Don't be fooled... - 10/9/2012

I went to Austin for over a year. I can say it is a fine place if you have money coming in and can afford a reasonable property but if you cannot, it can be a hard place. Renting prices are very steep, properties are poorly maintained overall and the bus system is the cheapest in the country but also one of the worse for a city of its size. Property tax is high! People claim it is a democratic city, which is totally untrue. I come from one of the most democratic areas in the US so this is how I am able to compare it. People are mostly friendly and easy to talk to but there is a problem with reverse discrimination big time and also homelessness. Many homeless people come to Austin because they are left alone and not kicked or thrown of the streets. There is something in the water (the locals tell you) that makes people crazy (perhaps too much barium). I also must point out that rates of self-abuse with drugs and alcohol as well as mental health disease are some of the highest in the country... Jerry Jeff Walker (a local) is a fine example of this. If you ride the local bus system, you will see what I mean after a few days. And if you are a single woman I cannot warn you enough of the attitude men have there regarding women- it is very sexist in Texas. If you do not believe me check-out the past of their chief of police Art Acevedo. I experienced sexual harassment from a cop myself while living there and the police authorities backed him up to protect him. Male police are also known for bartering sex for extinguishing speeding or traffic tickets (for both men and women). Also temp agencies there can short change you and take more taxes out- 2 Agencies did this to me- I only got reimbursed from one of them after putting up a stink. A state agency did not help me with the other so basically employers can take out anything they want to inconvenience you! Social services are some of the worse- food stamps are given for 3 months only in a 2 year cycle for unemployed and unemployment benefits for 10 weeks. There is a new age and religious demeanor of the place and what I mean is that the reborn people believe they can do no wrong and the new age tend to blame you for anything bad that may happen to you. I found Austin to be one of the most dysfunctional places I ever lived and I never experienced so much discrimination in my life as I did there. The highlights of Austin are the arts and activities offered by the city and the South Southwest Fair happening once a year where you can meet people from all over the world. There are also some decent bike paths for cyclists, especially around the Uni and up North. Art film are cheap and people are easy to talk to. The Uni has some of the best concerts and performances- prices are reasonable. I have lived in both South Austin and North Austin and the best neighborhood I lived in was in South Austin between Manchaca and Westgate. Sunset Valley is also very nice. Up North I like the Shoal Creek and Westover Hills area which is very safe. Whereas people who live in West Austin are very well off and people in East Austin are poorer. Most the computer companies and prominent businesses are on outskirts where buses do not go so you have to have a car. Bee Caves is very prominent and people a style of their own- friendly but it is mainly Caucasian as the wealthier areas are. One thing I must say about Texas is there is little Indian history there which has been wiped out by all the fighting of the Spanish and the white settlers. This is most disappointing because when you go to museums there is little mention of any of Indian life. The main tribes of the area were the Caddo, Wichita and then the Comanche who came much later who are of Aztec descent. Most these tribes have mixed with Hispanic or Mexican people so they are referred to as Hispanic.

[Comment on this Posting]

Generally clean air and water in abundance - 9/19/2012

The thing I like about Austin and its microclimates. ..is there are more than just a few natural swimming areas...lakes, rivers and creeks,public pools that are spring fed.Also there are caves and crevices to be explored. This is the gateway to the hill country after all. Too bad everybody else has heard of it too or has come here to go to college or go to SXSW and consequently moved here. It has brought the traffic and the rent prices to skyrocket and finding parking downtown is a miracle. I like my little spot here but I know as a renter it won't last forever...looking for the next big thing!

[Comment on this Posting]

Small city, big impression - 8/29/2012

Great city for outdoor activities. Multicultural and liberal town.

[Comment on this Posting]

Open-minded. - 8/20/2012

Austin is the ONLY city in Texas where I feel comfortable identifying myself as an Atheist. Whatever you're into is great by me: on Guadalupe, a Scientology church sits next door to a Baptist church. I'm not sure how many other cities you'll find that are quite so open minded!

