A Seattle to Austin question (Lakeway, Van: real estate market, new home, neighborhoods) - City-Data Forum

orangeblossom · 06-15-2008, 01:31 AM

Hello everyone! I live in Seattle,but would like to check out Austin Texas. I hear its very similar to Seattle ( except without the overcast and gloom)
We would like to check out the city in the near future,but while we are there,where is a good place to check out for family friendly neighborhoods or nearby cities? I'm also interested in hearing from other people from Seattle who have make the move. Likes,dislikes what do you miss besides a Starbucks every ten feet? lol

Thank you all for any advice you may have. Is October a nice time to visit weather wise?

mandib · 06-15-2008, 06:36 AM

October is beautiful here! There's plenty of Starbucks, too.

woodinvilleguy · 06-15-2008, 07:03 AM

There are a number of us ex-seattlites that have moved here. There are not nearly the number of starbucks, and I have seen one of the cute expresso stands yet.... Other than that it does remind me of Seattle in a number of ways, people are mostly liberal, there is a great music scene, lots of stuff to do outside.

Don't let the sun and the short trees scare you, you'l get used to them. October is nice should be cooled off by them to the 70's and 80's.

There are some cons here...For instance the seafood is not super. When you look for Salmon they get the good stuff in for a week and then it is gone, so you need to stock up of the wild salmon.

As far as neighborhoods, they are widely varied. I ended up in the Avery Ranch area wich is convient but it is a master planned communtity, small lots, ammenity centers ... There are loads of good neighborhoods that you need to figure ut which is best for you.

centralaustinite · 06-15-2008, 08:21 AM

Why all the folks from Seattle? Just curious. For so long, I never met anyone in town from Seattle and now they seem to be everywhere! (And newcomers from LA are now much less frequent) Is it because the housing market there is still fairly robust so people can sell and move while the equity in southern california is gone and moving tougher now?

When I was in college (a fairly long time ago) most folks from the Pacific Northwest would never think of leaving the region (much less move to Texas!) Native Seattlites are moving here or is it mainly high tech folk who went to Seattle for work 10 years ago and who are now ready to move on?

My realtor is busy all this week with a couple from Seattle who have to buy a house here in less than five days.

s

woodinvilleguy · 06-15-2008, 09:13 AM

It is the weather and cost of housing.... Seattle is the most beautiful place ever when it is sunny. It just isn't very sunny.

austin_momma · 06-15-2008, 05:33 PM

I moved from Vancouver/Camas area (Southwest WA). It was a bit hard to move out of WA because of the scenery I was leaving (Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helen's) and the hilly topography. I moved to Lakeway which is very hilly and now enjoy the hill country and Lake Travis views instead. It was easy getting accustomed to the sunny weather, but still held on to my rain coat. It is hard to find an inexpensive/good sushi out here and overall, fresh fish. I didn't think I'd miss salmon, but I do. The property taxes were a shocker here considering we paid 1.3% in Camas. I miss the drive-thru coffee shops at every other corner and the different coffee specials that the small mom and pop coffee shops would brew up weekly. If you plan to live here, come and visit during the summer so you know what you are getting into.
There are many family oriented communities. First, narrow down the general vicinity you would like to live in and then find the community. Good luck! (Bring salmon when you visit

xsloane · 06-15-2008, 06:43 PM

Seattle and Austin are very, very different. Whoever told you that they are simmilar was wrong. I think the only simmilarity between the two cities is that both have major universities in town. It is beautiful in here, in its own way, just like any place you love can be. Scenery wise, I think there is not a city in the whole USA that can beat the beauty of Seattle, but unless you are a native to the NW, your really don't have much time during the year to enjoy it since the weather is so sad. Here, we had about six (yes, six!!) months of blissful sunny, not to cold not to hot weather. If you move, just don't do it trying to find another Seattle, but a new home with more or better opportunities for you and your family. Uh, yes! October can still be a bit to hot for Seattle standards, we went down to the Gulf Coast in November and then the weather was perfect!

texastrigirl · 06-15-2008, 11:41 PM

We just moved to Seattle from Austin late last July and I believe they are similar in many ways - fun things to do outdoors, great restaurants, innovative tech companies, laid back business environment, well educated population, economically resilient, solid real estate market, tremendous growth over the past 10 years. The obvious differences are cost of living and weather. You can check out many threads on this very topic as for some strange reason, people are very passionate about the differences/similarities between these two cities. They both must attract a certain kind of person. We left Austin after 10 years for a great job opportunity and secondarily because my husband was tired of heat and allergies and is from the west coast. But we have wonderful memories of our time there and I would encourage anyone to try it. While not as beautiful as the PNW which is hard to beat, it is really pretty and special in it's own way. If you are tired of the Seattle weather, you will get the complete opposite there so you will probably enjoy it just from that aspect. The weather has been the hardest adjustment for me here...I found it hardest in Oct/Nov and Feb/March when I knew it was nice in Austin but now it doesn't seem so bad that it's getting hot there and nicer here. If I moved back to Austin tomorrow, I would miss the skiing, hiking and all the water in Seattle. We had a spectacular weekend boating on the Sound near Gig Harbor and having spent much time on Lake Travis, it is a very different experience but still fun boating. I personally don't think you can go wrong with Austin especially if you need a change from the PNW.

jwb123 · 06-16-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

The obvious differences are cost of living and weather.

And quality of life. And quantity of life. And just general lifestyle... less traffic, more laidback friendly open people, less work = more play, more family oriented (people are more involved with their children and their children's activities here)... I could go on.

Love my time, in the beginning, in Seattle... really glad it's behind me and can't imagine NOT living here.

woodinvilleguy · 06-16-2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenbar

And quality of life. And quantity of life. And just general lifestyle... less traffic, more laidback friendly open people, less work = more play, more family oriented (people are more involved with their children and their children's activities here)... I could go on.

Love my time, in the beginning, in Seattle... really glad it's behind me and can't imagine NOT living here.

Personally, I never had a problem with cold people in Seattle or people not involved with their families. I think in general so much depends on the people in your neighborhood and communities. In my old neighborhood there were a lot more stay at home moms like my wife and they were active. Here I find that there are more working moms so things are less active. It is funny since the cost of living is flipped here. Probably just the neighbors.