Where would you live in Texas?

[Humblefish]

Long story short, wife has a tentative offer for a new job. One of the perks is she can choose between Houston, Austin or Dallas (actually Plano) Texas. I really don't know much about any of these three cities.

So... Which one would you choose and why? We are looking to buy a house, settle down, and stay for the long-term. Everyone keeps telling me Austin is the "hip" place to be, but a) I'm not hip :p b) I hear home prices are pretty high in Austin. :(

TIA

 

[JaimeAdams]

I too hear Austin is the happening place in Texas.

 

[dragon99]

College Station! It's right in between all three.

Barring that, I'd pick Houston.

 

[Jimbo662]

I'm in the burbs north of Austin. In my opinion Austin is the only choice. :) Not to offend anyone in the other cities but...Houston has horrible humidity, seems to flood a lot and is too big. Dallas is just too big! Austin to me is just so much more laid back. It's true traffic sucks depending on where you live / play but that's probably the case in all 3 locations. Dallas you also get a lot of the crazy weather...heat wind rain snow sleet tornadoes...need I say more? ;-) Austin has Lake Travis and Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake...the latter two of which are basically the Colorado River meandering through town. Austin also has the greatest reef club around!!! :) I've lived here since '89 and did my share of partying and enjoying the music scene...now I enjoy it more for all the great restaurants. Forgot to mention housing within Austin is pretty high but gets better when you move to the surrounding areas. Example: i live in an 880 sq ft apt in Round Rock for $1000. In Austin people are paying closer to $1500 for smaller units. Check realtor.com for housing prices in all the areas around here.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Austin
Austin
And Austin

In that order.

 

[Jimbo662]

We've also got a realtor in the club so he knows what to look for in a house! ;)

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

College Station! It's right in between all three.

.

I miss college station

 

[pokerdobe]

I'ved lived in all 3 actually. Grew up in Plano, went to UT Austin and spent my 20's there, and I've been living in Houston for the past 4 years. If I had to pick it'd be Austin, Houston, Plano in that order.

The reef scene is less so in Austin vs Houston and Dallas though.

 

[dragon99]

Thought I'd give a more thought out answer since you're making a life changing decision.

First, you're moving to Texas so, that's a winning decision from the start ;)

I stand by College Station if that's an option. Been here since '95 when I came to college and never want to leave. I lived in Houston before college (still have family there), have friends in Dallas, and visit all 3 several times a year.

Traffic - All 3 suck depending on where you live relative to where you work. I'd rate Austin the worst overall. Where your wife works relative to where you look at housing should be a big consideration.
Weather - It's hot. Always (it's going to be 85 on Halloween). Austin probably wins here though, least chance of tornadoes and major storms (Dallas) and no hurricanes or humidity (Houston).
Reefing - Houston wins ( @Diesel and others can back me up here)
Do pro sports matter? Dallas and Houston have pro baseball, football, basketball and soccer. Austin has none (maybe soccer)?

 

[Diesel]

Thought I'd give a more thought out answer since you're making a life changing decision.

First, you're moving to Texas so, that's a winning decision from the start ;)

I stand by College Station if that's an option. Been here since '95 when I came to college and never want to leave. I lived in Houston before college (still have family there), have friends in Dallas, and visit all 3 several times a year.

Traffic - All 3 suck depending on where you live relative to where you work. I'd rate Austin the worst overall. Where your wife works relative to where you look at housing should be a big consideration.
Weather - It's hot. Always (it's going to be 85 on Halloween). Austin probably wins here though, least chance of tornadoes and major storms (Dallas) and no hurricanes or humidity (Houston).
Reefing - Houston wins ( @Diesel and others can back me up here)
Do pro sports matter? Dallas and Houston have pro baseball, football, basketball and soccer. Austin has none (maybe soccer)?

All good points but I must say that Houston reefing market doesn't win it from the Big D.
Houston might have more stores, true but the real coral candy you find in Dallas.
When I posted corals for sale 50% below market value on my rare SPS I had no hits.
Dropped them on the Dallas site and gone in less than 24 hours.
Now I frag corals only for friends and charity give aways or donations but other they will go in the trash.

