Why austin, texas... (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio: homes, job market, purchase)

[artsyguy]

If you are so much about fun and games.....then how come you haven't invited me over for swimming at the pool and lake? Hmmmm.....

Originally Posted by jdevelop2

I can't figure Artsguy out. I lived in a city for a couple of years that I grew to despise and so I moved to a city I loved, Austin. I now spend my free time getting to know my new city, not on online boards constantly bashing my previous city.

The reasons we moved to and love Austin are in no particular order:

1) friendly people
2) great nightlife
3) 9 months of good weather and 3 months that drive everyone to the pool or lake
4) very affordable when compared to our other choice(So Cal)
5) low crime
6) a clean/new feel to the city
7) easy access to beautiful and fun Lake Travis
8) awesome shopping choices
9) Texas pro business/smart fiscal policy economic climate
10) Easy access to all that Dallas, SA, and Houston have to offer


The fact that Artsguy is so negative about a city that so many find so positive tells me a lot about Artsyguy. It sounds like Austin improved a little more the day Artsyguy packed his bags and left.

[Mike78613]

People move here b/c of the rot rally held here!

http://www.rotrally.com/onsite_video.asp (broken link)

Plus Robbie did a jump that I could do on my Mountain Bike! Rock on!!

[1mintjulep]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

If you are so much about fun and games.....then how come you haven't invited me over for swimming at the pool and lake? Hmmmm.....

I think you may have just answered your own question.

[Nomadic9460678748]

I don't love anything about this place. It's an overgrown college town with Real City aspirations.

Austin (IMHO)
-No decent museums
-No reliable public transportation system which might actually help alleviate the traffic problems here. Capital Metro is a joke.
-No decent restaurants. Tex Mex, Tex Mex, and mooooore Tex Mex! I hope you like Tex Mex.
-All of the supposedly "weird" or "interesting" neighborhoods are now ridiculously overpriced. And truth be told they're not even that "weird" or "interesting."
-No diversity to speak of. I value ethnic and cultural diversity because I think it says a lot about the welcoming nature of a city and it offers me opportunities to learn more about other cultures. I know that quite a few people on this forum try to portray an interest in diversity as some type of subtle reverse racism. It's nothing of the sort. The diversity here consists of Hipsters associating with Tech Execs, or their being one in the same.
-I like sports (sue me). There are no professional sports teams here.
-Everything is flat. I miss genuine hills and mountains.

Let the flaming ensue! It's only the internet after all!
-It's HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT! And there is no getting used to it. There's just moving from one air-conditioned location to another. What fun.
-There is not a diversified economy. So many of the graduates from the city's overrated mega-university (of which I am a not-so proud graduate. I wish you could give back diplomas for a refund) decide to stay in this "hip" little town, thus flooding the market with applicants so that an employer can offer a job to a college-educated, qualified individual for $8.00 without batting an eye. So you will either end up underemployed or undercompensated. Take your pick. Google just closed their office here. What might that tell you?
-Did I mention it's hot?

If I could find a job which actually paid worth a damn I would be saving like mad to ensure my permanent exit from this provincial, sweltering hellhole (by this I mean all of Texas, and yes, I was unfortunately born here).

Let the flaming ensue! It's only the internet.

[Nomadic9460678748]

Oh, I have lived here (with the exception of two glorious years) for nearly 20 years. And that's no lie.

[jdevelop2]

No decent restaurants. Tex Mex, Tex Mex, and mooooore Tex Mex! I hope you like Tex Mex

Austin only has TexMex? No decent restaurants? This is flat out untrue. I have lived in Austin for three weeks and have already tried an enormous variety of excellent food.

Everything is flat. I miss genuine hills and mountains

Austin is flat? Visit Memphis, that is flat. You have obviously never been west of I-35.

Austin may not have the mountains of LA or the cuisine of NYC but it also doesn't have the price tag.

I wish you luck in finding a city you are as happy in as I am in Austin.

[jdevelop2]

I think you may have just answered your own question.

Well said!!!

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by Nomadic9460678748

Oh, I have lived here (with the exception of two glorious years) for nearly 20 years. And that's no lie.

Sounds like you need a break from here. Good luck to you.

[capcat]

Originally Posted by Nomadic9460678748

Let the flaming ensue! It's only the internet.
Let the flaming ensue! It's only the internet.

Yes, you took advantage of that.
But, you do sound miserable. Maybe ramp up the job search and make it happen.

[artsyguy]

I agree with Nomadic on everything. Except I don't think Houston and Dallas are that bad except for the heat. Both cities have everything that Austin doesn't have.

But I completely understand your need to get out of Texas.

Originally Posted by Nomadic9460678748

I don't love anything about this place. It's an overgrown college town with Real City aspirations.

Austin (IMHO)
-No decent museums
-No reliable public transportation system which might actually help alleviate the traffic problems here. Capital Metro is a joke.
-No decent restaurants. Tex Mex, Tex Mex, and mooooore Tex Mex! I hope you like Tex Mex.
-All of the supposedly "weird" or "interesting" neighborhoods are now ridiculously overpriced. And truth be told they're not even that "weird" or "interesting."
-No diversity to speak of. I value ethnic and cultural diversity because I think it says a lot about the welcoming nature of a city and it offers me opportunities to learn more about other cultures. I know that quite a few people on this forum try to portray an interest in diversity as some type of subtle reverse racism. It's nothing of the sort. The diversity here consists of Hipsters associating with Tech Execs, or their being one in the same.
-I like sports (sue me). There are no professional sports teams here.
-Everything is flat. I miss genuine hills and mountains.

Let the flaming ensue! It's only the internet after all!
-It's HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT! And there is no getting used to it. There's just moving from one air-conditioned location to another. What fun.
-There is not a diversified economy. So many of the graduates from the city's overrated mega-university (of which I am a not-so proud graduate. I wish you could give back diplomas for a refund) decide to stay in this "hip" little town, thus flooding the market with applicants so that an employer can offer a job to a college-educated, qualified individual for $8.00 without batting an eye. So you will either end up underemployed or undercompensated. Take your pick. Google just closed their office here. What might that tell you?
-Did I mention it's hot?

If I could find a job which actually paid worth a damn I would be saving like mad to ensure my permanent exit from this provincial, sweltering hellhole (by this I mean all of Texas, and yes, I was unfortunately born here).

Let the flaming ensue! It's only the internet.