10 important things to know for someone who just moved to austin, texas

Austin Texas. Home of Austin City Limits, SXSW (South by Southwest), the University of Texas Long horns and the state capital. Below are a list of ten things every potential transplant to Austin should know to make their experience more pleasant.

1. If you are moving from another state, and plan to rent an apartment, there are apartment locators in town. A free service, these companies can help you obtain housing without you ever needing to look yourself. They get paid by the apartment complexes, so of course they are going to favor some over others, but when you are in a pinch, they can give you information on neighborhoods, going rates and are well-versed in vacancies and amenities. This is a huge help if you are unable to come and do your own apartment hunting. Many can be found on the internet.

2. Employment services. Austin has many agencies in town to help you find a job. It is entirely possible to have interviews lined up when you get here, or at least some temporary assignments to start with. Some companies specialize in certain areas. For example, there is a strong legal community in Austin because its the capital, and there are several agencies that cater to attorneys and legal staff. Again, the internet is your friend.

3. State income tax. This is good news. At this time, there is no state tax in Texas, so you get to keep that little extra bit of money in your paycheck. Texas also has one weekend a year where you can buy things like school clothes and such with no sales tax. This is a great time to do back to school shopping.

4. Homesteading. In Texas, you can file a homestead exemption on your primary residence in Texas. It can only be on one property at a time, and it must be your primary residence, but homesteading offers some security; in that your home cannot be taken from you under certain circumstances. Its been said that the reason this is in place was to ensure that women and children did not end up without a home if their husband gambled away the mortgage! (This is archaic law, to be sure, but interesting nonetheless.)

5. Freeway layout. Austin's freeways were put in as an afterthought. The cities freeways make up a # sign, with the left side being Mopac Expressway, the right side I-35, the north side Highway 183 and the south side 290/71.

6. Traffic. If you come from a smaller town than Austin, be prepared to take longe to get to work. Austin roadways become quite crowded during business hours, and I-35 is crowded on weekends and holidays especially, because many people travel to Dallas for weekend trips or holidays.

If you come from a faster paced state, such as, oh, say, California, be prepared for a bit of a shock. People in Austin drive the speed limit. Even on the freeway. Courtesy is observed for the most part and rude, shove-your-way in driving will not be appreciated. On the upside, folks do wave at you when you let them into your lane.

7. Food. The food here is different than anywhere else in the country. Although Austin is a very health conscious city by many standards, it has its share of Bar-B-Q places and hole in the wall Mexican and tex-mex restaurants. If you are an adventurous soul, you may want to explore the possibilities.

8. Activities. There is a lot to do in Austin and in the surrounding area for children and adults alike. Most noteworthy are Austin City Limits and SXSW, which bring thousands of tourists flooding into town each year. There are lots of parks, a lovely place called Barton Springs where you can go swimming, and within a day trip are Six Flags amusement parks, both up north and down south, and Schlitterbahn, a water park that has been voted as the best in the country by The Travel Channel.

9. Nightlife. Austin has an active bar scene, somewhat divided into two sections. Sixth Street, which is barricaded against vehicle traffic on weekends, is the place to go if you are part of the college crowd, or post college crowd. The street is lined with interesting bars, saloons, clubs, etc., and is a great place to see and be seen. If you are looking for something a little more sophisticated, Fourth Street may be what you are looking for. This area caters to the post-gratduate young professional crowd with its coffee bars, restaurants, tapas bars and clubs.

10. Outdoors. Austin provides its residents witha wealth of outdoor activities, starting with the jogging/bicycling trail along Town Lake, which is actually a river, that nestles right alongside Austin's downtown. Lake Travis is near enough for day trips, for boating, water skiing and Jet Skis.

Austin is a vibrant, young feeling city with a lot to do and see, and has been on lists in recent years as one of the better places in the country to live, raise a family, and have it all.