[Comment on this Posting]

The changed face of Austin - 8/15/2012

I have lived in Austin,Tx since 1976 after moving from Housten. What attracted me was the Berkley (as in California) environment, lake Travis, the weirdness, and a tight community. During the following years, Austin had grown in the worst way;High density in the hills around Austin, overcrowded freeways, imports from around the country that have created a lack of community, a city councel that should be districtly elected. Austin no longer is the charming village that it once was...

[Comment on this Posting]

Cost of Living - 8/7/2012

If you are a business that wants to move to Austin, I would first check this City's track record with the business community. I think you will find that your business would be better off in one of the surrounding communities where they welcome and support business. The City of Austin will committ to most anything to get you in but over time you will lose support. The City milks business for liberal gain. Cost of living in Austin is the highest in Texas which says something when compared to larger Cities like Houston, Dallas, etc....plus we are suppose to be a college town...far from it. This current Mayor and City Council supports a small fraction of this City using all business contributions to further their liberal agenda. Which does nothing but drive taxpayer costs up with no end in sight. We have been here 7 years, and the cost of living has risen over 25%, not to mention utilities (water & waste water) bills have all almost doubled, along with real estate values declining by 10-15 percent.

[Comment on this Posting]

Austin,Tx Don't believe the hype! - 8/2/2012

My wife and I moved to Austin, TX in 2010 from Houston, TX to start a new life, launch a business and checkout the music scene. Our experience started out very promising, we loved the laid back vibe and friendly atmosphere. Everything seemed great and our optimism was in full swing. We started our business in late January of 2011 hosting a launch party at a trendy south Austin warehouse. Soon after, we were invited to take part in a SXSW event in March by two gentlemen from Brooklyn, New York. Tons of free exposure, you couldn't ask for more as a new company. During the summer of 2011 we did the free beer and the hard punch thing, giving away so much to promote our business and sell our loyalty food cards. The card sold for $25, good for 1yr and 25% off of food purchases of $10 or more, 365 days a year, the best consistent discount in the country bar none at the time, born and bred in Austin, TX. In return for the businesses accepting the discount, my company shot free promotional commercials, photographs and posted radio ads on a local community radio station, which we also supported through underwriting. All of the marketing was cross promotional and offered free of charge for the businesses so that we could do our part as new transplants to Austin to support local and stimulate the local economy. Our only profit was on the sales of these loyalty cards. Austin brags about supporting local which is what my company was doing from day one by offering these free marketing services to local businesses. The support for my company and its mission was few and far between. I ended up giving away 95% of the cards to stimulate sales among the businesses. My wife and I even volunteered on behalf of some of these struggling trailers by helping them out at festivals, various events, also sponsoring beer, hard punch, t-shirts, energy drinks, etc. Sometimes even hands on by helping operate their trailers or run to the restaurant suppliers for them for ingredients, using our gas, our time and our own money. All of this on top of the free marketing. If that isn't supporting your local community, I don't know what is. Heads up people, most of the trendy businesses you support here in Austin are launched by out of state owners and not local at all, so your money could be going elsewhere. Check the facts before you spend that dollar in the pursuit of going local. Did I mention that my film production crew would travel 300 hundred plus miles round trip from Houston to Austin to film the free videos for these businesses. Unfortunately, on more than one occasion actually on many, the businesses would cancel, postpone and even no show after my crew had already arrived in Austin to film. All of this good will was totally ignored by the local community and especially the twenty something set who had been informed by myself and others of my humanitarianism and the social consciousness of my company during countless free kegers that I sponsored at local food trailer parks. Most of our clients were food trailers that have gone out of business and/or left town. If that wasn't bad enough, we also had one of our copy written photographs infringed upon and used without my permission, going as far as removing the watermark, this done by a local well known Austinite who used it for personal gain posting it on their blog, all over the Internet, Pinterest and even submitted it to a popular local and national online digital magazine without giving my company any credit for shooting the photo. After calling this person out and catching them in the act, they libeled me by sending out slanderous emails to my clients, existing and potential. Did I mention that I was laying in the hospital with pancreatitis while all of this ensued. All this done to a small business man from out of town, not state, because after all, I am a native Texan who was just trying to support local and make an honest buck. This town is hyped by locals and ignorant