Philly to Austin Relocation - Questions on Appts and School (Round Rock: extended stay, real estate)

[rajivhifi]

Hello everybody. I'm a new member looking to move from outside of Philly to Austin. A family of four, including two kids aged 7 and 4, I will continue to work for my current employer, working from home. My wife is a homemaker and will look to get back into the job market relatively soon as a microbiologist. Looking to move around June after my son's 2nd grade classes are complete here, which will also give us time to sell our house.

We are pretty much settled on areas around Round Rock, Cedar Park, Lake Travis etc. The intention is for us to rent initially for about 2-3 months, look for a suitable house around 400-500K range. And being Asian Indians we are particular about the quality of public schools. I would love any suggestions on rentals that have a lease option for 2-3 months, within the school district I mentioned above. All the searches I looked at lurking around this forums in the past month or so, do not seem to provide this lease duration, at least not within the options I have seen. Please let me know if you know of such appt/house that may have this option. Budget around $1300-$1400 2-3 bedrooms.

The second question is, when is the ideal time to call the new school and ask for a spot in the upcoming school year? Or is it given that any kid in the school district will automatically get admission in the area school. Sorry, I'm new to changing schools and my son is now in a charter school where we had to apply for a seat a year earlier.

Thanks in advance for your response!

[CarnivalGal]

I am from Philly too (Media, actually). Do you mind if I ask what brings you to Austin?

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by rajivhifi

Hello everybody. I'm a new member looking to move from outside of Philly to Austin. A family of four, including two kids aged 7 and 4, I will continue to work for my current employer, working from home. My wife is a homemaker and will look to get back into the job market relatively soon as a microbiologist. Looking to move around June after my son's 2nd grade classes are complete here, which will also give us time to sell our house.

We are pretty much settled on areas around Round Rock, Cedar Park, Lake Travis etc. The intention is for us to rent initially for about 2-3 months, look for a suitable house around 400-500K range. And being Asian Indians we are particular about the quality of public schools. I would love any suggestions on rentals that have a lease option for 2-3 months, within the school district I mentioned above. All the searches I looked at lurking around this forums in the past month or so, do not seem to provide this lease duration, at least not within the options I have seen. Please let me know if you know of such appt/house that may have this option. Budget around $1300-$1400 2-3 bedrooms.

The second question is, when is the ideal time to call the new school and ask for a spot in the upcoming school year? Or is it given that any kid in the school district will automatically get admission in the area school. Sorry, I'm new to changing schools and my son is now in a charter school where we had to apply for a seat a year earlier.

Thanks in advance for your response!

you cant go by school district as the districts have some good and some bad schools.

I live in an area that feeds into laurel mountain, canyon vista, westwood. Asian indians are something like 35% of the elementary school. Oriental asians are around another 25%

At canyon vista, the total drops to around 40% total asians and then at westwood it is something like 25%.

Driving down yaupon you are likely to see many women in saris. Our neighborhood association celebrates diwali.

400-500k will be a little too much money to get a house in the dk ranch/barrington/yucca area. but too little to buy the newer houses off yaupon.

[Idlewile]

I've not encountered any lease options for only 2-3 months in Austin, be it apartments or houses. Landlords don't have to offer short-term leases in this market.

If it were really only 2-3 months, I'd consider Homeaway, airbnb or an extended stay motel.

[Aquitaine]

I love Media! Like the Ithaca of Pennsylvania.

Agreed on renting for 2-3 months. Rent for 2-3 weeks and come visit; then buy, if you can, or else just rent for your first year. That might be a better idea anyway as your opinions (and your wife's job prospects) may point you toward a different part of town than your initial visit.

[Danimarie]

I agree with the idea of renting for 6 months to a year first. I rented for 6 months at Alara Canyon Creek off of 620. It's decent enough for short term. They have a playground, 2 pools and a workout room. I think they actually do offer shorter term rental periods, but I don't know if they changed it. It does cost more to rent for a shorter time. My rent for 6 months a couple years ago was around $1145 a month. I'm certain they've raised it somewhat since then. Think rent prices go up every year here, whenever you have to renew your lease. I was able to get a unit with an attached garage underneath. They took our entire security deposit even though we spent 3 days cleaning. They said we didn't clean. Just so you know. There's a LOT of traffic on 620. Just a warning.

I wouldn't move to Austin unless I had to. It's not awful, but the *traffic* and cost of living are pretty bad. We only moved here because it was where my husband found a job. It didn't sound like you had to move here, but that you were thinking it would be a nice place to live.

[ellab18]

CWS is a management company based in Austin that has short term housing at almost all of their communities in the area. They are nice and have multiple options in the school districts that you are looking in.
Texas Corporate Housing - CWS Corporate Housing
There are lots of other apartment communities that offer short term housing as well.
Also, you don't have to call to arrange for a spot in public schools in TX. You simply enroll your child in the school they are assigned. Good luck!

[Danimarie]

It is possible to choose a different school from the one you are assigned. I would contact someone about it if you end up not liking the one you are assigned to, but you do have to pay some money for it. I think it was around 1,000 a year?

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Danimarie

It is possible to choose a different school from the one you are assigned.

Transfers are of two types -- in-district, and between districts. In-district is at the district's discretion. They are subject to space availability and are year-to-year, meaning next year isn't guaranteed.

Between districts is governed by the Texas Education Code. They must be agreed to by BOTH districts. The state per capita money (the "basic allotment") goes with the student. The local portion of the per student cost must be paid as tuition to the receiving district. It varies from district to district, but can be in the multiple thousands per year.

[rajivhifi]

Thanks for your prompt replies!

To the person from Media, PA on your question on reason to move - We are tired of the cold and snow. Been here for 8 years and are not tied to this place other than work reasons. Now that I can work from home as well, we decided to move to a warmer place. Heard nice things about Austin from friends who have lived or visited there in the past. I know there are some shortfalls like peak summer temperatures, allergy and traffic but each place has its share of positives and negatives. If only we could all afford to live in the world's perfect places (mine would be in an island paradise ).

Thanks for the Alara Canyon Creek and CWS recommendations. I'll certainly explore them. Now I'm two places more than nothing before.

Good to know about the schools. We'll have to take it as it comes.

Any recommendations on a good real estate agent? I've read about a Steve in one of the threads but don't know the last name. The agent we have currently for our house is excellent and am looking for a similar hassle free experience there as well.