I'm considering buying a house in Austin, but I dont know anything about the neighborhoods, traffic, crime, pollution, flooding areas, etc etc. What do you think is the best way to go about making this kind of decision (short of visiting) -- i will be visiting soon, but I wanted to do some research to narrow the scope. Thanks for your input!
2007-07-26 07:47:54 · 9 answers · asked by MM 5 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
I've visited a number of websites but data tables and what not don't seem to do it for me. also I have to consider the price of the home in the area
2007-07-26 07:48:50 · update #1
Yeah um no, I dont need a realtor Im building a new home
2007-07-26 09:09:17 · update #2
I relocated to Louisville, KY by initially going to a website called: Find My Spot.com
Then I visited several times. Still, there were things nobody thought of telling me. For example, I didn't know that almost EVERYONE will suffer allergies here at some point. Within a month I developed severe enough allergies to need one hospitalization, to take several medications and injections to build immunity. Nine months later, they are now under control, but it was a bumpy ride. Things like that, no one thinks of posting on a website or telling you about. You just can't know everything.
Look up the chamber of commerce. Contact the police department or look on a website giving crime statistics for the area. They will be last year's but a fairly good indicator on REPORTED crimes. Contact city hall and ask about websites that have information on the different communities.
Then visit, like I did, several times. Drive around. Do at least a mid-week stay of a couple of days and weekend stay to determine what activity is like in the community during those times. Check into a motel or hotel if you have to and WATCH the local news every day during your visit! Use a map of the city to find out where they are talking about. Talk to the lonely desk clerk (if they seem intelligent and not an Anthony Perkins Psycho type! LOL!) They likely can tell you much about the city.
I landed pretty well. My community is clean, quiet and fairly friendly. Crime is very low. Conveniences abound. Yet, not knowing the geographical information about this part of the state almost did me in! It seems I'm living in a valley dug out by a glacier. Air doesn't move much in the "basin" near Louisville. They say the native Americans called this area "The Valley of Death" around the time it was explored by John Rogers Clark. I believe it!
Happy hunting. Hope you find your spot too.
2007-07-26 08:16:59 · answer #1 · answered by amazingly intelligent 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are advised to find someone you know who lives in Austin. Regardless of all the brochures, data tables, etc. you read, you can rest assured that all are aimed at putting the very best light on the city possible.
If nothing else, get into an internet chat room and start gabbing around to see if anyone lives in Austin and can give you the skinny lowdown.
2007-07-26 14:53:46 · answer #2 · answered by acermill 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Before I move, I start reading any online newspapers and tv station web sites for that city. They usually give a lot of crime information but also local happenings in the different parts of the city. I also do searches for message boards for that area and read what people are talking about.
2007-07-26 14:54:23 · answer #3 · answered by ARK 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Zillow.com can tell you a lot about homes and Google Earth has pictures too. Expensive areas generally have lower crime and better schools. Maybe write the chamber of commerce if all you want is good news. Subscribe to the local paper.
2007-07-26 14:58:02 · answer #4 · answered by shipwreck 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to http://www.kw.com and chose Austin as a city. It'll give you a list of Keller Williams offices in the area. Any agent there can help you get the information that you need as well as assist you in relocating. Also, while you are there, go to the visitor center as well as the chamber of commerce. You can get great information about the area without feeling pressured by an agent.
2007-07-26 15:24:39 · answer #5 · answered by Niksmom 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Wikipedia's got a great page on Austin Texas, plus there's a lot of resource links at the bottom:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_texas
2007-07-26 14:53:57 · answer #6 · answered by Web G 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You can go online or ask an agent to give you the demographics on everything your interested in knowing, for that area..... They should be able to give you statistics on all you've mentioned above.
2007-07-26 14:53:02 · answer #7 · answered by jessie 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
either get on the Chamber of Commerce site for that city or call them. they will send you lots of literature about the area.
good luck
2007-07-26 14:51:28 · answer #8 · answered by Blue October 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Uh...do a search on the internet
2007-07-26 14:55:07 · answer #9 · answered by Henry 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