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Where in Texas would you live?

L

LightninInside

Redshirt
Apr 1, 2008
695
0
0
I have to relocate to Texas and can pick from 1 of 3 places. Houston, Dallas or Austin. I could probably talk them in to San Antonio if I really pushed them.
I live in Madison now and home prices seem to be cheaper in Texas. I looked at the Plano and Prosper areas when I was there last week and I just didn't like the look of it. Flat, few trees, etc..
Being close to downtown isn't important since I work out of my house and getting to the airport once every 2 weeks is the only commute.

I know that Austin is supposed to be a great place to live but doing a google search makes it sound like it isn't as good as it has been made out to be.

If you know anyone in Austin and can get some first hand feedback or if you have an opinion on Dallas or Houston, please post it.
 
L

LightninInside

Redshirt
Apr 1, 2008
695
0
0
I have to relocate to Texas and can pick from 1 of 3 places. Houston, Dallas or Austin. I could probably talk them in to San Antonio if I really pushed them.
I live in Madison now and home prices seem to be cheaper in Texas. I looked at the Plano and Prosper areas when I was there last week and I just didn't like the look of it. Flat, few trees, etc..
Being close to downtown isn't important since I work out of my house and getting to the airport once every 2 weeks is the only commute.

I know that Austin is supposed to be a great place to live but doing a google search makes it sound like it isn't as good as it has been made out to be.

If you know anyone in Austin and can get some first hand feedback or if you have an opinion on Dallas or Houston, please post it.
 
L

LightninInside

Redshirt
Apr 1, 2008
695
0
0
I have to relocate to Texas and can pick from 1 of 3 places. Houston, Dallas or Austin. I could probably talk them in to San Antonio if I really pushed them.
I live in Madison now and home prices seem to be cheaper in Texas. I looked at the Plano and Prosper areas when I was there last week and I just didn't like the look of it. Flat, few trees, etc..
Being close to downtown isn't important since I work out of my house and getting to the airport once every 2 weeks is the only commute.

I know that Austin is supposed to be a great place to live but doing a google search makes it sound like it isn't as good as it has been made out to be.

If you know anyone in Austin and can get some first hand feedback or if you have an opinion on Dallas or Houston, please post it.
 
L

LightninInside

Redshirt
Apr 1, 2008
695
0
0
I have to relocate to Texas and can pick from 1 of 3 places. Houston, Dallas or Austin. I could probably talk them in to San Antonio if I really pushed them.
I live in Madison now and home prices seem to be cheaper in Texas. I looked at the Plano and Prosper areas when I was there last week and I just didn't like the look of it. Flat, few trees, etc..
Being close to downtown isn't important since I work out of my house and getting to the airport once every 2 weeks is the only commute.

I know that Austin is supposed to be a great place to live but doing a google search makes it sound like it isn't as good as it has been made out to be.

If you know anyone in Austin and can get some first hand feedback or if you have an opinion on Dallas or Houston, please post it.
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
17,580
7,201
102
Edit to add: I've been to Austin before-- great town. I've not been to Houston or Dallas in years (unless you count airports). As far as San Antonio is concerned, I was there for a convention a few years ago and enjoyed it.</p>
 
M

majors42

Redshirt
Jun 30, 2008
349
0
0
Austin is awsome. Great music scene. Alot like Athens GA as far as college towns go. Dallas and Houston are really big cities. Depends on what you are looking for I guess. Good luck
 
M

Mjoelner

All-Conference
Sep 2, 2006
2,619
1,064
113
all of the excitement a person could ever want. PS: Wear body armor and take plenty of ammo!
 
coach66

coach66

Junior
Mar 5, 2009
12,661
274
83
problems and English is almost the secondary language now. Dallas, I just never liked it, as you said not a very pretty place, it is almost like one big subdivision. The Hill country is beautiful and from what I understand Austin is a happenin town.
 
GloryDawg

GloryDawg

Heisman
Mar 3, 2005
17,609
11,500
113
if I had to choose it would be the Dallas area or maybe further east in Tyler.
 
C

CdawgNHouston

Redshirt
Sep 17, 2003
123
0
0
290 is the only bad freeway I can think of besides Galleria area. Katy freeway is much improved now. Austin traffic is much worse. IMO

That said, I'd choose to live in Austin out of the 3 choices.
 
L

lawdawg02

Redshirt
Jan 23, 2007
4,120
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0
Mayor Mary has nothing onGeorge Mitchell (The Woodlands is one big planned community). But it's an absolutely great place for a family. The school system is outstanding.

