How can I convince my significant other to move to Austin?

[Dr.Mom]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

No, but as a man coming up on 20 years of happy marriage to a woman who, in many ways, is my polar opposite, I can give you some reasons why you should do what your wife wants.

I have never regretted letting my wife have her way when it comes to issues of house, home and where we live.

We men are, for the most part, simple creatures who are easy to please. "Happy Husbands 101" could be published on the back of a business card and still be all inclusive. When we have a few core basics covered, we're happy, adaptable and secure - usually.

Not so for wives. They are more complex, have "nesting" instincts and other more subtle needs and issues in the relationship. While I don't advocate being a whipped lap dog to your woman, there are no doubt some battles best not picked. Uprooting and moving her to a place she doesn't want to live just because you want to live there might be one of them.

Instead of trying to convince her with reasons to move here, just plan another trip and make sure she has fun. Not sure what you guys did last time, but if she doesn't see Austin as a fun place where she'd like to hang and raise kids, no amount of data or bullet point reasons will matter.

What you really need is another casual visit and the proper itinerary. One that will produce a "home run" experience for her. Then you continue to remain silent about the idea of moving and see if she brings it up. If not, stay silent about it. If she does say "you know, Austin didn't seem that bad this time", you continue to remind her that she doesn't really like Austin and that you're happy to stay in the northeast, or live wherever her heart desires, and that all that matters to you is being with her in a place she loves. It has to become her idea.

Steve

Ah, Steve, you are indeed a wise man. As my DH (of 15 years) likes to say, "Happy wife...happy life."

[eepstein]

Agreed. Once again, this is an opinions board. I am simply stating opinions regarding my experience with this part of the country. The city of Austin does a really good job of using multi million dollar media campaigns to paint Austin as some "holier than thou" city in this country. That is simply a lie. Austin falls short in so many areas, but all of that is left out to mislead and confuse people. If people had more opinions and facts, they could be in a better position to make an informed, wise decision.

Originally Posted by sinking

Why does having a negative opinion or experience mean he shouldn't listen to him? If people who came here looking for advice only listened to the positive opinions then they could expect everything to be perfect when they arrive.

I wish I had read or heard some negative things before I arrived in Austin. All I would hear about is the typical Austin Moderator cut: not PG-13

[WestCoastDreamer]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

No, but as a man coming up on 20 years of happy marriage to a woman who, in many ways, is my polar opposite, I can give you some reasons why you should do what your wife wants.

I have never regretted letting my wife have her way when it comes to issues of house, home and where we live.

We men are, for the most part, simple creatures who are easy to please. "Happy Husbands 101" could be published on the back of a business card and still be all inclusive. When we have a few core basics covered, we're happy, adaptable and secure - usually.

Not so for wives. They are more complex, have "nesting" instincts and other more subtle needs and issues in the relationship. While I don't advocate being a whipped lap dog to your woman, there are no doubt some battles best not picked. Uprooting and moving her to a place she doesn't want to live just because you want to live there might be one of them.

Instead of trying to convince her with reasons to move here, just plan another trip and make sure she has fun. Not sure what you guys did last time, but if she doesn't see Austin as a fun place where she'd like to hang and raise kids, no amount of data or bullet point reasons will matter.

What you really need is another casual visit and the proper itinerary. One that will produce a "home run" experience for her. Then you continue to remain silent about the idea of moving and see if she brings it up. If not, stay silent about it. If she does say "you know, Austin didn't seem that bad this time", you continue to remind her that she doesn't really like Austin and that you're happy to stay in the northeast, or live wherever her heart desires, and that all that matters to you is being with her in a place she loves. It has to become her idea.

Steve

Those are sage words, Steve. Super sage.

[Paulmmm]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Agreed. Once again, this is an opinions board. I am simply stating opinions regarding my experience with this part of the country. The city of Austin does a really good job of using multi million dollar media campaigns to paint Austin as some "holier than thou" city in this country. That is simply a lie. Austin falls short in so many areas, but all of that is left out to mislead and confuse people. If people had more opinions and facts, they could be in a better position to make an informed, wise decision.

