Durham to Austin (Round Rock, Lakeway, Hudson: for sale, real estate, apartment)

[NashvilleTN1980]

Hi all,

I would appreciate some help in deciding whether I should accept a job offer and move to Austin.

I have a job offer from a company based in Austin, Texas. The job pays $20k more than my current job in Durham, NC. Everything else about the job is exactly the same, so the only differentiators are $$ and locations.The Austin job offers better retirement benifits too (again $$ category)...I also have no particular attachment to Durham. My house has been broken into twice over the past three years, and unless you can live really close to Duke, its hard to aviod crime....

Most online cost of living calculators peg Austin to be cheaper than Durham, Is it fair to say Austin is 4-5% cheaper overall than Durham, NC?

I realize Texas has no State Income Tax, but property taxes are higher in Austin. So that is a wash, maybe food is cheaper in Austin?

Also by the what I can read online, Austin seems to have a lot more going for it than Durham, NC. Better nightlife, more vibrant economy, friendly people, warmer weather, safer, better food?...

Can someone who has lived in these places please comment on cost of living and other things I should be aware of before taking this job?

Thank you for all your help

[RoadWarrior12]

Depends on where in Austin your job is located. Most likely, your COL in Austin will actually be a touch higher than Durham - I don't think the online calculators have caught up to the rise in rents and home prices in Austin over the past 2 years.

That said, crime will be lower, the nightlife is better, traffic is WAY worse.

So, as long as your job isn't smack downtown, I'd take the raise.

[NashvilleTN1980]

Thanks RoadWarrior12

That is exactly what I was afraid of in terms of COL in Austin. It just seems to be growing so fast. Every house we saw online for sale in our budget was pending sale.....it seems to be exploding over there

That being said my job is located in 78730....I was thinking of moving to Round Rock, but the wife does not want to live in the burbs...we cannot afford 78730...so thinking Southwest/South Austin....Is that doable with a budget of $250k for a 3BR/2BA?...Do you have any recommendation on location, my job will be in West Courtyard Dr, 78730....I am sorry, I know I can get a realtor and find out, but its just easier at this stage to bounce of some initial questions here...

Thanks for your help

[10scoachrick]

Round Rock to Courtyard Dr? Yow!!! I'd sure be looking at an apartment along 360 IF you can find anything. Courtyard is near the intersection of traffic and traffic, so the closer the better. Rather than purchase out in the burbs on short notice, I'll echo the usual recommendation of renting for a year before buying.(Unless you just fall into something unbelievable and close and in your budget and you can get it before anyone else!).

[RoadWarrior12]

Originally Posted by NashvilleTN1980

Thanks RoadWarrior12

That is exactly what I was afraid of in terms of COL in Austin. It just seems to be growing so fast. Every house we saw online for sale in our budget was pending sale.....it seems to be exploding over there

That being said my job is located in 78730....I was thinking of moving to Round Rock, but the wife does not want to live in the burbs...we cannot afford 78730...so thinking Southwest/South Austin....Is that doable with a budget of $250k for a 3BR/2BA?...Do you have any recommendation on location, my job will be in West Courtyard Dr, 78730....I am sorry, I know I can get a realtor and find out, but its just easier at this stage to bounce of some initial questions here...

Thanks for your help

That's an awesome area to work in, but crazy expensive to live near. Round Rock would be a complete disaster - you'd hate everything about it, particularly if the SO is not hip on a suburban life.

You'd likely be able to find a rental fairly close, in a good area, and your wife's employment prospects would be good.

Buying is going to be tough - the market in that area is zoned to really desirable schools and it goes quick. Inventory is really low right now, so it's tough to tell what might be out there in March or April.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12

That's an awesome area to work in, but crazy expensive to live near. Round Rock would be a complete disaster - you'd hate everything about it, particularly if the SO is not hip on a suburban life.

You'd likely be able to find a rental fairly close, in a good area, and your wife's employment prospects would be good.

Buying is going to be tough - the market in that area is zoned to really desirable schools and it goes quick. Inventory is really low right now, so it's tough to tell what might be out there in March or April.

I completely agree with most of this but.....

There are 4 different school districts that flow into an area within a 5 mile circle of that address. (near 2222 & 360) Depending on what the OP is looking for he might find a home that works.

OP, thanks for telling us the job location & your home budget.

Now if you can tell us a couple of other items: Are fabulous schools needed (or is just "good" ok?) Or do you not care about the schools at all. How long a commute is acceptible/preferable? Will spouse work? Where? Would a 3/2 garden home or townhome work (or does it need to be on a big lot)?

Lots of options (3-5 miles north, east & west) of that location. It's a GREAT location to commute to & live near. Good luck.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by NashvilleTN1980

Thanks RoadWarrior12

That is exactly what I was afraid of in terms of COL in Austin. It just seems to be growing so fast. Every house we saw online for sale in our budget was pending sale.....it seems to be exploding over there

That being said my job is located in 78730....I was thinking of moving to Round Rock, but the wife does not want to live in the burbs...we cannot afford 78730...so thinking Southwest/South Austin....Is that doable with a budget of $250k for a 3BR/2BA?...Do you have any recommendation on location, my job will be in West Courtyard Dr, 78730....I am sorry, I know I can get a realtor and find out, but its just easier at this stage to bounce of some initial questions here...

