Castle Hills Forest Neighborhood (San Antonio, Salado: cul-de-sac, new home, neighborhoods)

[little_thirsty]

We thirsties, Big and Little, are still on the hunt for the perfect place for our little family. Does any one know much about Castle Hills Forest? We found a house we like but don't know much about the area? Thanks City-datars...

[OzzyRules]

It's nice. One of my favorite neighborhoods in the North Central area.

[glenns]

Not sure where exactly Castle Hills Forest is, but we recently bought a house in what is technically Oak Glen Park, one street outside of Castle Hills. We had been waiting for something to come on the market in that area for a while, so when one we liked did, we jumped on it. We really like the older neighborhoods with mature, oak tree-lined streets. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful, but has enough kids around so that my 10 year old isn't parked in front of the TV all the time. He goes to Castle Hills Elementary, which has been great so far. He has gone to private schools before this, but we felt strongly enough about CHE that we put him in there, and so far, it has been a great decision.
I highly recommend the area.

[TXRose]

CHF is a great neighborhood. Great location, IMO...just a short drive to so many things. I would also look into Oak Meadow, if you like that neighborhood. I think that the homes there are a little nicer (at least that was my parents' experience when they were looking about 10 years ago). Homes in OM are going for about $70-$80/sq ft depending on rennovations, etc.

[little_thirsty]

Thanks for all of your postings. TXRose we went and looked around Oak Meadow and I have to agree its great there! There are so many pretty areas here, it is so tough picking which one to live in! And Glenns that was great to hear about your area. We like the mature trees, quiet neighborhoods, but also have a child and hope she will have some playmates in the area. Its also great to hear about the schools too, our little one is just a toddler but I know she will be heading to school before I know it! Ozzyrules, thanks for your input too, its nice to hear what others think of the area you are looking to buy in! Thanks again for all your help!

[banker]

CHF is a nice area too - but there are lots of small houses with one car garages that tend to drag down the overall feel of being a nice neighborhood once you get farther back into it. Granted they are cheaper - but I wonder how that will affect long term home value and price appreciation. I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood that had homes selling in the low $100K range less than 1,500 square feet with a one car garage - not in todays market. Just my opinion - my wife and I looked in there six years ago before we finally purchased in Churchill Forest - which doesn't have those small starter homes and therefore a higher overall price range. Churchill Forest has had better price appreciation than CHF.

However - if you like alleys - then CHF may be the neighborhood for you.

[catriona]

Originally Posted by banker

CHF is a nice area too - but there are lots of small houses with one car garages that tend to drag down the overall feel of being a nice neighborhood once you get farther back into it. Granted they are cheaper - but I wonder how that will affect long term home value and price appreciation. I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood that had homes selling in the low $100K range less than 1,500 square feet with a one car garage - not in todays market. Just my opinion - my wife and I looked in there six years ago before we finally purchased in Churchill Forest - which doesn't have those small starter homes and therefore a higher overall price range. Churchill Forest has had better price appreciation than CHF.

However - if you like alleys - then CHF may be the neighborhood for you.

Bexar Appraisal doesn't seem to mind that there are garden homes in this neighborhood, judging by my mother's latest tax statement.....

CHF is surrounded by subdivisions that have higher evaluations, which is what is keeping the evaluations up.

[banker]

Originally Posted by catriona

CHF is surrounded by subdivisions that have higher evaluations, which is what is keeping the evaluations up.

As is Churchill Forest - except Churchill Forest has a larger average size and all homes have two car garages - no garden homes or small "starter" homes like in CHF.

[cbra]

I put an offer on a 4 bedroom, 2 car garage home in Castle Hills Forest. I really like this home. And I love the trees and the huge lot it sits on. The inspection report came back fine. Can anyone tell me who the builder was? The home was built in 1988. Also, has anyone heard of home being flooded by the Salado Creek that runs behind the neighborhood?

After all the horrible things I have heard about Rayco, Ray Ellison, and KB Homes, I really don't want any of those. Some mentioned to me that the builder was Schaeffer Homes but I have heard of them. I don't even know where to begin searching for this information. My Realtor doesn't know and I couldn't find any builder information via Google.

Any help you can offer would be a blessing.

Thanks!

[banker]

Originally Posted by cbra

I put an offer on a 4 bedroom, 2 car garage home in Castle Hills Forest. I really like this home. And I love the trees and the huge lot it sits on. The inspection report came back fine. Can anyone tell me who the builder was? The home was built in 1988. Also, has anyone heard of home being flooded by the Salado Creek that runs behind the neighborhood?

After all the horrible things I have heard about Rayco, Ray Ellison, and KB Homes, I really don't want any of those. Some mentioned to me that the builder was Schaeffer Homes but I have heard of them. I don't even know where to begin searching for this information. My Realtor doesn't know and I couldn't find any builder information via Google.

Any help you can offer would be a blessing.

Thanks!

I live in Churchill Forest on a cul-de-sac over looking Salado Creek and it has never flooded Churchill Forest or Castle Hills Forest. Both neighborhoods have great drainage and are high enough above the creek to avoid flooding.

I would be cautious about writing off KB as a potential home. Ray Ellison was a horrible builder back in the 80's. (on par with centex/fieldstone toady in terms of % siding and borring box floorplans) In the late 80's/early 90's they changed their name to RAYCO then in 1996 KB purchased RAYCO here in San Antonio and began what has turned out to be a successful move for KB. Unfortunately KB inherrited RAYCO's reputation as the builder of horrible homes with no style or quality. KB contributed to this by continuing to build many of RAYCO's floor plans so the perception that the houses were the same continued.

KB has worked very diligently to change the perception of the buying public by building better communities, leaving more trees, offering 100% four sides brick in many communities and building in very desireable parts of town. Just look at communities like The Quarry at Iron Mountain, Saddle Mountain, Cobblestone, The Woods of Alon and The Trails at Herff Ranch to see that their new product is worlds better than anything RAYCO or even KB of 10 years ago offered. Many people don't even investigate KB and miss out on some wonderful homes in the process.

I used to be in your camp - hating KB - until my wife and I decided to build a new home. When we started looking at homes under construction, standard features, standard four sides brick - not half walls like Pulte does where they don't brick the second floor which screams cheap in my opinion (hard to find these days), large lots with native trees we discovered that KB was one of the few builders that had what we needed. We are building a home in the Quarry at Iron Mountain building on a 1/4 acre lot. Many people have a hard time believing KB can build a nice house - and it is because they don't really investigate the options. Instead they just go on decades old perceptions. The people that peddle the perception have most likely never been in a modern KB home. Not a single person that I have spoken with has driven through much less walked through KB's Quarry neighborhood or any of the communities I mentioned above. They assume KB = RAYCO and nothing has changed.

I would challenge you to step outside of the narrow minded box that most people are in when it comes to KB and truly investigate their current offerings. Check out the foundations, framing, floor plans - everything...and then make up your mind. Compare them to other builders offerings - you will be surprised to see how well they stack up.

I would be cautious about buying on the high end of Castle Hills Forest as they have some small starter homes in the back that are really run down with single car garages. No matter how good the original builder - if the home isn't maintained and is too small/cheap for modern buyers then it will drag down the over all neighborhood. Churchill Forest on the other side of the Salado Creek has a nicer selection of homes with the average size being larger and all homes having two car garages.

Overall this is a great part of town - I have lived in Churchill Forest for six 1/2 years and have loved it. KB is building right down the street at Wurzbach/NW Military in the Woods of Alon which will be really nice - but the community wasn't going to be ready soon enough for us which is why we are building in the quarry.