San Antonio TX real estate agent

Home Improvement Tax Credits: Roof? Insulation? Windows?

Ed Barrett — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:11:00 GMT

A few months ago my wife decided we needed a new roof. My thoughts were that we should wait for a hail storm and have the insurance company pay for the roof. But this argument didn't get too far, since the last significant hail storm in San Antonio, TX was in 1994, at which time we earned a new roof courtesy of our insurance company.

Having yielded to the idea of putting on a higher quality roof than what we currently have, I then checked on the possibility of getting a tax credit to cover part of the cost. I talked to a few San Antonio roofing companies and was told that I couldn't get credit for a new roof, but installing extra insulation, and radiant barrier protection would earn a credit. Extra expense, but using the suspect logic that it would lower my utility bill significantly, I made the extra investment for the radiant barrier and insulation. An added benefit of the insulation was an incentive offered by my utility company, which amounted to a $280 reduction on future utility bills, which has already been credited to my account.

After having the above work done, while doing a google search for new windows, which was the next item on my wife's list, I ran across an article that implied that some new roofs, if they satisfied a higher rating criteria, might meet the criteria set by the government for getting the tax credit. Too late for me, but if you're considering a high-quality roof, it might be worth researching.

Back to the windows. I had already (without my wife's prodding) decided on new windows. After all, if you're going the energy-star, money saving route, new state-of-the-art windows had to be part of the project. I called the company that had done an outstanding job on my roof at a very competitive price, to get an estimate on windows. The price they quoted was way above what I wanted to pay (more than the roof) so I contacted a major window company that promised to beat any other estimate. Bottom line: they came in at a price that was close to 50% less than the original estimate. And the best part is that the windows qualify for the 30% energy tax incentive, which will reduce my cost by $1,500.

Well, I'm still spending a bundle for the new windows, but psychologically, I've convinced myself that I saved thousands of dollars by getting a second estimate. So, I'm happy. If my utility bill drops 30% this summer, and if I live for 30 more years, it will have been a worthwhile investment.

Click here for more information on home improvement tax credits.

Go to: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com for additional articles.

Ready To Move Into Homes in San Antonio, TX

Ed Barrett — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:42:00 GMT

In my 34 years as a San Antonio, TX realtor, I've seen many market changes and the effects of resulting strategies that builders, sellers and buyers took to predict how to go about buying or selling a home in whatever market conditions prevailed at any given time. One of the most fascinating trends, which teetered on the whims of the economy was the construction of unsold homes in the hope they would sell before the interest on the loans obtained to build the homes would become a negative factor.

This phenomena prevailed in the 1980s to the extent that some of the larger builders had over 100 unsold homes on the ground, ready for occupancy. All went well until buyer demand declined and lenders shut the door on financing the construction of more unsold homes. Many builders were faced with the prospect of paying the interest owed on their current inventory, and some, not being able to obtain financing to build more homes, were forced into bankruptcy.

Today there are once again some of San Antonio's stronger builders have completed homes ready for quick occupancy. The speculation is that with the near end of the first-time homebuyer stimulus incentive, many buyers will appear who want to take advantage of the programs incentives. Unable to wait for a home to be constructed because of the time involved, they will be prime candidates for the ready to move into home. In a housing market that is relatively strong compared to most of the rest of the nation,

I'm confident the builders will be successful in the short term. With the end of the incentive program, though, it's anybody's guess how well this market will do in succeeding months. One thing you can be sure of is that whatever conditions prevail, the San Antonio real estate market will make the appropriate adjustments in order to keep us a continuing strong real estate market.

visit www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com additional articles on San Antonio, TX. For a list of ready to move-into homes, e-mail me at; EdBarr1936@gmail.com

Six Flags Fiesta Texas

Ed Barrett — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:58:00 GMT

About this time each year, my wife and I make a trip to Six Flags Fiesta Texas to renew our season passes. I don't really know how many visits we'll make to our favorite San Antonio attraction through the summer months, but at around $50 each for the entire year, it's a bargain we can't pass up. Add to that, three grandkids who will also have season passes and will usually be with us on each visit, and it becomes a must expenditure.

It all started in 1992 when the former rock quarry became part of a master planned component of USAA's La Cantera project. With numerous rides, shows and water attractions, the park was a welcome addition to the San Antonio entertainment scene. One of the landmark rides, which has survived through the years is The Rattler, which at the time of its construction, was the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, reaching a height of 179 feet and a speed of 73 miles per hour. I'd had the opportunity to ride the famed Cyclone roller coaster at Coney Island many years ago, so I had to try The Rattler. One time was enough. I could handle the monstrous drop and the speed, but the rapid twists, and what I considered to be a lack of restraints to keep my body from being unraveled, convinced me that I didn't need to do this again. I have since tried a few of the other roller coasters in the park; those that turn you upside down and tend to disorient your perception of direction. Other roller coasters have been added since the opening, and others have been dismantled and shipped to other locations. But, The Rattler, like The Cyclone at Coney Island, will more than likely be a permanent attraction to San Antonio's entertainment scene.

What attracts us to the park more than anything else are the variety shows, which over the years have regularly garnered awards as the top theme park shows in the country. One of the originals shows was a country-western extravaganza that took a trip down memory lane, bringing back popular hits from the 50s and 60s. Performed by a very talented group of at least 50 entertainers, the show was a must see on each of our visits. The show has since been replaced by shows with smaller casts that tend more toward contemporary country music. It's still a worthwhile performance, but not as memorable as the original feature.

The show we've always watch on our visit to the park in recent years is Rockin' at Rockville High, a highly acclaimed trip down memory lane by a cast of young singers who take us back to the 50s and 60s with a performance that was voted the top theme park show for four years. A 70s show has since been added to the Rockville High schedule and is also a highly rated performance that is worth taking the time to watch.

If you're looking to get cooled off (and wet) there is a huge variety of water rides at the park. We usually wait until late in the day before venturing into this area. At the top of the list of rides is The tornado, a seven story drop through a water funnel into 5,000 gallons of churning water. Eight other water attractions offer a level of excitement ensure that you will find the ride that meets your needs.

