We're ready to MOVE!! (Austin, Round Rock: crime rates, homes, neighborhood)

[txbreeze01]

Hi! I have been living in Round Rock for 8 years now. My husband and I moved here when we were still dating and since then got married and had 2 little ones. We actually just sold our house in Round Rock. While looking we did look in Cedar Park and Georgetown as well as Round Rock. We just bought a house that is in RR because, well it's home and we love it! As far as your questions:

1) How friendly are the people there including kids. How about the age range with everyone too? Just like anywhere you have all kinds. However, I have had nothing but good experiences with my fellow RR residents.

RR was also rated as one tof the 100 best communities for young people!
City of Round Rock - One of 100 Best Communities for Young People

2) I've read some stuff on the schools there... I've read some things about which not to attend... why are those so bad? and which ones are the best ones there?
I did a lot of research since we were moving and my oldest starts kindergarten in August. I narrowed my search down to Leander and Round Rock school districts. Eanes has a wonderful reputation, but you have to be making quite a bit of money to be able to afford a home.


4) Are there any crimes or drugs in the area?
There is crime and drugs everywhere. However, Round Rock was rated one of the safest cities in the country. Some might argue it is because the police are over the top. Apparently they tend to search most cars that get pulled over, even for a traffic violation. Personally I have nothing to hide and if a little inconvenience makes my family just a little safer, so be it. Again, I have lived here for 8 years and neither my husband or myself have been pulled over.

3) Jobs... I'm a graphic designer and my husband is in sales for construction are those hard jobs to find?
Can't help you here. I am a stay at home mom and my husband works for Dell )
4) Hows the weather there (all year)? Is there a certain time of the year it gets really bad, and what happens??? Snow only happens like 1 day every couple years. When it does happen it pretty much melts on contact. We do get hard freezes once in awhile also. All of central Texas shuts down when that happens!

It will be humid, you will get use to it. My best suggestion is to get outside everyday. By doing that you get use it it as it is getting hotter. If you live in the air conditioning and just come out for a little bit on weekends, yea that sucks!

[llkltk]

I don't think Austin is humid, it's more of a dry heat. Houston is humid.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by AustinTraveler

Totally agree with HappyTexan as I moved here from Florida as well. It is definitely not as humid here as it is on the Gulf Coast. Also, 100% humidity is just not correct. You will find it to be more humid (around 80%) in the morning and then it dries out toward the afternoon (usually 40-50%). Of course, when it's over 100 degrees, the humidity really doesn't matter too much cause hot is hot. But, I do find it much easier to deal with than I did in Florida (and I grew up there!). Coming from Minnesota, it will be HOT, no doubt about it. But, you'll get used to it if you want to. Hot weather certainly doesn't stop me from doing anything and life does not come to a grinding halt when it's hot outside. In fact, I find that when it is "cold" here (a relative term when speaking to someone from Minnesota), there are way fewer people out and about than when it is hot. And when there's the occasional "ice storm", people are either safe and sound at home or in an accident on the roads.

As for whether there is crime and drugs in Austin, Round Rock, etc., the answer is definitely yes. This is not utopia. Just because you live in a suburb (or the city) does not mean there will not be crime and drugs. That is everywhere. Just find the place that feels comfortable to you and you'll be fine. I definitely recommend renting for at least six months before deciding where to buy, especially if you don't know where you'll be working. The biggest negativity I can think of about Austin is commuting. If you can live close to work, you will definitely be ahead of the game. Also, speaking of negativity, the other one is property taxes. Keep in mind that you will be paying close to 3% property taxes which adds a lot to your mortgage payment.

I don't think I even need to address the "are people friendly" part of your question. Anyone who tells you that people in Austin are not friendly has probably never been here.

It just FEELS like 100% humiditity for months and months! Fair warning to all who move here, that's all. I can't stand the bit*hing that I hear from transplants...'Oh, it's soooo hot'.....yeah, it IS!

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by llkltk

I don't think Austin is humid, it's more of a dry heat. Houston is humid.

Well, being that it's practically on the ocean, yes, it's more humid.

