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Old 10-21-2011, 11:35 AM
 
1 posts, read 1,816 times
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I need suggestions on good places to live. My husband will be working on Fort Sam. We want the best public schools for our kids. We are lookinig to spend $150,000 to $200,000 on a home. My husband does not want a long commute, less than 45 minutes. What are the best places to live with excellent schools, and newer homes?

Thanks,
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Old 10-21-2011, 11:57 AM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
993 posts, read 2,482,395 times
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Schertz, Selma, Universal City? Areas that are nice, but still close to Fort Sam Houston are expensive as hell.
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Old 10-21-2011, 12:18 PM
 
487 posts, read 988,658 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BORICUA2011 View Post
I need suggestions on good places to live. My husband will be working on Fort Sam. We want the best public schools for our kids. We are lookinig to spend $150,000 to $200,000 on a home. My husband does not want a long commute, less than 45 minutes. What are the best places to live with excellent schools, and newer homes?

Thanks,
Some of the above is mutually exclusive. Best areas with best schools are more expensive. Are you open to renting first?
In addition to the areas mentioned before, you may want to check the area north of the airport, east of 281, south or north or 1604. There are some neighborhoods in your price range with pretty good schools.
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Old 10-21-2011, 03:39 PM
 
Location: Texas
9 posts, read 14,525 times
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North East Independent School District, is best school district in area, located along hwy 281 north , plenty of preown and new home in the area within the price range.
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Old 10-21-2011, 09:14 PM
 
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How long are you planning to stay? The San Antonio real estate market is very stable, which means properties appreciate very slowly. Unless you can reasonably expect to be stationed here for at least 5 years, preferably 7-10, you are unlikely to break even on the resale after factoring in transaction costs. Renting would be a good option for getting into a home that meets your requirements. Otherwise you will need to do a lot of searching and maybe have to settle.

It's going to take a bit of looking to find something in your price range, but it may be possible. Inside San Antonio consider these zip codes: 78216, 78247, 78232, 78217, 78233. Google a S.A. zip code map to find where they are geographically. Cibolo, Selma and Schertz are incorporated cities along I-35 just north of San Antonio and within a few minutes drive time of the city and FSH. They are newer areas and have reasonably good schools and plenty of new shopping centers.

A word of warning. Stay away from the general area of I-35 + Walzem/Eisenhauer and south of there along I-35.
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Old 10-22-2011, 10:09 AM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
1,361 posts, read 2,259,761 times
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My husband used to drive quite a bit past Ft. Sam for work and it took him 45 minutes from our house out here in Stone Oak. There would be traffic between here and Ft. Sam but for the schools and neighborhoods alot of people find it is worth the drive. Not sure what age you are looking at for schools but the schools in 78258 and 78259 (Encino Park just across 281 from Stone Oak) are always rated tops by both the TEA (TX Ed. Agency) and on Good Schools (parent opinion). The house prices are actually in your rage--yes you can spend $500K out here but you can also find a slightly older house (10-20 yrs) in a non-gated neighborhood and you still get the advantage of the amazing schools. There are some real deals on foreclosures if you don't mind removing a little wallpaper and painting. We're under contract right now on a 13 yr old 2800 sf house for under $200K and it's actually move-in ready.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your time here in SA!
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Old 10-22-2011, 11:47 AM
 
856 posts, read 851,647 times
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After further consideration I would add 78258 and 78259 to your list as well. Just make sure you visit the area at 7:30am and 5:00pm to get a feel for the commute. I would call the commute 45 minute to 1 hour depending on your exact location and time of day. But it is a very nice area and well worth a look. I would lean toward the older areas of Encino Park (78259). I used to live there in the 80's and it is a very family friendly community. The homes were built in the late 70's early 80's and are well built on larger lots and have plenty of trees.
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Old 10-22-2011, 12:24 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
993 posts, read 2,482,395 times
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I-35 is always congested during commute times as well. the 410/35 interchange is really bad, so make sure you know how bad it can really get before you buy anything. Try leaving Fort Sam at 5pm to get to Schertz and see how long that takes you.
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Old 10-22-2011, 01:28 PM
 
Location: New Braunfels, TX
7,105 posts, read 11,758,603 times
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Trick is to check into a hotel in the area you THINK you'll like for a few days and do the commute - that'll give you the best feel for the area!
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Old 10-22-2011, 04:47 PM
 
Location: San Antonio. Tx 78209
2,649 posts, read 7,414,258 times
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I can't believe people are actually urging you to live outside loop 410 and I would NEVER live outside 1604 with a commute to Ft Sam. I know you want "newish" in this town for your price range you are asking for trouble. Anything that cheap and newish is going to be poorly built.
I would concentrate on inside the loop, Terrell heights, Northwood. Look just outside maybe in windcrest. Zip codes would be 78209,78218 and 78239.
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