One thing that was lacking during the earlier years at Six Flags Fiesta Texas was the lack of quality restaurants. Not so today. Throughout the park you will find highly recognizable names such as: Ben & Jerry's, Papa John's, Johnny rocket, Cost Stone Creamery and a variety of other stops for culturally oriented restaurants.

Expect to do a lot of walking if you plan to make the park part of your visit to San Antonio. Carry a lot of water and be sure to get a map of the park at the entrance. It's a long winding trip through the various culturally-oriented sections of the park. Most important of all, come early if you expect to get the best bang for your buck. Like all theme parks, lines driving into the park, and through security at the park entrance can take up valuable time if you wait until opening time to leave for the park.

Go to: www.sixflags.com/fiestatexas for a full view of park location, features and prices.

Other articles by Ed Barrett about San Antonio, TX can be viewed at: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery - 5 Star Menu - 1 Star Prices

Ed Barrett — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:07:00 GMT

I'm a big fan of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Channel. My wife and I have visited one of the San Antonio restaurants to which host Guy Fieri had given rave reviews and found it to be a good, but not great place to eat. When I saw the segment on Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery that took cash only, no credit cards or checks, I was a bit suspicious, but after watching the entire show, I knew that I had to find out more about this out-of-the-way diner.

What I learned from the TV segment was that Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery was a tiny shack in Tarpley, TX., (population 56) that looked about the size of a large backyard storage shed. If we wanted a drink to go with our meal, we would have to go next door to a neighboring country store to make our purchase. I also noted that the dinnerware was paper plates and plastic utensils, and we would more than likely be sitting at an outdoor picnic table with strangers who might be from anywhere in the northern hemisphere.

So why would anyone bother visiting this quirky restaurant? I was still a little leery about the whole setup, so before my wife and I took off on our journey to Tarpley, Tx, I checked on some recent reviews of the restaurant.

"The lamb chops--they're so good they'll make you want to cry!" was the first review I read. Another visitor commented about the restaurant, "You would never expect (gourmet items) like Chili Honey-basted Quail, Yellow Fin Tuna with Wasabi Mascarpone Sauce, or Pork Tenderloins with a Vietnamese dipping sauce." Additional favorable reviews from the Fort Worth Star Telegram, and Southern Living Magazine convinced me that this very unusual restaurant was worth the drive to Tarpley, TX. I also learned from a review in the San Antonio Express-News that the owner/chef, Naylene Dillingham-Stolzer cooked only what she liked to eat, and that although she had no formal culinary training, she had previous cooking experience at two prominent local restaurants, The Alsatian Inn in Castroville, and Grey Moss Inn in Helotes, TX. When I learned that Texs Monthly had recognized Mac & Ernie's as one of the best places to eat in the Hill Country, I knew it was time to fill up the gas tank and hit the road!

Google maps let me know that it was a fifty mile drive from my home in San Antonio, TX. Doing further research I learned that the drive was along some very picturesque country roads, not far from Lost Maples Natural area, one of the Hill Country's most picturesque tourist attractions.

The hours of operation were: lunch on Wednesday from 11 AM - 2 PM, and on Friday's and Saturday's from 11 AM - 4 PM, with a limited menu of Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Catfish Basket, Sausage Wraps, French Fries and Cabrito (goat meat) Burgers, which I've been told was the signature menu item Mac & Ernie's opened in 1999, and has been featured on another Food Network Show, Bizarre Foods, hosted by Andrew Zimmerman. In the evenings they're open on Friday & Saturday only from 5 PM - 9 PM. A recent sample menu, which changes weekly offered the following entries:

Salmon with Mustard Caper Butter, Lamb Chops with Cucumber Yogurt, Pork Rib Chop with Serrano Cream, Ancho Chile Honey-basted Quail, Fried Catfish, Fried Shrimp, Combination Fried Shrimp/Catfish, 12 oz. Ribeye Steak. If you wanted more, you could add six shrimp or a quail to any order.

I'd been forewarned that there might be in excess of 100 customers on any given Friday or Saturday evening, so my wife and I left home early, arriving thirty minutes before the 5 PM opening. Owner/chef Naylene took our order when we arrived, but politely informed us she wouldn't start cooking until 5 PM.

I ordered the ribeye steak. I wanted to compare Naylene'e preparation of a menu item I'd been served often in high-class restaurants. My wife had the combination catfish/shrimp.

While we waited for our meal to be served, others arrived. Five or six biker couples, an RV, and a few others who appeared to be local residents parked their vehicles wherever they choose, and placed their orders from the chalkboard menu in front of the restaurant shack. So far it was exactly as advertised on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. As our meal was being served, we were joined by a couple from Tennessee, who had driven over 100 miles out of their way to eat at Mac & Ernies' Roadside Eatery.

The final verdict; it's a surreal experience. Imagine a 3/4 inch (or thicker?) juicy, ribeye steak, cooked to perfection, with baked potato and salad, all served on paper plates with plastic utensils, being classified as a gourmet meal! But the dinnerware notwithstanding, I can honestly say my ribeye steak was the tastiest, juiciest, best cooked steak I'd ever been served in a restaurant. It was a $60 plus meal (varies upward according to how heavy the silverware is in whichever fancy restaurant you visit) for less than $20! My wife was equally pleased with her catfish/shrimp combo plate.

We've been back to Mac & Ernie's four times since our initial visit, taking guests with us on three occasions to show off this hidden treasure we'd found in the Texas Hill Country. And we'll be back again, but at a different location.

When I pulled up their website prior to writing this review, I was shaken by a notice that the restaurant had temporarily closed. But it was only because they had found a better location, less than 1/2 mile from the current site, and they would re-open in Marchl 2010.

In a way, I was a bit disappointed. Gone would be the uniqueness of their original location, which I have to believe had a lot to do with their success. But, I'm sure the menu will remain as inviting as it has always been, and sometime in early April, we'll be back at Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery. And as always, we'll arrive early.

