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Old 08-06-2006, 11:05 PM
 
Location: Texas
118 posts, read 561,625 times
Reputation: 41

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Interesting topic for sure... I myself have made two big moves so far: Indiana where I grew up (and hated every minute) to North Carolina to Los Angeles where I live now. If we move to Austin, that will make three big moves! The other two times didn't seem like a big deal to me. I was only too happy to leave Indiana, and North Carolina was nicer, but I still felt out of place there.

The moment I moved to LA (never even having visited before) I felt right at home. I love it here and am sad to have to even consider moving. My boyfriend was born and raised here, so I feel especially bad about him having to leave the place he knows and loves so well. So that's why I feel a lot of trepidation about this possible (well, *probable* at this point) move. I know it will be different in Austin, and there are many things that we will be losing (beaches, Yamashiro , sunshine and low humidity, etc.) but we are hoping that what we'll gain will make up for it. The thing is, if we sell our house here, we will probably never be able to afford to come back, if we decide we're unhappy in Austin.

I've moved longer distances, with no job lined up, little money, and virtually no planning or research, but this move is by far the scariest for me!

I am really glad I found this board with so many friendly and helpful people. Makes things a little less scary to know I can ask any silly question about Austin that comes to mind, and get a straightforward answer.

We are arriving later this week for a visit, to decide for sure if we're going to do it! eek!
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Old 08-07-2006, 08:57 AM
 
Location: Apple Valley, Ca
437 posts, read 2,238,992 times
Reputation: 159
Oh that wonderful word, "Yes Ma'mm". My sister and I went to Texas a month ago to check things out and when we were in a coffee shop the girl came up and said, good morning Y'all. How Y'all doing?

The whole time we were there she talked so nice to us. Have a nice day. It was so different to hear someone actually be nice.

We have fire ants here where I live and I just buy stuff and KILL THEM TO DEATH. scorpions is another thing. We have them once in a while but they never get in our beds like someone else said.

WE also have those stink black bugs. They don't bother me either. Snakes, I am always on the look out for them. We have those too.

So I think that Texas might be a little like where I already live. If not I still won't be disappointed. I am ready for a life change.

We hope to have a nice 3 to 5 acres and a pretty good house. Not to far from the store and lots of peace and quiet.

No more boom boxes, quades driving by, animal control telling you you can't have 8 dogs on two acres. Taxes and Insurance doubling.

NASTY NEIGHBORS. DRUGGIES.
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Old 08-07-2006, 10:43 AM
 
Location: Brushy Creek
806 posts, read 2,884,508 times
Reputation: 556
I am still amused when addressed that way by someone twice my age. What's funnier is when you see the look on someone's face, when they're not sure whether the person addressing them as sir/ ma'm is serious or pulling their leg. Probably not from around here.
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Old 08-07-2006, 12:59 PM
 
679 posts, read 2,833,992 times
Reputation: 208
I feel the same way. That 2-3 months of intense heat is a small price to pay for all of the rest of the year's mild climate. With the exception of the intense heat and humidity, our climates, in Cali, are about the same as yours. Winters, where I live, are 40's-50's, November to March...with some warmer and colder days, here and there. One December and March, it was in the 80's...but that is rare. Summers are 70's to high 80's, with some days in the 90's and just recently we had a heat wave where the temps were over 100, for a couple of weeks. It usually never rains in the summer, in Cali. Our rainy season comes in around late October and starts clearing up in May. The downside is, when it rains...it rains. This past rainy season, it rained everyday...for 4 months. It started the last week in December and didn't stop until mid April. All day, every day. I kept looking for the Arc.

That is good news to hear about the critters. Makes me feel better about it. I think I'll start having my grounds treated for fire ants, when the construction starts. I want my little grandkids to be able to visit and safely play in the yard, without me having to worry about fire ants. We do have snakes where I live, but to see them is rare. I had one slink across my driveway one day. Another day, I was driving down the street and saw one "running" to get out of traffic. If you drive up into the hills, you can see them lying across the road to sun themselves. I'm still scared of them though. I'll figure out a way to keep them out of my yard. If I buy acreage, I'm sure there will be snakes in there, somewhere. I live very close to the hills. Close enough to walk up and touch them.

We have a train system here, used to commute. Well, I cannot tell you how happy I will be not to have to ride it to work anymore, with loud teens being disrespectful and saying "f" this and "f" that. I usually want to say to them, "How do you think your mother would fee if she saw you talking and behaving like this." It is so ugly. Will be so glad to have serenity.

Oh, one other thing that has me concerned is the shortage of public water, in Texas. Do you think it would be better to use public water or just have a well dug? Would it make a difference? I'd hate to be limited on the amount of water I can use.
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Old 08-07-2006, 02:49 PM
 
Location: Apple Valley, Ca
437 posts, read 2,238,992 times
Reputation: 159
I have a well now and I think with us wanting land out and away from the City, we will probably get another well with the house we buy. I noticed that on the houses the Realtor sent us.

