Austin or San Antonio? (Houston, Alamo: to rent, job market, established neighborhood)

[redytogo]

I am one of those Californians (via Indiana) who has had enough of the cost of living issues. I am considering a move to Austin, in the very near future, but have also recently been told that San Antonio might be a better alternative. Can anyone tell me about housing prices and the job market for someone in property management? I am looking to find a nice established neighborhood w/i walking distance to shops and parks under $200k. Certainly appreciate some input and guidance.

[mtdave2]

you will get more bang for your housing buck in san antonio. both would be fine for what you are doing. i would look into which city matches your personality better.

[googie2525]

Austin is way pricier, for sure, but really much more so in the hip downtown areas. In the suburban Austin areas, the prices are high as well, but manageable. Of course, there's nothing established there, just endless miles of KB Home-look neighborhoods. Now, San Antonio offers way more housing choices in established neighborhoods simply becuase we're many times larger, been around longer, and let's face it, Austin was, for many many years, a bleak little college town, and this is reflected in it's housing stock pre-1980ish. Austin has Hyde Park, SoCo, and a very small smattering of established or historic nighborhoods (which are super expensive btw), SA has MANY neighborhoods like this (Monte Vista, Monticello Park, Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Beacon Hill, the list goes on and on and on...and of course, some are expensive, some dirt-cheap, for obvious reasons). So basically, it comes down to this, and this was my dillema for a time, do you want to live a hip, "bohemian" existence full of nightlife, music, great entertainment, but coupled with a really high price tag and a lower quality of life in regards to housing OR do you wan't a more sedate, family-oriented deal, BUT you have way more expendable income and a much better house?
I ultimately decided to stay because of business interests and because I became so aggitated with the Austin market, which in some ways mimics Southern California. Basically, it's ridiculosuly overpriced in the areas I wanted to live, the traffic is the WORST, and, I know, this is odd, but I found it almost too small and lacking any real history or depth (I feel the same way about Houston, which is just a big mish-mosh; I lived there in college, hated it). And although I would greatly prefer a whirlwind of social activities ala Austin, I don't want to have to rent to do it or cough up 500K for a shotgun shack in South Congress. So yes, like the fella said, you have to make a personailty choice, as well as a financial one. It's like Manhattan versus New Jersey basically...oh yeah, if you like the Austin vibe, but decide to move to SA, check out the King William area, you can buy a shotgun shack there for a mere 200K and pretend you're in Austin