</p>
 
Yossarian39

Yossarian39

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
50
0
6
Just Southwest of downtown. Been here for almost 4 years & love it. We have everything Dallas & Houston have to offer (short of pro sports) but with a smaller town feel. Like anywhere it has positives & negatives:

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Positive</span>
  • Great music scene
  • Fantastic downtown with diverse bar scene (college bars are there if you like, but so too are high end places where you can get an actual cocktail)
  • People are very friendly & generally positive about where they live
  • Folks from Austin want to live here (I am from Memphis, nobody from there wants to live there)
  • Lots of good restaurants (Texas bar-b-que sucks though)
  • Great economy (has been one of the best over the last 3 years)
  • Average resident is college educated
  • Great parks and rec (boating, swimming, hike / bike trails etc)
  • Close to San Antonio (1 hour) & Houston (2 Hours)
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Negative:

</span>
  • High property taxes
  • Relatively high home prices (plan on at least $350 -$400 K for anyplace close to downtown) this could be viewed as a positive
  • Poorly planned infrastructure (the highway system in Austin is inadequate)
  • Extremely hard to deal with bureaucracy if you ever have to deal with the city government (building permits, etc)
  • It is way too hot here
Overall it is a great place to live. I would absolutely recommend it over Dallas or Houston.
 
IBleedMaroonDawg

IBleedMaroonDawg

All-American
Nov 12, 2007
24,895
9,149
113
You can pretty much find anything you want to do around this town. San Antonio is very close. Dallas and Houston are fairly easy driving distance. My daughter is in her mid 20's and absolutely loves it here.
 
J

JimC1097

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
1,378
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0
Eeyore's birthday party
Nude swimming by female co-eds
Great music scene.

Nauseating UT fans... EVERYWHERE.....
 
L

lawdawg02

Redshirt
Jan 23, 2007
4,120
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0
I have family there, and they are happy that they don't have to drive to Houston for anything.

Great place for families, but not so much for singles.
 
A

AustinDawg

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
149
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I've lived in Austin for over 10 years, and I love it. There's music (if you like music). Most bars have decent outdoor patios (if you like bars). There's lots of variety of COLD BEER as well as some microbreweries (if you like beer). Lots of sports bars and chicken wings (if you like wings). Nice golf courses, and hike/bike trails as well as dog parks.

It's damn hot, but is much less humid than mississippi (or houston for that matter). There are also lots of good movie theaters (alamo draft house ftw). If you want "bigger city" stuff, houston and dallas are not far, with the bonus being that you don't have to live in either one of those cesspools :)

My friends that have lived in dallas hated it. The only folks that l've met that like Houston are, as others have mentioned, in the woodlands area.

Being surrounded by Utexas and UCowboys fans sucks tho!
 
PBRME

PBRME

All-Conference
Feb 12, 2004
10,467
3,728
113
1. Dallas, I've wanted to move there going on 15 years now.
2. Austin, awesome city

3. Houston, like Memphis, only bigger.

If youend up inGarland/surrounding area, make sure to find the Oasis. It's a liquior/beer superstore in the middle of a dry county.
 
IBleedMaroonDawg

IBleedMaroonDawg

All-American
Nov 12, 2007
24,895
9,149
113
It's damn hot, but is much less humid than mississippi (or houston for that matter). There are also lots of good movie theaters (alamo draft house ftw). If you want "bigger city" stuff, houston and dallas are not far, with the bonus being that you don't have to live in either one of those cesspools :)

Yeah we usually don't have the humidity but August is always tough. The Alamo Drafthouse is the only way to watch a movie.
 
T

TR.sixpack

Redshirt
Feb 14, 2008
3,268
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So is the the area of Fort Worth near TCU. However the entire DFW area is one giant AnyTown USA strip mall.
 
S

ScoobaDawg

Redshirt
Jun 4, 2007
3,059
10
38
Austin all the way...I echo all the positive remarks about Austin...spent a month or so there over various trips when the GF was in school at the longhorn college (now I have to like them somewhat...grr)
and traffic can be a pain but I was always able to find an alternative route..no matter which the 3 you goto..invest in a Mapsco or Rand McNally mapbook...Havent gotten stuck in traffic yet.

If you decide on Dallas, do Fort Worth (Tarrant County) instead...Dallas(Dallas County) is for the northern transplants who are crazy..Fort Worth is more laid back and southern.
I just moved here a week and half ago and so far so good.
 
