Wider view of Austin
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11/10/2008
I moved here about 3 yrs ago from Phoenix. I am so sorry to hear how distressed the last person is. There are some areas of Austin that grew too much and are too crowded, thus when looking for a home, I crossed those areas out as a place to live. They are west of and north of Austin. Traffic is bad and most of the original Texans have become the minority over the people that moved from very expensive areas to the new "cheap" Austin (from their median home of 400k a 200k house in Austin in cheap though that isn't the case for most). Perhaps they should look at other areas around Austin. Austin is a safe city with a ton to do. I live East of Austin in Bastrop county. The people are friendly and if they are too slow on the road, they pull over to let you pass. The museums in Austin aren't up to par, but there are truly a lot of outdoor things to do, almost too much (sometimes there are 2-3 things on the same weekend and you have to choose). There is a wierd fixation on the college sports, probably due to no professional teams. But Phoenix has fixations on all their professional teams (so I guess it's fan base). I and friends from Charlotte, Phoenix, and Indianapolis all feel comfortable going downtown Austin (and do not feel comfortable in the other three cities due to the crime rates). The traffic is being worked on, but still needs work. Unfortunately, most work is in the center of Austin with housing all around. This brings everyone heading straight into the city. They need to attract businesses on the outskirts and give tax credits for those areas to draw people to work out of the city. Weather is subjective. Yes, it is hot during the summer, but I can go out and do stuff. I could not in Phoenix (yes it's a dry heat, but it is unbearable - lived there many years as a child and adult). Winters are cool but not frigid like northern US. I think the 75-82 this past week with a slight breeze and sunshine is heaven. I hope you can find what I've found here. Over 40 yrs, I have lived in many cities in many states. I truly believe this is the best city to live in or near.
Pat | Cedar Creek, TX