As the seventh largest metropolitan area in the country, people making the San Antonio military move have many amazing opportunities for their families in their near future. With affordable suburbs, beautiful gated communities, and some of the highest rated schools in the country, the Joint Base area provides military families with the quality of life they deserve. Investing in a San Antonio home at this point in time is a wise decision, as there are plenty of responsible military members to rent to while you are stationed elsewhere. The city is such a welcoming place for military retirees to return to at the end of their years of service. Plus, they say everything is bigger in Texas, and that’s definitely true when it comes to getting the most house for your money. While $250,000 won’t go very far in places like San Diego or near the Pentagon, in the Joint Base area it will buy you a beautiful executive style home with four bedrooms, custom upgrades, gas cooking, and even a pool!

Find an Affordable San Antonio Home with Plenty of Space, Near Good Schools and Jobs

This kind of investment is a no-brainer, so it’s easy to see why families making the San Antonio military move are often buying their homes in the area known as “Military City” as a long-term asset for their future. The skyrocketing tech industry in the area is drawing more and more people and businesses, ensuring that housing values continue to climb, and this underscores the wisdom of buying now rather than later. There are many more military families in the area as the Air Force has increased its cyber defense squadrons here to defend the country from cyber attacks against our government networks, high tech industries, and infrastructure, and they are taking advantage of everything the city offers its residents. Places like the downtown Riverwalk and Alamo Ranch provide their own unique opportunities, and with the continued drop in crime city-wide there are more and more reasons for buying a home in San Antonio. It makes sound economic sense to invest in a home now, since all the positive growth in the area means that the affordability of housing is likely to be impacted as values continue to climb and the Joint Base area continues to prosper.

If you’re thinking of moving to San Antonio, you don’t want to miss the many great suburbs close to the city as you search for the right house. We highly recommend Helotes homes, as they offer a short, 30-minute commute into downtown San Antonio. These homes are also priced more affordably than those in the city’s center. You get a lot more house for your buck in Helotes, as well as excellent public schools and a friendly community. The community is known for its many events, which bring everyone together for fun and friendship.

Those Moving to San Antonio Will Find a Great Community in Helotes

The La Cruda 5K is coming up, and runners from Helotes homes are invited to start 2018 on a healthy note. The race takes place on January 1st at 10 a.m., so you’ll have plenty of time to party and see 2017 to a close and still have time to get to the race. “La cruda” means hangover in Spanish, and there will be plenty of remedies if you overindulge the night before.

The cost to enter the La Cruda is $35. Kids 12 and younger can run for free with a paid adult, so this is a great way for families to get into running together and commit to exercise in the new year. Packet pickup will begin at 8 a.m. on race day. The race begins at The Bluffs in Old Town Helotes, near the old location of the host, Soler’s Sports.

Soler’s Sports has been a fixture in Helotes since 1988, outfitting everyone with great running shoes and other running gear. They also offer race management and screen-printed t-shirts. Get more details about the La Cruda 5K on the Soler’s Sports website and register for the race. Keep up with the races Soler’s Sports hosts throughout the year by following their Facebook page.  

For help with a San Antonio move, call Robert Twaron at 210.860.1775 or text Homesforsale to 36260.

If you’re planning a San Antonio move this winter, you might be wondering how to improve the curb appeal of your home. It’s not the season for putting out new potted flowers, but you can still put out evergreen plants. If you have greenery in your landscaping already, make sure they’re neatly trimmed and that dead leaves are swept away. A small Christmas tree with some white twinkle lights looks cheerful on any home and will create a welcoming feel for potential buyers. Outdoor sculpture is another good choice for creating an exterior that is memorable an attractive. Colored glass or shiny metallic finishes draw the eye and make up for the fact that the flowers aren’t in bloom.

Brighten the Exterior of San Antonio Real Estate to Appeal to Buyers

There are several other ways to improve the look of the exterior of your home. Good lighting is an excellent choice, from both an aesthetic and practical point of view. Lights that lead the way from the driveway to the front door make your house look inviting and help people find their way when the days are short. If you have a long pathway leading from the street to your door, think about adding a lantern or other light that will help people find the house. Large house numbers also create interest and make the house easy to find. This cuts down on frustration for buyers--always a good thing when trying to entice people to buy. A new mailbox, especially one in a bright color, will also make the house easier to locate and add visual interest. Speaking of bright colors, consider adding a pop of color by painting your front door red or adding a bright wreath.

