Fort Sam Houston PCS

Built between 1895 and 1903, recently renovated - $89,900

2011-12-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

More pictures coming soon!

Grand Old Lady built on approximately 2 acres near downtown San Antonio

2011-12-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

More pictures coming soon!

Large, fully-rehabbed 5/3.5 located five minutes from Fort Sam Houston. Offered at $199,900

2011-09-27T08:43:00.001-07:00

Three-bedroom house for sale - $82,900 - short commute to Fort Sam Houston and BAMC

2011-07-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

This house is located just outside Dignowity Hill.

Home inspections

2011-06-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

You will find a list of home inspectors in the San Antonio area at the bottom of this post. All the inspectors may not be on there, but the list is from our MLS so it should be a good start.

I always recommend that my buyer clients hire the independent inspector of their choice to take a detailed look at the house they've made an offer on. The process works like this: find the house you would like to buy, make an offer, negotiate and enter into a contract (with option period), hire an inspector to inspect the property, negotiate for repairs (or a drop in price) - or back out. Your real estate agent will help you through that process. (Call us if you don't already have an agent; we never charge a buyer for representation.)

Home inspectors in San Antonio

Dignowity Hill house featured in the Express-News

2011-05-15T10:48:00.001-07:00

This neighborhood is only minutes from Fort Sam Houston and BAMC. Click HERE for the full article and for some pictures.

Buying a home in Texas: step-by-step

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1. Find a REALTOR who will help you through the entire process: call Sylvie Shurgot, military relocation specialist, at (210) 380-8681 or email sshurgot@gmail.com

2. Go to a mortgage company and obtain pre-qualification

This will help you figure out how much house you can afford. It doesn't make much sense to look at $300,000 houses if the lender will only let you borrow $200,000 (unless of course you have cash to make up the difference). Your lender and your real estate agent can help you find the magic number.

3. Make a list of the characteristics you're looking for in your new home (neighborhood or area of town, number of bedrooms, square footage, and so on).

This list will help you and your real estate professional narrow the search and avoid wasting time. A good agent is a good listener who will make small adjustments to your list as you look at houses in person.

4. Give your REALTOR a copy of the pre-qualification letter and of your list of characteristics

Most listing agents require a pre-qualification or even a pre-approval letter with the offer you make on the property. If you're paying cash, the seller and his agent will want to see proof of funds.

5. Your REALTOR will access the Multiple Listings Service and look for properties within your price range that fit your description. She will set up a secure site for you to access all the information and pictures of those properties through the internet. If you don't have internet access, you can meet with your agent in person and look through houses.

This first stage will help you weed out the properties you don't like and decide with ones you want to see in person.

6. Once you have found the house you want to buy, your agent will write up a contract and all the required addenda to present to the seller. The price you offer will depend on the market analysis conducted by your agent. Obviously you don't want to pay more than the market value of the property. There may be some "back and forth" and counter-offers at this point.

7. When your offer is accepted, your agent will deposit your earnest money with the title company. You will use the option period (usually 10 days) to have your inspection done by an independent inspector of your choosing.

The inspection report will list (and provide pictures of) everything that needs attention, perhaps some plumbing issues, a cracked window, a roof in need of repair, etc. You can go back to the seller and ask that some or all the repairs be done, or you can request a price adjustment. You may also decide not to buy the property at all, in which case the seller will keep your option fee and the title company will refund your earnest money.

8. At this point your agent will work closely with the title company to ensure all the proper paperwork is submitted in a timely manner.

There may be HOA documents to be submitted, the lender may require a survey or accept a previous one, the lender will send an appraiser to the property; countless details have to be attended to.

9. As the closing date approaches, your agent will make sure everything is in order and ready for the closing. You will set a closing date and time.

10.On closing day, you will need to bring two forms of ID and a cashier's check in the amount calculated by the escrow officer (the person at the title company who will have you sign all the documents). Before going to close on your new home, you will complete a final walk-through with your agent.

The purpose of the final walk-through is for you to make sure everything on the property is as it should be, based on the contract.