 

[Humblefish]

Thanks for all the information everyone. We're definitely gonna give Austin a hard look. Looking on a map, her prospective new employer (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) appears to be not too far from Round Rock and a quick search on realtor.com reveals some reasonable home prices. So, that makes me feel better. :)

I plan on starting a business after we move and pouring myself into it. So pro sports, the local reefing scene, etc. won't matter too much. :p

 

[helen ann]

Thanks for all the information everyone. We're definitely gonna give Austin a hard look. Looking on a map, her prospective new employer (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) appears to be not too far from Round Rock and a quick search on realtor.com reveals some reasonable home prices. So, that makes me feel better. :)

I plan on starting a business after we move and pouring myself into it. So pro sports, the local reefing scene, etc. won't matter too much. :p

Let's not forget I called the first humblefish a looooong time ago!!!;)

 

[Jimbo662]

Where are you at now?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

AUSTIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Humblefish]

Let's not forget I called the first humblefish a looooong time ago!!!;)

Got ya covered. ;)

Where are you at now?

Monroe, Louisiana. There's a paper mill to the west, a landfill to the east, and if you go too far north you'll run into a bunch of chemical plants. I never knew an entire city could smell this noxious. :eek:

 

[melypr1985]

I've lived in Houston (was born there) and in Dallas. I'd choose Dallas every time. Plano is a nice area and Dallas has lots of things going on all the time no matter what you are in to. Houston, and I visit often because I have family and friends there, stinks. Oh I meant literally. There are tons of refineries for gas, oil and tires and they all smell pretty bad. It's humid as well and quite a bit hotter than in Dallas -mostly in early spring, late fall and winter is it noticeable. Boy I sure sound biased don't I? lol I hate visiting Houston because of these things and my allergies always act up when I go down there..... never fails.

 

[Humblefish]

I've lived in Houston (was born there) and in Dallas. I'd choose Dallas every time. Plano is a nice area and Dallas has lots of things going on all the time no matter what you are in to. Houston, and I visit often because I have family and friends there, stinks. Oh I meant literally. There are tons of refineries for gas, oil and tires and they all smell pretty bad. It's humid as well and quite a bit hotter than in Dallas -mostly in early spring, late fall and winter is it noticeable. Boy I sure sound biased don't I? lol I hate visiting Houston because of these things and my allergies always act up when I go down there..... never fails.

I go to Houston once a year to visit my reclusive brother. :p But it's always in the spring, so that's probably why I don't find it to be too bad. Still, I think Houston is quickly dropping to the bottom of our list, so it's either going to be Plano or Austin.

 

[Diesel]

Thanks for all the information everyone. We're definitely gonna give Austin a hard look. Looking on a map, her prospective new employer (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) appears to be not too far from Round Rock and a quick search on realtor.com reveals some reasonable home prices. So, that makes me feel better. :)

I plan on starting a business after we move and pouring myself into it. So pro sports, the local reefing scene, etc. won't matter too much. :p

You need a complete frag system to start up just let me know.
Shutting the Diesel Frag room down.

 

[Humblefish]

You need a complete frag system to start up just let me know.
Shutting the Diesel Frag room down.

Why? What happened? You have a reputation for being one of the best SPS growers in all of Texas. :)

 

[Diesel]

I've lived in Houston (was born there) and in Dallas. I'd choose Dallas every time. Plano is a nice area and Dallas has lots of things going on all the time no matter what you are in to. Houston, and I visit often because I have family and friends there, stinks. Oh I meant literally. There are tons of refineries for gas, oil and tires and they all smell pretty bad. It's humid as well and quite a bit hotter than in Dallas -mostly in early spring, late fall and winter is it noticeable. Boy I sure sound biased don't I? lol I hate visiting Houston because of these things and my allergies always act up when I go down there..... never fails.

You're not invited anymore............ PERIOD!!:(