Real estate and other stuff

If you're in the Air Force, chances are you've been to Lackland Air Force Base for basic training, but if you are coming to San Antonio for a longer stay, you might be interested in this overview of the local housing market.

Lackland is located on the west/southwest part of San Antonio, where for a long time new residential development has languished. Many of the neighborhoods close to the base were built in the 60s and 70s, before Kelly AFB was decommissioned, and prices today range around $50,000 to $80,000. These include Lackland Terrace (and other neighborhoods with the name "Lackland"), Indian Creek, Valley Hi, and Sky Harbor. Shopping and restaurants are readily available at Ingram Park Mall off Loop 410 (San Antonio's "inner" loop) and at South Park Mall, off S.W. Military Drive. Major employers nearby include Southwest Research Institute, HEB Foods headquarters, and Boeing (a facility is at Kelly USA); and the Toyota Tundra truck manufacturing plant is within commuting distance.

In the past few years, however, builders have "discovered" the city's far-west side and have developed neighborhoods in price ranges averaging $120,000 to $280,000. Shopping, services, restaurants, new employers, and new schools have followed.

You may have to get a little farther away from Lackland to find more established neighborhoods, but they'll still be in easy commuting distance. On the city's northwest side, the homes average 15 to 25 years old, and are typically built on larger lots. Oak trees shade the streets and yards, and although the neighborhoods often feature pools and parks, the homeowners association dues tend to be under $200 a year. These neighborhoods include Braun Station/Heights/Oaks, Northwest Crossing, Great Northwest, New Territories, Mainland Oaks, and Village in the Woods. Shopping and dining are available at all four corners of the intersection of Bandera Road and Loop 1604, and other nearby attractions are La Cantera Mall and Fiesta Texas, as well as major employment magnets such as the South Texas Medical Center, West telemarketing, Valero oil, and insurance giant USAA.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a newer or possibly larger home, you'll find plenty to choose from to the west and southwest. Familiar names such as KB Home, Pulte, DR Horton, Continental, and Centex offer new subdivisions, as well as many locally known builders. You may have to sacrifice garage and yard space, and wait for the shade trees to grow, but you'll have a better chance of getting a more modern floor plan. This would include higher ceilings, an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living arrangement as well a game room. These neighborhood names include the words Westover Hills/Crossing/Creek and others, Westcreek, and Westwood (are you sensing a theme here?); as well as Sierra Springs and Spring Vistas, Brycewood, Laurel Mountain Ranch, and Hunt Crossing, among many others. Sea World is located in this part of the city, as are major employers such as Citibank, the Hartford, Capital Group, and World Savings, as well as the Hyatt Hill Country Resort and QVC.

Like the rest of the nation, the San Antonio real estate market has seen a decline in sales prices and an increase in days on the market, up to an average of 6.5 months. However, that qualifies it as just barely a buyer's market. Unlike other cities, San Antonio did not experience extremely high rates of appreciation (other than in a few neighborhoods, such as prestigious Alamo Heights), and so has not had the subsequent fall in prices or huge increase in foreclosures. The economy is diversified and vibrant, so people continue to relocate here in search of good jobs and nice weather. In addition, the cost of living is low compared to other major cities (San Antonio is the seventh-largest by population), especially taking into account its reasonably priced homes. The city has so much to offer in terms of outdoor recreation, family-oriented lifestyle, and unique culture that many military retirees buy a second home here or even keep their first home and come back to San Antonio to live.

Well, last night I participated in the Texas Two-Step. I had already voted, so I went back to caucus last night, showing up 15 minutes early for what I thought would be a half-hour process. As a result, I only had to stand in line in the parking lot at my polling station for 2 hours. It was cold last night, too!

Thanks to some friendly and funny folks I waited with, I managed to survive the ordeal--one of them very kindly lent me his jacket. Once I got inside the building (which was warm, and mostly empty, since only a dozen people at a time were being let in), it only took 5 minutes to register my selection. By that time, I was too tired and hungry, plus my feet were killing me, to hang around afterwards to caucus and choose delegates. At 8:45, the two lines of people waiting still stretched from the doors all the way across the parking lot to the street. Next time, I think I will volunteer to help so that this doesn't happen again! And at least I'd get to be inside.

Earlier in the day, I went to the post office in Cibolo and took my camera with me. Cibolo, like Schertz, is one of the fastest-growing towns in Texas. The contrast is not as great, because the original town is smaller, but it's still interesting. Builders have bought cheap land all around Cibolo and built homes ranging from entry-level homes in the $120,000 range up to spec and custom homes in the low $300,000s.

Many home buyers (and renters) live in the area because of the town's convenient proximity to Randolph Air Force Base. It's also an easy commute to Fort Sam Houston and Brooke Army Medical Center via IH-35. Farther to the north along IH-35 is a nice older community built around a golf course, Northcliffe, and an over-55 neighborhood being built on the north side of the course.

I hope you enjoy these scenes from Cibolo! Click the Details button at the end of each show for more information.