For a full review of Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery, visit: www.MacandErnies.com

You can read additional posts about San Antonio, TX by Ed Barrett at: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Interest Rate Changes: 1975-2010

Ed Barrett — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:50:00 GMT

When someone asks me if interest rates are going up or down, my typical response is, "it depends." There are many issues which I've learned over my 34 years as a San Antonio real estate agent that are totally unpredictable and often beyond my comprehension. Following is my recollection of just a few incidents of interest rate changes and my opinion of the impact they had on the San Antonio real estate market.

Throughout most of the latter part of the 1970s, interest rates were relatively stable, until 1979 when rates took a giant leap upward to 12%. So confident that this would never happpen, one prominent northside San Antonio builder had guaranteed interest rates of 9.5% to potential homebuyers, and proceeded to begin construction on their homes. Needless to say, he was unable to honor the 9.5% interest rates and lost most of his buyers. It wasn't long before this well-respected builder was out of business.

This was just the beginning of escalating interest rates, which by 1982 had reached as high as 18% on a thirty year mortgage. Consider this: A typical new home in northwest San Antonio in 1982 might sell for $115,000. With an 18% mortgage, the principal and interest rate on a fully guaranteed VA loan would be $1,733.00 per month. Compare this to today's market interest rate which hovers around 5%. The same loan today would have a principal and interest rate of $617.00, a difference of $1,116.00 per month! To be sure, experts saw neither the 18% interest rate, or the current 4.5%-5% interest rates on the horizon. I recall as the interest rates were coming down from 18%, many experts were predicting that we would never see single-digit interest rates again.

Just as quickly as rates went up, they began to come down. By 1983 rates had dropped to 12%. Certain that the 18% rate was an anomaly and in spite of predictions of continued double-digit interest rates, buyers were confident that we would return to the good old days of single-digit rates. But even with this optimism, it was still difficult for most buyers to qualify for a loan at the prevailing rate of 12%. To counter this continued stall in the market, lenders introduced an adjustable rate type mortgage that had a fixed buydown, offering buyers an introductory rate mortgage at 7.5% that would increase 2% per year for the next 3 to 4 years.

Buyers accepted this loan willingly. The thinking at the time was that San Antonio real estate values had almost always increased in value, and confident the interest rates would come down, they anticipated refinancing the prohibitive buy down mortgage long before it reached their peak rate, which I recall reached as high as 14.5%.

Well, the rates did come down to around 10.5% by 1987, but home values had also come down. Many homeowners, who could not afford the prohibitive interest rates, could not re-finance their loans because of unfavorable loan-to-value ratios. Cumulatively, these conditions led to a massive number of foreclosures, with many homes selling for more than 40% less than their original value.

By the early 1990s, the San Antonio real estate market had begun to stabilize. In 1992, interest rates had dropped to 8.5% and homes were selling at fair market value. These conditions prevailed throughout most of the 1990s and through the first half of the current decade. There were some ups-and-downs, but overall, everyone was content with the market conditions until around 2006 when we entered into what might be the greatest well-documented real estate tragedy in our nation's history.

At least in part because of the current uncertain economic conditions, buyers can now purchase a home at a still reasonable price with interest rates of 4.5% to 5.0% on a 30-year mortgage. There is no way of knowing how long real estate interest rates will stay at this rate, or when home values will begin to increase, which is usually the case when interest rates remain low for a sustained period.

Given the history of real estate ups and downs, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that home values will eventually go up, and interest rates will increase. When will this happen? "it depends."

To view additional articles and a wealth of information on real estate, go to www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Northwest San Antonio Sales Statistics 2006-2009

Ed Barrett — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:36:00 GMT

I don’t care much about statistics. For one reason: they only reflect what has happened in the past. Sure, there are economists and others who will project what will happen tomorrow based on what happened yesterday. But they are only moderately successful at being correct. That being said, I’ve produced some statistics showing the overall sales performance for northwest San Antonio area , my primary area of interest, over the past four years. These statistics are reflective of activity throughout the San Antonio area.

For the most part, the following chart reflects the downturn in the economy, but with some unexpected variations that bode well for our fair city, if you want to project the future based on past results.

Year	Nr. Of Sales	List Price	Sales Price	% List Price	Days on Market
2006	6783	$170,538	$167,796	98	48
2007	6435	$186,954	$181,465	97	62
2008	4995	$190,521	$181,932	95	98
2009	5053	$181,586	$174,657	96	121

What I find interesting in these statistics is that the average sales price in 2009, although lower than 2007 and 2008, is actually higher than in 2006, the year that began the short term increase in sales prices across the country. Of further interest is that the average days on market in 2009 is far greater than in 2006. To me this shows the tough-mindedness of sellers in San Antonio, who refuse to give-in to the huge decrease in sales prices in some other major cities across the country.

What about 2010? San Antonio lost a lot of jobs in 2009, but was still able to maintain respectable statistics in real estate sales. Going back to my original statement that statistics are all about history and don’t really tell us how our market will perform in the future, I’m going to base my prediction for 2010 one other factor. That being our almost certain potential for growth in the local job market. According to a recent report by Mayor Julian Castro, over 5,000 new jobs are already earmarked for the expansion at the huge army complex at Fort Sam Houston. Additionally, the mayor cites incentive programs being offered to developers, which he is certain will attract major companies to relocate to San Antoinio. Even if the mayor is only moderately correct in his job growth projections of 20,000 new jobs in 2010, any increase will be a boost to our real estate market.

Beyond all the statistics and predictions, San Antonio is a great place to live! Visit my website at www.EdBarrettHomefinder for up-to-date information on the local real estate market.

San Antonio's Cowboy Breakfast

Ed Barrett — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:25:00 GMT

Picture this: it's 4:30 A.M., there's a forecast of heavy rain throughout the San Antonio area, and there's an open-air breakfast being offered to you, free-of-charge at a location that's probably 20 miles or more from where you reside. Do you attend? Probably not. But the adverse conditions didn't affect approximately 50,000 residents from San Antonio and nearby towns, many of whom attend the annual Cowboy Breakfast about this time every year, in spite of the adverse weather conditions that almost always prevail at what has become a San Antonio tradition. Hailed as the unofficial opening of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, the popular event annually sends the San Antonio Spurs packing for a nine-game road trip while the rodeo folks take over their home at the AT&T Center.

