1/ I'm considering buying a house in Austin and it has nothing to do with taxes. Here's why

2/ I'm 32 years old, I've worked my ass off, and I can't afford to buy a house in SF. I don't want to throw rent money down the drain. I don't want to live with roommates.

3/ Related, costs of living add up. I took 2 founders out to Thai food in SF last year and the bill was $120. Hard pass. $18 salads and $6 coffees are also not for me. I want to save, invest, and go out, at the same time.

4/ I really value nice people. When I nomad, I prioritize cities where people look you in the eye on the street, smile, and say hi. I like towns where people are more than their net-worth and professional identities. I love art and music.

5/ This is a big year of building and I want to nest a bit. Maybe I'll do an AMA on this later. I've loved nomading for 4 years, but it requires a lot of time and logistics overhead. Post-vaccine, I'll still be in SF, NYC, Seattle, and LA a ton. Austin is a great halfway point.

6/ Many of my entrepreneurial friends have moved here. I like being surrounded by creative energy. Most of my friends in the bay, who are my age, have "made it." Many have families. It's less exciting.

7/ I like warm weather. I like walking everywhere and feeling safe. SF is grey and I feel unsafe. It's not pleasant.

8/ It's basically the same price to buy as to rent here. I like real estate as an asset class, so that's a win/win. Low interest rates make this especially attractive.

9/ I've avoided dating for years. I'm starting to entertain the idea. SF dates feel like bad pitch meetings and I don't want to talk about startups in bed. That's gross.