Whether you’re planning a San Antonio move from another city or are just looking for another house in the area, Robert Twaron can help. With decades of experience in San Antonio real estate, he will be able to guide you every step of the way from selling your current house to buying your next. For more information, please call 210.860.1775 or text Homesforsale to 36260.

Seaworld’s Christmas Celebration is one of the highlights of the holiday season for everyone who calls San Antonio home! From the 18th of November through the 2nd of January this “wintery, watery wonderland” is bringing everyone the joy of the season in its own extraordinary way. This year Seaworld has decorated for its annual Christmas Celebration with 8 million lights, making it absolutely the largest Christmas light display in Texas, and visitors will be able to stroll through their 250 acres surrounded by the light of the holidays. People moving to San Antonio are surprised every year by the many opportunities in the area for families to make memories during the Christmas season, and Seaworld has proven again and again that in this community there are holiday events for everyone. Guests are able to meet Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends at an exclusive dinner, or even enjoy a full Christmas dinner with Santa and Mrs.Claus in their home and listen to them share a story. Then of course, there are the Christmas Shows that everyone looks forward to every year. From a Beluga Christmas with its music from the Nutcracker, to Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas, to The Sesame Street Shows, there’s sure to be something for everyone this time of year!

Create New Christmas Traditions for Your New San Antonio Home

For those who are just moving to San Antonio, the Christmas Traditions Tour at Seaworld opens a door to the wonder of the season in this community. The Tour itself includes dinner at the Cozy Christmas Kitchen and a family photo with Santa Claus as well as the chance to meet Santa’s Reindeer. On top of that, these special guests will have the exclusive opportunity to meet a killer whale, and the Tour’s tickets also come with reserved seating for the Shamu Christmas: Miracles Christmas Show. Other opportunities for holiday fun packages are the All Aboard option, which allows guests to bypass the lines at the most popular rides and get reserved seating for some of the Christmas Shows, and it even includes a collectable mug with a free refill of hot chocolate, as well as Santa’s Sleigh Reserved Seating which also comes with seats for the Christmas Shows and the collectable mug. Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without all the sounds of the season, and Seaworld has multiple holiday offerings for music lovers, including the Nativity Singers who tell the story of the birth of Christ through the beauty of their angelic voices lifted in song.

Seaworld’s Christmas Celebration is full of the light and magic of the season and it’s easy to understand why families from all over the area have made it a part of their holiday traditions every year. To learn more about everything Seaworld offers the community during this special time, visit Seaworld San Antonio, or call 210-520-4732.

Believe it or not, the holiday season can be a great time to make a San Antonio move and get your house on the market. Many sellers wait because they think that things are pretty dead and slow going during this time of the year, but that could play to your advantage. The truth is that there are always motivated buyers out there every month of the year. There are probably even many out there looking extra hard because they are hoping that their fellow competitors in the market to buy will be out of town. Also, with less competition from having fewer houses on the market, this could work out very well for you. In the past, buyers and agents really have not wanted to take the time over the holidays to drive around and flip through giant MLS books. Now, house listings are available at the touch of a button. Potential buyers are curled up by the fire drinking hot cocoa looking at beautifully staged pictures of your home.

Buy or Sell San Antonio Real Estate This Winter and Enjoy Less Competition

Play to the emotions of your buyers by taking a little extra time to stage your home in a festive way. Help them picture celebrating the holidays in your home with their families. Many people buy because of an emotional connection to a home and this could be the perfect opportunity to play on that. Keep your home ready for a showing at all times and work with someone who will do their research and price the home well. If someone makes the trek out to see your home over the holidays, they are serious about a San Antonio move. The fact that it is a slower time of year should also make the closing go more smoothly. With fewer transactions pending for loan officers, home inspectors, and attorneys, they should be able to work quickly.

Selling your San Antonio real estate is a big deal and the whole process will definitely take some thought. Choose the time of year that works best for you. If it makes the most sense to move over the winter, don’t let that dissuade you from getting your house on the market over the holidays. There is really no reason to wait, and it might work out more in your favor anyway.

The holidays are a challenging time to be moving to San Antonio. Depending on when you arrive, preparing a huge Christmas dinner may not be practical. You’re in luck! If your San Antonio home isn’t ready for a big celebration, there are tons of restaurants in the city that are planning fantastic dinners.

