Thoughts on move to Austin area

Thanks! I guess the catch can mod is off the list!

I was in Austin yesterday for a quick overnight review and meet with the potential team. Decision to be finalized tonight.

 

Looking forward to seeing what you choose - if it's applicable, Welcome to Texas!

 

We loved Austin. So much so we considered moving there ourselves, but this was in 2019. I know since then Tesla and Rohan have moved there, so I can’t speak to what it’s like since then, but before that there was a large population of young people. Which can be a good and bad thing. It’s a nice blend of Texas and LA.

 

Decision is made. Accepted the position and making the move! Hope you will be accepting of a new neighbor.

 

Congrats!

 

Anyone here an RV trailer owner? Any intel on good state parks or other places in the state for camping?

 

Congrats and welcome to Texas. I grew up in Austin, I loved it back then. I live in Houston now. I still have family in Austin so I frequently visit. It's definitely not the same as it was 20 years. When I go back to visit now, I can't believe how much has changed. Without getting into a debate...It has pros and cons. The company I work for has locations in Washington, Oregon, Colorado areas. Lots of my coworkers are wanting to leave those states and move to Texas. Of course Austin, Dallas, or Houston are on their list. Lots of them decided on Houston or Dallas for various reasons.

 

Here is a good toll calculator:
https://tollguru.com/texas-toll-calculator

Be sure to mark that you will have a TXTag. The toll rates are cheaper with a TXTag. Also, like was said the entire TX130 is toll, all lanes. The only toll road in the Austin area that only has tolls on some lanes in MoPac/Loop 1. (It is called MoPac because it follows the Missouri Pacific rail line through Austin.) This has free lanes and toll express lanes. This is also the only place that the tolls increase with volume. Since you will be on the East side, the MoPac rates tolls should affect your commute. As long as you stay on the 130 corridor, your commute should not be too bad in terms of time. They just finished widening 130 up to Pflugerville.

Welcome to the area!

 

Hey what’s up man! I’m a local austinite who was raised in north Austin and currently lives in Pflugerville. I’ve seen the city grow and change but that happens with progress so ignore the “it’s not what it used to be 10-20-30-40-100 years ago”.

What it really boils down to is purchasing power and what you enjoy doing/lifestyle. I’m big on going on hikes and love being a 15-20 minute drive from some place to hike/run/bike. I decided to buy a home in Pflugerville because I love how quiet and calm my neighborhood is and also being 20 min from the heart of Austin. Another huge plus is being very close to the toll rds 130 and 45. I cross the city regularly at different times of the day and I average about 30 min on the toll road.

If you’re looking for the biggest bang for you buck I would:
• look south austin heading to the areas of (Buda,Kyle,SM) pretty much along 35 heading towards San Antonio. That’s eventually gonna completely populate and become a mega city like Dallas/Houston.
• DAP (Down Payment assistance): is a program that helps you pay a very low down payment to secure a home. I thinks it’s 3% total.
•Boots on the ground and not being afraid of doing your own research(setting price trackers on Zillow, Redfin, Trulia etc)


Personally I love Austin, there’s plenty to do (Live sports, music shows every night, night life, nature, breweries every where)

Just for context:
• I’m 28 years old
• Politically sit in the middle
• bought my house last year in December (Brookhollow area)
• Toyota Tundra 2021 lunar Rock


Edit: Welcome to Austin!!
Send me a msg and we can talk state parks!
Everyday I pass the Giga factory and it’s a 20 min drive!

 

I'll see the rest of you guys in Wyoming.

 

Congratulations! I hope your ready for the chaos inside these 8 walls!

 

my wife and i rented a travel trailer a few years ago. we stayed at:
https://gulfwatersrvresorttx.com/

check out my post on my experience:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/my-first-experience-vacationing-in-a-travel-trailer.76046/

 

grats!

Let us all know if you need any help with anything.

