Is Austin for me? (important life decision -- please help!) (San Diego: apartment, buying a home)

[Jennibc]

What is culture, really?

[thesonofgray]

If you're making an "important life decision" based on what a couple of people anonymously answer to 6 questions, then...well...I'd advise you to do a little more first-hand research. Otherwise, you might miss out on a great opportunity.

But to get you started, Austin is hot (this is Texas, sweetheart), very dog friendly, and compared the the major cities you listed (and to live in downtown), the cost of living is cheap. We also have some very beautiful lakes nearby and plenty of water-oriented recreation.

Austin is not near the ocean (about 4 hours away from the less-than-stellar Galveston beaches) and it's still a relatively small city (especially compared to very large cities you mentioned). There ARE cultural/artistic entertainment options, but you'd obviously have more in a city of >2 million people than Austin's half million.

I'm not sure about the PR job market here, but Austin's job market is apparently better than most.

Good luck on your search.

[jdevelop2]

1. Austin is extremely humid the majority of the year.

That is simply a lie. Austin is more humid than Arizona and drier than most of the south. No objective measure would describe Austin as "extremely humid the majority of the year".

[Clarence1MC]

Originally Posted by cebu077

I'm a 31-year-old single white female with liberal-leaning views. I've lived in Ohio my entire life and I despise it. I'm currently looking to move to a REAL big city (Cleveland, OH doesn't count!) with a vibrant young, single set and thriving downtown scene. I've heard quite a bit lately that Austin has been attracting people like me to it in recent years because it meets this criteria. Is this true?

I need some hardcore, very truthful answers. I'm thick-skinned, so feel free to be blunt! Here are a few more questions:

1.) I'm aware that Austin is hot, but is it humid? The Midwest is extremely humid in the summer months, but I'm not sure how it compares to Austin in this regard. How often does it rain? Does Austin have many days of plentiful sunshine?

2.) Are there job opportunities in Austin for those people in the public relations field?

3.) I've heard that Austin is quite a cultural mecca, and that it is rising in the ranks. Would you say there are plenty of cultural/artistic entertainment options in Austin?

4.) I have a small dog (15 pounds). Is Austin a dog-friendly city? Would I be able to find decent/nice apartment complexes that allow small dogs?

5.) How does the cost-of-living in Austin compare to other major cities? For example, L.A., NYC, Chicago, Boston. What is the average rent for a decent/nice one-bedroom apartment located in or very close to downtown?

6.) How close to the ocean is Austin, in hours? Are there any lakes in or near Austin? Living near the water is extremely important to me.

Thanks in advance!

Dayton has delightful weather and a good mix... Austin is intense with high heat like Athens Greece in the summer, and in the winter... well only snowed 2 times in 30 years... so you might literally be
jumping out to OHIO an into the frying pan.... Yes humid a lot here when it is not clay cracking dry.

[Clarence1MC]

Originally Posted by cebu077

I'm a 31-year-old single white female with liberal-leaning views. I've lived in Ohio my entire life and I despise it. I'm currently looking to move to a REAL big city (Cleveland, OH doesn't count!) with a vibrant young, single set and thriving downtown scene. I've heard quite a bit lately that Austin has been attracting people like me to it in recent years because it meets this criteria. Is this true?

I need some hardcore, very truthful answers. I'm thick-skinned, so feel free to be blunt! Here are a few more questions:

1.) I'm aware that Austin is hot, but is it humid? The Midwest is extremely humid in the summer months, but I'm not sure how it compares to Austin in this regard. How often does it rain? Does Austin have many days of plentiful sunshine?

2.) Are there job opportunities in Austin for those people in the public relations field?

3.) I've heard that Austin is quite a cultural mecca, and that it is rising in the ranks. Would you say there are plenty of cultural/artistic entertainment options in Austin?

4.) I have a small dog (15 pounds). Is Austin a dog-friendly city? Would I be able to find decent/nice apartment complexes that allow small dogs?

5.) How does the cost-of-living in Austin compare to other major cities? For example, L.A., NYC, Chicago, Boston. What is the average rent for a decent/nice one-bedroom apartment located in or very close to downtown?

6.) How close to the ocean is Austin, in hours? Are there any lakes in or near Austin? Living near the water is extremely important to me.

Thanks in advance!

long way... 4 hrs or more to ocean beach of any interest.... Lakes a few but not
pristeen.. just man made lakes.... the heat takes a lot out of the lake activiy and
now the police are a pain there too... Maybe since I have lived here 30 years I
just don't like the changes...???

apt are getting to be the same every where... 600 to 900 unless you want to go
crazy and live at the TRIANGLE or something... 2000...

dogs? well if you are a PETA then maybe you like all the regulation but I don't
I think dogs have a difficult time, not like GREECE. they kill a dog every 12 min.
in Austin (SPCA)... so you be the judge...

Work? that is rather funny,,, I think the work comes before the relocation. but
you do it your way if you like

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by jdevelop2

That is simply a lie. Austin is more humid than Arizona and drier than most of the south. No objective measure would describe Austin as "extremely humid the majority of the year".

Yeah, but it's artsyguy with his hatred for a city that he either (a) lived in or (b) only visited while (c) attending UT or (d) working with co-workers who hated him because of his sexual orientation (and where he couldn't get a date because we have no gay ghetto), depending on which posts you choose to take as factual. This is par for the course.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by cebu077

I'm a 31-year-old single white female with liberal-leaning views. I've lived in Ohio my entire life and I despise it. I'm currently looking to move to a REAL big city (Cleveland, OH doesn't count!) with a vibrant young, single set and thriving downtown scene. I've heard quite a bit lately that Austin has been attracting people like me to it in recent years because it meets this criteria. Is this true?