Las Canarias is located on the San Antonio River Walk and provides a lovely, romantic atmosphere for guests. Both a Christmas Day brunch and dinner will be offered. Get seated for brunch every half hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Choose farm fresh eggs and get your omelette made with your favorite add-ins, including spinach, tomato, smoked salmon, goat cheese, ham, and more. Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the build your own waffle station. Try a market salad, seafood, or carved meats. 

Dinner will be served at Las Canarias every half hour from 4 to 8 p.m. Start with cheese and charcuterie and a market salad. Then fill up with seafood, made to order pasta, or chicken and waffles. There will also be carved meats and lots of great sides. Don’t forget to save room for pumpkin pie, mini yule logs, fruit, and egg nog shooters. Call 210.518.1063 for reservations.

Try a Brazilian or Chinese Restaurant Near Your San Antonio Home

For a Brazilian Christmas dinner, head to Fogo de Cha?o. They will be open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Christmas eve and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Day. Brazilian churrusco is a fun barbecue experience. Waiters bring different barbecued meats to your table, and you choose how much you’d like. Choose from steak, chicken, pork, and lamb. There are also tasty sausages, seafood, and the Market Table, with salads, soups, and cured meats. Visit the Fogo de Cha?o website to make reservations. 

Finally, experience one of San Antonio’s best Chinese restaurants by heading to Sichuan House. It was named as one of 2017’s top 50 restaurants in the city by the San Antonio-Express News. Sichuan House will be open both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The menu is quite extensive. Be sure to check out Chef Li’s Specialty Items, which includes Lover’s Ridge babyback ribs, sweet and sour whole fish, and spicy and savory blue crab, among many others. They are also known for their fabulous dumplings. Visit the Sichuan House Facebook page to see the whole menu and make reservations. 

We hope these recommendations will make your first Christmas after moving to San Antonio easier.

Get information about homes in San Antonio by calling 210.860.1775 or text Homesforsale to 36260.

When you decide on a San Antonio move, your next step is to start looking at San Antonio real estate. A lot of people start out online. That will give you a sense of what’s available, and you can also start figuring out what features are most important for a new home. Many people value an updated kitchen. While you may pay a little more for a house with a new kitchen, you will save money and time in the long run. New appliances are much more energy efficient than older ones, and there’s nothing like cooking and eating in a bright kitchen, with new flooring, countertops, and cupboards.

A designated laundry room is another feature some people really value. Good insulation will keep the noise of the washer and dryer down. Space for air-drying delicates, as well as sorting and folding laundry makes the whole chore of laundry so much simpler.

The nice weather is one reason people choose a San Antonio move. A nice patio is a great way to enjoy the sun and clear skies. You can host barbecues, eat your meals al fresco, and curl up with a good book or a glass of wine.

Hardwood floors, particularly in the common spaces of the home, are also becoming a popular choice. Carpet may be soft on the feet, but it traps dirt and gets worn out quickly. Hardwood floors are much easier to clean and hard-wearing.

Decide on the Most Important Features for Your San Antonio Real Estate

There are other features that are important for your family and lifestyle. Room for a home office or craft room, a dedicated guest room, a spacious pantry, or a swimming pool might be on your list. As you look at floor plans and visit possible houses, you will refine what is most important for you and your life. Be sure to look at the new construction around San Antonio and the suburbs. Many of these features are already incorporated into the house designs.

I’ve been living and working in the San Antonio area for years. Get in contact with the office soon so we can talk about your San Antonio housing needs. Call 210.860.1775 or text Homesforsale to 36260.

This holiday season the families who call Helotes home, as well as the other San Antonio suburbs, have a wide variety of activities to add to their seasonal calendar. For instance, just down Scenic Loop Road the Helotes community has put together two events on December 9th that will be a great way to kick off the holidays for everyone!

The fun begins at 8 a.m. with the Jingle Paws Classic 5k Run and Walk that Saturday morning which will benefit the Helotes Humane Society. Registration packets can be picked up the day before from noon to 5 p.m. at their address, and late registration will open at 7 a.m. at the OP Schnabel Park where the race will be held. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun, including well-behaved and vaccinated dogs as long as they are on a leash! The awards ceremony will begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. and will go to the overall fastest male/female over 18 years old as well as the male/female under 18. The overall top three dogs will also receive their own awards! Registration comes with a commemorative T-shirt for the first 300 participants and the pre-registration fee for timed runners is only $25. Those who register on the day of the race will pay $30, and students or military who bring their ID will only pay $15. Anyone who just wants to join in the fun without being timed will only pay a $20 pre-registration fee or $25 on the day of the race. To learn more about how to register online until the 7th of December, contact Sue St. Cyr at kzyrnr17@yahoo.com and find out how everyone can make a difference for the humane society this season. 