hipsters that have no idea what struggles small businesses actually deal with. It's all about hipster driven trends in this town, not actual content. I have personally dealt with so many disillusioned people who relocated to Austin from hundreds even thousands of miles away in pursuit of entrepreneurial dreams only to be disenchanted by the city's lack of support and soon after found themselves broke and out of business, wishing they had never moved here. You wouldn't know this to be the case if you were lured by Austin's huge marketing and propaganda machine, leading so many to believe this is the greatest small town on the planet. Food trailers and trucks have to jump through hoops in this town just to stay in business. The local city government is no friend to them, unless they have deep pockets, are backed by restaurants or run by trust fund kids, who have plenty of cash to throw away. And they are constantly being displaced by developers who own the property that these trailers rent lots from causing them to constantly relocate. Don't get me started about the food in this town! It's way overpriced and overrated. You constantly hear about the same chefs and restaurants time and time again. All this is driven by twenty somethings that think they are all food critics because they photograph food on their Iphones and love yelping. When you are drunk at 2am in the morning everything taste awesome. If they taste BBQ for the first time and rave about it as being the very best they have tasted, all of their cronies follow suit and overnight they become aficionados. Who else would wait in line for two hours for overpriced brisket that is nontraditionally rubbed in coffee when they could easily drive to Lockhart, TX, which is considered the BBQ capital of Texas by real BBQ experts, not twenty somethings and pay $6 to $8 less per pound for brisket cooked by BBQ joints that have been doing it for 75 years plus in those same two hours. The problem is that nobody will call out Austin because they don't want to stray from the pack. After all, Austin is the jewel of Texas, right? All that free, cheap beer keeps those hipsters in their duped induced state of mind. If you believe the hype, you spread the hype. Even when it ends up on the cover of national magazines, guess the age of the contributors writing those articles? You guessed it, those twenty something hipsters who dictate to all of us what's relevant to only themselves, but lack true knowledge or the life experience to be the judge of anything. So, its OK if you're just looking for a place to party and occasionally jump in the water or you love bat watching, then this capital of propaganda and hype is right up your alley. Let's not forget kid's haircuts 17 bucks a pop or a $25 men's cut with complimentary beer included. If wasting money is in your future, you couldn't have picked a greater city. If you're serious about starting a meaningful business or becoming a successful musician and getting local backing and support, you landed in the wrong town my friend. Their is no music industry here, just a lot of promoters making tons of money off selling tickets for out of town acts that roll through Austin, because it's a live music hub. Do the research, nobody famous is born and bred in Austin, they might spend some time hanging out here for a stint, but this is not where they blow up. You have to leave this town to become famous, If you've got the talent. Austin has a habit of taking credit for the success of anyone who just drops in, but becomes famous out of the state then returns here for a gig. Ask yourself why Austin bands never get signed to big labels or are discovered here. Because it's all about attracting big acts, making money on concerts, but never supporting and cultivating local talent. Everyone you thought was from Austin, just hung out here, played a few shows and went elsewhere to gain fame and fortune. So many of the homeless and others working menial jobs in this town were aspiring musicians that got spet out and forgotten about. My best friend here is a homeless musician. The day we met he told me to take my savings, my dreams and get the hell out of this town, as fast as I could. I wish I would have listened about 40k ago. By the way, the people that call the shots, make the rules and control all the legislation that gets passed, are out-of-towners with only self interest and $$$$ in mind. There is a sucker born everyday, I know, I was one. These guys even copyright their own slogans so that nobody can claim the term "Keep Austin weird". It wouldn't surprise me if this town held the distinction of being the highest revenue earning small city per capita in the nation, regarding local city governments. You wouldn't know it by the lack of funding for it's schools or the fact that 40% of Austinites live under the poverty level. I guess investing the revenues from music festivals, tourism and under served tax payer's money on a race track in a nearby town, that will someday be annexed by Austin, is a greater priority. As the revenues from tourism continue to rise for the city of Austin, the quality of life for its locals lowers everyday with the influx of more suckers, hipsters and high rollers moving here and driving up the cost of living. This was my personal experience living in the so called coolest small town in the country. I realize that hipsters, rich out of town yuppies or locals who don't know any other place as home, will probably beg to differ. My suggestion is that if Austin beckons you, keep in mind that it's a place you could possibly hangout, but please think twice about hanging around.

