Austin vs. Seattle – Which Is the Better City to Move To

2021-03-19 austinou No Comments

Relocation is difficult. Choosing a city is even more challenging. Since there’s no perfect place, you’ll have to carefully balance the risks and gains. On top of that, you’ll also have to account for the compromises you have to make.

That being said, this article will guide you through the differences between two prominent cities, Austin and Seattle. Which one should you call home? The Emerald City with its relaxing overcast skies, lush surroundings, and established aerospace industry? Or the City of the Violet Crown with its warm weather, live music, and tech-driven economy?

There’s only one way to find out.

Austin vs. Seattle

In order to keep the comparison simple, both cities will be evaluated according to five major categories that people usually look for when relocating: cost of living, economy, weather, environment and recreation, transportation, and community.

Cost of Living

This one isn’t even up for argument. Both real-life experiences and statistic reports state that Austin is way cheaper than Seattle. According to bestplaces.net, the overall cost of living difference shows that Seattle outprices Austin by at least 44.4%! The ultimate factor to this gap? Housing. Austin’s median home cost is only $369,000 compared to Emerald City’s $714,400. 

Here are more facts to digest:

  • Although transportation is 25% cheaper in Austin, traffic is also worse, especially on I-35, Mopac, and US 183.
  • Seattle’s housing costs might be high, but the utilities such as water and electricity 30.6% cheaper than Austin utilities.
  • You won’t notice a significant difference in other aspects like healthcare, entertainment, education, and groceries.

Considering the above, Austin is the cheaper place to raise a family.

Economy

Seattle might have lost the battle of expenses, but it has economic prowess. Home to some of Boeing’s largest factories, the city’s economy relies mainly on manufacturing. You’ll also do great with a career in finance, sales, healthcare, or education. It’s also important that there has been a positive growth of tech opportunities in recent years.

However, the digital progress in Seattle doesn’t quite hold up to Austin’s ever-growing tech industry. Big companies like Dell and AMD have established headquarters in the metro area. As the fastest growing city, Austin attracts more and more techies from the West Coast every day. Other profitable industries include advanced manufacturing, clean technology, financial services and insurance, life sciences, and data management.

On a positive note, both cities boast a remarkable unemployment rate, with Seattle having 2.9% and 2.6% for Austin. Either way, these numbers are still lower than the national average of 3.7%, reflecting both cities’ thriving economies.

Weather

Comparing both cities’ climates is rather straightforward. As you may have heard, Seattle’s quite famous for gray skies and occasional drizzles. Although its precipitation isn’t that intense, rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, giving the impression of cold, depressing weather.

On the other hand, the weather in Austin is completely different. What can you expect? It’s Texas! You’ll get to enjoy almost 300 days of sunshine but with occasional threats of thunderstorms, hail, and damaging winds. Sometimes, there’s even the freak winter storm.

Appreciating the weather is pretty subjective. Some love Seattle’s cozy weather, while others might prefer Austin’s sunny skies. It’s up to you.

Environment and Recreation

Both Austin and Seattle are blessed with beautiful parks, fun places, and gorgeous scenery. Starting with Seattle, the metro area lets you enjoy plenty of unique attractions. Explore the work of famed glass artist Dale Chihuly at the Seattle Center, unravel aviation secrets in the Museum of Flight, or purchase fresh fish at Pike’s Place Market. Want to get closer to nature? Wish granted! Hike the trails on Mount Rainer, kayak on the tranquil waters of Diablo Lake, or discover different kinds of flora in the Hoh Rainforest.

Of course, Austin won’t be outdone! The city takes pride in the 351-acre green space in Zilker Park, where you can play with your dog off-leash. Go on a family picnic on Lady Bird Lake’s shores while enjoying the skyline in the background. The University of Texas is also great for an educational and fun trip! Make sure you check out the telescopes! And if your enthusiastic day tour drains the soul out of you, you can always relax and listen to good live music in one of the hundreds of venues in Austin.

Environment-wise, Seattle is fantastic if you like exploring nature since there are plenty of scenic attractions around. The only downside to this is that you’ll have to travel to access these fantastic places. While Austin may not be as geographically diverse as Emerald City, its appeal lies in patches of green space incorporated within the city. You don’t need to travel far to enjoy iconic locations.

