Best places in Austin to live for a 30 year old single guy (Round Rock: mortgage, student loans)

[Daanann]

Just from what you are saying, you should rent from some of the older homes around Westlake in my opinion. Those homes might be too pricy though then maybe consider bee cave..

[DCtoTejas]

To the OP, I was about your age when I moved here. I wouldn't live anywhere suburban - no dripping springs, no pflugerville etc. Live in either downtown, 78704 or the east side, and rent for at least a year. As a single guy that is where you are going to want to be most of the time anyway.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by Austin97

cachet. Dripping springs has connotations of hill country beauty, tranquil lifestyle. Cedar Park evokes visions of strip malls

I personally would take cedar park over dripping springs because with cedar park you can easily access 183A, 45 to mopac/i35, and 183 in a pinch.

With dripping springs you are at the mercy of 71

lord does anyone actually care about that? How fragile is one's ego? Now, if it's because of resell value, ok.

[Waldo_on_6th]

Originally Posted by Gaylord_Focker

lord does anyone actually care about that? How fragile is one's ego? Now, if it's because of resell value, ok.

"IT" factor is 80% for resale value and 20% because Hill Country is slightly more aesthetically pleasing than 183

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Waldo_on_6th

"IT" factor is 80% for resale value and 20% because Hill Country is slightly more aesthetically pleasing than 183

You do hit, dude, but youre not going to find what a typical single guy likes/wants in Dripping. Cedar park is a possibility but, still.

[fly_me]

Originally Posted by DCtoTejas

To the OP, I was about your age when I moved here. I wouldn't live anywhere suburban - no dripping springs, no pflugerville etc. Live in either downtown, 78704 or the east side, and rent for at least a year. As a single guy that is where you are going to want to be most of the time anyway.

I agree with him. Unless you are A sexual or devoted to m/f online it makes no sense for you to not be in a rental in 78704 or 78703. Meet someone while in a rental & buy together or at least with her/his input.

[CBB_bear]

Wow if I were a single 30 year old guy who didn't want to live in a condo and worked downtown, I would not be looking at dripping springs/cedar park. Even if you can work from home, you are still pretty far away from amenities that are especially attractive to people in their 30s without kids (I'm in my 30s without kids, but a woman). Some day after COVID times people will want to go to bars and restaurants again, and having to drive all the way from the burbs to meet up people at happy hour sounds tedious if you are not worried about schools. It would definitely crimp your dating life as well. As far as safety goes, I would feel fine living in most of those neighborhoods (although it varies block by block) and I'm a petite single woman.

I see the appeal of having a yard and not sharing walls, so I get you on the single family home. Personally, in your situation I would look at East Austin, some neighborhoods in South Austin that aren't far off South Congress, and maybe Crestview/North Loop. With the exception of Crestview/North Loop (which has very little in your price range anyway) the schools are not good, but who cares if you are a single 30 year old guy? All of these areas have a lot of potential for appreciation, especially East Austin. Some of the cooler restaurants and bars are opening in East Austin, and there is only so much land close in to downtown. I would also consider trimming your wishlist on square footage--I think 1000-1500 give or take is going to be much more realistic. How much house can you really upkeep as one person anyway?

I'm a total homebody so I understand wanting space for a yard and to hang out with my dog and do projects, but I do find in your 30s your peers start falling into the kids/family focused pattern of life. Living in an area catered to that as a single guy sounds pretty isolating.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by CBB_bear

Wow if I were a single 30 year old guy who didn't want to live in a condo and worked downtown, I would not be looking at dripping springs/cedar park. Even if you can work from home, you are still pretty far away from amenities that are especially attractive to people in their 30s without kids (I'm in my 30s without kids, but a woman). Some day after COVID times people will want to go to bars and restaurants again, and having to drive all the way from the burbs to meet up people at happy hour sounds tedious if you are not worried about schools. It would definitely crimp your dating life as well. As far as safety goes, I would feel fine living in most of those neighborhoods (although it varies block by block) and I'm a petite single woman.

I see the appeal of having a yard and not sharing walls, so I get you on the single family home. Personally, in your situation I would look at East Austin, some neighborhoods in South Austin that aren't far off South Congress, and maybe Crestview/North Loop. With the exception of Crestview/North Loop (which has very little in your price range anyway) the schools are not good, but who cares if you are a single 30 year old guy? All of these areas have a lot of potential for appreciation, especially East Austin. Some of the cooler restaurants and bars are opening in East Austin, and there is only so much land close in to downtown. I would also consider trimming your wishlist on square footage--I think 1000-1500 give or take is going to be much more realistic. How much house can you really upkeep as one person anyway?

I'm a total homebody so I understand wanting space for a yard and to hang out with my dog and do projects, but I do find in your 30s your peers start falling into the kids/family focused pattern of life. Living in an area catered to that as a single guy sounds pretty isolating.

I guess it just depends on the person and their interests. Granted, when I was a single girl in my early to mid 20s, NYC absolutely was the best place to be. After school/work, I partied and had a really great time. In my early 20s, my living space could be small and noisy but after awhile that became a drag and I craved peace and quiet for my homelife. I moved from Manhattan and bought a condo in the borough I was born and raised in. It was larger, safer, and was relatively quiet. Even then, I saw myself desiring suburban life more. I married and relocated to Texas at 28. We bought our first home in a suburb and I can't see myself living anywhere else. Lots of people, smoke, etc.... that's not something I want to do on a regular basis. Pre-covid, i'd much rather have our friends over and hang out in our nice outdoor space. We actually made sure our home has lots of things to keep us entertained..so staying at home due to a pandemic wasn't that much of a drain on us. I like geeky things like board and party games and just hanging out in our large yard. Additionally, the suburbs have gotten a bunch of restaurants and such that are minutes away from our house in the event we want to listen to some live music, etc.... it's not all kids and youth sports, lol. Though I admit we do have two kids.

[Need4Camaro]

I guess I’m the anomaly in terms of 30’s and single, none of that ever hit me as interesting. I moved to the suburbs

[CBB_bear]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I guess it just depends on the person and their interests. Granted, when I was a single girl in my early to mid 20s, NYC absolutely was the best place to be. After school/work, I partied and had a really great time. In my early 20s, my living space could be small and noisy but after awhile that became a drag and I craved peace and quiet for my homelife. I moved from Manhattan and bought a condo in the borough I was born and raised in. It was larger, safer, and was relatively quiet. Even then, I saw myself desiring suburban life more. I married and relocated to Texas at 28. We bought our first home in a suburb and I can't see myself living anywhere else. Lots of people, smoke, etc.... that's not something I want to do on a regular basis. Pre-covid, i'd much rather have our friends over and hang out in our nice outdoor space. We actually made sure our home has lots of things to keep us entertained..so staying at home due to a pandemic wasn't that much of a drain on us. I like geeky things like board and party games and just hanging out in our large yard. Additionally, the suburbs have gotten a bunch of restaurants and such that are minutes away from our house in the event we want to listen to some live music, etc.... it's not all kids and youth sports, lol. Though I admit we do have two kids.

All the neighborhoods I mentioned are quiet and residential, just closer in. They are just easier access if you want to meet up with other single friends for drinks and you don't need to sit in traffic for 45 min-1 hour each way for work. Totally get that the suburbs have restaurants and live music and such, and I get why someone would want to live in a house rather than a condo downtown, just saying without kids there are a lot of drawbacks to being single and being further out. With kids where you need to worry about schools, having more space, etc. it's a totally different consideration. I don't mind suburbs at all, I just don't really see why it would be a great fit for a 30 year old single person.