Moving from Florida to SA

[Scamp]

Originally Posted by dmorg

Any suggestions on what apartments are the best apartments to live at/which ones to stay away from?

In your situation, I can definitely give you a suggestion that'd be worth your serious consideration.

Moderator cut: realtor

The apartments are the oldest complex on the north side of town, built in 1949, but have been completely remodeled. You won't find anyone who will warn you off the location. It's is wonderfully located on the outside of the upscale Alamo Heights area and convenient to two highways, loop 410 and downtown. The restaurants in the area are excellent and it is close to any entertainment worth attending in the SA area.

As an aside, Sunset Ridge is known as the "Divorce Courts" by local attorneys due to its frequent use as temporary lodging for Alamo Heights divorcees.

The neighborhood behind the apartments features some older, smaller homes that are a good value as they retain their value well because, while they are city of San Antonio serviced, they are within the prestiges Alamo Heights school district. This makes them an important draw for sale or rental.

I don't know your price range, but my first recommendation would be the Alamo Heights area or Olmos Park proper. After that would be some of the many diverse incorporated cities and townships within the SA area. After that would be some of the established neighborhoods. My recommendations there would depend upon your price range and interests. I love and grew up in Alamo Heights but moved into a township because I have kids and wanted at least an acre of land and the protection of a local police department.

Good luck on the move. If I were you, I'd go with your plan for an apartment and then take in the area for yourself and seek recommendations from friends with similar interests.

-Scamp

[dmorg]

This is slightly off base, but I'm just being curious. Does SA offer dance clubs, like country western where you can go dancing, 2-step, etc. In Florida where I live these people have no understanding about boots and hats<laughing> if you don't were flip flops you way out there. And if you wear a cowboy hat, unless you go to the far North counties along Ala and Georgia, you're considered strange.

[Robert123]

There are tons of country western dance places. You will fit right in with a cowboy hat, absolutely, no worries at all.

[JRTexas55]

I moved from Palm Beach Gardens , FL (North of West Palm Beach) to Boerne, Texas. 48th City in the nation to raise a family, excellent education system. I wanted to find something that would compare to PBG. Boerne was it for us. Small town environment, with the luxury of a Big City only 25-30 minutes aways.

[dmorg]

Hey JR, I just review information on the web about Boerne. Looks like a cosey little town 25 miles out of SA. Sweet. What's the age group of the town. I noticed alot of what I would call retiree type folks in alot of the advertisements and stories. Is it more of a retirement town? Also am I correct by saying based on what I saw in the reivew, basic property taxes on $100 valuation if your multiplier is .4422, your typical 300K home would run about $1326.60 per year in property tax or did I misread this?

[JRTexas55]

Originally Posted by dmorg

Hey JR, I just review information on the web about Boerne. Looks like a cosey little town 25 miles out of SA. Sweet. What's the age group of the town. I noticed alot of what I would call retiree type folks in alot of the advertisements and stories. Is it more of a retirement town? Also am I correct by saying based on what I saw in the reivew, basic property taxes on $100 valuation if your multiplier is .4422, your typical 300K home would run about $1326.60 per year in property tax or did I misread this?

when I moved here in '95, population was about 65-35% retiree. But, the quality of life, education, exposure of the area, etc. has brought that % to about 50-50%. But, those retirees have big bucks, which really adds to the business community. I must admit the property taxes are high, my home is value at $190,000, and my taxes in '06 were $4,038, but I don't mind paying the taxes for the type of services we get in return. But, I'll check the actual multiplier, and post it soon. If you have kids, here some Education facts...Boerne High school ranks ~in the top 150 in the nation, in the state I think its in the top 10-20, the school board ranks in the top 5. Boerne sport has won state in different sport since 2001, and always making the playoff in whatever sport. I work in San Antonio, but enjoy that small town atmosphere in the w/e's.

[wCat]

Hey Dmorg.....welcome to SA!

Boerne proper is a great quaint little town.....and yes...it has/was mostly retired folks living up there. Unfortunately it's losing it's hamlet appeal to the big developments and new construction. It is a great place to raise a family and the schools are great too...if that's a factor in your move. Almost anything along the I-10 and I-35 corridors are going to be good investments.
The far South area near the county line has historically been a rural area, but with the new Toyota plant, property in that area is also a good bet. I personally don't like the topography on the South side because it's more flat and sparce. I-10 NW head up to Kerrville and the hill country is rustic and beautiful.

If you like CW music and dining, the Scenic Loop Cafe out toward Helotes has great food, and if you hit it right, George Strait pops in for a jam session (he gets to because he owns it!)

I'm also house hunting, but I'm not new to SA. I've been watching real estate/condos and also rentals for a while since I've anticipated this move. I am NOT a realtor, so I have no interest in any company, complex or area.....but I have done a lot of leg work. Send me a note if you would like to talk more specifics about your move. Chances are I've been there or done that in the last 8 years since I moved back to SA.

[21bl0wed]

Originally Posted by Robert123

Another thing that I think all prospective transplants should know: You look at a map of the city and see the 410 and 1604 loops. Well, you visit the north side and then assume that the loops are "filled in" with development all around the city. They're not at all!! A couple of months ago I drove southwest from downtown and it was mostly fields and countryside from 410 to 1604. I couldn't believe it. I guess I had just assumed that the whole city was evenly developed.

Oh wow haha not a local?

As for a good place to live in sa, check in the 78230 zip or near that. Stay away from the sprawl. The old neighborhood i use to live in was built in the 60s it's off I10-wurzbach(technically I10-ramsgate) but anyway I really think thats the best area, crime? what crime?? The specific neighborhood i lived in was CHEAP, houses in the 80s. Yet all the neighborhoods around houses were no cheaper than in the 180-200s.

You would be literally like 4 minutes from the medical center. Can get to downtown in no more than 20 minutes in the highest "rush hour" traffic times. Airport is like 10 minutes away. La Cantera mall is really nice and about 5 minutes away. Theres an IMAX about 5 minutes away. And 410 is about 5 minutes away so you can get to the other interstates quickly. A lot of people hype up the far west area here but its not great. There's really not a lot out there, compared to the area i just mentioned. And the roads aren't capable of handling the traffic volumes now and much less in 5 years. Hope this helps!