Community

Welcome to the last factor that can help you decide. Community is a major factor most people look at in a potential city. What’s the purpose of an area with amazing perks, but you won’t get along with the people around you, right?

Diving right into the point, Seattle’s community is quite reserved and work-oriented, even to the point that outsiders call the residents snobs. This reputation gave birth to the infamous Seattle Freeze. However, keep in mind that not everyone in the city is like this. You can still make friends; it’s just going to be more of a challenge.

Meanwhile, Austin’s community is the opposite of Seattle’s. Residents are outgoing and friendly. The solid live music scene even amplifies the city’s warm atmosphere. However, watch out for the occasional locals who like to rant about how transplants are ruining the city. It’s best to ignore them and focus on the other likable aspects of the place.

Final Verdict

Seattle or Austin? Rain or shine? Honestly, there’s no definitive answer. Both cities have varying characteristics that contribute to their appeal. Whatever decision you arrive at, make sure you hire a quality moving company. Good movers can go a long way in making your move go smoothly and reduce the stress you experience.


Why You Should Hire a Moving Company for Your Long-Distance Move

2021-02-28 austinou No Comments

Behind every successful move are exceptional and reliable movers. As you already know, relocation isn’t something you can just pull off easily. It requires careful planning and execution. Although you can choose to move by yourself, it will be challenging. It might not even be worth the time, money, and energy you spend in the long run. That’s why it’s best to hire professionals for your upcoming transition. If you’re still having second thoughts, here are valid reasons why you need a moving company to help you out.

Safety

Safety is the main concern when it comes to moving. Although getting cut from packing utensils might seem like nothing, lifting heavy appliances and furniture is a different story. Without adequate training, you and your friends can get hurt from carrying things such as beds, wardrobes, and large cabinets. How so?

  • You can lose your grip, and the object can land on your foot, causing serious injuries.
  • Pushing yourself too hard can result in back pain and sore muscles.
  • Getting objects down the stairs can be difficult. You might accidentally slip off and risk a trip to the hospital.

Meanwhile, professional movers are trained to perform these activities. Not only can they do it properly, but they can protect your belongings and home as well.

Efficiency

Time is of the essence during a move, especially during a long-distance one. You’ll want to wrap things up sooner so you can immediately get back to work. However, things can progress at a turtle’s pace during a DIY move. It can take weeks or even a month to plan, gather supplies, pack stuff, load boxes, and eventually arrange your new home. You can’t expect to speed things up when it’s your first time. You have to be careful.

On the other hand, movers have been executing moves for years. They know what to do, therefore expediting the process. You can expect your long-distance move to be complete within a few days. You can use the time you save to finalize your transition and get back on track.

Peace of Mind

Do you want to skip sleepless nights thinking about how your move will turn out? Worried you haven’t securely packed your glassware? What if your expensive TV screen gets a crack due to a sudden bump on the road?

These are just some of the concerns you’ll encounter when moving independently. Luckily, you won’t have to undergo such a stressful experience with a reliable moving company. On top of holding them accountable for damage, they also provide insurance for your possessions. Although it’s improbable that your movers will mess up, you should consider getting full-value protection for added security.

They Let You Focus On More Important Matters

Moving doesn’t only revolve around packing and lifting. You’ll have more important matters to attend to, such as transferring utilities, changing your address, securing medical records, and many more. Leaving the manual labor to movers lets you concentrate on other aspects of your relocation. Plus, you can avoid more stress knowing your belongings will be handled with care.

Cost-Effective

Surprised? Don’t be! Hiring a moving company is actually the best way to save money when relocating. See, people shy away from working with movers because of the initial costs upfront. They fail to see the amount one can save by avoiding medical bills, fuel costs, truck rentals, supply purchases, and repairs. Additionally, you can quickly get back to becoming productive since you won’t be wasting your energy. That’s a win-win situation for you!