 

Thanks everyone. First day of work down there is March 14th. Going to stay with family in Round Rock when I am down there until we move sometime in early April.

Does anyone know if I can buy a TXTag to use with a rental car? Trying to figure out if it is possible to get a tag and move it from vehicle to vehicle since I will have to fly back and forth for a few weeks.

Or do they actually have attendants at toll booths I can just pay with cash or card?

 

The toll booths are not attended. If you drive through a toll booth without a TxTag, cameras will take a picture of your license plate and they will send you a bill. You will not buy a TxTag for a rental car. You only buy them for vehicles that you own. TxTags are super sticky and are applied to your windshield. Removing the tag could render it inoperable. The rental car could already have a TxTag on it, or the rental company will charge you for any toll charges, or toll charges may be included with the rental.

 

Austin is a happenin' city - great food and great music,
sadly a ton of the "Blue State" folks are moving there and that is changing the course of the city gov't and other ancillary projects for the area.

 

Don't forget about the millions of 'blues' in Dallas, Forth Worth, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, The Rio Grande Valley and Austin.

They outnumber the 'reds' scattered across all the tiny towns, only because each county gets the same vote as others do the reds win. They are dragging this state down...

What projects has it changed???

 

The state parks in Texas are great. I can’t say I’ve been to a bad one…

Close to ATX you have Inks Lake and Bastrop. Palo Duro Canyon is worth the drive up to the panhandle. I was in DFW and enjoyed Eisenhower on Lake Texoma and IDB on lake Ray Roberts. There’s plenty more. Caddo Lake in East Texas is cool.

 

Mine sits rather permanently at my deer/hog lease in Johnson City.

Here are 9 super awesome, super close to Austin places to take your RV. Texas is super friendly towards RVers from temporary to permanent guests. https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/...tive-rv-trailers-fishing-state-parks/#slide=0

If you like some off-roading we only have private areas, Texas has no public riding lands like many other states.

Here's one of the best private off-roading (any powered machine) spots near us where you can also RV at: https://www.hiddenfallsadventurepark.com/

One must is seeing/experiencing/walking along Austin's Crown Jewel: https://austinparks.org/barton-creek-greenbelt/

Welcome Austinite! See y'all.

 

Congratulations. You should be able to tell the rental company that you will be using the toll option. They will charge you directly through your rental agreement. The area is what it is. You will hear many opinions. I live north of Austin. I am getting ready to sell and have been watching the market for almost a year now. Most homes for sale around me have sold with multiple offers. We had two homes behind us that recently sold this month within 2-3 days. One sold for $25k above asking. Last spring most homes around me were selling with multiple offers. I can remember one selling just 5 houses down with 25 offers. It was a Google engineer who eventually bought it from the Bay area. What I used to tell people in the past was to consider buying a home that would be in a location that would cause your commute to go opposite commuter traffic. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter anymore nowadays. Just be ready to be flexible in purchasing your home. The selling fever should start in March as spring approaches. Good luck!!

 

Two weeks in so far. Experienced tornado weather, attended a rodeo, and just had my first experience at Buc-cee’s…

What is the socially acceptable time I need to live here before I can refer to myself as a Texan?

 

As soon as you start using "Y'all" in everyday conversations!

 

Shit. Guess I'm Texan! I better start migrating south soon.

 

haha... i used "y'all" in a conversation recently and i didn't even realize it. my wife pointed it out and laughed. the next level is "all y'all"

 

when you start saying these in a conversation:
y'all
all y'all
fix'in (as in, "i am fix'in to go to the store")

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mEShgSIJrw

 

I'll sponsor you!

 

Anyone have a read on which Austin Toyota dealer is better for service? Need my next oil change soon.

I see one in Round Rock, Cedar Park, and North Austin.

 

Go to Round Rock. Never any issue ever, best dealer I’ve ever worked with and I do all my regularly scheduled maintenance with them. It was part of my decision to buy the Tundra, after having a Toyota for a few years prior and using them.