[Comment on this Posting]

Austin Is Not For Everyone - 7/30/2012

My family moved to Austin from northern Florida two years ago for my husband's job. We were so excited, as Austin was at the top of every list we could find online. It was like a warm Portland! It was the greenest, most family-friendly, most affordable, most entrepreneurial, most healthy places in the whole US! I was born and raised in the northwest US, but I'd lived in Florida for 11 years before our move. I was most excited for the family-friendly and green aspects of the city. I pictured my family biking, swimming, walking around our neighborhood meeting other families. . . . We have two girls--6 and 4. I had expected the vibe to be laid-back, eclectic, artistic, funky, progressive, and warm-spirited. I was looking forward to new opportunities for my girls. In the city, we could get them involved in things not available in Florida. They could do anything! They could sing opera! They could hear live music every day! Sure, we were leaving a tight community of friends and coworkers, but we had moved before, and everything worked out. My first shock happened while my realtor was taking me around (read: driving for miles and miles through considerable traffic) to the areas with the best-rated schools (Eanes and Lake Travis). Was I going to have to live way outside of the city in cookie-cutter suburbia (or a McMansion trailer park) in oder to afford a well-built medium-priced house with good schools? It was beginning to look like that. At night, after the realtor dropped us off at the hotel, I would cry. Where was my cute little neighborhood? My neighborhood health-food store? My farmer's market? My plethora of active people? If you don't like your neighborhood coming with an entrance sign, Austin suburbia is NOT the place for you. I didn't want to look out my window to see my neighbor's wall. I didn't want to stand on my balcony and see their roof within arm's length. We drove and drove and drove and drove. We looked and looked. Eventually, we ended up finding a house NOT in a development (very hard thing to do) in the Lake Travis area. (Far away from downtown, to my sadness.) Originally, I wanted to live closer to downtown, but I quickly discovered that I'd have to shell out $500,000 for a dive of a house (and I can't do a remodel with two small children and a working husband) in a very mediocre school district/questionable neighborhood in order for that to happen. I live in a really safe neighborhood with some character. The median price of a home in my area is $475K (steep if you're moving from Florida; not steep if you're moving from California--where 75% of my neighbors are from). The trade-off for buying a custom-built house in my price-range was that, though I had a .5 acre lot, I had no grass and no garden because of the drought and plant-eating deer (as cute as they are). My yard was wild--juniper, cacti, agave, and rock. And dirt. Pretty, pretty dirt. In order to have a "yard," you NEED a fence, a sprinkler system (water is expensive), and a professional landscaper to get you started (or no day job). I wish I had known this moving here: Gardening is not impossible, but--compared with Florida, the northwestern US, and many other areas on the globe--it is for experts who have a lot of expendable cash. Raised beds need to be built. Elaborate watering systems need to be installed. Et cetera. You cannot dig a hole in the ground with a shovel. You will hit solid rock. The other concern that hit me was that there were so many people here. Whenever we tried to go out into nature, we ran into a billion other people. There is no real wilderness here. You can canoe through the city (if you get to the rental place early enough). You can "hike" and got to the lake. But you'll not be alone by any stretch. And camping, real camping, is far away. Hours away. And, as far as I can tell, the state park system is nonexistent. The parks we have attempted, have been very very busy. The best thing about Austin is this: It is kid friendly. Most restaurants have play-scapes, activities, so much to do to give parents a break. I will miss the food (Torchy's, notably) and little else when I go. The main reason I want to go is that I want to give my kids a childhood where they experience the outdoors without it being a chore to get there. And also: it is rather expensive here as far as extracurricular activities go. And the other thing: Austinites are NOT green. If you think you're moving to a green city, think again. You have to drive everywhere; the development is sprawling and sprawling; as far as I can see, the city's only plan is to keep spreading; no one carpools. ( In fact, there isn't even a carpool lane.) The over-consumption is mind-boggling. The hills are filled with enormous houses that go on and on and on and on . . . . Someone once said, "Austin is not a love-at-first-sight city." I had wanted to fall in love. I have found this to be true. And it MIGHT be a great place to be young and entrepreneurial. But trying to find real friends here at age 40? Good luck.

