Where are all the kids??? Please HELP!!! (Madison, Franklin: houses, neighborhood)

[remcycle]

Originally Posted by Megan1967

Thanks for all the info on housing around Austin! So you lived there growing up, huh? I've been on the Austin forum and some sort of disturbing things have been coming up. Namely a deep seated resentment on the part of long term natives toward anyone new coming in. If you as a native found Austin less friendly than Madison, I'm beginning to worry how welcome I'd be. Someone specifically listed Wisconsin as a place where "rude and arrogant" Northerner are coming from. <gulp!> I *think* I'm fairly polite and even a little self deprecating at times, not arrogant at all .

Megan, I wouldn't worry too much about the "deep seated resentment" being from Wisconsin and all. The resentment toward Californians, however, is HUGE, and I for one don't blame them.

That's one of the main reasons most people leave, to be honest.

Don't get me wrong, however...i'm not going to feel ill toward someone just because of where they came from, nor will most halfway-intelligent Austinites. It's just that Austin used to be this jewel of an unknown city...a diamond in the rough (kinda like Madison). But then Californians started to arrive...literally in droves. They made a ton of money on a home sale back in CA, moved into TX with a large reserve of cash in hand, and (thanks to the local businesses who gouged prices to keep up with them) drove the price of EVERYTHING into the sky, where it remains. A local college-educated person who made an Austin average salary of 50-60K a year would make an offer on a home in an okay neighborhood next to a pretty good school thinking they were doing a really good thing for their family, and out of nowhere the Californians would out-bid them by so much that it was impossible for the seller to say no.

So in the last 5 years or so, yes, people "local" to Austin have largely seen the s**t end of the stick thanks to the influx of Californian dollars.

...and some of them brought some attitudes with them, too...and I don't want to sound judgmental so I won't even start. You'll see when you get there.

[nanannie]

You dont want to sound judgemental? mmmk. Just remember folks, you cant move to a city and close the gate behind you. If you think its a great place to live, so will many others. If I was a Californian and someone offered me tons of money for my nothing little house-would I turn it down because my house was so overpriced??-dont think so. Millions of people look for a better quality of life. Wisconsin, Austin, California are all filled with people from someplace else. Close minded, unwelcoming people and those generalizing a whole state of people are just narrow minded and shallow.I wouldnt want to hang with them anyway.

[remcycle]

Originally Posted by nanannie

You dont want to sound judgemental? mmmk. Just remember folks, you cant move to a city and close the gate behind you. If you think its a great place to live, so will many others. If I was a Californian and someone offered me tons of money for my nothing little house-would I turn it down because my house was so overpriced??-dont think so. Millions of people look for a better quality of life. Wisconsin, Austin, California are all filled with people from someplace else. Close minded, unwelcoming people and those generalizing a whole state of people are just narrow minded and shallow.I wouldnt want to hang with them anyway.

No one would turn the sale down...but if you *knew*, as so many publications in both Austin and Silicon Valley have stated, that Austin was being wholly gentrified by Valley money, would you have any inner-dialogue at all about contributing to the problem? I would, and I would simply choose somewhere else to move.

As stated before, i'm not going to feel ill will toward someone just because of where they came from...I was just explaining the situation as it is in Austin.

If, say, Chicago's elite decided to pack up and move to your neighborhood and inadvertently fire up a low-to-upper-middle-class gentrification movement, you might be a tad bitter too. Austin is full of bitter locals right now.

[off2oz]

Remcycle -

How is your daughter liking school at Stoner Prairie? Has she made some friends?

We live in the Dudgeon-Monroe Neighborhood with 4 children ages 10, 7, 5, and 1. Because I'm a stay at home mom, I joined a "Moms" club for playgroups and outings for my younger children. But we also had gatherings for the school age children during the summer. Plus joining a pool really provides opportunity (at least for my older children) and there are many day camps.

Just checking in to see how you're doing. Now that the weather is somewhat nicer, there should be more children "visible".

[Megan1967]

Glad you asked for an update as I've been wondering how things are going for Remcycle's family. How are you liking Madison in general?

[remcycle]

Thanks for asking!

She loves Stoner Prairie. She's making a bunch of new friends and we're enjoying our time here so far.

We're really very lucky...if we lived three doors down we would've been trapped into sending her to Leopold Elementary, which is Madison's most overcrowded school.

So perhaps we were wrong about the kid situation, but only partly. Even with the nicer weather, we still have trouble finding school-aged kids on the weekends in the more affluent neighborhoods like Nakoma and Middleton. Toddlers, yes....High-schoolers, sure, but elementary-middle school kids still seem to be locked in the basement for the most part.

Otherwise, we've been enjoying this city. I've been riding to work most days from Seminole Forest to UW via the Southwest Commuter Trail. It's been great...as a cyclist I couldn't imagine a more bike-friendly city. Other days I'll ride halfway home and then take the bus the rest of the way through the southside. My wife is on an employment hunt right now, but we can't imagine it'll take too long.