I need some hardcore, very truthful answers. I'm thick-skinned, so feel free to be blunt! Here are a few more questions:

1.) I'm aware that Austin is hot, but is it humid? The Midwest is extremely humid in the summer months, but I'm not sure how it compares to Austin in this regard. How often does it rain? Does Austin have many days of plentiful sunshine?

2.) Are there job opportunities in Austin for those people in the public relations field?

3.) I've heard that Austin is quite a cultural mecca, and that it is rising in the ranks. Would you say there are plenty of cultural/artistic entertainment options in Austin?

4.) I have a small dog (15 pounds). Is Austin a dog-friendly city? Would I be able to find decent/nice apartment complexes that allow small dogs?

5.) How does the cost-of-living in Austin compare to other major cities? For example, L.A., NYC, Chicago, Boston. What is the average rent for a decent/nice one-bedroom apartment located in or very close to downtown?

6.) How close to the ocean is Austin, in hours? Are there any lakes in or near Austin? Living near the water is extremely important to me.

Thanks in advance!

Resident here since 1984....

Do not believe almost anything Artsyguy posts BTW. He absolutely hates Austin and rarely speaks objectively.

1. Another post has the exact climate data for you to look at. Austin is not "dry" like Phoenix nor is it "wet" like New Orleans or Houston. Our mornings tend to be humid but the moisture drops throughout the day and we usually end the day with relatively dry heat. We are in an unseasonably hot period right now. Normally we do not see temps over 100 until July or August.

2. Can't say for sure. But even PR is not exactly well defined. Lots of companies use "PR" for telling the world about their products. But maybe not so much in the category of "publicist."

3. Austin probably would not rank all that high on "culture" if that means art museums, opera, and symphony. We do rank very high if culture means music and a generally favorable attitude towards artists of all types. You cannot compare Austin to NYC, LA, or Boston for "culture." Cleveland has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but Austin has more music.

4. Very dog friendly city all around.

5. Other people here are better qualified to talk about rents. The data shows Austin ranks very well nationally, but somewhat higher than other cities in Texas.

6. Galveston is 4 hrs as someone said already. Corpus Cristi is about the same (I was just there). But the best beaches in Texas are probably South Padre Island - closer to 6 hours away. Does not compare to East or West coast beaches but still nice.

Someone said the lakes are not pristine. Oh so wrong. The Highland Lakes chain (Buchanan, Inks, Marble Falls, LBJ, Travis, Austin, and Lady Bird) are wonderful. Lake Travis has consistently very high water quality - some of the best in Texas. Each of the lakes has a different feel. We are in a drought so Buchanan and Lake Travis are low now. But still beautiful.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

What is culture, really?

Culture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[passionatearts]

1.) I'm aware that Austin is hot, but is it humid? The Midwest is extremely humid in the summer months, but I'm not sure how it compares to Austin in this regard. How often does it rain? Does Austin have many days of plentiful sunshine?

Yes, Austin is humid, but not as bad as it is in Houston. We're not in the dessert, so we do get rain, though it's not as green here as it is in the Northeast or Midwest. We get tons of sunshine year-round.

2.) Are there job opportunities in Austin for those people in the public relations field?

I don't know anything about this field, so I have no comment here.

3.) I've heard that Austin is quite a cultural mecca, and that it is rising in the ranks. Would you say there are plenty of cultural/artistic entertainment options in Austin?

"Cultural mecca" is a relative term. We're a cultural mecca if you're from a small town or larger city lacking in interesting culture, but if you're expecting world-class art and music, cultural diversity, and other kinds of offerings you'd find in a city like New York, Chicago, or Boston then I'd say you'll be disappointed. Overall, I'd say Austin's cultural offering are great as far as mid-sized cities go, but I wouldn't say that we're a "world-class" city for the arts.

4.) I have a small dog (15 pounds). Is Austin a dog-friendly city? Would I be able to find decent/nice apartment complexes that allow small dogs?

Austin is one of the most dog-friendly cities I've ever been to. There are several dog parks in town where you can let your dog run around without a leash. Most apartment complexes I've seen in town will rent to people with small dogs.

5.) How does the cost-of-living in Austin compare to other major cities? For example, L.A., NYC, Chicago, Boston. What is the average rent for a decent/nice one-bedroom apartment located in or very close to downtown?

I've lived in Boston and San Francisco, and the cost of living in Austin is MUCH cheaper. For instance, $1,000 in San Francisco will get you a tiny studio apartment, while in Austin it could get you a large 1 or 2 bedroom apartment. I think you can expect to pay $700 - $1,000 for a large 1-bedroom apartment close to downtown.

6.) How close to the ocean is Austin, in hours? Are there any lakes in or near Austin? Living near the water is extremely important to me.

Lol. The closest OCEAN to us is the Pacific Ocean, which is about a 2.5 days drive away. On the other hand, the Gulf of Mexico is 4 - 5 hours away depending on which city you want to visit. I recommend Port Aransas for a nice beach (though the town itself is one of the most redneck places I've ever been). Austin has a few nice lakes. Lake Travis is probably the nicest of them.

Thanks in advance!

[cebu077]

WOW -- Am I ever glad I solicited all of your opinions! Austin definitely isn't for me; that said, I'm sure it is the perfect place for many people! Thanks, guys!