T

TX Mud Dawg

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
586
0
0
I love it here. You have a little bit of everything, great music, good lakes, the hill country, great restaurants and tons of bars and most of all some of the prettiest women you have ever seen!
 
T

TexasHoopCoach

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
114
0
0
Of those three cities, Austin by two country miles....

If you want "bigger city" stuff, houston and dallas are not far, with
the bonus being that you don't have to live in either one of those
cesspools
Click to expand...
This is the gospel. Dallas is one ginormous parking lot starting about 2:30 EVERY day. Houston is what Memphis will grow up to be.

The infrstructure, as mentioned earlier really sucks in ATX. Roadways planned out by Stevie Wonder, I think.

In order....

1. Austin

2. Washington DC

3. Detroit

999,999,998. Dallas

9,999,999 Houston
 
G

Gundawg

Redshirt
Nov 20, 2009
29
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Llive in Plano and work in Frisco. Frisco has newer homes but the yards are ridiculously small. West Plano (Near Preston) is the nicer area.Try to stay west of Custer Rd and don't goeast of 75.

Frisco/ Plano give you access to both DFW AP and Love AP. Love is a straight shot down the North Dallas Tollroad. Southwest flies out of Love.

Lived outside of Austin (Wimberly) for two years. Beautiful country but way the hell out. Austin is a nice town. If you move there, live in the city. But there is nothing wrong with Roundrock or Plugerville.

San Marcoshas the univeritybut is a hike to Austin AP.If you flyout of Austin (especially American), you are often routed through DFW. Itcan be apain andI traveled quite a bit-

The single scene in Dallas was/is solid in Las Colinas.DFW is very accessible from that area.
Frisco and Plano are nice places to live and have a family.

Post Katrina, Houston is New Orleans west.Traffic is nuts. Airports are great but you can't live in them. Housing is much less expensive. Never lived in HOU but traveled their ALOT.

Hope it helps- Good luck in your search.

editedso you don'tmove tothe barrio
 
dawgman42

dawgman42

All-Conference
Jul 24, 2007
5,509
4,624
113
. . . no, not the activist kind, just the minority report. Austin just ain't all that. I've heard more out-of-state people gush over it outside other than the weirdos already there. The typical response usually can be interpreted that it's for young di(ks and old f@rts. There are more suburbs in the Dallas and Houston areas that are much better for families (if that is something you have and care about); forget downtown in those two, because like everywhere else in America, everything you really need is in the 'burbs as it is. DFW and Houston just have a lot more of those 'burbs. As far as traffic goes, I've sat in daily traffic stalls on the Reservoir, Hwy. 51, and Lakeland that are just as bad as anything here in DFW. Yes, there will be traffic, but there are also a lot of other things to do and see here. And the traffic in Austin is beyond ridiculous. Poor planning, but even worse vision and action. And that's the heart of your government in Texas, too. Brilliant.

Personally, I like the DFW weather better than Houston. It's generally drier (not this summer, though) and windier, with hotter summers and colder winters, but you do tend to see a real spring and a real fall. I've had my humidity fix and hurricane dodging all my years in Mississippi . . . don't need that in Houston.

The only real difference--besides those above--would relate to your current job and any plans you might have for changing in the future. Houston is solid (recession not included) in oil, gas, and engineering, whereas Dallas is strong in banking, finance, IT, aerospace, and service jobs. Just something to consider long-term.

DFW is also closer to Mississippi and easier to get to than Houston while driving. That always helps, too, getting back to see family.
 
57stratdawg

57stratdawg

Heisman
Dec 1, 2004
148,187
23,875
113
Austin is a great town. I have family in Pfluggerville, and they speak very highly of it after probably 10 years. It was named the Best Town for Young Adults the other day on Yahoo.

Austin has a wide variety of great music. Panic plays Halloween there every other year or so, and Austin City Limits had Pearl Jam a couple years back. I've never really been on the country scene, but I know there is one. The bars are all cool too. 6th street is always pretty happening downtown. Alamo Draft House is a cool place to watch a movie. There also are a great deal of jobs in the area as well with Dell and a couple others. Plus, outdoor recreation with Lake Travis and a couple other rivers around.

Dallas is alright. I have nothing bad to say about it, but it takes an hour (or more) to get around. I have friends in Flower Mound and it was very nice.

Houston blows. Avoid at all cost. Think if Memphis and Mexico had a kid with horrible traffic.
 
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