Anyone familiar with Austin, Texas?

[L A Woman]

I am looking (just looking, for now!) on realtor.com for homes in Austin, but I would like to live in a liberal, possibly gay area. What zip codes would you recommend? Thanks!

[texanwitch]

1. One word, have lots of money.

Homes are expensive there.

[L A Woman]

3. No, they really aren't!!!

I'm looking now and they are shockingly inexpensive! Compared to here in L.A., anyway! I guess it depends on your point of reference. I did a comparison of the same basic home in Austin compared to the same home in a lower-middle class area of L.A. - The home in L.A. - $499,000. The home in Austin - $90,000. What a beautiful number!!!

You couldn't get a doghouse in South Central for $90,000!!!!

[texanwitch]

10. Take that house fast.

My friend lives in Austin, in a older neighborhood, homes all around her start at $200,000, and this would be a small house that needs repair.

House prices have been going up in Texas, didn't used to be that way.

I have been reading about houses prices in LA, how does anybody buy a house there.

I got old house, needed repair on my GI Bill, the only way I could have bought a house.

Ask about your taxes, in Houston they very high.

[datasuspect]

2. 78704

south side/s. lamar/s. congress/zilker park.

was a semi-middle class neighborhood 14 years ago when i lived there. a little less of a clusterfuck than the campus area.

nice older homes, nice sized lots, within walking/biking distance of town lake/barton springs.

[L A Woman]

4. wow, thanks....

I am looking under that zip now. Some nice homes. :-)

[datasuspect]

5. haven't been out there

in years (they didn't even a starbucks in town yet when i lived there), so i am sure much of the funky areas that lots of soul are probably gentrified.

[fleabert]

6. I second SoCo...edited to add...

there has been some gentrification as of the last several years though. anything near campus is okay, not the greatest neighborhoods, but several are up and coming. East of I35 near downtown can be shady, but I know a few dink's that have moved there and are trying to make it nice. some of the less developed areas around the Lake can be cool, just not Lakeway. Way too overdeveloped and becoming more and more wealthy, which equals republican in Texas. Same goes for Bee Caves area.

There's another neighborhood along a creek that I loved, but can't remember the name of it- I'll post again if I do.

Stay away from Round Rock, and from the newer developments on the north side in general. driving is awful on 35 if you live north of Lamar. There is a new toll road being built on the north side that promises to be a huge mess. Staying near Mopac (loop 1) makes for a decent commute. (depending on where you work, and when you drive most)

[datasuspect]

7. is that what they call it now?

don't tell me they have "official" areas of town replete with suggestive banners?

[texasleo]

8. SoCo= south of congress?

oy vey.

[datasuspect]

9. i like the way they invented

a "midtown" "uptown" etc. in houston.

blech.

and they even have banner for these places on the light posts.

[texanwitch]

13. I live in what is called near town.

What sorry built crap people are buying here, tiny little rooms, no yards.

Inner Houston is going to hell.

[datasuspect]

15. do they still have that vietnamese fast food joint

a flew blocks down from the old sw bell building?

man, that place was fucking cheap and good.

[texanwitch]

16. I don't know if it is stlill there, it been a long time since I have been

there, the food was good.

[fleabert]

12. yep. Great place to live if you want to protest...

as they all start south of the bridge and head towards the capitol. :-)

[fleabert]

11. I never saw banners, but that is what my peer group called it.

and the developers that want to get in early before everything explodes there.

[datasuspect]

14. i used to frequent the outdoor pub

under the "SoCo" bridge. i did my first "outreach" ministry to the homeless back then (when i was an idealist liberal arts student). i'd buy a case and have lots of drifter types come up and share with me.

used to cop good grass througout that area too.

this was late 80s/early 90s.

some older friends of mine long for the "glory days" of the 70s when they still had the armadillo (i think that's what it was called) and the town was awash with an acid/hippy/redneck vibe.

when i moved out in 94 it still seemed like a big small town. cool head shops.

[fleabert]

17. I was in San Antonio in late 80's/early 90's- we would drive to Austin

every Wed night and go dancing at 404. Awesome little gay club that was just a blast. I miss those days. :-) My dad took me to my first concert in Austin, it was AquaFest, way hippy and way cool- that must have been the 70's because I was about 6 or so. I went again when I was a 14 or 15 and saw Blondie.

austin is a very interesting town. I still have great friends, family and memories there. :-) We owned a coffee shop near the campus a few years ago- that was interesting.

[datasuspect]

18. heading west out of town

on 290.

pedernales falls state park.

cold river/hot day.

uggh. i feel like i don't have fun anymore when i think back on how free i felt back then.

[fleabert]

19. ahhh, the rivers. :-)

tubing down the guadalupe with a chest of beer tied to my tube. Freezing my ass off in the Frio, the beauty of Marble Falls and Pedernales.

I bungeed over the Guadalupe in Gruene, that was fun too.

I also felt very free, and very young back then. Good times.

[Skittles]

21. I lived in that area for 17 years

I loved it - steer clear of North Austin, the north S U C K S

[Spacemom]

20. Check out 78736/35

Southwest of town, Oak Hill area. It's beautiful out here. We feel like we're out in the country, but I can hop on Mopac (Loop 1) and be downtown in 15 minutes.