You Can Ask Them to Do Special Services

No move is a piece of cake. Some tasks make it even more challenging. If you own unique furniture like a piano, pool table, or clawfoot bathtub, chances are you don’t know how to transfer these things or own the proper tools. One wrong move, and you might say goodbye to thousands of dollars’ worth of value. Entrusting this job to movers ensures the safety of the item. Furthermore, they can also offer you other convenient services, such as white-glove moving (relocating prized collections), last-minute moves, furniture disassembly, and storage access.

Tips When Hiring a Moving Company

Working with movers is certainly worth your money, but you have to be wary of scammers lurking around. To help you avoid rogue moving companies, Cheap Movers Austin shares some valuable tips from their website.

  • Don’t pay a large deposit: Trusted moving companies will ask for payment only when your move is complete.
  • Check reviews on Yelp and Google: Movers can’t fake reviews on these two sites. You can trust that the comments you read are the experience of genuine customers.
  • Ask for their USDOT number: This will serve as your potential mover’s credentials. Running this on the FMCSA search tool will let you see if they have the license to operate.

Last but not least, keep calm and trust the process. Moving might seem daunting for now, but like any other life event, it will eventually pass. Make the most out of it. Enjoy the experience. Here’s to hoping that your move will be a success!


Best Places to Eat After Moving to Austin

2017-07-10 austinou No Comments

Austin is one of the fastest growing larger cities in the country, and there are plenty of good reasons for this. From its rather affordable housing prices and amazing climate to the natural beauty of the surrounding Hill Country and its fun, funky and friendly vibe, there is much to love about life in Austin. […]


Moving Resources

2017-06-23 austinou No Comments

Relocating to a new city is never easy. There’s often a lot of things to decide – like where to live, what neighborhoods are safe/desirable, and where to send kids to school. In addition to these tough decisions, you’ll also have a running list of things to get done – turning on utilities, prepping to start a new job, transferring medical and financial records, updating your address, and getting a new driver’s license. Not to mention, you’ll have to figure out your new routine – where do you shop for groceries, which roads should you avoid during rush hour traffic, and what gym do you want to join? If you’re like most people, you might feel overwhelmed at the prospect of moving. Thankfully, there are lots of helpful companies and resources to make your time of transition easier. Here’s my list of helpful resources to check out when moving to Austin:

Best Austin Apartment Locator

I had visited Austin a few times before but didn’t have an excellent grasp of which Austin neighborhoods would suit me best. A couple of months before my move, I flew out to Austin and spent a few days going around town with a guy from Live Weird Realty. I wanted a place close to downtown, walkable to bars and restaurants. He showed me lots of different rental options that fit the bill, but ultimately, I opted to rent a 2-bedroom condo in Castle Hill. The place gave me convenient access to the hike and bike trail at Lady Bird Lake, offered a short walk to Whole Foods, and put me close to all the bar action on West 6th. If you need help finding a rental, Live Weird Realty is excellent:

Live Weird Realty
201 E. 5th St. Suite 109
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 476-7368

Austin Real Estate Firm

If you’re in the market to buy a home rather than renting, I’m going to promote my services unabashedly. For the last four years, I’ve immersed myself in the Austin real estate market. If you’d like to chat, please reach out to me using the contact form.

Austin Moving Company

Everyone knows one of the biggest stresses of moving is the associated cost. Whether you rent a truck and DIY it or hire professionals, you’re going to invest some considerable cash to get your belongings moved. In my case, the stress of trying to move from California was too much. While I had friends and family that would have helped with the Oakland end of the move, I didn’t know enough people in Austin to help me unload a moving truck. Plus, I was scheduled to start a new job a week after my move date and wanted to make sure I settled in before starting. I found Austin movers that perform long-distance moves at cheap rates. They drove out to Oakland, loaded up my stuff, and drove it to Austin. The quote they gave was spot-on, and I had everything moved in ten days. Couldn’t recommend these guys more:

Cheap Movers Austin
(512) 233-6778

Austin Relocation Guide

This guide is the most comprehensive resource I’ve found for people moving to Austin. Austin Relocation Guide, available in print and online, is filled with nuggets of information for newcomers to the city. There’s info on everything from things to do to housing, schools, the local real estate market, and jobs. If you feel confused about anything, Austin Relocation Guide is the best place to turn!