Bay Area to Austin

Apple
sundarcook

Go to company page Apple

sundarcook
Nov 7, 2021 63 Comments

Hello Blind Folks,

I am hearing about offers in Austin with TC on par with Bay Area. I am wondering why anyone wouldn't move to Austin considering the fact that you'd save double, spend less time in traffic, and can afford better housing. Would like to know about other factors that need to be weighed in for the decision.

TC: 230k

63

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 TOP 63 Comments
  • Amazon / Eng
    eosBlck7

    Go to company page Amazon Eng

    PRE
    Microsoft
     eosBlck7
    First of all - you won’t save double, period. Don’t underestimate Austin property tax

    You probably save 30-40% more than Bay Area. Austin house price is also went up.

    Outdoor activities are limited, on top of that allergy and summer.
    Nov 7, 2021 15
    • Intel
      Rashidkhan

      Go to company page Intel

      BIO
      Do you expect me to put my bio?
       Rashidkhan
      @Jutv44 thanks for the info! It’s helpful that you could compare with BA and share with us…for Intel/AMD folks, don’t you think purchasing home in south Austin is better than Round rock? Please share your inputs
      Nov 9, 2021
    • New
      JuTV44

      New

      JuTV44
      You're welcome. I can certainly see how one could like BA better, at least based on weather and nature. For me, COL and politics outweigh it, I have kids to feed, and living in a nice new house instead of some million dollars chicken coop while still having more money to save feels good.
      From what I heard/seen, South Austin area has more character (in a good sense) than RR area. Round Rock, Cedar Park etc. look rather like a generic suburb (of course so does most of BA) but I ended up here and it's fine with me.

      I'm on Northern end of Round Rock, but going to Austin for some fun takes much less time than driving from San Jose to SF (and imo San Jose would give Omaha run for its money as the most boring place on Earth) and I don't have to worry about the car getting broken in.
      Nov 9, 2021
  • New
    CXxm24

    New

    CXxm24
    I was thinking of Austin, but it's pretty flat for miles around. I need some mountains... Or at least a sea.
    Nov 7, 2021 6
    • New
      CXxm24

      New

      CXxm24
      If you consider Colorado or Washington as alternatives it seems quite flat...
      Nov 9, 2021
    • Facebook
      bigcyclops

      Go to company page Facebook

      bigcyclops
      The biggest lie I’ve heard in my entire life is that Austin is flat. This is made up by irrational Texas-haters who have never set foot in Austin area.

      Austin is in Hill Country. Anything but flat.

      Also, what do you do with “sea” if you don’t mind me asking? Do you swim in it every weekend?

      If you want to see water, Austin has colorado river
      Nov 10, 2021
  • Airbnb
    xnxbx

    Go to company page Airbnb

    xnxbx
    The culture and lifestyle of Austin are very different than the Bay Area, many people have the wrong expectations and move back.

    If you’re born and raised in CA, if you think it’d be perfect if cheaper, look elsewhere. Come only if you want to embrace the cultural and lifestyle differences wholeheartedly.
    Nov 8, 2021 4
    • Intel
      Rashidkhan

      Go to company page Intel

      BIO
      Do you expect me to put my bio?
       Rashidkhan
      Thanks for the pointers. May be we should buy home that’s inside Austin… I was looking at homes in the south of Austin (almost border of Austin for price benefit ) may be I should start considering costlier homes near to the center of Austin..
      Nov 9, 2021
    • Airbnb
      xnxbx

      Go to company page Airbnb

      xnxbx
      There are loads of cheap-ish monthly airbnbs away from the tourist centers of Austin, I’d just get one near Intel for a month and explore around. Plenty of places in S Austin or nearby that are nice.
      Nov 9, 2021
  • Wish
    irvsy501

    Go to company page Wish

    irvsy501
    Have you been to Texas? It’s not like California. People mistakenly liken Austin to California. And it’s not. Not in the slightest…
    Nov 9, 2021 5
    • Wish
      irvsy501

      Go to company page Wish

      irvsy501
      I wouldn’t say you shouldn’t but you should know what you are getting into. Can you work remote for one month to try it out?

      When I interview people who are planning on moving to SF I make sure to let them know to investigate first. People are shocked at the state of SF where the rest of us are used to it. So going from TX to the Bay Area is a lot more than just the high cost of housing.
      Nov 9, 2021
    • Snap
      CiTu86

      Go to company page Snap

      CiTu86
      Wish: the description you are giving is nothing like Austin. Austin is far from your typical Texas stereotype. The food is excellent, both at restaurants and in grocery stores. I have better food here than what I had when I lived in the Bay Area. Trucks are common, but so are Tesla and hybrid vehicles. I didn’t notice any difference regarding guns, havent seen a single gun when I lived in the BA, still haven’t seen a gun since I moved here. I know they exist and people typically keep them in a safe in their house, but it’s not in your face. Religion also isn’t in your face. Weather is indeed worse if you don’t like heat, California has notoriously amazing weather all year long. If you stay in shaded areas or have access to a pool you will be fine. If you think winters are miserable in Texas, what about the rest of the US where in many states it snows and get extremely cold every year. Winters in Texas are mild and honestly amazing compared to the north east for instance.

      I’ve read many posts like yours before moving to Austin, which lowered my expectations of the city. I was hoping for a lot of trade-offs. Turns out a lot of those trade-offs were highly exaggerated. Austin is a nice city to live in, it might not be for everyone mostly because of the summer, but it still has some great qualities that are sometimes overlooked. I’ve been super happy with my move.
      Nov 11, 2021
  • DocuSign
    josiic729f

    Go to company page DocuSign

    josiic729f
    Austin’s not all it’s cracked up to be. There’s nothing around it for hours and as soon as you step out of Austin you’re in…texas. Property tax here is insane and housing is going up. The weather is definitely a downgrade from the Bay Area.
    Nov 9, 2021 2