Category Archives: Moving Guide

9
Apr, 2022
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9 Things to Expect If You’re Moving from Another State to Austin

Austin is a city of rich culture, unique traditions, gorgeous people, and fantastic food and drinks. It is a haven for music and food lovers and young professionals. Though it has its bad points, Austin’s crime rate is lower than most cities of a similar size, making it ideal for everybody. Read on for more facts about Austin, Texas.

1. Austin Has a Strong Multicultural Presence

If you’re new to Austin, prepare yourself to meet someone who speaks a foreign language. In a recent survey, more than 50% of its population is a mix of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Pacific Islanders (Web Archive).

2. It Has Bad Traffic

Austin has one of the worst traffic in the US. If you’re in a hurry, you’ll have to move at least an hour early to avoid getting late, depending on your location. Avoid I-35 as much as you can because of the congested highway. According to a study conducted by Texas A&M University, the city lost nearly $288 million in 2019 because of this traffic condition (Austin American Statesman). The city has several public transport routes to help with traffic conditions.

3. It is a Green City

Despite its poor traffic condition, Austin is a green city. WInd farms supply about 15% of their energy requirement. Many new buildings follow the LEED green building standards, while public buildings use renewable energy to keep up with the green city campaign. Austin is among the top 20 greenest cities in the US.

4. It is a Great City for Buying a House

Austin is a great city to own a house. According to SmartAsset, a financial advisory firm, Austin ranks third in their 2019 study of the best housing markets, citing the growth in home value up by 242% over the 24 years before the survey. Because the city supports the green building standards, you also save on electricity by using renewable electricity like solar power.

It's a great place to buy houses, living there wouldn't be so costly.
For a city of its size, the cost of living in Austin is relatively low.

5. Austin is a Rising Tech Haven

Austin is also a relocation site for nearly a hundred tech companies. It is the proud location of companies like Apple, Google, HP, Dell, Cisco, Intel, eBay, IBM, Oracle, Facebook, and Paypal. Austin’s Silicon Hills is home to thousands of startup businesses that hire creative and tech-savvy fresh graduates to develop software, apps, and websites with millions of followers and users. Some startup companies work with established brands like Tinder, Goldman Sachs, and Pepsi.

You won't believe how many companies are in Austin...well, you will once you get there.
Austin is home to dozens of tech companies.

6. It is a Haven for Music Lovers

Music plays a huge influence in the Austin scene. Austin is home to live music festivals, hosting hundreds of artists in one event. The festivals also show the city’s rich cultural heritage and feature Celtic, reggae, blues, Brazilian, Latino, and Americana music. The Austin crowd seems to find a reason to host a live music festival all year round. Austin’s New Year and Free Week (the first week of January) kicks off the string of festivals and ends with the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Visit this calendar to learn more about Austin’s rich music tradition.

7. It is Known for its Food and Beer

Austin is not for dieters! With many cheap places (and food trucks) all over Austin serving large portions, you’ll have trouble keeping up with your diet. Austin cuisine is a combination of cultures, evidenced by the vast selection of Asian, Latin, and European food, most of them served in generous portions.

Austin has 37 breweries. It is home to Live Oak, one of the country’s best lager brewers, and produces Grodziskie, a Polish brew that Live Oak gave new life after it went out of commercial production toward the end of the 20th century. Some of Austin’s breweries also won several distinctions in the US beer scene.

8. It Has Mild Winters and Crazy Hot Summers

Retirees find Austin a great city to live in with mild winters (60 to 70 degrees during the daytime and 40 degrees during nighttime). Summers are also crazy, though. Temperature can hit up to 100 degrees, and droughts are not uncommon. Austin has 7 months of sun, so invest in a good air conditioning unit and a pool to cool off during these hot days.

9. It Offers Excellent Healthcare

Austin has some of the world’s best healthcare establishments, not only for its residents but for medical tourists as well. The facilities are world-class, the doctors and other medical and non-medical personnel are very polite, and the services are at par with more expensive hospitals.

Before You Head to Austin

Austin is an excellent place to move to, especially if you’re avoiding the cold winters from your previous hometown. Before you move to Austin, though, a vital tip is to book your moving truck’s parking space beforehand. Austin requires an approved temporary parking space for your moving truck before they allow you to park your truck anywhere near the road. For other tips on planning your long-distance move to Austin, be sure to check out our post!

31
Aug, 2018
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Cross-Country Moving Guide: Costs, Tips & More to Plan Your Move

Moving across the country is a bit more detailed than moving to another city or down the street. There are more costs involved, and you will spend more time on the road unless you’re able to fly to the area you’ll be living. Fortunately, there are a few tips that you can follow to make the move easier so that you can enjoy this new chapter in your life.

What Are The Costs?

When you begin making your budget to move across the country, you need to factor in a few different things. Most of the time, it will take about $1,000 to get everything moved. If you have vehicles that are large enough so that you don’t have to hire a moving company, then you can save money. However, if you don’t have trucks or vans, then you can rent these vehicles so that you don’t have to hire movers, which can save you money as well. You should also factor in food that you’ll have to purchase while on the road as well as what you’ll pay for a hotel room if you plan on stopping to sleep at night.

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Make A Checklist

Before packing anything or getting your belongings into a moving truck, you need to make a checklist. It should include all of the tasks that you have to complete in order to get everything turned on in your new home as well as what you’re going to do with your pets and what items you’re not going to take with you. Your checklist should include the things that you need to do each week as well as things that you need to do to get prepared during the few days before you move.

Hire Movers

If you’re planning on using a moving company, then compare a few different ones so that you can get the best rates and movers who have the most experience handling furniture and other items that you have in your home that are fragile, such as electronics. Find a moving company that offers insurance in case there are any issues with your belongings getting damaged during the move.

Take Inventory

While you’re packing clothes, toys, dishes, and other items in your home, think about what you really need to keep and what you can sell, throw away, or donate. Use the time that you’re moving to get rid of clothing that no longer fits or belongings in your home that are broken. Items that can still be used but that you don’t want can be donated to someone in need or sold so that you can make extra money for your move across the country.

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Keeping Kids Happy

Moving across the country with kids can be a challenge. Explain to them why you have to go to a different home in another state. Talk about the benefits as well as what you can do as a family to have fun. Pack a few games and activities in your car to give your kids something to do while you’re on the road.