Considering New Braunfels (Dallas, San Antonio, Austin: 2010, schools, living)

[Alaskanclover]

hello
I had some questions reguarding NB. Me and my husband and 1 month old son mught be moving down that way from the Dallas area in the next two months due to my husbands job. He will be working out of Austin and we are looking for a affordable but nice area to settle down with. I have never lived outside of DFW and wondered if living there is more like being in the country or do you still feel like it is a city? And if anyone has moved there and hated it. I love the german influence since I have german hertiage and the festivals sound fun. But I just want to know everyones opioion about it, I have been to the Smokehouse for the beef jerky when we would travel to San Antonio and that is all I know about NB.Also is there any thing someone should know before moving there?

Thanks

[imaterry78259]

NB is just 10 minutes away from the San Antonio and all it has to offer . plus the city has grown from 36 K to 54 K in the last eight years. Due to the influx of SA growth has change the once conservative town into a moderate city

[SnappyBob]

What little country that is left north of San Antonio is shrinking rapidly. If your husband will be working in North Austin and has to travel to NB south of Austin the comute wil be terrible unless he works odd hours. If he will be working in south Austin it might not be too bad. Have you considered the San Marcos area?

[nativeDallasite]

San Antonio and Austin are both expanding so rapidly that someday we'll be talking about the "San Antonio-Austin metro area"...and they're 90 miles apart!

[cheermomof4girls]

If your husband will be working N. Austin, I would suggest Leander, Cedar Park, Georgetown, or Round Rock. If you have kids, the Leander ISD have excellent schools. GT and RR are also good, just can't speak from experience. We lived in Leander and have family in Mesquite. It only took me 3 hours to get there. Just a thought if you will be visiting family in the DFW after you move.

[imaterry78259]

Sorry, but they are only 45 miles now and thier MSA are just 10 miles apart

[CamaroGuy]

New Braunfels is a nice little town. I loved it when I visited SA back in 2003. I also love the German influence being that I'm a Germanophile. The commute from Austin may be tough on your husband though as I've heard that traffic is congested.

[oldmanshirt]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

Sorry, but they are only 45 miles now and thier MSA are just 10 miles apart

Actually their MSAs border each other. Austin-Round Rock MSA's southern counties are Hays and Caldwell and San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA's north east counties are Comal and Guadalupe. These four counties lie between Bexar and Travis counties and have an aggregate population of 350-375k.

As for Austin and San Antonio becoming one MSA in the future (like DFW or Minneapolis-St. Paul), I think that's unlikely, unless the census changes their criteria for determining an MSA. There is a likelyhood, however, that the 2010 census will see them designated as a Combined Statistical Area (like DC-Baltimore and San Jose-San Francisco) due to the commuting patterns between them and the increasingly strong regional ties between the "mid-cities" of San Marcos, New Braunfels, and Seguin.

To answer the OP's question, I have never lived in New Braunfels, but I don't recall ever hearing anything negative from anyone who has ever lived there (including an aunt of mine). Just don't go there expecting to escape from the traffic problems of SA and Austin, because like any city that grows 50+% over 7 years, NB has it's own congestion problems.

[Torrey]

Originally Posted by Alaskanclover

hello
I had some questions reguarding NB. Me and my husband and 1 month old son mught be moving down that way from the Dallas area in the next two months due to my husbands job. He will be working out of Austin and we are looking for a affordable but nice area to settle down with. I have never lived outside of DFW and wondered if living there is more like being in the country or do you still feel like it is a city? And if anyone has moved there and hated it. I love the german influence since I have german hertiage and the festivals sound fun. But I just want to know everyones opioion about it, I have been to the Smokehouse for the beef jerky when we would travel to San Antonio and that is all I know about NB.Also is there any thing someone should know before moving there?

Thanks

New Braunfels is a nice little place. However San Antonio is going to overtake it some day, and probably sooner than you would hope for. Have you looked into Fredericksburg Texas as well? Sure is nice up there too. Not too much of a threat of a big city encompassing the town either.

[LoveSnow]

I would not count on commuting from NB to either SA or Austin. Especially Austin. Major stress on a daily basis. IH-35 is packed south of Austin even after the rush hour. Actually, Austin traffic is bad all over. Correct me if I am wrong. I think whoever designed the road system and highway ramps there did a super lousy job.

San Marcus is a lovely town. Never lived there, but visited a few times. I am still not sure about commuting to Austin. It is closer, but Austin traffic is just terrible.