Boerne vs. Helotes (San Antonio, Fredericksburg, Anton: house, neighborhoods, public schools)

[cinnamon_toast]

My DH and I want to move. We were checking out mountain communities but keep coming back to TX... I have family in the hill country and the COL out there is just not comparable to Boulder. Would we really be able to ski all that much if all our money was going to the mortgage?

Anyway, back on topic. We are a family of 5. Three young kids aged 6, 4, and almost 2. From what I have read, Boerne and Helotes have great public schools. We have around $750K to spend on a house. My DH works out of the home, so location is not important. Can anyone describe the vibe of these two towns? Would you recommend one over the other, and why?

[Love2begreen]

Boerne is definitely a small town in many ways, however, growth is smart with concerns for sustainability. Also, Boerne supports green businesses.

2008 RUDAT - Boerne, Texas

Helotes is the first city to sign a significant Windtricity commitment.

[allbizness]

You honestly couldn't go wrong with either location. I know that's not the definitive answer you were looking for but it's the honest truth.

Though, with Helotes you'd be closer to San Antonio.

[chipsndip]

Biggest difference is that Boerne is off of the interstate, and Helotes is not. Helotes is bordering San Antonio - lots of shopping at Bandera Rd and 1604 - but Bandera is not a freeway (lots of stoplights) and 1604 starts to get stoplights right about there as well. Boerne is a little further out, but is just about a ten minute drive down the interstate to I-10/1604, with the Rim, a mall, etc. Helotes is about halfway between Six Flags and Sea World - Boerne is close to Six Flags, but will be about 30ish minutes from Sea World. I think Boerne is going to grow at a much faster rate than Helotes because of it's location on the interstate - so one thing to consider is if you care about it being a "small town" or not - I suspect Helotes will remain a little smaller for longer.

[mrstxcop]

personally, i prefer Boerne --- there is really no reason why, i just do...

it would be great if you could make a 4 day weekend trip to San Antonio and take a full day for each town and see which you like better...

good luck with your choice, as said above i really don't think you can go wrong with either...

[m22]

Neither compare to Boulder if you are looking for a hip & happening city. Boerne is where I would live if given the choice between the two though. I think it is really cute & I love the shops. I also love Fredericksburg. I would drop Helotes completely out of the running.
Also, if you are thinking of Colorado, are you prepared for this heat???

[cinnamon_toast]

m22 - I know neither compare to Boulder. But the reality is that it is going to be very difficult for us to find a home that even remotely compares to what we have now. Taking such a huge step down in our standard of living would be difficult. We also have three small children and the thought of starting out fresh in Boulder with no family to help us with our kids or give us a place to stay while we house hunt, move, remodel, etc. is giving me fits of anxiety. We could always wait until we have more $$, but if I spend one more winter in MN, I think I may go insane!

My family lives in Fredericksburg - I love that city, too. It's too far from the airport, though. We will be there in October and/or November, checking things out.

[allbizness]

Cinn,

Try Fair Oak Ranch. It may be the perfect medium between the two choices you presented.

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by chipsndip

I think Boerne is going to grow at a much faster rate than Helotes because of it's location on the interstate - so one thing to consider is if you care about it being a "small town" or not - I suspect Helotes will remain a little smaller for longer.

Helotes is growing faster than Boerne: 48% vs 15% since 2000 (Helotes, TX Population And Growth Statistics - CLRSearch.com and Boerne, TX Population And Growth Statistics - CLRSearch.com).

Helotes is at the edge of the San Antonio urbanized area and therefore will continue to grow faster as growth continues to push outward. Boerne is further out, which is a psychological to many people, especially now with higher gas prices.

Helotes' proximity to 1604 and Boerne's proximity to I-10 essentially cancel each other out if you're comparing the two areas for that.

[acire]

In my opinion, Boerne is the better pick. There is absolutely nothing in Helotes aside from a couple of bars and fuel stations (again, you are close to SA though). Both towns are really great as far as the views go. And both have some really nice neighborhoods that would work for your budget. Good Luck...have a nice visit!