West Side Revitalization (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio: rental, townhomes, new construction)

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by raisins99

I'm not sure I'm really looking for a fixer upper at this time. I was just curious about the west side because i started noticing very cheap new housing and the listings included info on a revitalization project. I'm very new to San Antonio. It's not at all what it's touted as. Somehow it's still billed as this super affordable city but it's beyond that affordable label, except for some small pockets in less desirable areas. If I buy a house in a city, it needs to be something I can afford on my meager income and also hopefully something that increases in price so that I can earn something off it when I move.

I might look more into the east side, though it looked a bit like a war zone in the couple of places I drove through.

Directly east of Downtown is not so bad.

[supfromthesite]

San Antonio is still cheaper than Austin, Houston, and Dallas/Fort Worth.

[huckster]

I have looked at the two areas in your last post. A brand new house is infinitely more preferable
than a used one. There is little or no maintenance involved in a new house. Built with modern technology. Watch it though, the cheaper home builders around these parts will cut corners while building, when they can. If you have a house built here, I would pay attention. You will make the best inspector.
However, the areas shown in maps in your last post are not so good
I believe you would be probably alright , buy there. There are worse places to live... however if you can I would wait. Wait, reconsider, and seek residence further out of the City center.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by rynetwo

Jobs have been moving downtown in droves. Also gentrification will be slow in San Antonio because the city will not let you tear down anything in a historical neighborhood. Look at a map of historical areas and you will find plenty.

Um, property tax data indicate the exact opposite. The gentrification of the urban historic districts has accelerated in the past 5 years or so. In fact, part of the reason we have the Mayor's Housing Task Force is to address the problem created by gentrification.

Gentrification has zero to do with tearing down properties, quite the opposite. It's the restoring of historic properties that is driving up values.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by raisins99

Yes, I'm frustrated at the responses I've received here. Mostly from those who seem angry that I don't believe this is an affordable city as it's touted or that I have zero interested in these new build neighborhoods. It's like asking about low cost established areas is enraging people.

San Antonio absolutely has an affordable housing problem. While we're more affordable than other large cities, that doesn't mean we're affordable given our current income levels. I forget the exact statistics now, but something like 60% of our population earn below what is necessary to purchase an average home in SA.

Here is an interesting article about a couple who moved to the west side. https://www.folomedia.org/couple-cho...income-living/

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by Chaka

Um, property tax data indicates the exact opposite. The gentrification of the urban historic districts has accelerated in the past 5 years or so. In fact, part of the reason we have the Mayor's Housing Task Force is to address the problem created by gentrification.

Gentrification has zero to do with tearing down properties, quite the opposite. It's the restoring of historic properties that is driving up values.

If you compare Houston or Dallas to San Antonio then we are slow. Houston will let a developer move in and tear down an entire block and build three story homes on them.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by rynetwo

If you compare Houston or Dallas to San Antonio then we are slow. Houston will let a developer move in and tear down an entire block and build three story homes on them.

This is very true. I have seen some really nice houses in Bunker Hill Village that were maintained well be torn down for new construction in Houston a few years ago. We are talking nice one-story ranch homes on big lots.

I was told that this is driven by the demand of wanting to escape the daily traffic commute to the DT area but want new construction.

[raisins99]

This was a common issue in Atlanta. Beautiful, well maintained suburban communities inside the perimeter started to be bought up by the super wealthy who bought the house simply for the lot, bulldozed the house and then built a huge mcmansion in it's place. You end up with this three story 8000 sq ft house squeezed in right next to 2k sq ft ranch homes. No care in the world for how it would affect the community.

Originally Posted by Chaka

San Antonio absolutely has an affordable housing problem. While we're more affordable than other large cities, that doesn't mean we're affordable given our current income levels. I forget the exact statistics now, but something like 60% of our population earn below what is necessary to purchase an average home in SA.

Here is an interesting article about a couple who moved to the west side. https://www.folomedia.org/couple-cho...income-living/

Wow, that's a huge disparity in income differences.

I really enjoyed that profile about the couple. Most of the stuff I've been reading about people who move into the West Side has been fairly positive. I sort of wish I had considered an apartment in that area instead of where I am for the next year.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Chaka

.

Gentrification has zero to do with tearing down properties, quite the opposite. It's the restoring of historic properties that is driving up values.

That may be the way you see it in your part of the urban core, but throughout the nation it is quite the opposite. As someone else mentioned in Atlanta and I see daily in Austin. If I had the ability I would lovingly restore some of the homes in Austin, but developers come in and add two townhomes on a lot that had a 1600 sq ft home with an amazing yard. I don't think this is a far fetched idea in the SA area if it keeps growing. SA keeps talking about courting millennials through whatever means. Millennials want to be within walking distance of all the fun stuff whatever city they are in has to offer, and that means more housing, not better more "historic" housing, no matter which way you slice it.

[Azure110]

It was happening in San Antonio in Terrell Hills for awhile 10-15 years ago as well. Several Oneil Ford and Milton Ryan homes were lost in that area because the land market value far exceeded the value of the home itself. It was a shame.