Interesting houses near Fort Sam Houston

2011-01-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

2011-01-06T09:45:00.000-08:00

Help us welcome Tyler Tully to our real estate family! Tyler has extensive experience helping military families relocate to and from our wonderful city. With an office centrally located near downtown, he can easily reach every area of San Antonio. This is especially convenient if you're being reassigned to Fort Sam Houston or BAMC; our office is 5 short minutes away from Fort Sam Houston and Tyler is very familiar with the neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity. Keep your commute short, call Tyler at (210) 688-0079.

Neighborhoods surrounding Fort Sam Houston and BAMC

2010-11-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

All of these are a short distance from Fort Sam Houston.

Posts that are italicized and hyperlinked have a more detailed related article in this blog. If you have any questions, please email me!

Alamo Heights
- Alta Vista
- Army Terrace
- Beacon Hill
Dignowity Hill and Dedicated blog
East Terrell Heights
East Terrell Hills
Government Hill
King William
Laurel Heights - not enough homes sold to provide reliable data
Lavaca
Mahncke Park
Monte Vista
Northridge Park
Northwood Estates
Oakwell Farms
Terrell Heights
Terrell Hills
Terrell Park
Tobin Hill
Westfort
Wilshire Park
Wilshire Terrace

4/3/2 Home for sale near Fort Sam Houston

2010-11-06T05:48:00.000-07:00

Another record-breaking July for selling prices

2010-08-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

This year, San Antonio reached another historical high for median selling prices of single residential properties with $154,025. Most of the country has not recovered from the real estate woes of two years ago, but once again the San Antonio market is better than ever.

Pictures of Homes Near Fort Sam - Dignowity Hill

2010-03-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to a companion blog focusing on my neighborhood, Dignowity Hill

I'll be posting pictures of properties in other neighborhoods near Fort Sam Houston, so be sure to come back and take a look!

Texas First Time Homebuyer Program (FTHB)

2010-03-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

If you're moving to Texas and are a first-time home-buyer, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) might be a useful resource for obtaining a loan with a lower interest rate - "typically 1% below current market rates" according to the TDHCA website. Being a "first-time home-buyer" doesn't mean that you've never owned a home but, rather, that you "have not owned a home within the past three years."

You might also be able to qualify for down payment assistance; find out through this other TDHCA LINK.

Northwood Estates

2010-03-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

Northwood Estates is located north of Fort Sam Houston, relatively close to Loop 410. It provides an ideal situation for family members who need to commute to Fort Sam or get on Loop 410 to reach other areas.

Here are the median selling prices for 2004 to 2009:

Homes in this neighborhood were built mainly in the 50's with a few in each subsequent decade, and the occasional 1930's home. The more expensive ones on lots just under an acre. Square footage ranges from about 1,000 to over 8,000 sqft. Homes have 2 to 5 bedroom and 1 to 5 full bathrooms; some also have half-baths.

The zip code for Northwood Estates is 78209, the same as for the famous city of Alamo Heights. As a matter of fact, some Northwood school children attend Alamo Heights schools. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just 78209.

Zip Code

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78234 Fort Sam Houston

King William

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This prestigious historical neighborhood was one of the first areas in San Antonio to be developed, during the second half of the 19th century. It offers a wide range of homes, from less than 500 square feet to over 8,000 sqft, 1 to 10 bedrooms, and 1 to 10 bathrooms. If you're looking for historical features and proximity to downtown San Antonio, this is the place for you. Prices can range from less than $100,000 for a modest home in need of repairs to over $2,500,000 for a mansion.

There are two zip codes for King William: 78210 and 78204 (both hyperlinked). Be careful if you research this neighborhood for crime statistics by zip code because some areas with higher crime rates also fall into the 78210 zip code.

Government Hill

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Government Hill is located on the south side of Fort Sam Houston and neighbors the post. As in many of the other older areas, properties offer a great deal of variety in size, price, number of rooms, etc. Here you'll find homes with 1 to 7 bedrooms, 1 to 5 bathrooms and from under 500 sqft to over 5,000 sqft.

Zip code 78208. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just 78208.

