Austin Texas Native Realty

Calling Austin, Texas Home!

Austin, TX is the nation’s fastest growing city, with 110 people moving to the city nearly every day. Thinking of joining the movement? Here is some helpful hints and fun facts about the city you are about to call home.

Things you Must Know Before Moving to Austin

It is HOT here!

In 2011, a record was set for the most consecutive 100 degree or more days. If you have never experienced that kind of heat, don’t leave home unprepared. Wear loose, breathable fabrics, try to keep out of the sun, and bring a bottle of water.  Also lots and lots of sunscreen while you bask the hours away at Barton Springs.

Rules of the Road

Traffic here isn’t THAT bad

People who complain about it have probably never driven in LA or Atlanta therefore if you are from there, you probably won’t even notice. But if you are used to solely using public transportation to get around or you are from a small town, then you may have a hard time adjusting. 

All the different street names...

Just remember that Mopac is Loop 1; Capital of Texas Highway is Loop 360; and U.S. 183 is Research Blvd or Ed Bluestein Blvd OR Old Bastrop Highway; 2222 is Northland Drive or Allandale Drive OR Koenig. Don't try to figure it out. Just accept it. Here are some helpful tips for making your way around Austin like a local.

1. The 8:00am rush hour is from 6:30am to 9:30am. The 5:00pm rush hour is from 3:30pm to 7:15pm. Friday’s rush hour starts on Thursday morning.
2. If you actually stop at a yellow light, then you can not be from Austin. You may only apply your brakes when the end of the yellow light and the beginning of the red light creating a burnt-orange hue. This is Longhorn Country after all.
3. If there if any moisture on the road all traffic must immediately come to a screeching halt. Ditto for daylight savings time, or a flat tire three lanes over.
4. Do not attempt to access any road during an apocalyptic event like frozen precipitation or SXSW, ACL, Formula One…you get the picture.

Talk

Anyone who is from or has been to Austin has probably heard some of the interesting ways we say and do things here. Here’s a breakdown for the newcomers.

1. Mopac: The Mopac Expressway is usually identified on street signs and road maps as Loop 1. It is always spoken of (fondly) as “MO-pac” so named for the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
2. Burnet: Something that clearly identifies a non-Austinite is pronouncing Burnet in any way that emphasizes the “e” in the name of this major thoroughfare. Instead, make sure you pronounce it like “BURN-it.”
3. Manchaca: Another street name that has transcended its original pronunciation is Manchaca Road. Think that the A at the end of this name should be pronounced? Think again. Manchaca is pronounced by Austinites as “MAN-Shack.”
4. Koenig, Manor & Mueller: Koenig is pronounced “KAY-nig” by Austinites, Manor is “MAY-ner” and Mueller is “MILL-er.”
5. Until 2015 there was only one area code for the Austin area which was 512.  Locals will know you are not from here if you pronounce that series of numbers any other way but, “Five, One, Two” not, “Five-Twelve, not “Fifty Two, One.” Just plain ol', "Five, One, Two." You get the point.
6. Keep Austin Weird: This is the slogan adopted by the Austin Independent Business Alliance to promote small, local businesses in Austin. It was inspired by comments made by Rd Wassenich in 2000 while giving a pledge to an Austin radio station. The “Keep Austin Weird” slogan now reaches far beyond a marketing campaign and has become a way of life for Austinites, accepting the culture of artistic and individual expression that defines the city as a vibrant and eclectic creative center.
7. Violet Crown: You're likely to see the term "Violet Crown" scattered throughout the city of Austin in names of organizations and businesses alike. Though not slang, the term derives from a once commonly used nickname for Austin, the "City of the Violet Crown." This colorful piece of Austin lingo pays homage to the violet hue tinting our skyline at sunset and sunrise. 
8. Town Lake: Although the name was changed to "Lady Bird Lake" in 2007 after the death of our beloved Austinite Lady Bird Johnson, the name Town Lake has been so ingrained in the Austin's local language that many people still refer to it, or at least think of it as Town Lake.
9. The Drag: Another of the slang terms Austin locals find indispensable is "The Drag." Very few people refer to the strip directly west of campus as Guadalupe or even as "Guadaloop." This section of Guadalupe is, and likely always will be referred to as "The Drag."

Allergies are REAL!

Austinites might not have a gasp on what real traffic is but one thing they do know is allergies.  So get ready to have Claritin and Suadfed on hand.  They can last all year long!

Austin is smaller than you think, but...

Austin and the surrounding areas just passed the 2 million people mark in 2015 but you can still get almost everywhere from downtown in 20 minutes or so with no traffic.  But fair warning, Austinites HATE driving "far".  Chances are if you have a friend who lives on the opposite side of the river, you won’t see them very often. 

"It’s Austin!"

You will get very used to hearing that phrase.  You can wear shorts and sandals into 95% of bars, restaurants and clubs around town regardless of the price point and atmosphere.

The College Factor

Austin is a college town, so choose where you live carefully if you do not want to be living amongst students. The University of Texas is a large school with over 38,000 undergraduates, and a significant number of them live off campus. Keep in mind when scheduling your move that these students usually move, en masse, into the city in early fall.

 It is a Blue Dot in a Red State

Austin is the liberal oasis inside a predominantly conservative, republican state. In fact, sometimes it is easy to forget that Austin is not only a part of a larger, more conservative state, but it is the capital! This strange dynamic is most apparent when it comes to politics—hence the high number of protests at the state capitol, especially as of late!

Population

Austin is the 11th-most populous city in the U.S. and the fourth-most populous city in Texas. It is the fastest growing of the largest 50 US cities.

The jobs and top companies headquarter here

•  Freescale
• Semiconductor
• Forestar Group
• Whole Foods Market
• Dell
• GSD&M
• 3M

 Austin tops Best Cities for Job Growth according to Forbes. Austin’s employment rate is targeted to expand 4% yearly.

A Low Crime Rate

 Austin is consistently low crime rate including a murder rate of only 2.8 per 100,000 makes it safer than Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

 It’s a Smart City

Austin ranks as the 6th most educated city in the US.

Austin is Green & Fit

Austin is the #1 greenest city in Texas according to EnvironmentTexas.org. Austin is a fitness-focused city that spends a lot of time exercising outdoors such as swimming in Barton Springs or Deep Eddy; jogging along the beautiful Town Lake trails; hiking the Green Belt, or heading out to the lake. The American College of Sport Medicine declared Austin the 11th Fittest City in America, by far the healthiest major city in Texas.

 The Land of Many Festivals

• Austin City Limits
• SXSW
• Fun Fun Fun Fest
• X Games
• Austin Film Festival
• Old Pecan Street Festival
• Formula 1
• And a million other events!  

Sign Up for a Free Austin Relocation Guide