Quote from 5Pillars:
Austin is a much better town for setting up a prop from a logistics standpoint.....put it in an office building off 360.
I believe Austin has a couple of prop shops?
The thing about Dallas is the prop trading market is basically untapped.
The cost of living in Austin is a lot higher compared to Dallas and there aren't as many financial firms in Austin as there are in Dallas. Cost of living plays a factor for newer traders who are interested in relocating. It would be easier for a trader to relocate from Austin to Dallas than the other way around.
Also, professional traders tend to gravitate towards where the jobs are because that's often where they start out and learn the business. They may start out trading equities at a hedge fund in Dallas or as a stockbroker in the area. You are more likely to get a better group of candidates who already have some industry experience and are licensed in the Dallas area.
There are more trading firms, hedge funds, mutual funds and financial firms in Dallas than there are in Austin. It might be because of the "equities of Dallas" stereotype or it could be because many people grow up here and reinvest in the city.
Just recruiting for traders out of the area would seem to be much easier I think. All the firms are in Dallas now. They recently even put up a large Forex Capital Markets (FXCM) office in Dallas. You have Southwest Securities, Fidelity, one of TD Ameritrade's main offices, and a ton of other firms.
Not to mention, everything is in Dallas/Fort Worth.
All the history here in sports alone. The Dallas Cowboys winning the superbowl, the Dallas Stars winning the Stanley Cup, Nolan Ryan and his no-hitters, and recently the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. You also have concerts, shopping/dining is great.
It's a great location to be in.