Moving summer 2014 need some advice please about area (Austin, Round Rock: transplants, apartments)

[riaelise]

OP, since you will be working in North Austin traffic really shouldn't be a concern to you. My husband commutes from Pflugerville/Round Rock area to Riata tech office complex and his commute is a breeze.

If you need to commute into Austin during the weekend, things are a bit easier IMO. You can find yourself a home in the Anderson Mill area or suburban cities. It's up to you... but it would be helpful to know where in "North Austin" you're working because all three of the outer towns you've named are close to North Austin. If you are working closer to 183, I'd recommend buying in Anderson Mill/78729/Cedar Park or maybe even Leander. If you're working more east, I'd recommend Pflugerville and Round Rock.

You should be able to find good neighborhoods for $190K in all three places. Also, Novacek is right...Wells Branch is another value for the money in Austin that is worth checking out.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by Komeht

It's good that you are willing to live in an outlying town. Because 190K will not get you anything in Austin (Maybe something horrible in Dove Springs or Rundberg, but I wouldn't advise it).

But you should know what it entails up front: All the areas you listed will have horrendous traffic into Austin. All of them. And, the very best day will be the day you move in. Each day after that will suck just a little be more (and potentially a lot more, in the case of Mopac, for the next several years).

Isolated pockets - but the action is in central Austin. of course, we've made that unaffordable for almost everyone. Sucks.

I must say posts like this are just not helpful to the OP. You use diatribes about central Austin affordability like punctuation.

The OP is working in N Austin. A commute from the areas listed by the OP as far south as the Arboretum (not N Austin to me) would be reasonable to most people.

[Moonlady]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

I must say posts like this are just not helpful to the OP. You use diatribes about central Austin affordability like punctuation.

The OP is working in N Austin. A commute from the areas listed by the OP as far south as the Arboretum (not N Austin to me) would be reasonable to most people.

Amen brother.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

I must say posts like this are just not helpful to the OP. You use diatribes about central Austin affordability like punctuation.

The OP is working in N Austin. A commute from the areas listed by the OP as far south as the Arboretum (not N Austin to me) would be reasonable to most people.

I agree completely.

To the OP, the important thing to do in avoiding bad traffic is to live as close as reasonably possible to where you work. You should be able to do that in N. Austin. Just avoid the Rundberg Lane area.

[riaelise]

And I also want to say that the "action" isn't only in central Austin, or Austin for that matter. There are so many things to do all over the area.

OP, there are many shopping and dining options in the northern part of town/suburban cities. Local establishments and the familiar chains of course.

[RoadWarrior12]

The $190K piece is going to be the hard part. Inventory is really low right now, so it's hard to tell what will be on the market in the next couple months - that said, I'd still opt for renting for at least a year first.

I doubt properties in that zone are going to see the huge run-up we saw in 2013, and you'll be able to be pickier - or get a good read on what exactly the drive will look like for you from other areas.

For all of Komeht's random musings on where everyone should live and why, he is right about one thing:

The commute on day 1 will be the best you see, and it will go downhill from there.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12

The $190K piece is going to be the hard part. Inventory is really low right now, so it's hard to tell what will be on the market in the next couple months - that said, I'd still opt for renting for at least a year first.

I doubt properties in that zone are going to see the huge run-up we saw in 2013, and you'll be able to be pickier - or get a good read on what exactly the drive will look like for you from other areas.

For all of Komeht's random musings on where everyone should live and why, he is right about one thing:

The commute on day 1 will be the best you see, and it will go downhill from there.

I don't understand how this supposedly evil commute applies to this poster if she is working north? My husband has a similar commute and it's less than 20 minutes. That has not changed over the years.

[creepy]

I think a great thing to do is try and live within as few miles as possible to where you work. Those who don't relocate here have to be at the mercy of where we get a job but you can chose! Nothing helps the attitude in only having a 10 minute commute to work. I have been doing it luckily for 6 years!

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by creepy

I think a great thing to do is try and live within as few miles as possible to where you work. Those who don't relocate here have to be at the mercy of where we get a job but you can chose! Nothing helps the attitude in only having a 10 minute commute to work. I have been doing it luckily for 6 years!

Exactly.

Which is why it's important for posters to not be so cryptic with their initial info. A drive to/from "North Austin" could be a 5 minute or a 45 minute commute. Same thing for "West Austin" or "South" Austin.

Also it's important to know a few other data points. (importance of schools, interests, etc.)

[RoadWarrior12]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I don't understand how this supposedly evil commute applies to this poster if she is working north? My husband has a similar commute and it's less than 20 minutes. That has not changed over the years.

It's not an attack on you or your point of view for starters. It's based on my experience, my opinion.

I'm glad your husband has avoided much of the problems on the arterial roads in north Austin. My drive from 78717 area to Burnet/Research has almost doubled in the past decade. With more and more people moving north, and the number of employers expanding in the area, rush hour traffic has increased dramatically.