Lifestyle Change in Austin vs. Secure job/Family in California (real estate, home)

[poutyface45]

My husband and I are considering relocating to Austin next summer. We have visited Austin several times and loved it! It seemed like it would be a fantastic place to raise a family.It could be a completely different type of lifestyle. Getting away from the hustle and bustle and high cost of living in CA should be a good thing.(We live in Ventura County, in a suburb 45 minutes from LA). I could have the option of not working and being able to stay at home with my baby girl and husband(who works out of the house). The question is how many of you would leave a stable job with benefits (especially in this economy) and leave your family and friends? we don't know anyone in Austin and would be starting from scratch but really feel the lifestyle change would be worth it. Of course our family is giving us a hard time about leaving. Any thoughts???

[neddy]

I don't think at this time that I would leave a secure job even to move to Austin. Having family nearby is also a plus when you have a small kiddo in the picture.

[Rose Red]

We did it in 2006. Moved from CA to TX with no family and knowing no one. It was worth it for us that I would be able to stay home and raise my daughter until it was time for her to go off to pre-school. In the almost three years we have lived here we have made great friends. I couldn't be in a better place.

I have met other women that have moved from PA, Ohio, NY, DC, CA and they all moved to TX so they would be able to stay home and raise their kids. Not one of them have family near by and none have any regrets. In fact when they leave to go visit family they can't wait to get back to TX!

Do what feels right for you. I'm a big believer in intuition and trusting your gut. Try to not listen to what others say because it will drown out the voice that is inside you. You have your own family to raise so do what's best for your family.

[myhotradio]

I agree with Rose Red but I don't have any similar experiences to back it up. Just do what feels right and in this case, it may be better to try and see what kind of jobs are out here before you come down just to be safe but i defenitely reccomend Austin and its a great place to raise a family, i have a feeling you wont regret it.

[joejitsu]

Lots of people from California are moving to Austin to escape California. What they don't realize is that they are going to turn Austin into an LA like abomination.

[centralaustinite]

Do you have 8 months of living expenses in savings? Frankly, in this economy, I wouldn't move without a job in hand unless I had the cash to support myself and my family for 12 months.

We have turned down opportunity after opportunity to move to California, mainly because here we are a one-income family but there we would have to be two. I feel for you but right now is not an easy time to take economic risks unless you have built a big safety net first.

good luck

[CATXTransplant]

I wouldn't move without a job, but I'd definitely move, but then again I'm biased because I did it :0) I was 6 months pregnant with twins and left a very successful Real Estate career to move here. My husband transferred with his job (only to keep benefits because I was pregnant), but started looking for work immediately. We moved to Steiner Ranch and have more friends than we have time for! We just went to the grocery store and saw 6 - yes SIX people we knew. Happens every time. We moved away from all of our family which was kind of hard with newborn twins, but we have the support of so many friends and neighbors, we've made it work. I didn't have any trouble jumping right back into real estate (in fact I signed two listings the night before my scheduled c-section). My husband has had trouble finding the "right" , but after being laid off in May, he started a new job last Monday and FINALLY thinks he found the right one. You didn't mention what field your husband is in - that makes a difference. Bottom line - I woulnd NEVER go back to CA. It's a different way of life here - so much less stressful and enjoyable. I love looking at the lake every day as opposed to smog and the constant rush, rush of CA. I was an angry person in CA and here I can breathe...

[iceshots]

Don't move without a cesured income unless there is a very good reason.

My wife and I have raised out daughter (now 16) without any kind of family support because we left town when we got married. It is doable, but when looking at friends with local family, we had a hard time.

Family is important, but so is being comfortable where you live.

Friends do not matter. If they are true friends, it does not matter where you live or how long you have been apart. If not, then they are neighborhood acquaintances. They can be made anywhere.

Austin is a great place and is definitely a way to get away from the hustle and bustle depending on where you live. But make sure you economic situation is secure before you move. And consider that lack of family support will have an economic cost of its own.

Good Luck

[texheat00]

People her in Texas are friendly, so making friends should not be problem.Finding a job....well... a bad economy is a bad economy.You can't escape that anywhere.I've lived her for 33 yrs and I love the people hate the weather! My family and I are in a similar situation as you,we are moving soot o eiher Alaska, Montana or I daho have not decide yet, but it can be scary. You just have to do your homework and prepare as well as you can a do it! I think because you are moving to a place that is so excepting of outsiders you will be just fine.

[nomore07]

Not recommended. Nothing in Austin is stable.