Jason, you are doing the right thing by visiting Austin first. I've lived in Texas my entire life, and it doesn't get any better than the Austin metro (as far as urban areas go), and the Hill Country (as far as rural areas go). Hopefully we can meet up with you guys and show you some of the parts of Austin that someone visiting from out of town normally wouldn't see (such as the drastic change in topography between downtown and the West side of the city).

To me, the only real "adjustment" to make for people from other states is the summer heat. You can visit for a weekend in the middle of the summer and think, "this isn't so bad, I can handle this", but it is the duration of the heat that will break you if you let it. Texas summers can suck the soul right out of you and leave you feeling miserable (it's like the seasonal affective disorder they get in the Pacific Northwest, but from endless heat instead of cloudy days). I just want to throw that out there and make you aware of it. You're visiting in late July so you should get a nice taste of our summer weather (which honestly isn't as dry this year as it usually is), but you'll want to think to yourself, "Can I handle 5-months straight of this?"

The rest of the year is absolutely perfect though

 

you cant beat Austin and the hill country if you can find a job.

heat sucks....but northern winters are no picnic.

Good luck with the search- be happy to help in H town in any way

 

As with anything, you have to learn to adapt. By that, I mean if your job is outside and you can swing it, go to work at 0500 and be home by 1500.

I worked all day Friday and almost all day yesterday in the shop building a cage in a customer's car. Just drink lots of water and keep the air moving.

Once acclimated, Texas Heat/Humidity can be tolerated to a point. And the "dog Days of Summer" tpically last from July till mid-September with a smattering of hot days in May and June.

 

Just in case no one saw the sticky...
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=762466

 

Texas, what a glorious land... I am a 5th generation Texan, and I love this place, she is my home and always will be, till the day I die... There are many different regions, so making just one broad cast statement about its climate makes no sense, but yeah, it can get hot... its the 'South'. Lots of good ways to stay cool too... try Barton Spring in Austin or float down the Guadalupe or Comal rivers, several good lakes too... (once your son sees the women here, he will never be the same.) I live in Katy (West Houston), TX and its in a great location for whatever you want to do. I am less than 40 mi from downtown (not that I have any reason to go there). I work in the Woodlands (50 mi away, North) and the company I work for offers a van pool, so its only $150/month for transport and lots of major companies do this to get the best employees. I don't really care for downtown but to each their own. The greater Houston area is massive and as diverse as anyone could hope to imagine. You can live big city style in a loft by the Minute Maid park or you can get a couple acres in the suburbs. Just like anywhere else there are good parts and bad, mostly south Houston for the bad. The good, No state taxes, low cost of living and the economy is not as sensitive here as it can be in other areas of the country. I love the hill country around Austin/New Braunfels/San Antonio for getaways with lots to do, I also have several friends that live in McKinney, TX (North of Dallas) that has been ranked as one of the best places to live in the country (Money Magazine). Check out the Memorial area, Sugarland, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands and Kingwood for some of the best places to live around Houston. I hope you become a Texan, you won't regret it.

 

GenIIJR: Thanks!

 

its a nice place.

GenIIJR is your car red? i have seen a red firehawk around katy (i live here also)

 

if you decide to come to houston in teh next few weeks i have a nice house that is available in the NW part of town

 

Thanks, but I would be concerned about sitting on the front porch with a beer and a magazine and getting mowed down in a mistaken identity drive-by.

 

This is Texas, son! The State Motto is Friendship. I think that came about because it is practically a state law that everybody owns a gun (and if it isn't a law, then it should be!)

Plus, NW Houston is a pretty decent part of town. I used to live on Westview between Antoine & Silber.

 

Are you aware of the house he is referring to?

 

Camaro383- I used to live in Katy and had a re 95 Firehawk on chrome factory wheels.

I have also seen an insane black 95- I think MTI did all the work several years ago.

live in Spring now and love it- less congested and more redneck

 

nope, just the area.

Edit: Just found the thread about the gangster rapper buying from him...

 

It's black on black.

 

you wouldnt sit out front you would be out back. I put a very nice 30x16 porch on the back of the house.

i may be buying the house 2 houses down from me. i would offer that but that may just be a bit too close. cant have you and your hot rod friends tearing though the neighborhood terrorizing all the little kids at play.