[Comment on this Posting]

Drought Concerns - 6/28/2012

The increased temperatures over the last several years coupled with the lack of rain have resulted in a significant drought in this area. Concern regarding availablity and quality of clean and safe drinking water may become a reality in the near future.

[Comment on this Posting]

Thanks for the warning, Colleen - 6/24/2012

Grrrrrl, feel better now:)Wow you really had a lot to say and I want to thank you for sharing. I am in my early 40's, single mom with a 4 yr old daughter and live in NYC. I am leaving NYC for a better quality of life for my daughter and I. I was leaning heavily on settling in Austin but your post has truly changed my mind. I believe every word you've written and I am not going there!!! Thank you sooo much for the warning!

[Comment on this Posting]

Not Moving to Austin - Just Not For Me - 6/17/2012

I recently returned from a visit to Austin, TX. It's rated as the fastest growing city in the U.S. right now -- the best job growth in the country right now as the economy sputters on (concentrated in the tech sector.) I'm looking for another city and after reading all the hype, I booked a flight and hotel room. On the plus side, I did get the impression that it's less pretentious than Washington, DC where I currently live. DC is a political materialistic city and the egos are huge. Austin is a very laid-back kind of city; everyone dresses casual. Most people don't wear suits in downtown Austin. Some people were friendly and some people were not. The people at the UT campus were particularly friendly; but I'm not a student, and not planning to attend UT. The city was very empty and slow, and really not much was going on. I learned that most people head to the Lake. I didn't want to spend the money on a car rental for the few days that I was there. Also, the heat was really bad. It really shocked me. The weather is definitely better in DC. I really got the impression that it's still a college town, even though the big tech companies have set up offices in and near Austin. It also seems like a city for young male tech workers. There were a lot of bar/restaurants in downtown Austin and there were a lot of young guys hanging out there. I'm a single woman in my 40s (raised in NY), and I've never liked the bar scene. I headed to the museums at the UT campus, which offered interesting exhibits, and toured the state capitol, which was impressive. I talked to a few people, but couldn't find out much about all the hiring that's going on for the tech companies. The heat, lack of activities, and slowness -- had me thinking Austin is not for me. So, can anyone recommend another city that isn't so hot in the summer, has more activities going on, is more cosmopolitan, and has job growth during this miserable recession? Or am I just dreaming that I can find such a place at this point in time in the U.S.?

[Comment on this Posting]

quality of life in Austin - 5/31/2012

Our quality of life would be immensely improved if you DO NOT move here. We don't need any more people. Go away.

[Comment on this Posting]

Terrible...just terrible. - 5/30/2012

Austin is horrible. Traffic is terrible. Summers are well above the 100 F mark from May to October. People have bad attitudes toward outsiders/hipsters. Please don't move here.

