Is there a progressive suburb for a young family or is that an oxymoron?

[relocatingforsure]

Anyone know of any good real estate agents?

[Trainwreck20]

Due to the Terms of Service of this site, any recommendations must be made via Direct Message.

[hound 109]

I would highly recommend visiting Austin first (before engaging a realtor). Get a feel for the town & the lay of the land.

After you find out WHERE you'll be working, then select a nice area to RENT (for 6 mos. to a year). Since your kid isn't in school you don't have to worry about him/her having to change schools etc.

Once you're here, spend time exploring the dozen or so areas of town that would deliver the (non-progressive) suburban "new home" (with preferably "good schools") environment that you seek.

Once you've identified a couple of those areas, then seek out a realtor (or buy a home w/o a realtor).

But..... identify where you will work, rent near there, spend 6 months - 9 months looking around, be aware that there are fabulous & not so fabulous schools in most "School Districts"......so look at schools, NOT districts.....& then buy.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by hound 109

I would highly recommend visiting Austin first (before engaging a realtor). Get a feel for the town & the lay of the land.

After you find out WHERE you'll be working, then select a nice area to RENT (for 6 mos. to a year). Since your kid isn't in school you don't have to worry about him/her having to change schools etc.

Once you're here, spend time exploring the dozen or so areas of town that would deliver the (non-progressive) suburban "new home" (with preferably "good schools") environment that you seek.

Once you've identified a couple of those areas, then seek out a realtor (or buy a home w/o a realtor).

But..... identify where you will work, rent near there, spend 6 months - 9 months looking around, be aware that there are fabulous & not so fabulous schools in most "School Districts"......so look at schools, NOT districts.....& then buy.

Not only this, but a school that is great for one kid may be a disaster for another (we had that even in the same family), so while looking at schools, not districts, you'll also want to look at the schools with your particular child in mind.

I disagree (with full disclosure that I'm a real estate agent) on visiting before hooking up with an agent, even if only for the one visit. For a relatively (few days) visit, you'll need a "native guide" to show you around.

Ways to find one: most of the agents on this site have "Real Estate Agent" under our names, put there by C-D to identify us and our particular bias/expertise. You can read what we all have to say and see who seems the most sympatico and contact us via DM and pick someone you'd like to send you information/show you around.

You can google "Austin" and "blog" and "real estate" or "Travis County"" and "blog" or "Williamson County" and "blog" (or all of the above) and see who pops up and read their blog and see who you think you'd like to work with.

Then, when you come visit, after chatting via email/phone, the agent will already have an idea of what your interests are and can show you not only houses, but restaurants, shopping, leisure activities, and where they are located. That will help you figure out whether to rent before buying (I have several clients who have done that and I simply help them find their house to rent and then help them with a home purchase once they're comfortable that they know where they want to live more permanently) or whether you know right off the bat, after the visit, where you want to live. I've had it go both ways with clients, and I think they're both good ideas depending on the home seeker and their individual situation.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by tongpa-nyi

... Wow, I think I might have met you. I lived at 1415 Newning in the early 90s and was a few houses away from a midwife. My name is George, I lived with my girlfriend Carla (who is long gone back to CA) and two dogs named Bean and Lakota.

Are you the ones who had the party and the porch swing fell when sylvia was setting on it? I think I remember you guys. We were in the white two-story directly across from your front yard.

Steve