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I can, for Austin. I lived in the Bay Area for 10 years and ran a tech company there. I chose to locate my current startup (now 6 people; 4 Austin/2 remote) in

I can, for Austin. I lived in the Bay Area for 10 years and ran a tech company there. I chose to locate my current startup (now 6 people; 4 Austin/2 remote) in Austin. Here's my perspective: http://www.erica.biz/2012/austin-vs-silicon-valley/ http://www.erica.biz/2012/austin-vs-silicon-valley/

w1ntermute 14y ago
> you can save $20,000+ a year on taxes here I can't believe this hasn't attracted a lot more people already, you can do quite a lot with $20k extra every year! One other question - how is the transportation situation in Austin? Can you drive everywhere? As someone who grew up in the Midwest, I don't really like having to use public transportation. Is there parking everywhere you go in (downtown) Austin? The religiosity in Austin is unfortunate, but from what friends in Dallas and Houston have told me, this is not so much the case in those cities (partly due to more out-of-state people). The weather in the summer (and winter) can be quite unbearable in the Midwest as well, but I've dealt with that since childhood by just staying inside (as I am happy to do pretty much all year round, actually). If you buy a house, it's quite easy to ensure you have double-paned windows and good insulation, and energy costs are relatively low, so you can keep the temperature at a comfortable 70-80 F year round. And it's amazing how you can buy houses in the Midwest that would be considered palatial in SF for a fraction of the cost of renting an apartment!
- ericabiz 14y ago
  I am from Indiana and I drive everywhere in Austin. However, I also live near a bus stop... just in case! There is plenty of parking except when South by Southwest Interactive is in town (1 week out of the year.) Weather is similar to what I had growing up in Indiana, so it doesn't bother me at all. I just paid my last year of taxes in California, and living here will save me over $30,000 a year in state income tax alone. That is probably what you will save as a dual-income household in the Bay Area. The savings more than pays my mortgage and utilities for a house close to downtown in a good neighborhood.

w1ntermute 14y ago

> you can save $20,000+ a year on taxes here I can't believe this hasn't attracted a lot more people already, you can do quite a lot with $20k extra every year! One other question - how is the transportation situation in Austin? Can you drive everywhere? As someone who grew up in the Midwest, I don't really like having to use public transportation. Is there parking everywhere you go in (downtown) Austin? The religiosity in Austin is unfortunate, but from what friends in Dallas and Houston have told me, this is not so much the case in those cities (partly due to more out-of-state people). The weather in the summer (and winter) can be quite unbearable in the Midwest as well, but I've dealt with that since childhood by just staying inside (as I am happy to do pretty much all year round, actually). If you buy a house, it's quite easy to ensure you have double-paned windows and good insulation, and energy costs are relatively low, so you can keep the temperature at a comfortable 70-80 F year round. And it's amazing how you can buy houses in the Midwest that would be considered palatial in SF for a fraction of the cost of renting an apartment!

ericabiz 14y ago
I am from Indiana and I drive everywhere in Austin. However, I also live near a bus stop... just in case! There is plenty of parking except when South by Southwest Interactive is in town (1 week out of the year.) Weather is similar to what I had growing up in Indiana, so it doesn't bother me at all. I just paid my last year of taxes in California, and living here will save me over $30,000 a year in state income tax alone. That is probably what you will save as a dual-income household in the Bay Area. The savings more than pays my mortgage and utilities for a house close to downtown in a good neighborhood.