Great neighborhoods for young families in nothern areas of SA? (Alamo: transplants, houses)

[lpedray]

Hi All,
We are possibly relocating to SA from NC with my Husband's company. I've been trying to do as much research as possible and get a good feel for the area. We have never been there and unfortunately will not be able to visit before accepting the position. It is a scary feeling =/
We have 2 small children ages 6 and 3. Schools and safety are my #1 priority. The north side is where I am looking, possibly around the Stone Oak area? I really want to be close to shopping, etc and my Husband will be working near the SA Intl Airport.

Can anyone recommend some specific neighborhoods that have young professionals and a lot of families/kids? We would want a newer home and a great pool within the community. We need to stay under or around 350k. I really want my kids to be able to make new friends quickly in the neighborhood to help make the transition a little easier.

So any input/advice on neighborhoods or areas that would be ok for us would be really appreciated. We would live in corporate housing for a few months in order to get a better feel before buying but I want an area to focus so my daughter won't have to bounce around to different schools.

[TXsurburbanmom]

Where are y'all in NC? We lived there for awhile. Stone Oak is essentially Cary with shorter trees, no downtown, and no homes older than 30 yrs. Homes here look very different to me than the SE. Based on where your husband will work the drive from SO would be around 20 minutes. You can easily find something in your price range and schools are excellent. Check Greatschools online and change option to highest to lowest for SA. My sons schools show up 3rd and 4th for all of SA area. Roads are congested due to lots of people living here. Tons of shopping, churches, kids activities, etc. if you like Cary check 78258 and 78259.

If you want older area with character and good schools near airport check 78209. You won't get as much sf for your budget but you'll get a bigger and more lush yard. SO is hilly so just oaks and cedar mostly.

Good luck and I hope y'all find a place you love. Tx IS different but when I was in NC I always managed to chat with natives and found a lot in common with them. As far as the northside of SA we have a lot of transplants and SA in general is a military town anyway. Biggest difference is the amount of wealthy Mexican Nationals living here.

[jsb91010]

yeah Alamo Heights is real nice if your more into "trendy" type of living, but like stated above less home for your money. Has more of a "downtown" type feel to the neighborhoods were stone oak and canyon golf suburban type feel. also check out 78260 near Canyon Golf area really nice area and it's just outside the city limits. Homes are newer than most of stone oak and there is ALOT of kids in the area! And stone oak is the primary landing ground for wealthy mexican nationals

[sgholt]

Stone Oak is a good area, I would consider it a Upper Middle class to New Rich kinda of area. The farther south you go the housing is more affordable. I live in Harmony Hills off of San Pedro avenue, North of 410 but south of Hwy 1604(nice neighborhood but decline is starting to show on the edges). Most of the neighborhoods going north from there are pretty nice. I would keep looking in the Northwest to North Central north of Loop 410.

[vbcrush]

Hollywood Park

[BoerneMan]

Look into Herff Ranch in Boerne. Amazing town with unique shops and restaurants, incredible schools (including a great elementary school that your kids could walk/bike to in Herff Ranch) and the neighborhood is full of young professional families (everyone has kids). Your children would have friends the day you are moving in.

Plenty of options at or below your price range. There is a neighborhood pool and playground as well as a few other amenities and the neighborhood is somewhat connected to the Cibolo Nature Center (hking/biking, year round creek) and Boerne City Park (playground, soccer fields, tennis courts, city pool, etc).

The commute to the airport area would be about 30 minutes at off peak times, possibly 40 minutes or so at peak travel times. Commuting time would be a little longer than from Stone Oak, but in my opinion, the lifestyle and schools are well worth an extra 10-15 minutes of commute time a day. And property taxes are lower too.

Good luck in your search!

[WilGar]

I will second Boerne.

Not that much longer drive, but well worn it.

Stone Oak to me is a gouged out bedroom community, with cookie cutter houses and a bunched up neighborhood.

Boerne has a small town feel and permanence versus a community that is in between "Where I Was and Where I am Going Next."

Stone Oak is where middle management lives; while the owners and upper management live in Boerne.

[jameshardin]

What is your ideal budget? Alamo heights is quite pricey. Herff Ranch is nice, but also quite a long drive out of town.

[corrie1013]

I have to go all in on Boerne as well...I live in Boerne, though not in a large neighborhood with a lot of children, but I've heard nothing but good things about Herff Ranch. I work near the airport as well...and though the drive is a bit longer, it's not terrible. Depending on where in NC you lived, you may laugh at our traffic. I lived in NC for 6 years, but in Fayetteville, so we didn't have traffic at all, but I know there were times when I had to go to Raleigh for work that I'd be stuck in HORRIBLE traffic. It takes me about 40 minutes in traffic to get to my office.

[Lauren0319]

Originally Posted by WilGar

Stone Oak is where middle management lives; while the owners and upper management live in Boerne.

What the what???

A zip I really enjoy is 78248- all of the Inwoods are very nice. Great established neighborhoods with lots of families and trees

I would also encourage you to look at Rogers Ranch (there are several within) and also any of the Vineyards. Zips to those are 78258.... though I'm not totally sure they are considered Stone Oak.

Finally, look at Emerald Forest- zip is 78259

All great, family friendly neighborhoods with good schools! GL and welcome to SA!

Boerne is fine but that's a looong drive to the airport every day. You have plenty of other options, with much better locations IMO.