Yet when you're specifically asked for facts to back up your constant lies concerning bribes, corruption, hillbillies, etc., you never present any. An opinion is great - it's one of the reasons this board exists. And a negative opinion is great, too; in fact, it can be healthy and informative. But when you just constantly (as in 99% of your posts - and I'm being generous not calling it 100%) say things like "the houses are 5 feet apart", "there are no nice sunrises in Austin", "you can't buy a car in Austin unless it's a gas-guzzler", "the Chamber of Commerce bribes the media", "no magazine outside of Austin would say it was friendly to gays", "the only people who can find anything to do here are students who drink too much and throw up on 6th street", etc., you're simply telling lies, not offering opinions.

Most of us realize what your game is here, but sometimes new posters might actually take what you say as "facts", and I think that would be a huge disservice to let them think that you offer any kind of constructive criticism or actual facts. You don't -what you offer is lies and hate about Austin.

[hsc2]

we are from the uk and have made tons of friends here. our families are also long flights away. but in terms of community our neighbors are from the middle east (muslim) and from columbia israel and pretty much every state so extremely cosmopolitan. in fact we seem to meet more non-austinites than austinites. we also were worried about education but there is a new global private school in lakeway that friends of ours go to and love and we plan to send our kids to. it has its own curriculum which appears much more advanced academically and linguistically. I think austin is increasinly becoming a global city and while we were worried when we moved here we wouldnt think about leaving

[joe1010]

If you reside about 30 minutes out of Austin is it nice also is the rents cheaper? Thanks

[TedH71]

Yep, cheaper rent but I'm not sure how much cheaper because I don't live there anymore. I DO know for sure if you buy a house away from Austin, the cheaper your property tax will be. I have friends who pay $10k to $30k a year and they don't live in expensive housing either. Just houses that are $200-300k.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by TedH71

Yep, cheaper rent but I'm not sure how much cheaper because I don't live there anymore. I DO know for sure if you buy a house away from Austin, the cheaper your property tax will be. I have friends who pay $10k to $30k a year and they don't live in expensive housing either. Just houses that are $200-300k.

Actually, that is a common misconception. The tax rate inside the city is about 2.26% for most people, which is lower than a lot of surrounding areas. AISD's tax rate is lower than any ISD in the area other than probably Eanes, Travis County's tax rate is less Williamson Co, City of Austin's tax rate is less than the cities of Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Leander, Manor, etc. You can research this yourself at : http://www.traviscad.org/taxinfo.html (click on "Entity Tax Rate List")

Now *some* locales outside the CoA have lower rates, such as Westlake (largely because of the high property values) or rural areas which have no MUD or city taxes... but most subdivisions in the suburbs surrounding Austin have a higher tax rate.

Also, $10-$30K property taxes on a 200-300K home doesn't happen. That would be rates of 5% and 10%, and those don't exist anywhere in Texas. The correct property tax in the city would be more like $4200-6500 for a home costing $200-300K with the homeowner's exemption.

[marmom]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

No, but as a man coming up on 20 years of happy marriage to a woman who, in many ways, is my polar opposite, I can give you some reasons why you should do what your wife wants.

I have never regretted letting my wife have her way when it comes to issues of house, home and where we live.

We men are, for the most part, simple creatures who are easy to please. "Happy Husbands 101" could be published on the back of a business card and still be all inclusive. When we have a few core basics covered, we're happy, adaptable and secure - usually.

Not so for wives. They are more complex, have "nesting" instincts and other more subtle needs and issues in the relationship. While I don't advocate being a whipped lap dog to your woman, there are no doubt some battles best not picked. Uprooting and moving her to a place she doesn't want to live just because you want to live there might be one of them.

Instead of trying to convince her with reasons to move here, just plan another trip and make sure she has fun. Not sure what you guys did last time, but if she doesn't see Austin as a fun place where she'd like to hang and raise kids, no amount of data or bullet point reasons will matter.

What you really need is another casual visit and the proper itinerary. One that will produce a "home run" experience for her. Then you continue to remain silent about the idea of moving and see if she brings it up. If not, stay silent about it. If she does say "you know, Austin didn't seem that bad this time", you continue to remind her that she doesn't really like Austin and that you're happy to stay in the northeast, or live wherever her heart desires, and that all that matters to you is being with her in a place she loves. It has to become her idea.

Steve

You should publish a book. Teach seminars. My husband says that his only goal in life is to make me happy. He is not a whipped lap dog, but he is a very happy husband partly because I am a gloriously happy wife. Happy wife = happy life. When I first read this thread all I could think was how a plan to try to convince someone to move somewhere they don't want to move is likely to go down in flames...either the plan or the relationship.

To the OP, my advice would be to keep searching for a place that you both love.