to 10 years, who in Austin will be able to afford all of those high price valuations? I think there's going to be reckoning that many people will soon find that they well overpaid for their homes. I feel sorry for the millenials and the younger generation bringing up the rear - most won't have a chance to afford a home in Austin.

[QueenstoLI]

My commute pre-covid was usually 1.45 hrs in and 2 hrs home I can't imagine it can be worse in Austin. Sometimes on Thursday and Fridays it could be over 2 hrs coming home. My house now is selling at 730K for a 2400 sq ft Split and the RE taxes are 17k year. We also have pay State taxes. We are conservative for NYC Metro standards meaning we are pro-gun and old school patriotic Gen X types that like to be left alone for the most part and do not like the identity politics thing. I was looking at Austin because I would like an area that is growing job wise and a place my kids might have more opportunities but a cheaper cost of living than NYC while my wife and I can enjoy better weather and a more laid back environment. I thank you all for your suggestions and taking the time.

[atxcio]

Pro-gun you will definitely get, no problem there.

It's the other stuff you don't yet know about that might be the issue. Lack of seasons. No "countryside" in the sense that you have along the east coast. Australia-like distances to something different. Dissimaliar pace and culture. Very different layout of cities.

Treat it as an adventure and you might do OK.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by QueenstoLI

My commute pre-covid was usually 1.45 hrs in and 2 hrs home I can't imagine it can be worse in Austin. Sometimes on Thursday and Fridays it could be over 2 hrs coming home. My house now is selling at 730K for a 2400 sq ft Split and the RE taxes are 17k year. We also have pay State taxes. We are conservative for NYC Metro standards meaning we are pro-gun and old school patriotic Gen X types that like to be left alone for the most part and do not like the identity politics thing. I was looking at Austin because I would like an area that is growing job wise and a place my kids might have more opportunities but a cheaper cost of living than NYC while my wife and I can enjoy better weather and a more laid back environment. I thank you all for your suggestions and taking the time.

Come and visit post COVID. You won’t see the full extent of traffic right now. Even with so many people working from home, there are still pockets of heavy traffic. If you live far out you might hit that type of commute on a bad day. Get a bad accident (like yesterday downtown where an 18 wheeler split in half and was on the upper level and lower level of the highway) and you could be looking at a two hour commute from Georgetown or Buda/Kyle m/ San Marcos. I’ll share that it could take me 20 minutes to get to the highway from my house in far south Austin and then another 45 to get to my actual job site last year, pre-Covid. Austin may not be urban NYC liberal, but we may bother you. Other parts of the state have great job markets. Maybe look into suburban Dallas f(or maybe Fort Worth). If you HAVE to be by Austin then San Antonio is the most affordable choice. I’ve never been to the NYC area and cannot compare drives or affordability, but heating a home in Nassau county is 700k sounds comparable to our market today, in this very moment.