Thanks for your help

Southwest Austin, East Oak Hill might be a workable option for you, and its a great part of town, where I live (Legend Oaks). However I'd look in a few other areas closer to where you work first.

I'm not a realtor but was looking at this color coded map that is on the Austin data page. //www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html you can select from a menu of items such as "median household income" and "median house or condo value" and it displays those values in color coded overlays on the map.

There appear to be some areas on that map that are closer to where you work and in your price range. But again I don't know how up to date that map is on prices. In any case this map //www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html shows some areas in your price range, less than $250K, such as the region East of Hwy 620, between the highway and Lake Austin, Just East of Lakeway and South of Hudson Bend.

//www.city-data.com/city/Austin...#mapOSM?mapOSM[zl]=12&mapOSM[c1]=30.383834076764177&mapOSM[c2]=-97.83668518066406&mapOSM[s]=housing35&mapOSM[fs]=false

Checking Realtor.com there do appear to be decent houses in your price range in that zipcode, 78734, which includes Lakeway. http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...-200000-260000

For a $20K raise and better retirement benefits, I would definitely move to Austin. Cost of living is slightly higher here but you will make that up quickly.

The City Data pages give the Cost of Living at Durham 94.7, and Austin 95.3

//www.city-data.com/city/Durham...-Carolina.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html

[creepy]

Hi, I do not have experience in Durham but you mentioned working in 78730 and living in South/SE Austin. 78730 is in north/west Austin so if you want to avoid gridlock live near where you work in north Austin. Plenty of places around there. There re small pockets you can afford. I would go for good schools rather than excellent schools. I say that because since Austin is flooded with newcomers all the "excellent" public school spots are harder to get so over time hopefully as more people go to good schools or even ok schools perhaps if folks put time into these schools along with their kids the schools will improve.

W ould search for homes in your price range and take it a bit further out from 78730 as you look online. If your a fixer-upper type I am sure you could get a foreclosure or pay less for a foreclosure and pay someone to fix it up?

[NashvilleTN1980]

Originally Posted by hound 109

I completely agree with most of this but.....

There are 4 different school districts that flow into an area within a 5 mile circle of that address. (near 2222 & 360) Depending on what the OP is looking for he might find a home that works.

OP, thanks for telling us the job location & your home budget.

Now if you can tell us a couple of other items: Are fabulous schools needed (or is just "good" ok?) Or do you not care about the schools at all. How long a commute is acceptible/preferable? Will spouse work? Where? Would a 3/2 garden home or townhome work (or does it need to be on a big lot)?

Lots of options (3-5 miles north, east & west) of that location. It's a GREAT location to commute to & live near. Good luck.

Thank you hound 109

The wife would be working from home, so no issues there...we don't have kids yet, and schools are only a issue for resale value of the house...She would love to be close to a Wholefoods or some organic grocery store and a park so she can go for a run..We have two dogs, a house would be better..but a townhome if the yard is fenced will also work....I really don't have any preferences and can drive 40 minutes or so for daily commute

The market in Austin just looks very tight...Maybe renting is better for a year as pointed out by 10scoachrick ...But would we be priced out in a year given how so many people are moving to Austin? Should we just snap up something quick and not wait..There are also some nice tax deduction we get with mortgage interest, property taxes, home office deduction ...so thats another thing tilting me towards buying....

Thanks for all your help

[NashvilleTN1980]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

Southwest Austin, East Oak Hill might be a workable option for you, and its a great part of town, where I live (Legend Oaks). However I'd look in a few other areas closer to where you work first.

I'm not a realtor but was looking at this color coded map that is on the Austin data page. //www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html you can select from a menu of items such as "median household income" and "median house or condo value" and it displays those values in color coded overlays on the map.

There appear to be some areas on that map that are closer to where you work and in your price range. But again I don't know how up to date that map is on prices. In any case this map //www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html shows some areas in your price range, less than $250K, such as the region East of Hwy 620, between the highway and Lake Austin, Just East of Lakeway and South of Hudson Bend.

//www.city-data.com/city/Austin...#mapOSM?mapOSM[zl]=12&mapOSM[c1]=30.383834076764177&mapOSM[c2]=-97.83668518066406&mapOSM[s]=housing35&mapOSM[fs]=false

Checking Realtor.com there do appear to be decent houses in your price range in that zipcode, 78734, which includes Lakeway. 78734 Real Estate - Austin, TX 78734 Homes for Sale - realtor.com®

For a $20K raise and better retirement benefits, I would definitely move to Austin. Cost of living is slightly higher here but you will make that up quickly.

The City Data pages give the Cost of Living at Durham 94.7, and Austin 95.3

//www.city-data.com/city/Durham...-Carolina.html
//www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html

Thanks

These links are awesome...