This year's event, which was the 32nd anniversary of the popular breakfast, was held this past Friday in the parking lot of the Cowboy Dance Hall in northeast San Antonio. The menu consisted of breakfast tacos, chorizo and eggs, carne guisada, biscuits and gravy and brats, all prepared by a hearty group of volunteers. Music was provided by the "Get Buck Wild" group, which was scheduled to play at 5 A.M.as the rain began and thousands of the early morning arrival scurried for cover.

An added attraction this year, according to a report by Vincent T. Davis in the San Antonio Express-News, was a wedding ceremony. Drew Murphy and Betty Velasco exchanged vows with an entourage that included members of the Buffalo Soldiers Living History and Heritage Association and an American Indian flutist. Look for this to become an annual tradition as other starry-eyed couples share the limelight with the breakfast crowd.

I didn't make it to this year's breakfast. Somewhere in the distant path, I did attend. And it left a definite impact on me. The community spirit that defines the lifestyle of San Antonio, TX was clearly in evidence as I shiveringly waited for my tacos and coffee. Maybe next year I'll make my second appearance. But it won't be at 4:30. The event goes on until at least 9 A.M. Look for me a half-hour before closing time! Proceeds from the Cowboy Breakfast go to toward scholarships for students at St. Philip's College culinary arts program

You can visit my website at www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com for more articles and a wealth of information about real estate. I'd like the opportunity to be your San Antonio real estate agent if you're considering moving to or within our fantastic city!

San Antonio Mayor Forecasts 20,000 New Jobs in 2010

Ed Barrett — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:35:00 GMT

I'm not sure if it will come to fruition, but if San Antonio mayor Julian Castro's prediction of 20,000 new jobs for San Antonio in 2010 does happen, it would surely give a boost to the San Antonio real estate market, which is already doing much better than most major cities across the country.

Mayor Castro gave his optimistic prediction in his inaugural State of the City speech at the annual Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce luncheon, which was attended by approximately 900 local business members who are considered movers and shakers in shaping the San Antonio economy. Included in the mayor's forecast are 5,000 new jobs already ear-marked through the expansion of the huge army military complex at Fort Sam Houston.

Although San Antonio has averaged an increase of 15,800 jobs annually since 1991, according to Steve Nivin, Director and chief economist for the Alliance for Business and Economic research, the city lost about 10,000 jobs last year due to the current recession. That the area real estate market was able to retain a positive level of stability during this downturn speaks well of our city's future.

Castro cited several reasons for his optimism in 2010: a public-private partnership intended to coordinate downtown San Antonio development efforts; an investment incentive package, pending approval by the San Antonio city council, that could save developers as much as $500,000 in impact fees for projects in the city's urban core; and his sense that San Antonio will be able to persuade companies to relocate here.

In the throes of mixed economic predictions, some of which see a continuation of massive residential foreclosures across the country, I am confident that San Antonio will at least maintain a slow but steady increase in real estate values during the coming years.

For information on any aspect of San Antonio real estate, you can contact me at: EdBarr1936@gmail.com. Be sure to visit my website at www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com for updates on San Antonio, TX happenings, and to conduct real estate property searches using my state-of-the-art search system.

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Ed Barrett — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:06:00 GMT

In an effort to stimulate the sagging economy, congress has passed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Perhaps the major provision of the act is a tax credit for as much as $8,000 to first-time homebuyers, or buyers who have not purchased or owned a home in the past three years. Single taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 can qualify for the full tax credit. Also, unmarried joint purchasers may allocate the credit amount to any buyer who qualifies as a first-time buyer. One word of caution: home buyers who receive a tax credit under the provisions of this act, must use the home as a principal residence for at least three years or face a possible recapture of the tax credit amount.

Unlike the $7,500 tax credit passed in 2008, the $8,000 credit does not have to be repaid. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the total amount a taxpayer owes. For example, if a qualified purchaser owed $8,000 in income taxes, his total debt would be reduced to zero. This differs substantially from a tax deduction, which essentially is based on a taxpayer's tax bracket. For example, an $8,000 tax deduction on a buyer in the 15% tax bracket would only receive a tax reduction of $1,500.

In the event a qualified purchaser does not owe any taxes at year end, he/she would receive a check in the full amount for which he/she is qualified. This amount is calculated by taking 10% of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $80,000.

The tax credit pertains only to owner-occupied homes purchased between January 1 and December 1, 2009. The purchase date is the actual date on which a buyer takes ownership to the property. Any home that will be used as a principal residence will qualify for the credit. This includes single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes, manufactured or mobile homes, and houseboats.

Applying for the tax credit is a simple process that requires applicants to complete IRS Form 5405 to determine the amount of their tax credit, and then claim this amount on their 2009 1040 income tax return.

For other articles by Ed Barrett, please go to: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Copper Ridge - Picture Perfect Living

Ed Barrett — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:55:00 GMT

Picture a building site with a terraced orientation, affording you an unobstructed panoramic view of distant hills or city lights from your one-acre or larger building site. And when the conditions are right, see yourself viewing some of Texas' most spectacular sunsets. Then locate this building site so that it has easy access to city conveniences, nature parks, lakes, and the renowned cultural history of one of Texas' best-kept secrets. Sprinkle in some native grasses, and an abundant display of wildflowers and cactus plants to soften the edges of the limestone landscape. Does it sound too good to be true? Not if you live in Copper Ridge, a spectacular site that will be host to historic New Braunfels, TX Parade of Homes in the fall of 2009.

Just minutes away from Copper Ridge is Landa Park, home of one of the area's most beautiful water parks, and the famous Gruene Dance Hall, which has been host to hundreds of top-name country stars, to include Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson and George Strait. A short drive away from Copper Ridge is beautiful Canyon Lake, were white-tailed deer, roadrunners, and other wildlife are in abundance along the shores of the lake.

Copper Ridge is an easy drive along IH35 to either San Antonio or Austin, and is on the outskirts of New Braunfels, a vibrant tourist destination, developed by early German settlers who were attracted by the convergence of the spring-fed Guadalupe and Comal Rivers. Home of the world-famous New Braunfels Wurstfest each fall, this small, quiet city has often been called on of Texas' best-kept secrets.

