dlo.me

So long, California, and thanks for all the fish

It's been almost four years since my wife and I made the decision to move to Los Angeles after college. We came here for a lot of reasons, but the biggest ones were family, the lively tech scene, and the practically perfect weather.

All in all, I really do love this place.

But after nearly four years of calling it home, the time has come to make a change.

Real estate prices are through the roof and state income taxes are amongst the highest in the country. From a business perspective, franchise taxes (which you have to pay even if your business loses money) sting and processing times for even the most routine paperwork take months.

Even outside of ritzy areas like Beverly Hills, houses advertised as "teardowns" by brokers are going for prices in the neighborhood of $1.2MM and up. Homes at every price range are getting multiple all-cash offers within days of going on the market.

Renters are fairly shielded from this reality, but if you're thinking about becoming a homeowner here, it can be a struggle.

We decided that we didn't want to struggle. And why should we? More so than ever before, where you live matters less than what you can do. And that's an amazing thing.

So, where to? The answer was clear to both my wife and I from the beginning: Austin, Texas.

Austin boasts no state income tax, real estate a young couple can actually afford, an exploding tech scene, and beautiful landscapes. Throw in great food, music, and culture, with a taste of Fiber Internet, and you've essentially described my perfect city.

As a part of my move, my company, Aurora, has become Lionheart Software, a Texas LLC. I'll still be doing everything I'm doing now: helping small teams build great software. And there's a good chance Pushpin will be getting some company.

I'll be moving out later this month and am excited beyond words. If you're an Austinite, send me an email. I'd love to meet up.