Relocating to SA from Minneapolis (San Antonio, Spring: house, neighborhoods, construction)

[ranakamal]

My husband, two daughters (3 and 7) and I are relocating to SA in the spring. We are looking for a community with young families, good schools with easy access to restaurants and shopping. Our price range is $450,000-$650,000.

We just recently visited SA and liked the following areas:

La Cantera Area
Dominion
Shavano
Stone Oak

We are worried about the traffic in Stone Oak (hubby works at USAA and have heard it gets pretty backed up there). We really like Dominion, but are unsure the girls will have a lot of young kids to play with?

We are in need of insight as we embark on this new journey! And if there are other communities you recommend, we would love to hear more!

[Azure110]

It is going to get pretty backed up going to the Dominion from USAA as well depending on the hours.

That being said, check out Oak Hills near 410 and Fredericksburg. The neighborhood is divided in half by Callaghan rd when it comes to school district. South of Callaghan is SAISD and North of Callaghan is NISD. Your husband will have much easier and closer access to USAA. NISD is considered the better school district.

Some people here may recommend Boerne but you are not going to find the traffic situation much better, much worse actually. IMHO.

Good luck.

[SunRunnerKel]

We bought our house in the Dominion 7+ months ago (June 2018). The Dominion is a fairly large community. Families with young kids, older people, middle age people, single people, married people, make their homes in the Dominion.


During our house hunt we looked at several homes just inside the Dominion north gate, which had swingsets and soccer nets in the backyards.


TMI is a private school located not far from the Dominion south gate. For public school I believe Dominion is in the Leon Springs school district.


Good luck with your house search!

[ashbeeigh]

I had ole ty of friends that had parents working at USAA when I lived in the Shavano park area. Getting into Shavano Park proper may be tough, but the _____ of shavano neighborhoods could be doable. Traffic still sucks but it’s not as bad as dominion traffic and I’m sure there are young families in that area. Check out areas in 78249 and 78230.

[BoerneMan]

Originally Posted by ranakamal

My husband, two daughters (3 and 7) and I are relocating to SA in the spring. We are looking for a community with young families, good schools with easy access to restaurants and shopping. Our price range is $450,000-$650,000.

We just recently visited SA and liked the following areas:

La Cantera Area
Dominion
Shavano
Stone Oak

We are worried about the traffic in Stone Oak (hubby works at USAA and have heard it gets pretty backed up there). We really like Dominion, but are unsure the girls will have a lot of young kids to play with?

We are in need of insight as we embark on this new journey! And if there are other communities you recommend, we would love to hear more!

Did you look at Boerne? There are many neighborhoods in your price range with young families with kids. One of the best school districts in the state of Texas. It's booming and traffic on I-10 can be a problem at rush hour, but the highway expansion will be complete late this year and traffic will improve considerably. Depending on where you are in Boerne, without traffic it's 15-25 minutes from USAA; with typical rush hour traffic, it's 20-45 minutes depending on Boerne location.

Small town feel, great parks and walking trails, sports, unique local restaurants, amazing library, arts, cultural events and the property taxes (if you're in Kendall County) will be less than on a comparable home in any of the areas you listed. There's a reason why Family Circle named Boerne one of the top 10 towns for families in the US and Niche ranked it the top town in Texas to raise a family.

[flashfearless]

I’ve been in stone oak for a little while. If I had to do it over again I’d do shavano Park. Their own Police force, a wonderfully staffed post office (the best in San Antonio) and just an overall better vibe in my opinion. And no San Antonio taxes.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by flashfearless

I’ve been in stone oak for a little while. If I had to do it over again I’d do shavano Park. Their own Police force, a wonderfully staffed post office (the best in San Antonio) and just an overall better vibe in my opinion. And no San Antonio taxes.

True, but you just have City of Shavano Park taxes instead of San Antonio. And of course, the school district (the biggest bite), the county, hospital district, ACCD, etc., are still in the mix.


Shavano Park assesses a lower property tax rate than San Antonio, but the assessed values are higher in that municipality so that pushes up the taxable amount. The other taxing entities (like the schools) have the same tax rate, regardless of what city the property is located in, so the total tax bill may end up being higher in Shavano Park, for that reason.


The OP's price range is probably going to be the low end in Shavano Park proper.

[ranakamal]

Originally Posted by SunRunnerKel

We bought our house in the Dominion 7+ months ago (June 2018). The Dominion is a fairly large community. Families with young kids, older people, middle age people, single people, married people, make their homes in the Dominion.


During our house hunt we looked at several homes just inside the Dominion north gate, which had swingsets and soccer nets in the backyards.


TMI is a private school located not far from the Dominion south gate. For public school I believe Dominion is in the Leon Springs school district.


Good luck with your house search!

How has your experience been in the Dominion so far?

Do you find that there is a community feel? Is it easy to get to know people since the subdivision is so large?

[houstmom]

Have you looked into Hill Country Village or Hollywood Park? The lots are large and the house will probably be on a sewer system but IMO the location is excellent and the schools are good.

[TXStrat]

If you look a little past the Dominion, Boerne (pronounced Bernie) schools are some of the top in the area. Traffic on I-10 is heavy with all the construction, but the expansion to three general purpose lanes, and one HOV lane in each direction will smooth things out. That project is ongoing.


The I-10 NW corridor has all the things you mention. Dining, shopping, entertainment, etc. There are numerous neighborhoods between Fair Oaks Ranch and Boerne that are in your price range, and have plenty of young families.

Good luck with move! Try to arrive in spring so you can ease into your first SA summer.