A handful of custom homebuilders have been selected for the upcoming Pare of Homes, but other approved builders will be allowed to build on your homesite. There is no time restriction on when you build, so whether you're looking for an ideal retirement site in your future, or want to build your dream home now, Copper Ridge might just be the place for you. For a complete description of this unique building site, you can log onto: http://www.agentshield.com/go/?a=realtorlandsale2009&d=35

Remodeling - Impact on Selling A Home

Ed Barrett — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:10:00 GMT

Everyone has an opinion on what to do to make a home sell better, and more importantly, at a price that will make a seller happy. My opinion, and observation in over 32 years of selling homes in San Antonio, TX is that in order to recoup the most on your remodeling, or home improvement investment, you should do only what is necessary to make your home more saleable, without spending a lot of money.

Interior and exterior painting, new flooring, minor kitchen upgrades, primarily appliances and counter tops if they are old and might have a negative impact on a home’s ‘showability’ should be in the forefront of all remodeling jobs. Bathrooms can usually be spruced up enough without spending more than you might get in return. Lighting is important, and of course, with better lighting, you might want to look at the fixtures. Tubs and showers, unless they are in obvious need of replacement, can usually be made presentable with a little bit of caulking and elbow-grease.

Some improvements, which won’t usually bring a full return on your investment, but are often necessary, include a new roof and an upgrade on an air conditioning system. Repairs and improvements of these types do add a competitive advantage to a home being sold, and will often reduce the time the home stays on the market.

Other improvements, which fall into the above category, i.e., they don’t bring a full return on investment, should usually be avoided. Adding a deck to a home, vinyl siding, or room additions, etc., are unnecessary expenses if you are planning to sell your home in the near future, and will almost always result in a negative return on your investment, unless you do all the work yourself.

Landscaping is important, but only to the extent that it will be the ‘icing on the cake.’ I’ve never sold a home with exceptionally nice landscaping if the home itself left a lot to be desired. Keep the lawn mowed and watered if you're in a dry climate like San Antonio, TX, and plant some flowers.

Put your money into the‘showability, factor and you'll reap the greatest benefits. At least in San Antonio, TX this requires minimum effort and cost, and is usually the deciding factor when two homes of otherwise equal value are being considered by a buyer. Most important of all, play Mr. or Mrs. Clean in keeping your home spotless while you are trying to sell.

For other articles by Ed Barrett, go to: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com. If you are thinking of selling your home in San Antonio, TX,. Ed Barrett Realtors is offering a full service brokerage fee of 5%, to include a professionally designed virtual tour.

San Antonio - Benchmark For The Rest of Nation

Ed Barrett — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:28:00 GMT

It's getting to be old hat with various surveys conducted by a plethora of sources throughout the country. Once again, San Antonio has been ranked favorably as a great place to live. Although all sources of these polls are important, it's especially gratifying to have received accolades from the prestigious Mortgage Bankers Association, which has a first hand focus on what's happening in the national housing market. Citing its high employment rate, population growth and better-than-average price appreciation as key factors, the Mortgage Bankers Association proclaimed San Antonio as one of the top markets in the country for home buyers.

San Antonio's median home prices continued to perform better than all U.S. regions, dipping only one percent from October of last year through October 2008 versus an 11.3 percent drop nationwide, according to data released Monday by the National Association of Realtors. The Southern region, in which San Antonio is located, showed the lowest decline in the nation at 5.8 percent, according the release.

"With 95 percent employment and people moving in, your glass is more than half full," said David kittle, chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association. "You are the benchmark for the rest of the country in lending and building.

Pretty strong words. And if the current trend continues, San Antonio's historical stable growth patterns, which avoided the large acceleration in prices in the 2005-2006 timeframe, will result in a surge in property values long before most of the rest of the nation when our economy begins its return to normal.

As reported in a previous article, home values in northwest San Antonio are actually marginally higher than they were during the peak period of acceleration in 2006-2007. If we are near the bottom of the market decline nationwide, and barring a major setback in the current predictions that our economy will soon begin to experience a resurgence, I see no reason why the coming year in San Antonio home sales shouldn't be better than in 2008.

For more articles by Ed Barrett, please visit www.EdBarrettHomefinders.com. If you're considering a move to San Antonio and would like to receive a full analysis of the San Antonio real estate market, or a particular neighborhood, Ed can be contacted at EdBarrett@satx.rr.com, or (210) 681-5252.

New Clinic Opens In Westover Hills

Ed Barrett — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:15:00 GMT

Consistent with the residential and commercial growth in the area of Texas State Highways 1604 & 151, The University of Texas Health Science Center has announced the opening of a new health Christus Santa Rosa medical building in Westover Hills, not far from the Alamo Ranch development, one of San Antonio's most ambitious projects in recent years.

The new clinic will offer a wide variety of specialties, to include cardiology, pulmonary disease, surgery, urology gastroenterology as well as family medicine, according to a release in the San Antonio Business Journal. "This clinic represents a new era for the school and its practice,": says William L. Henrich, dean of the School of Medicine and vice-president for medical affairs at the Health Science Center. The clinic will be connected to the new Westover Hills hospital campus of Chrisus Santa Rosa Health Care when the hospital opens next June, according to the Business Journal article.

The addition of the clinic by the highly regarded Health Science Center, one of the leading teaching and research institutions in the state, is a definite plus for the area and is sure to stimulate residential and commercial growth. Retirement communities, such as the over 55 Del Webb development at Hill Country Retreat in Alamo Ranch are sure to be pleased with the proximity of the new clinic to their retirement community. Previously, residents would have had to travel to the South Texas Medical Center for similar treatment.

For additional information on the new clinic, or for information on residential development in the Westover Hills and Alamo Ranch areas, you can contact me at: (210) 681-5252, or email me at: EdBarrett@satx.rr.com

To view other articles by Ed Barrett and to search for homes in the Westover Hills/Alamo Ranch areas, to include customized searches of gated communities and foreclosure properties, www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Best Cities For Your Money

Ed Barrett — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:14:00 GMT

Well, you know San Antonio is going to be included on the list, else I wouldn't be writing this article. It never comes as a surprise to me that whenever I see a list of the "Best Cities..." there's a good chance that San Antonio, Texas will be on this list.