Monte Vista

2009-12-30T14:51:00.000-08:00

Monte Vista offers quite a range of properties, varying in size from about 1,000 sqft to about 8,000 sqft with 2 to 6 bedrooms and 1 to 6 bathrooms. Homes were built from the late 1800's to this century, with a large number dating from the 1920's and 1930's.

The neighborhood is located just west of Fort Sam Houston and is close to Brackenridge Park, downtown, several colleges and universities, private schools, major highways, and much more; it has a prestigious reputation in San Antonio.
Zip code 78212. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just 78212.

Dignowity Hill

2009-12-15T06:46:00.001-08:00

Dignowity Hill is special to me because that's where my home and my office are located. If you look at an earlier post or at the dedicated blog, you'll see pictures of some of the homes in the area, some in serious need of TLC and some already renovated. Here's the good news - look at this graph:

That's right, the median selling price for 2009 is right around $29,000. Residents of Dignowity Hill believe that they live in the only area of San Antonio where one can buy a house with so little money and end up with beautiful home once the renovations are completed. And these homes have character!

So what types of homes can you find? The answer is: quite a variety. Most of the houses were built out of wood. Many have either two or three bedrooms and one bathroom, but I know of homes that have 5 or 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Size varies from less than 1,000 square feet to over 3,000 square feet.

Zip code 78202. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just 78202.

Oakwell Farms

2009-12-15T06:24:00.000-08:00

This controlled access community offer homes from under 1,500 sqft to over 6,000 sqft, built from the early 1980's on. Many of those homes were custom built with 2 to 6 bedrooms and 2 to 6.5 bathrooms. Oakwell Farms is located right on harry Wurzbach, which leads straight to Fort Sam Houston.

Zip code 78218. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just Oakwell Farms.

Wilshire Park

2009-11-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Wilshire Park homes were built in the 1950's to 1970's, have 3 to 4 bedrooms and many only have 1 bathroom perhaps with a half bath as well; square footage varies from less than 1,000 sqft to over 2,000 sqft. The neighborhood is located right outside Fort Sam, on the northeast side and right off I-35.

Here's the sales price trend:

Zip code 78218. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just Wilshire Park.

Mahncke Park

2009-11-22T16:28:00.001-08:00

Named after City Park Commissioner Ludwig Mahncke, the neighborhood offers homes that were built in the 1910's to 1940's with a few earlier and a few later. It is surrounded by Fort Sam Houston, the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, San Antonio Country Club, and the prestigious community of Alamo Heights.

Mahncke Park has a great deal of variety with square footage varying from less than 1,000 to over 3,000 square feet and the number of bedrooms/bathrooms from 1/1 to 5/3.

Residents love the proximity to downtown and the fact that they have a "walkable" neighborhood. Note that craftsman's bungalows similar to those of Mahncke Park can run about $200,000 cheaper in nearby areas.

For more information check out the Neighborhood Association website; use the following link for a little history.

As of November 22nd this year, 22 homes were sold in this neighborhood with a median selling price of $185,250. Price remained quite stable through the recent housing crisis.

Zip code 78209. You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just Mahncke Park.

Buying property in Texas? Who's on the team?

2009-11-21T06:05:00.001-08:00

The listing agent is a licensed real estate professional who lists and markets the property for sale, after conducting market research in order to set the appropriate asking price. This agent works strictly for the seller and can show the property to prospective buyers but will not represent the buyer in the transaction.

Nowadays, buyers often choose to work with a buyer agent who will represent them (and not the seller) throughout the transaction. The buyer agent locates suitable properties based on the buyer’s criteria, shows them, prepares a contract to make an offer, and works with the listing agent to coordinate inspections and the closing. The buyer agent also often works with the mortgage loan officer (the person who puts your loan together) to make sure all the required documents are provided in a timely manner in order to close on schedule. The buyer does not usually pay the buyer agent commission.

The inspector works for and is paid by the buyer. After a thorough inspection he prepares a detailed report of his findings and discusses them with buyers.

The escrow officer works for a title company and is essential in keeping the transaction moving along smoothly by working with both real estate agents involved, the mortgage loan officer, and real estate attorneys. The escrow officer and title company are the keepers of all the paperwork and money transfers. Any earnest money provided at the time of contract should be deposited with the title company, where the escrow officer will prorate taxes and calculate how the money is to be distributed to pay off outstanding loans, commissions and other fees, and of course write a check to the seller. A disorganized escrow officer can easily cause the transaction to fall apart.