[Comment on this Posting]

The good and the bad - 3/30/2012

There really not a whole of nice things to say about Austin Tx but the pros about Austin is that is a nice city compare to other cities in Texas and Austin is a whole lot nicer than EL Paso and San Antonio. Downtown Austin is very nice because of things to do and a nice park around the lake. The weather is only nice a few months out of a year and that during the winter. Nov,Feb and March is nice weather months. The cons are that the weather here is terrible here during the summer time and its starts in May until middle of Sept. Its gets very hot and humid and not as much rain and the last five summers has been hotter and drier than normal.Hopefully the rain will come back this summer but is very likely that summer is going to be a problem with lack of rain. Drought is a big problem here, it may be rainy a lot during the winter and spring but drought always manage to come back. Some areas of Austin is very bad and run down like east Austin. Traffic is awful here and getting worse every year. The traffic lights here is a joke because its like a three year old has set up these traffic signals to control the traffic. The roads are not very well lay out to control traffic because its not wide enough and needs an extra lane and a turning lane is needed near the traffic signals. All the roads here are too small to handle a large volume of traffic. If you look at Phoenix Az and compare the street there in Phoenix is a whole lot better in Phoenix because Phoenix has a larger streets with more lanes and a much better Traffic signals. Phoenix is a much bigger city than Austin but I notice its easier to drive in Phoenix than Austin because its so easy to get around. Austin has a terrible roads that traffic is so bad here. I-35 is horrible going both directions because its three lanes in Downtown and getting on and off is hard sometimes its an old design from the 50's. Housing market is not so great but its might a little better than its has been. Not very much sight seeing leaving out of Austin and its looks rather boring. There are very rude drivers everywhere here in Austin and they get right up your car rear bumper if you are going the speed limit or even a little over speed limit and people drive pretty bad here well I guess its because the roads are not big enough that people gets very frustrated. People here are not very friendly and nice and but there are some very nice people around don't get me wrong. I am fixing to move out of Austin to Bend Oregon this summer because I want to live in a small city with only 85000 people and plus the weather in Oregon is so much more comfortable than Texas weather. In Oregon there a lot of sight seeing and ocean is near by and the its blue not brown like the gulf of Mexico. Its time for me to move on and say good bye to Austin Tx and seven years of Austin is enough.

[Comment on this Posting]

Allergy Capital of the WORLD - 2/28/2012

Austin is very near enough to the Texas Hill Country, the Coastal Plains, and red soil piney woods of East Texas to receive pollen from plants growing in all of these climates. In fact, several of the major companies that compete in the allergy treatment and relief markets have product testing facilities here. If you do not already have allergy problems, move here and you soon will have. This is the complaint of many people who never before experienced allergies until they moved to Austin. And according to these people, the problems persist after you leave.

[Comment on this Posting]

Market is getting stonger here - 2/28/2012

Apartment occumpancy is at 98% causing rent cost to increase drastically. We are at a 6 month inventory overall higher in suburbs and lower in central area. A 6 month inventory is a neutrul market meaning niether a buyers or sellers market. I find the suburbs are still a buyers market with the central area shifting to a sellers market as I am finding many multiple offers at list or above on listing located centrally. With the low rates, loosening up a bit from the banks on lending, and prices still not increasing yet, now before the summer rush is a good time to buy. Warren Buffet said he would buy as many single family units as he could and I have to agree.

