Need info on the area near the SA Botanical Garden (Houston: for sale, apartment)

[texan_176]

Broadway is the nearest major street I was on if that kind of helps to explain where I am talking about. There is a Jeep dealership on that street nearby that looks to have recently gone out of business.

Anyway, is this a good part of town?

The homes on the street that goes to the garden look to be at least 50-60 years old and many are in good to fair condition. In other words, the yuppies did not move in and gentrify the area and the scum of society has not moved in to smoke crack.

I have been a Houstonian for nearly 30 years but kind of consider a move to SA in the back of my mind at times. Houston has just gotten way too overcrowded and the quality of life has declined greatly. Don't even get me started on the out of control city govt./property value for taxation revenue scam.

What I look for in a place to buy a home is a well established area where crime is low, there will never likely be major changes like a Walmart being built nearby, mature trees, a mix of older and younger residents (not all yuppies or all gangster/criminals), etc.... I have also thought about buying a house that is just a complete wreck in such an area to do a demolition and rebuild a comperable size home on the lot. Not a McMansion that has a brick front and siding around the other faces that is a 3300 sq ft monster sitting where an 1800 sq ft house used to be.

This is all speculation at this point. I would have to find a job in SA first since my company opperates only in the Houston area.

What does the average house in that area cost?

[Eleanor Rigby]

That street would be Funston in Mahncke Park. That area is currently in the midst of a gentrification cycle, and it's what I've seen referred to on here as a "block-by-block adventure", meaning that some blocks are almost completely gentrified, some are a mix of redone homes and untouched housing stock that are perfectly pleasant, and some are blocks I wouldn't want to be found on after dark. I think the farther north, the more that's been reclaimed, and the better it gets.

I know there is at least one frequent poster on the board who lives in that neighborhood. I want to say that they are working on a historic designation, so tearing something down would be frowned upon, unless it was one of the really awful low-end apartment buildings, in which case the neighbors would probably help you tear it down themselves.

Another area to look in that would fit your needs would be East Terrell Hills, which is essentially a straight line North/North East from where you are talking about. It's not as fancy as Terrell Hills, but has never really gotten trendy, and also never fell into a downward slump.

[ashbeeigh]

Also look at Alamo Heights. Depending on how much money your are able to spend that would be a good area and is within minutes of the Botanical Gardens.

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by Eleanor Rigby

That street would be Funston in Mahncke Park. That area is currently in the midst of a gentrification cycle, and it's what I've seen referred to on here as a "block-by-block adventure", meaning that some blocks are almost completely gentrified, some are a mix of redone homes and untouched housing stock that are perfectly pleasant, and some are blocks I wouldn't want to be found on after dark. I think the farther north, the more that's been reclaimed, and the better it gets.

I know there is at least one frequent poster on the board who lives in that neighborhood. I want to say that they are working on a historic designation, so tearing something down would be frowned upon, unless it was one of the really awful low-end apartment buildings, in which case the neighbors would probably help you tear it down themselves.

Another area to look in that would fit your needs would be East Terrell Hills, which is essentially a straight line North/North East from where you are talking about. It's not as fancy as Terrell Hills, but has never really gotten trendy, and also never fell into a downward slump.

Agree with all this. The city has already established what's called a Neighborhood Conservation District for Mahncke Park (NCD-6), which places residential guidelines in place to make it tougher to do the McMansion thing (or to increase density substantially). Sort of like a "Lite" Historic District.

The only other thing I would add is that unless you're willing to put up with some, uh, "transition", you should stay north of Funston. There is great housing stock south of Funston, but it's still a bit sketchy. That said, if you can deal with that for a few years, the area should really turn around (and you'll be rewarded with a much higher property value increase).

Good luck.

[ShaneSA]

I just have to throw my 2 cents in here. Your talking about my "hood". All the posts have been right. I started buying in Mahncke Park 15 years ago. People then thought I was crazy. I may still be crazy, but it paid off. There are blocks or patches of not yet discovered properties. I don;t think they will be that way much longer, especially with the BRAC redo of Fort Sam houston and the huge influx of workers, both civilian and ,military coming into Fort Sam. There is already evidence of it.
The one thing I would add is that I and several others will fight any designation of Historic District. It puts way too many restrictions and other people deciding what you can and cannot do to your property. The Conservation District designation is sufficent to maintain the style and feel of the area.
I'm proud of my hood and glad I live here.

[LindaGrace]

I just saw a house for sale in Mahncke Park - 2/1 going for $199,000. I'd say the regentrification is well under way at those prices!

It's a great area and I'd love to live there if I could afford it.

[jake2071]

The area around Broadway is nice. The Alamo Heights area is nice. A little more yuppier though. You might want to look down Broadway street past Hildebrand past the University of Incarnate Word. There is the HEB Central market and other nice shops and eats. All of that area is gonna grow more. Eseciallysince they just built the new fancy, highrise condos (The Broadway San Antonio)