Moving to Austin area after I graduate: Advice? (Houston, Round Rock: real estate, 2014) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

MallieF · 10-05-2012, 05:28 PM

I am a mother of 3 boys who will be 4, 12, and 15 when we move to the Austin area in 2014. I want to know about schools, neighborhoods, and travel times from downtown during rush hour and also when it is not congested. How long does your rush hour usually last? I have never been to Texas. I'm aware of the heat. I have lived in ridiculous heat (110+, but not too humid, so that should be interesting). I'm looking to rent and will probably need to just pick a place I find online, without seeing it first. My #1 concerns are my kids' education and safety. I'm open to suburbs like Round Rock, as long as they aren't too far out. I'm looking to spend around $1500/mo or so, at most (until I know what my income is going to be).

I picked Austin after doing research on the culture, schools, job market, and real estate (I want to buy a home, after I get settled). I am coming from Portland, OR in order to chase the sun and start my new professional life in a place as an accountant (I will be taking the CPA exam, after I arrive), where my kids will excel educationally and otherwise, where we can get great BBQ and Mexican food, and where live music is abundant. We are sick of being cooped up watching the rain fall and want to go outside! I can't wait to be done with school so we can move there! Friends who have lived there in the past told me I am exactly the kind of person who will LOVE the Austin area.

I know it may seem a little early to be planning all of this, but I need to figure out a rough idea of how much I should save up and such details, so I'm prepared.

Thank you for your advice!

Austinite101 · 10-05-2012, 06:26 PM

Well, the Austin live music scene doesn't really exist in Round Rock. City proper, I think you would like S/SW Austin. The schools are pretty good. The high schools in this area are Akins and Bowie. The middle schools are Bailey, Paredes, Covington, and Small. Most of the elementary schools in this are are also very good. Its also much much closer to DT (where all of the action is) than Round Rock is. I can't speculate too much on commute time because I don't really know where your work is.

Austin is one the safest cities in the entire country, so the odds of getting attacked or murdered is extremely low. East Austin has a reputation for having the most crime, but in the past decade it has really cleaned up, and has become where the hipsters gravitate to. SW and most parts of S Austin are very safe.

The famous Austin-vibe is gradient; as you move away from DT, the vibe becomes weaker and weaker and will die off altogether as you get out of the city limits.

The summers here can get pretty intense, but they aren't nearly as intolerable as Houston, where the humidity is off the chart when its 105. The winters aren't usually too bad, however, we sometimes have more harsh winters. Last year, there were days when, if you factor in the wind chill, it was below 0.

MallieF · 10-05-2012, 08:43 PM

When I was doing research, Akins was ranked really low. I don't mind driving to the music scene, as long as my kids are in good schools. However, I do not want to live in a place with nothing to look forward to on a whim. Thanks for the info! I don't have a job or anything, yet, so I'm not tied down. I just need to know where to find a place that will be great for my kids.

On another note- is there some sort of great resource to find rentals? Craigslist seems polluted with lease to own offers and apartment finders. Is that how it works there, or is there a better way? I have found that apartment finders can be a pain in the butt, in the past. I'd like to rent a house, but an apartment would be fine for 6 months to a year, if I had to.

neddy · 10-07-2012, 08:53 AM

Look at Austin Home Search online to get an idea on rentals.

MallieF · 10-07-2012, 11:56 PM

Thanks! I'll look it up.

BevoLJ · 10-08-2012, 01:29 PM

@ Austinite101 - While I agree the amount of live music decreases the further from DT you get, it still lives in and outside of South Austin. By that I'm not just talking about 78704, but the South and SW Austin as a whole. Even out to Dripping Springs there is some great music. Dripping Springs is home to many of the top musicians in Texas and the US. While they may not be the ones playing out there much, they do like to see music and there are some venues like Nutty Brown and lots fun events in the area.