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My family just moved from Austin back to Michigan where my wife and I were married. We discussed other lower-COL areas but we had been in Austin close to 10 yea

My family just moved from Austin back to Michigan where my wife and I were married. We discussed other lower-COL areas but we had been in Austin close to 10 years and so have many ties to the area. Our choices were basically 1) stay in Austin and just figure something out WRT increasingly impossible rents 2) move back to Michigan where we also have a support system or 3) move to some third place where we have no support system whatsoever. 1 and 3 both seemed depressing, though for different reasons, so we picked 2. It's also a tough move, but seemed the best option available.

gautamcgoel 5y ago
Is Austin expensive? There was a period a few years back when it was viewed as an affordable, up-and-coming startup hub.
- ElevenLathe 5y ago
  It's expensive yes, but moreso home prices are accelerating. We have been saving for a home, but prices go up faster than the rate our down payment fund was, and we'd still probably be looking at something in deep Georgetown, most of an hour's drive from the city in a brand new development in what used to be cow pasture, with nothing to walk to and no trees taller than us. Also, all our friends were similarly scattered around the metro so it was difficult to ever see them anyway. Instead we're closing next week on a beautiful cape cod in a nice neighborhood that we could pay cash for if we wanted (we're still taking a mortgage for other reasons but strictly wouldn't need to). Our children can walk to school, we have friends and family nearby, and generally we can just live without constant worry about the housing market because the majority of our wealth is not tied up in a pile of sticks and drywall that we bought for the equivalent of ten years' wages.
- bravetraveler 5y ago
  I've been in Austin off/on since around 2013. Back then it wasn't much worse than areas in Ohio I'm familiar with (Columbus, Cincinnati). Constant rent/tax hikes/passed on costs has made it worse. It's not quite as bad as say San Fran/LA, but it's not what I'd call affordable either

gautamcgoel 5y ago

Is Austin expensive? There was a period a few years back when it was viewed as an affordable, up-and-coming startup hub.

ElevenLathe 5y ago
It's expensive yes, but moreso home prices are accelerating. We have been saving for a home, but prices go up faster than the rate our down payment fund was, and we'd still probably be looking at something in deep Georgetown, most of an hour's drive from the city in a brand new development in what used to be cow pasture, with nothing to walk to and no trees taller than us. Also, all our friends were similarly scattered around the metro so it was difficult to ever see them anyway. Instead we're closing next week on a beautiful cape cod in a nice neighborhood that we could pay cash for if we wanted (we're still taking a mortgage for other reasons but strictly wouldn't need to). Our children can walk to school, we have friends and family nearby, and generally we can just live without constant worry about the housing market because the majority of our wealth is not tied up in a pile of sticks and drywall that we bought for the equivalent of ten years' wages.
bravetraveler 5y ago
I've been in Austin off/on since around 2013. Back then it wasn't much worse than areas in Ohio I'm familiar with (Columbus, Cincinnati). Constant rent/tax hikes/passed on costs has made it worse. It's not quite as bad as say San Fran/LA, but it's not what I'd call affordable either