IT Worker from Jersey..re-locating

[dreamtheaternj]

Originally Posted by mark311

the property taxes on my $200K house in the suburbs is $5400 per year plus homeowner's insurance is $600 on top of that. This sounds like it is cheaper than what you're paying now, but I'm not sure that your $2000 per year auto insurance is that bad if your 16 year old son is on your policy. It's worth checking out all those types of expenses ahead of time.

I was a one-man IT dept for 7 years before the company got acquired by a larger less profitable company. Once everything got settled 2 years later, i was the odd man out.

The taxes on my 350k house here are 9k, so I would say its a bit less there.

my 16 yr old isn't on my policy yet, as driving age in Jersey is 17..so that will go up another 1500-1700 in the fall when he turns 17.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by dreamtheaternj

I was a one-man IT dept for 7 years before the company got acquired by a larger less profitable company. Once everything got settled 2 years later, i was the odd man out.

The taxes on my 350k house here are 9k, so I would say its a bit less there.

my 16 yr old isn't on my policy yet, as driving age in Jersey is 17..so that will go up another 1500-1700 in the fall when he turns 17.

Just keep applying to places in Austin. Indeed.com, dice.com, monster.com, etc. Auto insurance is one of those things that really depends on the provider. I switched from AAA to Progressive and my auto insurance premium was almost cut in half here in the Austin area.

If you're serious about relocating, I would probably put my house up for sale now and move into a short term rental if you actually sell it there before you get a job. That would allow you to move immediately when you're offered a job here. My experience has been that when a company needs a desktop/LAN support person (especially a one-man shop), they need him or her sooner than later. It's not a position that people can just have open for more than a few weeks before things start falling apart. Good luck.

*Edit* I personally think it's pretty useless, but having something like an A+, Securty+, or at least an MCP cert on your resume will get you past that HR person that doesn't know what to look for. Those certs can be obtained in just a few weeks and are good fluff for your resume if you don't have any certs. We know that those things don't mean anything compared to 7 years experience, but it's a matter of getting the right people to put your resume in the right stack.

[hoffdano]

In spite of Texas' reputation for high property taxes, New Jersey is much worse.

New Jersey carries the highest (worst) state and local tax burden per capita in the entire country (according to the Tax Foundation). NJ hits residents with high amounts of everything - income tax, property tax, sales tax.

[dreamtheaternj]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

In spite of Texas' reputation for high property taxes, New Jersey is much worse.

New Jersey carries the highest (worst) state and local tax burden per capita in the entire country (according to the Tax Foundation). NJ hits residents with high amounts of everything - income tax, property tax, sales tax.

ahhhh yes...I know this all too well my friend !!!

[Danielle23]

Hi there! We are also moving to Texas this summer. I am originally from Texas, but we have lived in Cali for quite some time and are moving to Austin this summer. I grew up in the Texas Hill Country (which includes Austin) and would much prefer it to either Dallas or Houston (where I have also lived). It might depend on where you can find a job, but otherwise, I would say Austin is the better choice. Just *google* or *ask* "Why I Love Austin" and you can read about some of the great things Austin has to offer.

I loved growing up in the Texas Hill Country - so many things to do, especially for teens, compared to a bigger city like Houston (not so sure about Dallas, but I'm thinking it would compare to Houston, in this regard). The people are extremely friendly and laid back in Austin.

Here are a few:

25 reasons we love Austin, Texas - Travel - Destination Travel - US and Canada - msnbc.com

A Prius in Austin, TX - Silicon Valley and the Bay Area vs. Austin

Austin, Texas - Downtown - Austin, TX

Good luck with your decision!