At least you won't have a water bill. One less expense. We have a 500 foot well here but I think in Texas their level is a lot less. Like maybe 100 foot. I am just guessing.
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Old 08-07-2006, 04:17 PM
 
679 posts, read 2,833,992 times
Reputation: 208
I read somewhere that if you dig a 600 foot well, you never have to worry about it going dry. I know one concern is that you don't know where to dig on the property. If you dig and they find no water, it is just money lost. I understand it is $1,000 per 100 feet...so a 600 foot well would cost me $6,000. I don't think that is too bad. Have any idea which is best...well or public? I also heard that well water has problems with contamination. Any opinion? I would love to be able to use all the water I need to keep the landscaping plush. I'm sure the cost of the well would pay for itself in short time. Just need to find the right place to dig.
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Old 08-07-2006, 08:00 PM
 
Location: Brushy Creek
806 posts, read 2,884,508 times
Reputation: 556
Ahhh! The beauty of technology! No longer do you need a water divinity god, all you need is CSMOS and Optimal Well Locator (OWL) . Go to the EPA site and do a search for that, READ, then tell your well digger you know about such things. Not only will they be impressed, they may learn a thing or two in the process.
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Old 08-07-2006, 08:35 PM
 
Location: Austin TX
1,207 posts, read 6,280,234 times
Reputation: 420
What a great topic for a thread!

First off, I am grateful to hear Spookmeister say he hasn't seen a roach in years. I am a total bug-phobic and have been freaking out reading various forums about the bugs in Austin. I live in Phoenix now, and frankly the bugs here are nowhere as bad as I expected. I am still a freak, but the one thing I just can't live with are roaches....so I will happily pay for extermination just to be safe!

We are relocating voluntarily and I have looked at all of my relocations as wonderful adventures and opportunities. this will be our first time relocating with children, and that had made things more complicated. We have not been overly happy in the Phoenix area and so our urge to move has been much greater and we are so very excited about getting to Austin - I wish our house would just SELL! I moved from Chicago (my birthplace + first 28 years of life) to San Francisco in 1997 without knowing a single soul and it was the best move, professionally and personally, I ever made. Truly, it was a transforming experience. From that point on I have always thought change was a good thing, and have always welcomed moving. We seem to be nomads at heart!

There really isn't much I'll miss about Phoenix except the dry climate, but what we gain in green grass, trees and rolling hills will make up for that in a heartbeat. We have a pretty good lead on a job, but it's by no means locked down...so talk about an adventure! But sometimes if you just sit back and listen to what's going on around you - go with the flow, the path you're supposed to take becomes very obvious to you, and that's what we'll do!

Loved reading everyone's thoughts on this thread!
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Old 08-07-2006, 10:18 PM
 
Location: Cedar Park, TX
123 posts, read 718,237 times
Reputation: 87
Great Topic! I've been lurking since early June when the possibility of moving came about. My husband and I have always wanted to get out of NE Ohio (hate the winters) and have always talked about moving west. But I must admit, as much as we've talked the talk, acutally walking the walk is an entirely different thing.

When my husband's job opportunity arose and he flew to Austin for the interview, in the back of my mind we weren't moving, yet, so it wasn't real. Then the job offer came with a relocation package and more than our dream of moving came with it. What I mean by that is the emotional baggage that needed to be packed along with our material possessions. Our entire family is in Ohio... friends... good jobs... the night we made the decision to move, I cried my eyes out over IM to a friend. Although it was what we always wanted, I was scared as hell.

But once the decision was made and plans went into motion, excitement took over. We were getting out of Ohio! Yippee! Since my husband already had a job, it was my turn... I'm a teacher so there are lots of hurdles in getting certificates transfered, etc. I flew down after getting a call about a job and wah-lah... I got it! We made the drive down and we've been here a week last Sunday. Since we've been here, we've found a house and we're in a temporary housing apartment until the end of the month. My husband flew back to Ohio on Sunday to finalize everything with selling our house there and that will be the last thing to take care of.

As for the bugs... ick... I hate them! But really, I've been here a week and I haven't seen anything that would make me run the other way. I did see the biggest spider I've ever seen, but it was in a web on a truck driving down the highway somewhere in Arkansas on the way down. I've seen one lizard type thing and one cockroach (that was at school). I'm sure I'll see more pests and I've only been here a week, but the way some people talked, I thought I'd have a difficult time stepping outside!

I absolutely love it here and the whole sir and ma'am thing will take some getting used to. We were at our realtor's house and her three year old said yes to something my husband asked her and her mom (my realtor) corrected her to say yes, sir!

I guess making the plunge to move (at least for me) is that if it's meant to happen, it will. Everything has fallen into place so nicely, that I know this is where I'm supposed to be.

Best of luck to the recent transplants and good luck to those who are thinking of moving... Austin is a wonderful place!
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Old 08-07-2006, 11:04 PM
 
Location: Apple Valley, Ca
437 posts, read 2,238,992 times
Reputation: 159
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdreamin
I read somewhere that if you dig a 600 foot well, you never have to worry about it going dry. I know one concern is that you don't know where to dig on the property. If you dig and they find no water, it is just money lost. I understand it is $1,000 per 100 feet...so a 600 foot well would cost me $6,000. I don't think that is too bad. Have any idea which is best...well or public? I also heard that well water has problems with contamination. Any opinion? I would love to be able to use all the water I need to keep the landscaping plush. I'm sure the cost of the well would pay for itself in short time. Just need to find the right place to dig.
Gee, I don't know where you live that the price is that cheap. I live in the high desert of Cali and it cost every new owner up here $30,000 for a 550 foot well. I know that is terrible but true.

Spookmeiste, I am not sure what you are saying about the water. Can you tell me what you meant?

ohio2texas, I am so happy for you that you made it. I wish I was on my way. Our house hasn't sold yet. Soon I hope. I can't stand another day here. I am so excited about moving to Texas. The only thing scary is the drive there.

This really is a positive thread. I am glad Spook brought it up. Thank Spook
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