Austin job security? (Round Rock, Pflugerville, Mercedes: for sale, real estate, rent)

[SAGA77039]

I am planning on moving to austin in the near future and i have gotten a lot of good feed back from potential employers. The only concern is the Austin employment security. Right now i am in a very stable job that i love but living in san fran cost way too much. I could never buy a house here.

is the job security ok in austin in the construction industry? should i rent first in case something happens and i lose my job? it is something that my boy friend and i are worried about.

[HappyTexan]

I live in Pflugerville. While I don't work in construction I can tell you what I see.
There are not as many homes going up as there was a year ago. One big subdivision developer here in Pflugerville is requesting a 6 months extension on a plat he proposed for the next phase of a subdivision here. He cited "market conditions" as the reason for his extension request.

[Derek ATX]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

I live in Pflugerville. While I don't work in construction I can tell you what I see.
There are not as many homes going up as there was a year ago. One big subdivision developer here in Pflugerville is requesting a 6 months extension on a plat he proposed for the next phase of a subdivision here. He cited "market conditions" as the reason for his extension request.

This is true in some places. Where I live in SW Austin they can't build them fast enough to keep up with demand. The lots and homes to be built on them are sold before the roads are paved and the lots are cleared. It depends on the area as to how builders are doing. Some national builders are scaling back due to market conditions in other parts of the country that are effecting them. At the same time, many of these builders are concentrating on this area because they can actually make money here. Local custom builders are doing well for the most part too depending on the price range and location.

Derek

[lago veteran]

i live on the outskirts of the city. in the boom/bust cycles starting in the early eighties, the boom tends to get here much later than in austin proper, the bust seems to come earlier (probably because we are a "furr piece" from downtown"). I've been feeling the bust coming for the last year. i don't want to be a naysayer, but i'm old enough to have a little wisdom, i pay attention to the developement/construction projects and i wouldn't quit my "safe" job anywhere right now. i say stay safe for a bit and see what happens.

[love roses]

I was driving to Ikea by the backroads this weekend, and from what I saw around the new Hospital, there is tons of construction going on. They have quite a bit of land cleared for subdivisions and they are widening one of the F.M Roads behind it. So I'm thinking Round Rock is still going pretty good as far as construction. But, I'm no real estate professional so take what I say with a grain of salt

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by love roses

I was driving to Ikea by the backroads this weekend, and from what I saw around the new Hospital, there is tons of construction going on. They have quite a bit of land cleared for subdivisions and they are widening one of the F.M Roads behind it. So I'm thinking Round Rock is still going pretty good as far as construction. But, I'm no real estate professional so take what I say with a grain of salt

During a lot of bust cycles, builders keep building to keep cash flow from construction loans going.

I drive by Mercedes' Garlic Creek subdivision about every 2 weeks. They have built probably 70 completed homes so far. I drove in there this weekend and all but 2 are 3 are unoccupied specs for sale. That can't be a healthy indicator.

[SAGA77039]

Thanks everyone! does anyone have any experience with the engineering field? how stable is that in austin?

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by SAGA77039

Thanks everyone! does anyone have any experience with the engineering field? how stable is that in austin?

engineering is booming right now due to the shortage of engineers nationwide. There's a lot of transportation & traffic engineers looking for work though since most Austin offices that had these disciplines focused on TxDOT and they basically axed all their projects this year. W/WW with 10+ years is in particular demand at most firms.

[Trainwreck20]

What type of engineering?

[jco]

Are you in residential or commercial construction? If you're in residential, I'd keep your safe job. Commercial seems to have security that will outlast residential.