What's Austin life really like? (Spring, San Marcos: apartment complex, to rent, buying a house)

[ADogNamedRemy]

I read all of these "Top 20" this and that's that say Austin is amazing for a 20 something (or for anyone, really) - and I completely believe them. They obviously have a thriving job market, wonderful music scene, great food, great outdoors, etc. without question.

Every aspect of Austin fits in line with what I'm looking for (see details about me below), but I want to know - with 150 people moving to Austin EVERY DAY (according to some article I can't seem to find again) it really begs the questions -

What's life really like in Austin? Is it very clearly overcrowded? If I want to go see a "small" show on a Tuesday night at some dive bar or a random small music venue, is there a strong chance it's sold out or over capacity? Are there places in town that aren't packed front to back that you can just go, sit, relax and enjoy? If I want to get somewhere outside of rush hour, is there too much traffic (which is a question that can't be answered definitely, I get that)?

To me, no matter what amenities you have, if the people are you are awful or make daily life increasingly difficult, then it's not worth it. I also don't want to move to a place that I'll be resented for being a transplant.

Please don't give me the, "If you don't like it, don't move," etc. I'm very excited to move there, but I want to make sure the atmosphere is what I would imagine it being.

Me: 27, single, love music, love outdoors (the water around Austin is surprising and looks amazing), have a dog, work in construction (my company has an office in Austin), and currently live in Birmingham, AL. Ask me whatever else you think you need to know.

Thanks,

[centralaustinite]

Daily life can be difficult -- especially if you don't live near work. There are some commutes that are just brutal. Traffic can be unreal, our roads are maxed out and the slightest disruption can have horrible ripple effects. Even the on the weekends, roads can be quite crowded.

The lake and trail in the center of Austin are wonderful but very crowded on the weekend, I rarely kayak on the weekend any more due to crowds (especially in spring and fall, winter, and peak summer are still ok). Housing is expensive, both to rent and buy.

Come for a lengthy visit and see for yourself before committing. I still love Austin but there are many days (and pretty much all of August) when it is a hard place to be.

[ashbeeigh]

No matter your preferences I'm going to reccomend you visit and secure a job before moving here. You get get hundreds of answers, but the only one that really matters is yours.

[CarnivalGal]

Unless you make a ton of money, you will not be able to afford to live close to downtown. That means you will need to drive, like everybody else, which means you will spend what feels like half of your life in traffic.

[Westerner92]

With regard to your music venue question, the answer is that it just depends. A couple weeks ago, I missed out on a Tuesday night show that I had no inkling would sell out. This week I was able to see one of my favorite artists' side project with only about 30 other people and got to talk with him a little.

Austin is a transplant city, especially for people in their 20s, so you won't be resented in the slightest.

As for the negatives, traffic can be easily avoided, but can still a total pain to get around in a car even outside of rush hour just because this city was designed so haphazardly. Like you alluded to, places tend to be crowded, but that's largely a side effect of amenities playing catch up with the population growth. And with the increased popularity of the city is coming an increased aloofness, cliquishness, and classism that I don't appreciate, but it's still far friendlier than most places in the US I'd argue. Affordability, especially coming from a cheaper place, will likely be an issue, but unless you're buying a house with good schools, it's really not much cheaper to live farther from the core.

In my opinion, Austin really is one of the best places out there to be in your 20s.

[pop251808]

Originally Posted by ADogNamedRemy

Me: 27, single, love music, love outdoors (the water around Austin is surprising and looks amazing), have a dog, work in construction (my company has an office in Austin), and currently live in Birmingham, AL. Ask me whatever else you think you need to know.

Thanks,

You'll fit right in.

Originally Posted by Westerner92

...Austin is a transplant city, especially for people in their 20s, so you won't be resented in the slightest...In my opinion, Austin really is one of the best places out there to be in your 20s.

Both true.
Austin has to be one of the easiest-to-live-in big cities in America. If you can't make it here, you probably should move back in with your mom. Lots of jobs, tons of attractive single people, some of them even doing interesting things.
Don't pay too much attention to the negatives stated on this board, they don't apply to young, adventurous single people. They're mostly the opinions of grumpy old suburbanites dragging around multiple balls and chains!

[Kion]

You're not from here.

Native austinites can shoot bats from their eyes. They will hear your accent and zip their hoodies, stroke the latest hipster beard, and you'll feel like your left foot is suddenly weaker.

You'll leave that bar, then realize there's a group of plaid clad "men" that have elastic on the cuffs of their pants chanting mockery of your choice of Java/coffe/stout/IPA's or the elusive javaipa that they had at a friend's place over on deep east 12th before it got too played out.

You'll try to run, but get stuck in traffic, then someone will walk alongside you on I35 and note that your mustache isn't long enough for wax and they'll appropriate your vehicle for their latest yard art industrial project and leave your body in the cement that's pouring for the foundation of the next 30 story high rise.

That's all.

[OrganicSmallHome]

Austin isn't what it used to be--it's now over-crowded and ridiculously expensive. So happy I lived in Austin, my hometown, way back when--when it was never crowded, when there were no waiting lines anywhere, when Barton Springs was simply a place to occasionally go for a nice swim, when kids had their birthday parties at Laguna Gloria, when Bruce Springsteen lived in our apartment complex, when Austin City Limits was a new "thing," when Eeyore's Birthday Party was a new "thing," when Antone's was usually half-empty and you paid a buck cover to see Stevie Ray Vaughan, when there was only one Whole Foods in the whole world, when there was little traffic, when there was only one County Line restaurant and you had to drive 30 minutes into the country to get to it, when people didn't buy homes based on zip codes, when the whole town felt like a community full of interesting, creative, eclectic, laid-back folks who simply enjoyed life, without having to constantly promote themselves as "cool" (case in point: the current and pathetic "Keep Austin Weird" motto) --in short, before Austin was turned into a self-consciously pretentious, over-developed, over-populated wreck. Yes, change is inevitable and to be welcomed, but the change in Austin is just sad.

[gabetx]

It is like any other big city in America, except with a great nightlife, open mind, more expensive, and no major league sports. Oh and with traffic. Lots and lots of traffic. Luckily I work nights. Therefore, I reverse commute... So living 20 miles from work isn't an issue for me. For most it would be. Even though, many can't afford to live close to work, hence the sprawl from San Marcos to Georgetown. It is 70 miles from the far south side of the metro area to the far north.

I moved here in July. It was everything I expected. Home prices were the only thing that was shocking and traffic was ridiculous for the little bit of time that I worked normal daytime hours. However, I finally found one in my price range, in the south side of the metro area and have acclimated to the traffic. I am happy here and I love the city. It is safe, clean, fun, and has a lot to offer.

[JT-3]

Originally Posted by Kion

You're not from here.

Native austinites can shoot bats from their eyes. They will hear your accent and zip their hoodies, stroke the latest hipster beard, and you'll feel like your left foot is suddenly weaker.

You'll leave that bar, then realize there's a group of plaid clad "men" that have elastic on the cuffs of their pants chanting mockery of your choice of Java/coffe/stout/IPA's or the elusive javaipa that they had at a friend's place over on deep east 12th before it got too played out.

You'll try to run, but get stuck in traffic, then someone will walk alongside you on I35 and note that your mustache isn't long enough for wax and they'll appropriate your vehicle for their latest yard art industrial project and leave your body in the cement that's pouring for the foundation of the next 30 story high rise.

That's all.

No sarcastic smilies in this post. Why type all that?

OP, I'll think you will fit right in. Just by the user name.