Buying a home in Texas

2009-11-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

If you live in a state that doesn't have Buyer Representation or if you haven't purchased real estate in recent years, you may not know about buyer representation. In the past, a listing agent represented only the seller, and the buyer had no representation. Nowadays, buyers can have their own real estate consultant to protect their interests in the purchase of real property. The advantage is that the buyer has by his side a knowledgeable professional, who understands the business, to search for properties that have all the desired characteristics, verify claims, take care of paperwork, inspections, final walk-through, etc., and to keep the lender and title company on schedule (some tend to procrastinate). The buyer agent, unlike the listing agent, tries to create the best possible situation for the buyer. How much does the buyer have to pay for this service? Usually nothing. Sellers normally pay the commissions, unless other arrangements have beennmade. So if you’re going to buy a home in Texas or perhaps some land, find your very own REALTOR® who will have your best interest at heart and work for YOU.

Lavaca

2009-11-18T14:57:00.001-08:00

Lavaca, a neighborhood of homes built between the 1870's to the 1940's, with the many built in the 1910's and 1920's, neighbors the famous King William Historic District. The great variation in home sizes, with some around 600 sqft and some over 4,000 sqft, means that there's something for everyone. Smaller homes may only have one or two bedrooms and one bathroom, whereas the larger homes will typically have four bedrooms and two bathrooms or more.

Thirteen homes sold so far this year in Lavaca with prices ranging from $59,000 to $580,000. Square footage ranged from 714 to 3,044.

The graph below shows the median sales prices for homes (single residential) from January 2004 to November 18, 2009.

Zip code 78210 (mostly). You can find more info on that zip code here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just Lavaca.

Homes sold in Dignowity

2009-11-14T17:37:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of examples of what you can buy in the Dignowity Hill Historical District...without breaking the bank. I was the buyer's agent in both of these transactions.

The first home is over 3,000 sqft, built in the early 1900's. It sold for $140,000 in April 2009.

Now you might expect the house to have been the kind no human could possibly move into. But here are a few pictures of the inside. (The seller wasn't very tidy, so I'm not posting all the pictures I took.)

The kitchen

The dining area, coming out of the kitchen.

From the dining area (which opens into another sitting area) to this living-room which extends to a small office.

Upstairs, the house has 5 bedrooms (2 used for storage) and more living space to match the downstairs. There's a total of 3.5 bathrooms and plenty of porch space. There's also a secret room the buyer discovered during inspection; imagine the excitement. And one more thing - in 2004, the house belonged to actor Peter Gonzales Falcon, who played Frederico Fellini in Fellini's 1972 movie, Roma.

The second home featured in this post is within walking distance from the first. Built in 1921, the craftsman's bungalow has been completely renovated - plumbing, electricity, walls, you name it. With over 2,300 sqft, there's space for 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The master suite extends into a small 'reading room" and a large walk-in closet. With solid wood floors throughout, a big backyard, three living areas, it's easy to impress and entertain. The sales price: $130,000 in September 2009. OK, enough waiting...here's a taste with the pictures:

Wilshire Terrace

2009-11-14T15:35:00.000-08:00

This neighborhood is located just north of Fort Sam Houston, near the prestigious communities of Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills.

Homes in Wilshire Terrace were built in the 50's mostly. They are smaller homes, many under 1,500 sqft with 2 or 3 bedrooms and typically only one bathroom. On the higher end of the price spectrum, square footage approaches 2,000 and the number of bathroom jumps up to 2. A few homes have 4 bedrooms.

Nineteen homes sold so far this year with prices ranging from $50,100 to $112,650. Square footage ranged from 858 to 2,000.

The graph below shows the median sales prices for homes (single residential) from January 2005 to November 14, 2009.

Zip code 78218 (mostly) and 78209. You can find more info on 78218 here and 78209 here but please understand that the information is for the entire zipcode and not just Wilshire Terrace.