[Comment on this Posting]

Austin is a lot of fun but the Summers Are HOT HOT - 2/21/2012

I live in a suburb of Austin. Leander. There are a lot of suburbs around Austin. All usually 15 miles from Austin. It is very centralized area. I love Austin and grew up here. Left and returned to a different type of city. As a child I enjoyed all the fun and FREE family activities to do downtown (ie. kite festival, trail of lights, xmas tree pole, bun runs, bmx ing, water parades on the lake, etc.) well that has changed since I moved back. For one; we have lost a lot of FREE things to do here (due to economy). We do have UT (University of TEXAS) campus downtown and it is BIG! Very friendly hipsters and uppity hip people. Austin is about ART and MUSIC (LIVE). We have SXSW (South by Southwest)& ACL (Austin City Limits) every year. They are pricey to go to but worth the cost. All though the last 2 years we have had a lot of arrest for violent crimes. The people are Texas friendly; however; the last years' have brought in a different type of crowd that has kind of ruined Austin Hippie Lifestyle on which it was built on. You have people from CA and Louisiana that have seeked refuge here for homes and work. They are defiantly different and all the CA based designers and $$ have brought with them the idea that they to can change Austin/Dallas into California. Because of this; the traffic is worse than LA! There is no friendly atmosphere.. it is all a rat race.. takes about 1 - 1 and 1/2 hours to get across the river to different parts of the city and outlining counties. The roads are always jammed pack full of raging cars (as well as drivers). Road Rage is high here. After Katrina hit we had an onslaught of refugees that fled LA. They brought a lot of crime and they too cannot drive! All-though most have moved out of Austin area; they mostly have relocated to Houston and San Antonio, College Station as it is closer to LA. Thank Goodness! But I really despise the CA $$ that has bum-rushed Austin! + for all you people wanting to know what the school systems are like. Crappy! in Austin (AISD). High drop-out rates and low test scores. No Perry did not make our educational system better.. it has been this way since I went to school here. There are pockets of good school districts (Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, Lakeway and anything west Austin (high end areas) where famous people live).. Cost of living is cheaper than CA, Nevada, anything west coast or east coast (NYC) but it is high here and taxes are high. 8.25%. NO personal property taxes though.. just federal filing on IRS. They do have good Disabled Veteran benefits in homestead taxes, and other things, educational assistance, workforce assistance, VA health care system. With that being said - Austin is a lot of fun with a rich and full history.. for a few bucks you can go down to Zilker Park and ride the small train and go swimming in the cold 62 degree springs pool. Open year around. There are a lot of hike and bike trails, neat eclectic shops, vintage, punk, hippie, business (fortune 500 companies), actors, music events, cultural events, arts, and on the outskirts you have a lot of great places to camp, tubing down river, Schilitterbaun, the beach is 6 hours or so away. a lot to offer for fitness and healthy lifestyles. Farmer's Markets, vegetarian's heaven, and so on!!! Just be prepared to drive everywhere you go.. Austin area is spread out; really. I also like that people of all ages, races and sexual orientations are welcome in Austin.. Weird is cool here and normal is too! Cowboys and Punks will do line dancing next to one another along with retired folks.. Austin is liberal / republican but step outside of Austin and it republican redneck; small town.. all-though that is changing too. I love Austin and wouldn't live anywhere else in Texas; seriously!!! FYI: Houston is an industrial town; San Antonio is 95% Hispanic (they call it the most northern state in Mexico) and is high in crime; and Dallas is a small scale version of NYC without the subways and walking distances. Weather is HOT and drought in the summer highest time was 112 and is Hot from May - Sept/Oct/Nov; sometimes snows here and sometimes rains. Lots of hail storms in weird ways. we get tornadoes to. all though rare. Winters can get down to 19 for a couple of days and then back up to 60.. Hope this all helps.

[Comment on this Posting]

Still a Good Town - 2/9/2012

Austin has grown, but it still has its charms.

[Comment on this Posting]

HELP - 2/7/2012

NEED TO KNOW GOOD POINTS AS WELL AS BAD POINTS.THINKING of moving there.HELP PLEASE

[Comment on this Posting]

Good news bad news - 1/25/2012

The good news on the climate of Austin, Texas is that winter months are quite mild. The bad news is that summers are painfully hot and long. Air conditioning is a must.

[Comment on this Posting]