Living in a place like Austin, Texas has its perks and challenges as one gets the opportunity to start afresh and make meaningful strides. Since, Austin is most famous for the live music scene, culturally diverse population, job opportunities in the tech sector and recreational activities, this city enlists all categories of people. Besides, moving to a new city is not just a simple decision but rather it needs proper preparation in order to avoid any misunderstandings on the process. No matter if it is for a new employment, schooling or just curiosity, change is welcomed and here you will find everything useful to know when moving to Austin.
- Research Neighborhoods: But, before we move to the topic of shelters, it is important to point out that Austin is a city of neighborhoods and each neighborhood comes with its own set of advantages and characteristics. Try to search for various areas that you would consider to be ideal in terms of housing, proximity to workplaces, schools, shopping centers, and recreational areas such as parks, purchase, and other eateries, and theatres among others. Some of the most well-known local areas are downtown, SoCo (South Congress), East / ATX and Hyde Park.
- Budget Planning: Before proceeding to the initial stage of the transition, always ensure that you are setting apart a financial plan that includes the cost of moving to the new place, fees of rent or mortgage, costs of utilities, food, transportation costs and other standard expenses. This will be a good starting point especially with regard to rainfall and housing costs although you should be aware that the going rate of living has been on the rise for the last few years and so you might be able to encounter some extra costs than you would expect in the place where you are currently residing.
- Secure Housing: Begin your search early enough to allow you time to find the right house, flat, or apartment to live in. And whether you’re planning to rent an apartment or townhouse, or purchase a single-family home or invest in a real estate fund, it’s important to move fast to secure a place Realtor in Austin right now. It is therefore advisable that you consult with a local agent who will assist in the process.
- Job or Career Opportunities: Austin is a great place for employment, therefore, ensure you arrange for a job offer or get job interviews in Austin before you relocate. Cutting across every sector, there is a befitting emphasis on information technology with many start-ups as well as big names ballooning to a city that offers numerous jobs. Visit the job boards to check the listed possibilities and revise the CV and the profile in the LinkedIn social network.
- Transportation Options: Fortunately, Austin does have a well-developed public transportation system that mainly consists of buses and commuter rail but may lag behind the services offered by other massive American cities. When selecting your neighborhood, you should assess the transportation requirements you will have after moving and identify aspects like the distance to your workplace, parking facilities, and bike-friendly lanes. Furthermore, get a brief insight in the car ordering applications such as the Uber or Lyft, that are used frequently in the city.
- Texas Driver’s License and Vehicle Registration: But if you are a new resident of Texas having shifted from another state of the country, then you will also have to take a driving test and procure a new license to drive in Texas and even register your auto vehicle in the state within a period of certain number of days from the date of your shifting to Austin. In order to find out about laws and rules that endorse the process of driving license and the method of registering a car, one has to navigate to the website of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
- Set Up Utilities and Services: It is now about time that you contact the right utility service providers to inform them that you will need their services from your new home, some of them include electricity, water, gas, Internet connection and TV-Antenna services.
- One must also plan new service activation dates well in advance to allow for a smooth switchover. Lastly, don’t fail to notify organizations with which change of address is important such as the postmaster, banks, credit card companies and magazines or journals that you subscribe to.
- Explore Austin’s Culture and Entertainment: I integrate myself into the local culture and entertainment facilities’ night activities when I became a resident of Austin. Enjoy concerts and other performances, visit art museums and other art pieces, eat delicious food from restaurants that are fast becoming the talk of the town and engage in recreational physical activities such as hiking, cycling and paddling along rivers and other trails in the city. But keep an eye out for even more specific options during festivals such as Trivia at SXSW and ACL Music Fest.
- Get Involved in the Community: Now that you’re in a new city, particularly when you move to a new city, moving to a new house, it can be somewhat scary, but in joining an association you get an opportunity to meet new people and interact with people you have not probably met before.
- Go out and attend social activities such as clubs and organizations, join a service club to do volunteer work or attend more professional meetings to function at the most optimum level in this city.
- Embrace the Austin Lifestyle: Last but not its least taking the social liberty and the embodiment of the Austin’s lifestyle of being laid back and bohemian. No matter if you are eating delicious Tex-Mex food, having a walk around the city sights, or going out for a night in town, do not fail to look at Austin ‘opportunities. Austin is one of those few cities, residents are friendly, arts seem to flourish here, there are many activities to enjoy and every individual must have the experience of a lifetime being in this city.
Conclusion
Living in Austin can be a challenge because there are so many opportunities to develop as a person and driver in this transitioning city. Following this ultimate checklist could help you to be prepared to achieve more during your transition and create a brighter future for yourself in the new city. This is perhaps a befitting welcome to Austin rightly described as the Live Music Capital of the World.