How's the Austin thing coming, Megan?

[Megan1967]

Hi Remcycle!

Glad to hear things are going well!

Just got back today. I have to say I'm a little disappointed, but more in my trip than the city. I went with my sister and a friend of hers and my ideas to rent some bikes or hang out at Barton Springs were shot down. We went down to 5th/6th Streets to check out the live music, but they put the cabash on things when they found out they'd have to pay a cover charge. I did finally drag them down to Zilker Park, but they didn't want to actually get out the suits and take a dip.

Their idea of a good time is to stay up all night drinking and smoking, hang out at the pool for a bit, maybe grab a bite somewhere and then return to the hotel for the complementary happy hour which then is followed by staying up all night drinking, talking and smoking in their room. Not a big drinker and I don't smoke so...

I did spend Sunday seeing houses with a Realtor and saw a couple I liked, but they were in Round Rock. I'm torn because I don't want to live in suburbia, but that's all I can afford. I'm not even sure that a city the size of Austin has neighborhoods like the kind I live in now which isn't my ideal, it's kind of a cheap vinyl village, but definitely livable and while I'm not in a "cool" area, I can be just about anywhere in 10-15-25 minutes (okay, about 35-40 to the far west side, but that's just big chain shopping mostly).

I ran around the residential area of West Lynn street and really liked the cute little bungalows, but obviously they aren't in my price range. I didn't even bother to look at the other nice est. neighborhoods in town as I thought it would frustrate me too much.

And then it got hot. Monday was no big deal (it was in the mid 90's), Tuesday was a little more intense (my car thermometer said 106 at one point), but when we left the hotel today at 4am it was already 85 degrees and HUMID. I'm mean really humid. The 106 I sort of shook off on Tuesday would have killed me today I'm sure. Still I maintain that 3-4 months of searing heat beats Oct - May of icky cold weather any day. I have to admit, however, that this is an exceptionally cold May.

I drove around Taylor and really liked the town, but then pictured myself living there and having nothing to do. I think I'd get really lonely really fast.

And then there's the scary concept of moving 1800 miles from all that I've ever known. And I love Madison, just that darn weather. I know that Austin is supposed to be like Madison, but really, a town of 270K can't be compared to one of almost a million. I'm not a big city girl.

So, as you can see from the above I'm more than a little ambivalent.

[kemachs]

Megan, I actually considered UT for my undergrad for the same reason, the crappy winters here in the Midwest. Also, I wanted to get in on the "laid back" attitude Austin seems to be famous for. Then I realized tuition was going to be twice as much, and decided it wasn't worth it, especially since UW is just as good academically. Anyway, do you think Austin lives up to its hype? Is it as fun, hip, etc. as everyone says it is? Just wondering what you thought as a fellow Midwesterner, as I haven't yet visited.

[Megan1967]

Hi Kemachs,

I really didn't see enough of it to determine that, but I think you'd really have to live in Austin proper and fairly close to down town to have really easy access to the 'vibe', fun stuff and the culture. Otherwise you are living in suburbia.

It did not appear to be a walkable city. Things are really spread out, but driving is easier than in MKE or Chicago and parking doesn't seem to be an issue.

It seemed cool, but I'd want to know more before leaving everything and everyone I've ever known and moving 6 cats and a dog which requires buying a house (and selling my current house).

[NY4eva]

remcycle - I am glad to see you are finding it easier to enjoy Madison/Fitchburg/Verona area... It is really not a bad place to live at all, though I now little of Seminole Forest.

My husband and I have lived here since 2002/2003. At the time we were not married (newly engaged). I was born in and grew up in NYS. My husband was born in and grew up in Eastern PA. We met while he was working in NJ and I was going to grad. school in Brooklyn, NY.

I didn't really want to move out here. I mean, I spent a summer out here and liked what I saw, but it is HARD to move from NYC to Madison. But, I kept telling myself I had to give it a fair chance. Here we are 5-6 years later (married now with a 2 year old and one on the way)... we bought our first house in 2004 and are building another in Verona, #1 reason being for the school district... and my husband also works at Epic.

I have subbed extensively in the area while TRYING to get a permanent teaching position in the area elementary schools (not easy when you have an out-of-state masters degree). And, as others have posted, Verona is one of the best school districts in the area (along with Middleton, Waunakee & Mt. Horeb). I was adamant myself about being in a better district. I was not crazy about my son being in Madison because I have seen the teachers Madison seems to attract (another reason for me to be bitter about not being accepted for applied positions).

I hope you continue to find the area better than you initially thought. Sadly, in the winter, people tend to hibernate... hopefully, you will be able to join other families from Stoner Prairie for some playdates, etc. for your daughter.

Stay well... and don't forget to head out to Brat Fest this weekend!!