The most recent citing of my favorite city appears on the Forbes List of "Best and Worst Bang For The Buck Cities," in which San Antonio was ranked second in the top ten of 'the best.' Other Texas cities on the list were; Austin, (1), Houston (4), and Dallas (10).

The author of the article, Abha Bhattarai quotes Andrew Gledhill, an economist at Moody's Economy.com as saying that "Texas, as a whole, is one of the few economies that's performing extremely well because of the energy and technology sectors. Goodhill added that "military bases in San Antonio have continued to draw a steady stream of personnel and federal employees to the city, spurring widespread job growth.

Other than the economic pluses cited in the Forbes article, San Antonio is a favorite retirement city for many seniors looking for a great climate, affordable housing, easy highway access to numerous recreational activities including world class golf courses within minutes of most San Antonio locations, and the not to be forgotten "Good Old Southern Hospitality!"

Other cities in the Forbes top ten list of best cities are: Indianapolis, IN (3) Charlotte, N.C. (5), Columbus, OH (6), Minneapolis/St. Paul (8), Denver, CO (9), and Portland, OR (10). Cities where residents get the least for their money, according to Forbes, are in order:

Los Angeles, CA, Providence, R.I., New Orleans, LA, Philadelphia, PA, Cleveland, OH, New York, NY, Milwaukee, WI, St. Louis, MO, Washington D.C., and Sacramento, CA.

To determine the cities rankings, Forbes magazine compared the ratios between a city's median home price and its median household income. Also factored into the equation were projected job growth.

For other articles by Ed Barrett, go to: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Interest Rate Impact on San Antonio Real Estate

Ed Barrett — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:25:00 GMT

Interest rates, and their impact on the real estate market, have always fascinated me. I'm not sure of what the highest rates ever were on a 30 year mortgage. I do remember a time when the Veteran's Administration was quoting a rate of 17.5% on the purchase of a home in San Antonio, TX. If you were to acquire a loan of $81,787 at this rate the monthly principal & interest would be $1,199.00 per month. The same monthly payment at 6% equates to a loan of $200,000.

As you might expect, when interest rates were at the higher rates, there weren't a lot of buyers who could afford to purchase a home. The short term solution for this in San Antonio was the the issuances of a variety of buy down mortgages which had a more affordable initial interest rate in the 7 to 8% range. Buyers in the early 1980s were content with these buy down mortgages, even though they knew they would escalate to as high as 14% over the ensuing four years.

A curious phenomena during this time was that in spite of the certainty of the interest rates increasing at a rate of 2% per year over the next four years, sales prices were at an all time high. The values seemed to be dictated by the initial lower interest rate rather than what the rates would be when the buydown matured to a fixed interest rate. No one seemed concerned that the payment on a $150,000 mortgage at 7%, would increase by over $700 per month at maturity.

My thoughts at the time were that a very high percentage of the buyers of these buy down mortgages would not be able to afford the higher payments, and would either have to re-finance their loans sometime during the four year period when their interest rate was increasing, or sell their home. The only problem with latter solution was that in order for them to sell their homes, the values would have to increase significantly during this time frame. To re-finance, the fixed rate would have to stabilize at an affordable rate.

Well, neither of these solutions came about. As it turned out, the market prices in the early 1980s were highly inflated, and values tumbled in the mid-1980s as more and more homeowners, unable to re-finance their mortgage or to sell their homes, had no alternative but to accept the foreclosure solution. Homes purchased in the early to mid-1980s were selling at foreclosure for as much as 40% lower than their loan balance.

As history dictates, the real estate market recovered and interest rates became very stable, remaining in the 5.5% to 6.5% range for most of the current decade. At these generous rates, more buyers were able to afford home ownership, and subsequently, home prices in San Antonio reached an all time high after an article in a national magazine forecasted San Antonio as the best city in the country in which to purchase a home.

Whether the San Antonio real estate market would have continued to flourish if it hadn't been for the current lending debacle that has crippled our economy, is questionable. My thoughts are that home values would have increased beyond their true value and we would have had a subsequent decline in values. It's all about supply and demand and affordability. And this, as always, will be dictated to a large extent by the current interest rates.

To read other articles by Ed Barrett, go to www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Down Payment Assistance Banned

Ed Barrett — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:30:00 GMT

A home purchasing practice that allowed sellers to contribute to a buyer's down payment on the purchase of their home, has, at least for the foreseeable future, been banned. One of the arguments against the practice was that sellers would simply increase the sales price of their home to cover the costs. In my experience, this is exactly what happened in the majority of the cases. Buyers understood and agreed to this practice. In effect, what they were doing, was borrowing the down payment, to be repaid over the life of the loan.

This in itself was not a big problem. There was no deception involved between the parties involved in the program. What was perceived as a problem was that the practice drove property values up beyond their true worth. This is probably true. But other factors, in my experience drives properties up beyond their true value. One such factor is long-term low interest rates. During the time when we were blessed with interest rates below 6%, more buyers were able to qualify for a home loan, which in turn, impacted on supply and demand, driving prices upward.

But, back to the down payment ban. A House bill, H.R. 6694, sought to reinstate down-payment assistance before the implementation of the ban on October 1, 2008. Unfortunately, at least for the proponents of the down payment assistance idea, the bill did not make it to a full vote of Congress in time.

In my opinion, it's difficult to justify these programs at a time when real estate values have been declining. If a buyer purchases a home today for $200,000 and it decreases in value over a 2 or 3 year period to $190,000, the buyer is 'upside down' on a mortgage in which he has no money invested. If a job transfer comes up, and the homeowner who probably doesn't have any more cash available today than he did 3 years ago, cannot sell his home. His options are to turn the home into a rental, or walk away from the home. Unfortunately, the latter is what too many buyers have been doing.

For information on the San Antonio housing market, call me at (210) 681-5252, or send an e-mail to me at: EdBarrett@satx.rr.com.

