Moving to Austin (Dallas: sale, real estate, apartment complexes) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Jayhawk2009 · 11-10-2009, 09:02 PM

We are moving to Austin and have no Idea about anything here. Can anyone help us to find a good place to live. Here are our priorities:

1-Some places close to UT.
2-Family friendly neighbors (apartment to rent<1000$) not too many college students.
3-Very good Daycare for our 2 years old child.

Appreciate any help!!!

austinhome · 11-10-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawk2009

We are moving to Austin and have no Idea about anything here. Can anyone help us to find a good place to live. Here are our priorities:

1-Some places close to UT.
2-Family friendly neighbors (apartment to rent<1000$) not too many college students.
3-Very good Daycare for our 2 years old child.

Appreciate any help!!!

Please beware!!! You can not trust anyone !! Anything close to UT is all college students, anything away from UT is to far out, find the daycare you like and feel you can trust that has an opening and go from there. Do not move here if you do not have a job. Do not do anything on line with any one including real estate agents (sorry folks but someone has to start telling people the truth) You really need to spend a month here checking things out first, before making any long term agreements. Most likely the daycare you find that you like will not have an opening, so plan on that.

Apartments; I hope you are aware that a two bedroom two bath start at 1300.00 a month, downtown dumb, little nicer apartments north and south, 200.00 dollar deposit for electric if you have not had electric in your name in austin for at least 12 months, don't waste alot of time looking at the apartment ratings, you can not trust that either.

Also if you sign a apartment lease make sure you give a full report of the condition of the apartment when you move in. The apartment complexes here love to take you to the cleaners at the end of your lease. Such as repainting the entire apartment, cleaning the carpets and what ever else they can come up with. You will see all of this on the apartment rating websites.

Don't believe anyone who tells you there are jobs here they are not here and if they are it's 7.50 an hour. You can get paid more then that and live on the beach right now.

jobert · 11-10-2009, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by austinhome

don't waste alot of time looking at the apartment ratings, you can not trust that either.

Also if you sign a apartment lease make sure you give a full report of the condition of the apartment when you move in. The apartment complexes here love to take you to the cleaners at the end of your lease. Such as repainting the entire apartment, cleaning the carpets and what ever else they can come up with. You will see all of this on the apartment rating websites.

okay, put down the doober... I would look in Allandale, and those immediate areas, I would check craigslist and interview nannies, you can get one that you can trust for 150/wk or less, believe me..there are a lot of overqualified women and SAHM's that are more than capable. ..and yes, you can trust the RE agents here. apologies for my poor syntax. welcome to Austin!

Trainwreck20 · 11-10-2009, 10:23 PM

Close to UT/not a lot of students. Think about it

.

It sounds like you really mean sort of close to UT, not really close. North of campus, probably at least North of Hyde Park (such as Jobert mentions) is a good starting area. There are some some enclaves of apartments that are not bad up Shoal Creek which should be under $1k, but not sure on any recent prices. There are some good daycare companies, most will charge $1000 or so a month for a 2 y/o. You might also look at some of the church programs, some are excellent.

austinhome · 11-10-2009, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jobert

okay, put down the doober... I would look in Allandale, and those immediate areas, I would check craigslist and interview nannies, you can get one that you can trust for 150/wk or less, believe me..there are a lot of overqualified women and SAHM's that are more than capable. ..and yes, you can trust the RE agents here. apologies for my poor syntax. welcome to Austin!

"Craigslist for a nannie that is some great advice" You are out of your mind! All real estate agents are not equal and they will not be able to know that from out of state. Tell the truth and shame the devil.

jobert · 11-11-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by austinhome

"Craigslist for a nannie that is some great advice" You are out of your mind! All real estate agents are not equal and they will not be able to know that from out of state. Tell the truth and shame the devil.

fyi on the nannie: I visited 8 different places, signed a contract that layed out terms/conditions, looked at qualifications, references (called them), certifications, training, experience, CPR, etc. and interviewed them before choosing. Usually there is one that will stand head and shoulders above the rest, and the one I know now will most likely be a lifelong aquaintance to say the least. I have magnets, arts and crafts that my youngest has made (or help make). They come home smiling and happy, always. I didn't select a random stranger of the internet and hand them over no questions asked; because I hired them to watch my kid, not to flip burgers.....No, I am not out of my mind.

I paid 1100/mo. in Dallas for our first kid, and that is waaaay too much. The only reason I did, is because I was overprotective and I didn't know any better. I thought $$$ = quality, but it doesn't always.

jobert · 11-11-2009, 07:27 PM

I've found out in life that sometimes the only reason to overpay is to prove you can.

Jayhawk2009 · 11-11-2009, 09:25 PM

Thanks guys. Very helpful comments.
Our first priority is to find a very good place for our kid. We will go anywhere as long as we know our child is attending the best program. Any suggestion on the neighborhoods that we need to be looking for daycare?

jobert · 11-11-2009, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawk2009

Thanks guys. Very helpful comments.
Our first priority is to find a very good place for our kid. We will go anywhere as long as we know our child is attending the best program. Any suggestion on the neighborhoods that we need to be looking for daycare?

Apologies, we like to argue with other on this board. Forget what I said earlier.. I would look at the Primrose Academy. They have multiple locations and are very reputable. I would recommend looking for daycare in the neighborhood you live in, or somewhere along your commute route (to the university, I presume). Daycares usually have a wait list to get in that could last up to a year or more, regardless of the quality. Nannies usually will not have a wait list (they wouldn't be advertising, otherwise), but mentioned in earlier post, the vetting process can be strenuous.
anyways, your name suggests you are moving from Kansas. If so, welcome to Texas.

Erikco · 11-12-2009, 11:21 PM

Description of Austin.

My family and I are considering to move to Austin. So I'm looking for information about Austin. If you have information, I'll apreciate your help.

Topography: There are mountains and rivers?

Whish is the Austin altitude?

Do you have idea about the used car lot market? Whould be a good idea start up a used car lot business in Austin?

Do you know if there are auto body parts stores in Austin (These stores sale auto body parts made in Taiwan)

Do you know the property tax pocentage in Austin?

How many universities and colleges there are in Austin?

There are oppotunities to get a gob as a bilingual (English/Spanish) School Counsellor?

Thenk you for your help.