Earlier this year I mentioned that jparks and I were toying with the idea of moving to Austin and now I find myself in Austin, scouring real estate listings real estate listings mapping out open houses. Someone send help in the form of vodka, but preferably not sparkling pink, made for 16 year old girls vodka.
For the past few months I've been wrestling with if we should stay in California and continue to live in a tiny, very crowded house or move to Austin, where the houses are bigger, but life becomes an unknown. It should be noted that I'm a little afraid of the unknown and I hate our tiny, very crowded house so the right decision is totally not obvious. Also, I loathe making big decisions. Add it all together and it equals me with an stress ulcer. Fun!
To back up a bit, about a month ago we booked a trip to Austin when we were not sure that moving here was really an option. In that time we realized moving was a very real option and we decided to get some real estate investigating done on said trip. But! But! I'm trying to do all my own research on housing without talking to a real estate agent and without really knowing the area because I don't want to get a third party professional involved. I call it the shoe salesman situation. When in a shoe store, if I sort of kinda like a pair of shoes and the salesperson brings them out, chances are I'll buy them because he went through the trouble of finding them, I've gone through the trouble of trying them on, and they've gone through the trouble of being pretty cute. This is why I don't screw around with shoe stores and stick to zappos. I just know that we'll be browsing open houses and BAM! I'll find a house I sort of like and the agent will start talking and next thing you know I'll be the proud owner of a pretty cute house in Austin.
So we're doing it on our own, which does mean a lot more work for me and this does lower our chances of moving since I am pretty lazy. In fact "I'm lazy" should go in the con column for Austin because ugh, this really is snowballing into a lot of work. Why can't I just do a real estate search for "homes near Rudy's Breakfast Tacos"? Or "homes in the part of Austin that is livable, won't drive me crazy, and won't make me regret moving" because I don't know where that section of town is and finding it just seems like it might take longer than the week I'm here. Added bonus if this perfect fantasy neighborhood is in a good school district because oh yeah, I have that kind of thing to worry about too.
Maybe a tiny, very crowded in California isn't so bad after all.
Remember Austin is in Texas, where they like to pretend history isn't really what it is. Also Texas is hot, but I'm sure you're all okay with that. For the small house thing I just try to pretend that it's fun, Maggie Mason makes it all trendy and stuff, so I can too! (oh and you too, also!)
ReplyDeleteOK, I really want you to stay in California, but I think you would like Hyde Park (where I used to live and my hip & cool aunt still lives) and Rosedale (which is by Central Market).
ReplyDeleteNot to be a buzzkill, because I totally understand these calculations, but my in-laws have been trying to sell their house in California for almost three years. They're in a financial position where that didn't stop them from buying another one and retiring to Florida, but still.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, Dan and I have the same dream of living someplace where we could buy a house, send our kids to awesome public schools, etc. But it's contingent on finishing my PhD, finding a job, and all of that happening NOT in California or someplace else we can't afford, AND in a place where he can still work for the big G. So, yeah, it's a dream, and it's at least four years away...
Two notes:
ReplyDelete1. I'm absolutely loving this idea. Mainly because I will be aaaaaall up in Truman's biznazz if you move to Austin.
2. I totally want that pink bubbly stuff. And although I'm closer to 16 than you are, it doesn't make it any more permissible.
Sigh...well, we would be so incredibly sad to see you leave! There are also cheaper areas in the Bay Area! Like, you could get a nifty three bedroom house with a backyard in the cambrian area if Jparks didn't mind a slightly longer commute. In any case, I'll try to convince you once you get back. ;)
ReplyDeleteHow dare you mock the pink vodka. HOW DARE YOU.
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