You can see other articles by Ed Barrett by clicking on: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Future of Real Estate and the Small Office

Ed Barrett — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:38:00 GMT

When I opened my own San Antonio real estate office in 1987, my intention was to work as a one-man shop. I'd spent my previous 11 years in real estate bouncing around from one large company to another, working as office manager, training director, marketing director, real estate columnist for a popular San Antonio weekly newspaper chain, and most importantly, as a real estate agent. What I had discovered over the years was that the latter activity was were I was earning the most income. The prestige of managing an office, the exposure it brought in local San Antonio newspapers and real estate news magazines was good for the ego, but the bottom line income came from selling real estate.

I was a maverick of sorts at the time; most San Antonio real estate agents preferred working for the well-oiled mega-office companies, which offered a name brand, company training, constant updates on market conditions and innovations, and for many the comfort and competition that having other agents around the office provided.

I must admit that at first, I missed a lot of these features. The internet was still in the future; updates on San Antonio market condtions, new loan programs and marketing innovations were hard to come by. I did grow a small sales force; we numbered 7 at most, but we were aggresive and took advantage of the San Antonio foreclosure market in the the late 80s and early 90s, managing to place in the top 25 companies in San Antonio one year.

Sometime in the mid 90s the internet made its grand entry into the San Antonio real estate market. The word at the time was that if you didn't have your own website, you could not survive in the real estate industry. Well, that wasn't exactly true at the time. Most agents ignored the call for their own website and survived nicely throughout the remainder of the decade. Many of today's agents are still working with tried and true methods that brought them success in the past, and are still doing well Others have latched on to internet marketing, hiring webmasters and Search Engine Optimization experts to get them top position on google, yahoo and other search engines that over 80% of all buyers go to to find a home at some point in their quest to purchase a home.

The new-age internet agent is becoming more aware of the internet phenomena, and what they are discovering is that they can do the necessary marketing on their own, or in cooperation with other agents of like-mind who have found that with the resources available on the internet today, they no longer need the support of a large office.

Will this lead to the demise of the large real estate companies? Probably not. But they will have to make changes if they are to retain their top agents. One way they can do this is to reduce their sales forces and invest heavily in a smaller force of high producing agents, providing them with the very best in individual websites and strong Search Engine Optimization, which is the only way to get to the first page of the major search engines.

In the meantime, with the support of my wife, I am working at home, with a portion of my home devoted to a home office. My laptop, two printers, fax machine, cell phone and wireless router provide with all I need to keep up with the larger companies.

For other articles by Ed Barrett, click on: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Gated Communities - Security, Privacy, or Community?

Ed Barrett — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:42:00 GMT

All three (security, privacy, and community) are given as reasons for the increase in gated communities in San Antonio and across most of the nation. Although there are doubters on all three criteria as to how well the gated system works, neighborhood developers are paying little heed to their concerns.

Gone are the days when the gated community concept was geared toward the wealthy. From baby boomers, who are now at a point in their lives where they cherish the idea of a secure community, to single moms, who find comfort in being able to come home at night, passcard in hand to enter their enclave of privacy and security, the growth of gated living, according to the Census Bureau's 2001 American housing Survey, reports that more than 4 million households are in controlled access communities, requiring entry codes, key cards or permission of a security guard to enter the community.

Many of the more exclusive gated communities have strict enforcement of at least the security and privacy issues. Gate guards, parking on the street restrictions, and an active enforcement crew ensure homeowners that their chosen lifestyle will be preserved. Whether the gated communities provide a sense of community is not as clear. Sociologists point out that the mind set of gated community homeowners, many of whose main concern is privacy, do not meld easily into the perceived idea that being in a walled-in setting provides for social closeness.

Anthropologist Setha Low sees the gated phenomena as a "search for niceness." Her book, "Behind the Gates: Security and the New American Dream" disects the gated lifestyle through interviews over an eight year period, which covered a wide-range of gated residents, from the working class to the very affluent.

In the final analysis, the gated community concept will always have its critics, and it will also have its supporters. One thing for certain is that the concept will continue to grow.

For other articles by Ed Barrett, please click on: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Mortgage Rate Update

Ed Barrett — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:17:00 GMT

Well, our short-lived lower interest rates, spurred on in part by the anticipation of The Treasury Department's bailout plan, hit a snag over the past few days. Ironically, the catalyst for the rate increase was the uncertainty of the details of the same bailout plan as lawmakers took varying positions on what was best for the country.

The biggest increase on the week's interest rates occurred on Friday of last week and continued Monday as more objections were laid out by lawmakers to the more than 700 million dollar bailout plan. Rates leveled off during the remaining days of the week as Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke traveled to Capitol Hill in an attempt to relieve the anxiety of senators and representatives. Rates for the week averaged 6.32% according to a Bankrate.com survey of major lenders. The rate for the same timeframe one year ago was 6.49. Four weeks ago the rate was 6.6%.

Blaming the poor housing market for the financial turmoil in which the country is currently embroiled, Bernanke and Paulson noted that lenders are holding hundreds of billions of dollars in bonds that are backed by mortgages issued to homeowners who can't afford to make the payments on their homes.

If you're wondering why this situation would have such an impact on credit worthy buyers, the answer is that banks are reluctant to lend money to one another, fearing that their once reliable, trustworthy lending partners might go out of business because of poor mortgage debt and they won't be repaid.

Bernanke and Paulson are optimistic the bailout plan will be resolved soon. I think this is a must and it will happen. When it does, perhaps home mortgage rates will once again fall below the 6% mark and our economy will get on to the long road to recovery.

To view other articles by Ed Barrett, please go to: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Revamped FHA Guidelines Meet Nation's Housing Needs

Ed Barrett — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:31:00 GMT

For years, the Federal Housing Administration loan programs had been looked down on by borrowers and lenders because of statutory and regulatory constraints the limited the agency's ability to carry out its mission of offering reasonable loan programs to the American working class.

The recent enactment of H.R. 3221 has eliminated many of the problems and has made FHA loans a very viable way to purchase a home. According to National Association of Home Builders President Sandy Dunn, "H.R. 3221 will give the FHA greater flexibility to respond to the needs of borrowers, enable more working families to become home owners, expand affordable mortgage loan opportunities for seniors and allow the agency to play an important role in stablilizing the mortgage markets."

