Is Austin as great as the top 10 lists say? (Spring: fit in, rent)

[JudyBlue]

to scongress1234... I think you are right on target. These lists are marketing shenanigans with hidden agendas. I live right down Parmer from you, and I know about the traffic nightmare you witness on McNeil. Some cities at least TRY to keep up with growth. Austin hasn't lifted a finger to improve their roads, and they don't do a good job of maintaining what they've got. And others, please don't start-in about the tollways as being Austin road improvements. These are improvements outside of the city limits, and provide ways to get around the stinking congested mess called Austin. What makes it even harder to swallow is the fact that because of the high housing costs, your are paying more in property taxes so you would expect maybe to get a little something back in the way of infrastructure improvements. But you don't. I don't know where all of this tax money is going. Probably providing social services (supporting their habits) for all the panhandlers you see at many major intersections around the city. Yes, the surrounding hill country has natural beauty, but that's THE COUNTRY. By the way, Austin is not the only city in Texas with a river running thru it and a dusty jogging trail. I say the city is overrated.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by JudyBlue

Yes, the surrounding hill country has natural beauty, but that's THE COUNTRY. By the way, Austin is not the only city in Texas with a river running thru it and a dusty jogging trail. I say the city is overrated.

The major catch about this city is that they market a lifestyle that you won't get when you move here - call it a bait n' switch. They peddle hill country living, but conveniently forget to mention there's only enough room for the top 10% wealthiest people in town to live there - meaning that unless you make 150K (300K household), you have to settle for Austin proper, which turns out to be nothing more than a glorified Waco.

[coog78]

The problem with Austin being on all of these lists is that it overpromises and underdelivers. It is no longer that "off the radar" town it use to be where people would arrive and just be blown away at how incredible of a place it is.

Austin is a cool place to visit, but the magazines and media have really ruined its character.

[artsyguy]

100% true

Originally Posted by coog78

The problem with Austin being on all of these lists is that it overpromises and underdelivers. It is no longer that "off the radar" town it use to be where people would arrive and just be blown away at how incredible of a place it is.

Austin is a cool place to visit, but the magazines and media have really ruined its character.

[love roses]

Don't you mean that the prices have been driven up so far in many areas of the hill country that only the wealthiest 10% can afford to live there? If you don't make a 6 figure income, you're pretty much limited to the outer areas, unless you owned your home before things got really expensive. But, then again, with it turning that way, much of the "Austin character" has shifted location (like THL says) and moved to areas a little further out as quite a few artists and musicians move outside of Austin proper or downtown. I'm frankly becoming quite surprised at how many musicians I meet out in Williamson County (Hutto, Round Rock, Georgetown, Walburg, etc...) and I know some out closer to Buda and Dripping Springs as well. Pflugerville also has quite a few.

[twange]

Originally Posted by love roses

Don't you mean that the prices have been driven up so far in many areas of the hill country that only the wealthiest 10% can afford to live there? If you don't make a 6 figure income, you're pretty much limited to the outer areas, unless you owned your home before things got really expensive. But, then again, with it turning that way, much of the "Austin character" has shifted location (like THL says) and moved to areas a little further out as quite a few artists and musicians move outside of Austin proper or downtown. I'm frankly becoming quite surprised at how many musicians I meet out in Williamson County (Hutto, Round Rock, Georgetown, Walburg, etc...) and I know some out closer to Buda and Dripping Springs as well. Pflugerville also has quite a few.

Yea, but there's still a lot of them in the city. They just rent.

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by coog78

The problem with Austin being on all of these lists is that it overpromises and underdelivers. It is no longer that "off the radar" town it use to be where people would arrive and just be blown away at how incredible of a place it is.

Originally Posted by jobert

The major catch about this city is that they market a lifestyle that you won't get when you move here - call it a bait n' switch. They peddle hill country living, but conveniently forget to mention there's only enough room for the top 10% wealthiest people in town to live there - meaning that unless you make 150K (300K household), you have to settle for Austin proper, which turns out to be nothing more than a glorified Waco.

I concur with these both for the most part.

[twange]

Originally Posted by jobert

...Austin proper, which turns out to be nothing more than a glorified Waco.

C'mon man/woman. If you don't like Austin, fine but that seems like a pretty dubious assessment.

[love roses]

If you've spent any time in Waco, you'd know that's not true. Austin has a lot more going on downtown than Waco...except for the zoo.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by twange

C'mon man/woman. If you don't like Austin, fine but that seems like a pretty dubious assessment.

Outside of natural beauty, the city does not offer a lot. I guess it takes a certain type of individual to live without certain basic amenities in a metropolitan area of 1.4 million people and be okay with it.