Real estate and other stuff

Universal City, part of the San Antonio MSA and located on the northeast corner of Bexar County, starts at Randolph Air Force Base's north gate. The main drag through the city from the entrance to Randolph is Pat Booker Road, which connects Loop 1604, San Antonio's "outer loop," to State Highway 78 and the all-important Southern Pacific Railroad that parallels 78. The city was named by a developer to designate the universal importance of the air base, which opened in 1931.

The photo shows workers sprucing up the "Taj Mahal," the control tower at Randolph AFB.

Pat Booker Road (SH 218) was named after Capt. Francis Booker, a pilot who served at Randolph. You can get just about any service or product on Pat Booker Road, from auto parts to cars, from tattoos to dental work, from fast food to family restaurants.

Speaking of restaurants, one of the most popular ones in the area is La Fiesta Patio Cafe. It's a Mexican restaurant that offers vegetarian options and uses peanut oil instead of lard for cooking. Prices are reasonable for delicious food (especially their hot sauce!) and generous servings.

Universal City is located near several thoroughfares that make it convenient to commute not only to Randolph AFB, but to Fort Sam Houston, Brooke Army Medical Center, and downtown San Antonio. At the intersection of Pat Booker Road and Loop 1604 is the corner of the Forum Shopping Center, a collection of big box stores, such as Kohl's, Home Depot, Target, Ross, and Borders books, as well as restaurants including Macaroni Grill, TGI Friday's, and Sea Island Shrimp House.

The owner of Acme Lumber Company built the first homes in the Rose Garden area in the '50s. However, Universal City didn't begin to really grow until the transfer of the Air Force Manpower Personnel Center from Washington in 1963.

Thus, Universal City has been estimated to have 90 percent active and retired military residents. Training jets from Randolph AFB fly overhead just about every day of the week. If you're on SH 78 in front of the base, they will come in for landings right over your car--very exciting!

Universal City comprises two school districts: Judson Independent School District, centered in the nearby town of Converse, and the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District.

Two of the six public parks in Universal City are situated in the heart of the community, near the Rose Garden and Red Horse neighborhoods. Red Horse Park has two playgrounds, a softball field, a covered pavilion that can be rented for parties, shady walking trails and picnic tables, a basketball court, two tennis courts, and restrooms.

Universal City Park is almost four times larger than Red Horse Park, with 32 acres. It includes three lighted softball/baseball fields with dugouts, bleachers, and score-keeper's box. There's even a concession building with restrooms. It also features walking/jogging paths, a large pavilion, two sand-volleyball courts, a regulation-size football field, and two playgrounds. There is also a disc golf course. I'm not sure what disc golf is, but it's bound to be fun.

The city hosts two annual events. There is a Veterans' Day parade, naturally, and an annual Children's Christmas Party, sponsored by the Universal City volunteer fire department. The photo below is of the V-day +50 celebration in 1995.

A bit of trivia: Universal City holds the distinction of being the first community in Bexar County to get cable television.

Photos from the Department of Defense

The housing stimulus portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides for an $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers who buy a home on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

The credit does not need to be paid back, and is claimed on a tax return to reduce the income tax liability. If any of the credit remains unused, then that amount will be refunded to the home buyer.

Last year's $7,500 tax credit was also a good deal, although it has to be paid back over 15 years, or when the home is sold. It was basically an interest-free loan to home buyers.

First-time home buyers are defined for purposes of the tax credit as those who have not owned their own home within the last three years. Vacation and second homes don't count as a primary residence.

Although they're not "just tenants," she and her husband are also clients of mine, and have become friends. They are some of the nicest people in all the world, and I'm so lucky to have met them.

Here's what she just wrote me:

Just had to send you another quick email thanking you again for letting us rent your beach condo. The weather is absolutely perfect today and what a spectacle it is! Some of our brave Canadian visitors on the beach are even swimming in the bay. They keep going "OOOH", but are having great fun....

I am so blessed.

Here's the view from our balcony of sunset over Corpus Christi Bay, as a rainbow fades away.

Note: I've changed the names of these lovely tenants so nobody tries to steal them away from me!

From: Robin Rogers
Subject: Lease extension

Hi, Amanda and Guillermo:

Your lease expires (already!) on March 1. Since I haven't heard from you, I presume you are planning to stay on? What are your plans? Has the office reorganization been put on hold?

The taxes and mortgage payment went up last fall by $27/month, unfortunately. So I am thinking of splitting the difference and changing the rent to $990. This wouldn't start until April so you have time to adjust the payroll withdrawal. I'm sorry! You guys have been great tenants and I hate to have to raise the rent.

Just let me know what your situation is and if you still want to stay.

Thanks!

Robin

To: Robin Rogers
Subject: RE: Lease extension

Hello Robin,

Gosh it did go pretty fast this time! Yes, we are planning and staying if you will have us! :) But we were wondering would it be ok on this lease if we extend it for 1 year rather than 6 months? It does not look like our job is going to relocate us anytime soon so that is good.

Also we just found out that we are going to be expecting our 1st child in August. So with that on our plate now kinda puts the house hunting on hold for a bit. Just let me know if that would be ok?

And when it comes to the rent increase that is totally fine with everything that is happening in the economy that is understandable.

Just let me know about the lease and if you want to come by to sign the paperwork or if you just want to send it to me again and I will fax it to you. Thank you for everything Robin you have been so wonderful!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Amanda & Guillermo

On a personal note: my client did an incredible job remodeling this home. His attention to detail is amazing, and I am referring him to family members and other clients. He also found me a new landscaping team that I'm looking forward to working with. This project turned out to be a total win-win!

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Well, we're waiting for the litigator for the lender to reply to his numerous voicemails, faxes, and e-mails. His boss said he was "one of the best" they have and didn't know why he wasn't getting back to the listing agent. He had responded very quickly with a counter to a previous offer. It was not accepted, but he agreed to the listing agent's suggestion of dropping the price.

But when my client made a full-price offer, all-cash, set to close in 10 days, he suddenly vanished.

- Did he get in trouble for agreeing to the lower price?

- Is he stalling, hoping to get an even better offer?

- Was he hit by a bus?

- Does he just NOT CARE that the lender will have to move to foreclose on the property, incurring even more delays and costs?

Oh, wait. This guy gets paid no matter what happens.

Today is the deadline for the lender's agreement to the contract. My client is not happy. The listing agent's client is SURE not happy.

Guess who else isn't happy? Grrrrr....

Why can't people just do their jobs?

Thanks for listening. Probably nobody else has ever had any problems with short sales, but you rare cases can feel free to vent here!

</rant>