H.R. 3221, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, while enabling the FHA to deliver a full range of mortgage products throughout the country by permanently raising the FHA loan limit to 115% of an area's median home price, with a maximum loan range from $271,050 to as high as $625,500 for those qualifying areas of the country.

Other incentives resulting from H.R. 3221 are the simplification of requirements for purchasing condominiums and an increase in the loan limits for reverse mortgages to seniors to as high as $625,000, The bill also reduces and caps the maximum fee lenders can charge seniors for an FHA reverse mortgage loan and effectively protects seniors by prohibiting lenders to compel the purchase of other financial service products in conjunction with reverse mortgages.

Another issue on the downside is that FHA will be allowed to charge higher mortgage insurance premiums, but at the same time, the bill places a one-year moratorium on the implementation of risk based mortgage insurance premiums.

To view other articles by Ed Barrett, please click on: www.EdBarrettHomefinder.com

Getting A Loan in 2007 - A Tough Task

Ed Barrett — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:56:00 GMT

Following the lending debacle in 2005-2006, getting a loan in 2007 was not the simple accomplishment it had been in previous years. Qualified home buyers, who would have easily obtained financing using what had previously been considered reasonable guidelines for loan qualification, are now finding it a lot tougher.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, mortgage lenders denied nearly one-third of loan applications according to a report issued by the Federal Reserve. Minorities were most affected, with a decline in mortgage approvals for Hispanic buyers being down 49 percent, while those to African-Americans declining 35 percent between the first half of 2006 and the second half of 2007. Loans to white buyers also declined by 22 percent during this timeframe.

According to the Wall Street Journal article, the following were the most prominent reasons given for denial.

Credit History                                          30.25 percent
Not enough collateral                                 23.4   percent
Other                                                       23.3   percent
Debt-to-income ratio                                  20.7   percent
Credit application incomplete                     14.2   percent
Unverifiable information                                8.4 percent
Insufficient cash                                          3.8 percent
Employment history                                    2.0 percent
Mortgage insurance denied                          0.2 percent

Hopefully, if and when the current loan bail out, or a reasonable alternative is approved, we will get back to normal.

New Hope For Distressed Homeowners

Ed Barrett — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:52:00 GMT

Appropriately named "Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008" the massive effort to help distressed homeowners, many whom were caught up in sub prime lending over the past few years, is scheduled to begin in October 2008. The act authorizes the insurance of up to $300 million in mortgages and is expected to help approximately 400,000 homeowners.

The effort is backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) who will refinance distressed loans at a significant discount for owner-occupants at risk of losing their homes through foreclosure. Built on the idea, expressed by Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, that creating new equity for troubled homeowners is likely to be a more effective way to avoid foreclosure, the program will require investors and lenders of existing loans who volunteer to participate in the massive operation to take significant losses in order to receive proceeds from the loans refinanced with government insurance. The rationale for the lenders is that they will take less of a loss than they would if the loans went into foreclosure.

An additional requirement of the act requires borrowers to share new equity and future appreciation equally with FHA. This obligation will continue until the borrower sells the home or refinances the mortgage.

The program will be overseen by a board of high level government officials, who will be allowed to develop and monitor standards of operation to enhance the possibility of success for this innovative effort to solve the mortgage woes currently gripping our nation.

For additional information on the Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008, you can contact me at (210) 681-5252.

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Ed Barrett — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:30:00 GMT

First Time Buyer Tax Credit

Ed Barrett — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:37:00 GMT

H.R. 3221, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, passed by Congress and signed by President Bush on July 30, is designed in part to stimulate the depressed housing market by allowing first-time homebuyers a tax credit of $7,500 on the purchase and closing of any (new or pre-owned) home prior to prior to July 1, 2009. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of a homebuyer's tax liability. For example, if you owe $2,000 in taxes for either the 2008 or 2009 tax year, you will receive a credit of ($7,500 - $2,000) $5,500 through your participation in the program. The government will issue you a check in the amount of your credit.

Sound too good to be true? Well, in part it is. The amount of the credit you receive is actually a no interest loan that has to be paid back to the government at a rate of $500 per year over a 15 year period. But, all is not bad. If you were to borrow $7,500 amortized over a 15 year period at a 6.5% interest rate, you would actually pay back $11,760. Perhaps the greatest benefit to many buyers is that it provides immediate cash that can be used to reduce current liabilities such as high interest rate credit cards.

Who is eligible for the credit? Any buyer who is a true first-time homebuyer, or who has not purchased or owned an owner occupied home in the past three years is eligible for the credit, subject to certain income restrictions. To receive the full tax credit, a single buyer is limited to $75,000 modified adjusted gross income; a married couple can earn as much as $150,000. Any amounts in excess of these income will not necessarily disqualify a buyer, but will reduce the amount of the credit.

There is no upfront paper work to be completed. Eligible buyers need only to be able to provide proof of purchase and apply for the credit when filing their 2008 or 2009 federal income tax return.

For a full explanation H.R. 3221, go to: www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com, or contact me at: EdBarrett@satx.rr.com or (210) 681-5252

San Antonio's Population Boom

Ed Barrett — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:43:00 GMT

If increase in population has any bearing on the housing market, then home sales in San Antonio should be off the screen when the sluggish real estate market begins its historical return to normalcy. Ranked third in the country in population growth, and with strong employment indicators continuing to show positive signs in San Antonio, home prices have remained relatively stable through the national real estate drought.

The city's population has shown positive gains since the mid-to-late 1990. Since the 2000 census San Antonio has gained close to 170,000 new residents. Bexar County showing the 6th highest numerical gain across the country. Much of the growth can be attributed to room to expand, affordable housing prices and an excellent overall climate.

The optimism that has always prevailed in San Antonio housing is validated by the strong growth in the Alamo Ranch area in far northwest San Antonio, an area that had shown little or no promise during better times. An ever- improving highway system with easy access to a multitude of attractions, ranging from The Alamo and the River Walk, to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Seaworld add to what makes San Antonio a popular place to live.

Other Texas cities that were in the top ten in growth rate are Houston, Ft. Worth and Dallas.