Everyone from San Antonio Suburbs Gets Together December 9th for the Christmas Market

Then on the evening of the 9th, beginning at 4 p.m. and continuing until 8 p.m., the community will be hosting its 3rd Annual Christmas Market in Old Town Helotes at The Bluffs on Old Bandera Road. This new holiday tradition is sure to have something for everyone in your Helotes home! There will be vendors selling their handcrafted items for those looking for the perfect, unique Christmas Gift, as well as plenty of food vendors offering their tasty seasonal treats to the many visitors who come from miles around. Texas Tide will be providing the music, and Santa will be available for pictures from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Of course, the highlight of the evening will be the City of Helotes Christmas Parade that begins at 7:30 that evening! 

With options like these all season long, those who call Boerne home have a full holiday calendar to anticipate as the December festivities begin. There’s sure to be something fun for everyone!

Taking the time to effectively stage your home before putting it on the market can really make it stand out to those moving to San Antonio and looking for a place to live. One option is to totally move out and have a professional come in to stage, but this can get expensive and most people do not have the luxury of moving out of the home before it sells. With a little planning and an off site storage location, homeowners can do many things on their own to make their home look its best. The goal is to showcase the best features of your San Antonio home and allow those who walk through to be able to envision their family living in the space.

Declutter, Deep Clean, and Brighten Your San Antonio Home

A good place to start is to depersonalize and neutralize your home. This means to take down personal photographs and other mementos that would make it hard for others to imagine themselves living in the home. It also means to neutralize colors. Sprucing up the paint can make a home look cleaner and by choosing neutral colors it would allow all ages and genders to find the space inviting. Think of not only the paint colors, but bedding, accent pillows, curtains, and other accessories. It is ok to spend some money on staging. A good staging job will bring in more money for the home, so anything spent should pay for itself.

Next, declutter and deep clean your home. Get as many of your belongings out of the house as possible to make it look like there is plenty of space. Think not only of the main rooms, but closets as well. Potential buyers do not want to look in closets and see them crammed and overflowing with stuff. They want to see storage spaces with plenty of room for everything. Also wipe down and scrub everything. Do a deep clean of the kitchen and bathroom as well as light fixtures, ceiling fans, baseboards, and anything else. When it is time for an open house or individual showings, make sure all curtains and blinds are open to let in as much light as possible. Light streaming in through windows make spaces seem more inviting and look larger. With a little planning and hard work with staging, your home will shine, appeal to those moving to San Antonio, and fetch a good price.

If you’re making a move to San Antonio or trying to sell a house, get in touch with our office for expert advice and help. Call 210.860.1775 or text Homesforsale to 36260.

The conventional wisdom in real estate is that buying or selling during the winter is not a good idea. Spring is often considered the best season for real estate. However, for many the San Antonio real estate in winter is actually ideal. There are several reasons for this. For one thing, there is less competition in the winter. This can work in the favor of either buyers or sellers. Buyers are less likely to experience the frustration of bidding wars and losing out on a house over and over again. The high competition of the spring market can cause a lot of stress, as buyers scramble to decide on a house and submit an offer before someone else does.

On the other hand, sellers don’t have to compete with as many comparable houses on the market. It’s more likely that buyers will look at all the houses for sale in their price range and desired area when there aren’t so many. Companies often hire people to start on January 1st. While there may be fewer buyers, they may be more motivated to make a deal in the winter than the spring.

Shop for San Antonio Real Estate Now and Find Your Dream Home Before the New Year

Winter can also be a good time to get a feel for a neighborhood. A large number of people who decorate for the holidays, for example, can point to a friendly area and neighbors.

Buyers and sellers may both find that winter is a convenient time to sell because everyone involved in the process can move more quickly to finish the deal. Real estate agents have fewer clients. Property inspectors have fewer reports. Mortgage lenders are working on fewer contracts. Closing can happen more quickly, with less stress for everyone involved. Many real estate agents actually find that they enjoy winter sales very much and are happy to get creative when it comes to matching buyers and houses for sale.

If you’re planning a winter San Antonio move, either within the city or from out of town, please call 210.860.1775 or text Homesforsale to 36260 to find out about what’s available now. We’d be happy to help you find the best new home for your lifestyle!