[Mike78613]

Record cold for northern Minn.: 40 below

Record cold for northern Minn.: 40 below - Yahoo! News (broken link)

Originally Posted by looking for warmth

Hi,
My husband and I have been looking into moving to Round Rock. We're from Minnesota and we can't stand the cold anymore 5 days of being stuck inside is about all I can handle, and short summers are depressing, so we've been doing some reasearch south and ran across Round Rock... We also have two kids.
I have some questions and it would be so great of anyone to answere them for us!!
1) How friendly are the people there including kids. How about the age range with everyone too?
2) I've read some stuff on the schools there... I've read some things about which not to attend... why are those so bad? and which ones are the best ones there?
4) Are there any crimes or drugs in the area?
3) Jobs... I'm a graphic designer and my husband is in sales for construction are those hard jobs to find?
4) Hows the weather there (all year)? Is there a certain time of the year it gets really bad, and what happens??? ohhh and snow...please tell me theres NO snow there!!!!!!! he-he

Thank so much!!

[jwb123]

Yeah, I wouldn't really say it's humid here. Definitely a dry heat. 100% humidity would be raining... we went down to South Texas this summer... THAT is humid.

[jclAustin]

It all depends on your point of view. While it's not humid like Houston or New Orleans, it's not dry like Arizona. I vote for humid, and hot.

You do start to get used to it though. In the fall after your first summer, when it drops into the mid 80's for the first time in 3-4 months or so it will feel positively chilly. That's ok though, the heat and the bugs help keep Austin from growing even faster!

[jread]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Yeah, I wouldn't really say it's humid here. Definitely a dry heat. 100% humidity would be raining... we went down to South Texas this summer... THAT is humid.

This is what I've been saying over and over as well. I'm sick of people on here from California, Arizona or other DESERT areas making it seem like Austin is some sort of swamp. It's a rocky, hot and dusty city for much of the year with low humidity most of the time. I think that anyone from the Great Lakes, or the entire Eastern half of the country will think Austin is dry. We don't get near the summer humidity of NYC, Washington D.C., the Gulf Coast, etc.

I thought I knew what humidity was after growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, but a trip to Tampa Bay last summer gave me an entirely new definition. I was also in Orlando over Christmas and it was 85-degrees, 90% humidity, and MISERABLE.... on December 26th Florida makes me appreciate Austin all over again.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by jread

This is what I've been saying over and over as well. I'm sick of people on here from California, Arizona or other DESERT areas making it seem like Austin is some sort of swamp. It's a rocky, hot and dusty city for much of the year with low humidity most of the time. I think that anyone from the Great Lakes, or the entire Eastern half of the country will think Austin is dry. We don't get near the summer humidity of NYC, Washington D.C., the Gulf Coast, etc.

I thought I knew what humidity was after growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, but a trip to Tampa Bay last summer gave me an entirely new definition. I was also in Orlando over Christmas and it was 85-degrees, 90% humidity, and MISERABLE.... on December 26th Florida makes me appreciate Austin all over again.

I've lived in Texas all my life....and IMHO, it gets hot and humid in the summer. Don't be surprised when you move here. Expect it. Embrace it.

[looking for warmth]

SEE WHAT I MEAN, you need to read the link!!!!! IT'S ALL TRUE....and I'm from northern Minnestoa so it gets way worse then the cities...

Ok, see what happens in Minnesota is that you freeze your rear off for almost 6 months, it starts in October and ends pretty close to April (Dec through Feb are the WORST).... then you get into into the mild temps but it rains, and rains, and rains for another month or two, then your in June and you still have to wear sweatshirts at night or a jacket cuz theres that constant chill in the air, then by July/August its gets sooooo hot you can't stand to be outside and it gets really humid too (but that doesn't stop us), I'm sure not as hot at there... but we've been in the 100's here too...Now were already in Sept/oct well FALL is back and so is the cold......so when you average it all up you got MAYBE one month outside to go for walks or a bike ride, enjoy a lake, ect. but that month your beating off all the misquotes or horse flys from all the rain.... it's sucks here... theres really not one good about it. You always have to bundle you and your family up, your car is always dirty from the salt and slush, the cost of fuel to heat your home would make you throw up, and being stuck inside all day every day gets really old (there are no four seasons here, it's winter, winter, fall and winter).... I could go on... but I'll stop now... appreciate what you have!!! You have no idea how lucky you are!!! And I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!!