Austin, Texas, May Become New Technology Hub.

Byline: Sam Diaz

Aug. 8--AUSTIN, Texas--George and Delia Villegas have told their story dozens of times to the family and friends they left behind in San Jose.

They weren't thrilled about leaving the Bay Area, the only place that either had really ever called home. But they weren't happy in San Jose, either, knowing that the things they wanted most in life -- a family and a home -- were out of reach in expensive Silicon Valley.

Now that they've made the move to central Texas, their dreams are starting to become reality. The baby will arrive sometime around Christmas, and the new home in suburban Cedar Park -- 2,800 square feet with a game room, backyard deck and a price tag of less than $220,000 -- should be ready in January.

"We're going to live the life we want to live," said George Villegas, 31. "The only thing we really miss is our families and friends. Anything else is expendable due to the cost of living."

But is Austin, fast becoming one of the nation's high-tech hubs, really promising a better way of life? Or is it simply a few years behind Silicon Valley -- headed for a life where high-tech jobs and high-tech dollars fuel sprawl, create congestion and send real estate prices beyond the means of a shrinking middle class?

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