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Old 08-03-2014, 10:19 PM
 
26 posts, read 31,934 times
Reputation: 14

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Hi All, This is my first post, but I've been reading semi regularly for a bit. Go easy on me because I know that these questions are asked often, but was hoping that you'd be able to elaborate on a few questions.

A bit of back story, we are considering a move to TX after my husband finishes his NICU fellowship. Currently, our top contenders are Dallas and San Antonio. San Antonio has a slight advantage because we have close family living there already. We are currently (and have been for over 10 years) in NY. We are very very close to my family and friends whom we'd obviously be leaving behind. We live in a small community on the North Shore of Long Island. Our community is super tight night, music on the beach, library on the beach, music in the park, fall/spring festivals, etc. Our school district is top notch and the elementary school has no busing so all of the kids walk (our town is 1 sq mile). These are the things we LOVE about our community.

Are there communities like that in San Antonio? The top hospitals my husband is looking at now are Methodist and Baptist (but open to suggestions). Are their neighborhoods like that close to these hospitals?

We aren't huge fans of planned communities, with all of the houses looking very similar, but we aren't opposed to it if it's the best option.

I'm curious about the public school education in SA. Are their some schools that are more reputable than others?

I'm also curious about how welcoming the community is in general to non-Texans?

Thanks for your help!
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Old 08-04-2014, 05:45 AM
 
1,807 posts, read 2,962,514 times
Reputation: 1469
Alamo Heights
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Old 08-04-2014, 06:00 AM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
432 posts, read 521,370 times
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I recently had to choose between Dallas and San Antonio as well, and I had the advantage of knowing them both very well.

It was a close call but S.A. won out due to less violent and extreme weather episodes, regular evening breezes in the summer, less intimidating freeways, closer to the beach, and nicer people. Schools and children issues were not important for me since I am retired.
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Old 08-04-2014, 08:25 AM
 
Location: San Antonio. Tx 78209
2,649 posts, read 7,425,841 times
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Alamo heights, Terrell hills or olmos park, just depends on your budget.
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Old 08-04-2014, 08:39 AM
 
Location: Henderson, NV
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Methodist and Baptist are healthcare systems that have hospitals all across the greater San Antonio sprawl. I assume the doctors might be working their specialty in multiple locations within their healthcare system, depending on the demand for their specialty. The medical center of the city is in the northwest, anchored by the UT Health Science Center and School of Medicine, but by no means defines all healthcare serving the public. The military medical complex is huge, and the San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) serves both military and civilian communities here. Thousands of military medical students pass through the city as Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is home to the Army Medical training center. So between a university system, a military system, Veterans system, and multiple corporate systems, San Antonio is a vast medical community. My wife is a registered nurse (and a former Army nurse) who worked at NE Baptist for a few years--one of the many hospitals under the Baptist flag. She currently works in a specialized research firm with 10-12 physicians on staff--my point here is there is also diversity in medical job options.

San Antonio is not a concentrated city. Services are clustered in the many communities that make up the city, but walking to everything as you describe your current community is going to cut your options. Kids in my neighborhood walk to elementary and middle school, but HS would be too far. Commuting distance is a factor when planning where to live in relation to work location. For example, you can find great neighborhoods within 10-20 minute commutes to a Methodist or Baptist location that have retail amenities, services, libraries, pools, and parks. If public schools are the overriding factor in your relocation, Alamo Heights, Boerne, Northside Independent School Districts are pretty good start points.

What is your housing budget? Rent or buy? I think you will find your housing dollar will go much further in TX than NY, and you can find a wide range of options. I am not a real estate agent or a TX native, but we chose TX to retire, and both of our adult children (products of TX public grade 5-12 schools) have careers within south central TX. You will find plenty of friendly native Texans right alongside us transplants...you don't need to worry about anyone who judges you about where you are from instead of who you are...

San Antonio offers so many good options for living...we looked at dozens of properties each time we moved here (2000 and 2012) and it was tough to choose because many neighborhoods stacked up to our desires

Good luck on your move.
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Old 08-04-2014, 10:39 AM
 
26 posts, read 31,934 times
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Thanks for all your tips! We'd like to rent for the first year, we currently rent a 3 bedroom house in the tristate area for 3,600. We'd obviously be more than happy to spend less than that! I'd say ideally we'd like to rent a four bedroom house in a nice area for 2,000-2,500. We don't want to buy right away so we can really find an area we love rather than move our kids in a few years when they'd be older and more settled in schools. Eventually, I'd say our housing budget for a starter home would be in the mid 300's? Does that seem reasonable in the area? It's a totally different ball park up in NY we couldn't find a shoe box in our area for mid 300's.

I'm going to look into all of the areas you recommended. Our family lives in the Stone Oak Area and in the community where that JW Marriott is. Are they close to Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills?
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Old 08-04-2014, 10:53 AM
 
1,552 posts, read 2,322,653 times
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Time to look at Google maps.

You can go for older upscale houses near Alamo Heights but surrounding areas are pretty sketchy in part.

For a 1/2 hr commute you can go into new neighborhoods along the north 1064 Loop. Prices will astound you as compared to NY.

As far as welcoming, people are. I know many NY types who fit in and are welcome. The ones who don't whine about TX customs and why they can't get a good bagel.

I saw one horrified by the concealed carry permit law as compared to NY and know quite a few others who are confirmed gun folks and delighted to be away from Bloombergitis.

If you adapt, you will do fine.
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Old 08-04-2014, 11:25 AM
 
Location: San Antonio. Tx 78209
2,649 posts, read 7,425,841 times
Reputation: 1763
Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM-Texas View Post
Time to look at Google maps.

You can go for older upscale houses near Alamo Heights but surrounding areas are pretty sketchy in part.
HAhahahaha I haven't had a laugh that hard in years. There is nothing bordering alamo heights that could remotely be called sketchy. Hahaha
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Old 08-04-2014, 11:44 AM
 
1,552 posts, read 2,322,653 times
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Sorry, I work around there and that's quite incorrect.
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Old 08-04-2014, 11:50 AM
 
Location: San Antonio. Tx 78209
2,649 posts, read 7,425,841 times
Reputation: 1763
Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM-Texas View Post
Sorry, I work around there and that's quite incorrect.
Sorry I live there, your opinion is wrong. BTW McCullough and Hildebrand isn't Alamo Heights, it's not even in the 09.
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