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San Antonio, TX Real Estate News

By Patricia Zars, San Antonio
(Zars & Rogers REALTORS)
I have recently joined McMillin Homes and will be opening their newest community in San Antonio, The Cliffs at Cibolo.  This upscale community is located just off of Stone Oak Pkwy on the east side of HWY 281 before Bulverde Road and just across from the new Lady Bird Johnshon Highschool.
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  Date: February 14, 2008RE: Implementation of the Two Mortgage Provisions in the Stimulus Bill On February 13, 2008, the President signed the stimulus bill, H.R. 5140. This is the first in a series of memorandums discussing the implementation of the two mortgage related provisions included in the signed measure. The bill provides temporary increases to both the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and government sponsored enterprises (GSE) mortgage limits until December 31, 2008. NAR will provide updated information on these provisions as it becomes available. The new law makes seven temporary changes to the FHA and GSE loan limits: • Raises the base FHA loan limit ("floor") to $271,050 (65 percent of the current GSE limit of $417,000),  • Sets the base GSE loan limit ("floor") at $417...
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By Shirley Parks, Broker, 210-414-0966, San Antonio TX Real Estate
(Sands Realty 210-414-0966)
Renaissance At The Vineyards is one of the few remaining locations in North San Antonio that has large outstanding view lots. Just outside of Loop 1604 off Huebner Rd., the location provides easy access to all of San Antonio. One of the focal points is the private amenity center with pool, tennis courts, and pavilion with outdoor fireplace. This gated community offers one and two story homes, beautifully designed with gourmet kitchens, some with wine cellars. Stop by Mercedes homes and see their gorgeous model home. Renaissance is located in the Northeast Independent School District. The current school assignments are: Wilderness Oaks ES, Jose Lopez MS Ronald Reagan HS To search for home listings in San Antonio go to www.shirleyparks.com or call me at 210-414-0966.
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By Robin Rogers, CRS, TRC, MRP - Real Estate Investment Adviser
(Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas)
Texas is one of the few states to be continuing to add jobs, just one of the reasons that the real-estate downturn has not had as much of an effect here as in other states. And two companies headquartered in San Antonio have made it onto Fortune magazine's annual list of top 100 employers. They include Valero Energy, the largest oil refining company in North America that nobody's ever heard of, and Rackspace Managed Hosting, which Microsoft designated Worldwide Hosting Service Provider of the Year in 2007. Valero's campus is on the northwest part of San Antonio, close to the University of Texas and a little farther from USAA and the Medical Center, two other major employers. The average annual salary for Valero employees is $97,730 and for Rackspace is $55,883.Rackspace is relocating it...
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By Shirley Parks, Broker, 210-414-0966, San Antonio TX Real Estate
(Sands Realty 210-414-0966)
Northern Hills is located in Northeast San Antonio, TX 78217 and is the site of approximately 1750 homes in the area bounded by Thousands Oaks, Scarsdale, Stahl Road, Higgins Road, and Uhr Lane. Northern Hills is the home of the Northern Hills Country Club, 13202 Scarsdale St.The Golf Club is an 18 regulation hole course of 6,627 yards winding among the homes located on the southern end of Northern Hills. The course is open to the public.Northern Hills is located in the Northeast Independent School District.  Children are currently attending the following schools. Northern Hills Elementary, Clara Driscoll Middle School and James Madison High School.  To search for home listings in San Antonio go to www.shirleyparks.com or call me at 210-414-0966.
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By Ellen & Doc Stephens, Doc & Ellen Stephens
(Keller Williams Realty)
It's SNOWING in the US! ... but not in San Antonio!  We're enjoying 70's and clear skies!  So it is with Real Estate.We know you have been hearing all the dismal news about Real Estate.  But San Antonio is still ranked as the #1 market in the entire USA to invest in Real Estate.Click here for the story.ALL Real Estate is local! We have been getting calls from friends and clients asking about the value of their homes, usually for two reasons: 1.  They received an increased Tax Appraisal and want to know if they should fight it, and2.  They were worried about all the bad news. Last year (2007) San Antonio homes appreciated on the average 7.89% according to the RealEstate Center at Texas A&M University.For you economists, here's the whole report:So, we have decided to offer our friends and...
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By Shirley Parks, Broker, 210-414-0966, San Antonio TX Real Estate
(Sands Realty 210-414-0966)
McArthur Terrace, San Antonio, TX 78217McArthur Terrace is a subdivision located in the near North Central area of San Antonio. Located between Nacogdoches Road and Broadway off of Bitters. The area is convenient to Loop 410, IH 35 and San Antonio International Airport.McArthur Terrace was established in 1965 and was a premier community north of downtown. Today the community remains an attractive area for buyers due to the location and the proximity to the following NEISD schools Regency Elementary School, Garner Middle School, and MacArthur High School. To search for home listings in San Antonio go to www.shirleyparks.com or call me at 210-414-0966.
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By Frank Zeno
(Integrity Realty)
  Unsigned letter accuses agent of mortgage fraud Real estate agent says it may be a rival using smear tactics. By SUSAN TAYLOR MARTIN, Times Senior Correspondent Published November 23, 2007 Susan Taylor Martin | Times] Neighbors say this Palm Harbor home, sold by real estate agent Lori Polin last year, turned into a "crack house," with several transients arrested on drug charges. Lori Polin says her success is due to her hard work. In 2006 - a year when most Tampa Bay real estate agents saw their business plummet - Lori Polin did remarkably well. An agent for Re/Max International, Polin was honored at the company's convention in Atlanta last March with the Chairman's Club Award. That put her in an elite group - fewer than 1,400 of Re/Max's 120,000 agents worldwide - who had gross commi...
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By Mary Jo Schaffer, Bandera Texas Real Estate
(Sweetheart Realty)
Cowboy Up San Antonio!  You still have time to visit the Freeman Coliseum and the AT&T Center for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo which began on Thursday, Jan. 31st and continues daily until Saturday, February 16th.  This year's event is jam packed with activities for young and old- be it the carnival, the exhibits, the entertainment and of course, the riding, roping and the clowns. Why, there are even X-Games for the non-cowboy enthusiast.  Oh- I almost forgot about the most important of all- The Food!  And plenty to drink too! Don't forget your wallet and pocketbook- there's plenty of great stuff to look at and buy also. For a complete list of events and times, see www.sarodeo.com  and be ready for a great time!
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By Robin Rogers, CRS, TRC, MRP - Real Estate Investment Adviser
(Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas)
Revisiting this post from 2008, I had an e-mail from some clients overseas asking about the average price per square foot in ZIP code 78249 to help them decide whether to make an offer on a second home and for how much. They saw the Board of Realtor statistics published from December and were wondering if the average price per square foot would fall to $75 to $78 in this neighborhood. Here's the gist of my reply, recycled for the blog in case it's interesting to others: The problem with ZIP codes is they are funny shapes and 78249 goes all over the place-I know because I used to live in it and I still have a rental property in it! The two are wildly different. The average price per SF is not a meaningful number, because the ZIP code contains a variety of homes. San Antonio is now the ei...
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   Realtor Caught in Cash-Back-at-Closing's Crosshairs by Ralph Roberts According to Realtor Lori Polin, she was totally unaware that what she was involved with consisted of real estate and mortgage fraud. If ignorance of the law was an appropriate defense, she could be off the hook. Unfortunately it's not. According to a recent story in the St. Petersburg Times entitled "Unsigned letter accuses agent of mortgage fraud," Polin was allegedly involved in classic cash back at closing schemes.  Here's how a cash back at closing scheme works: The buyer pays more for a property than it's worth, and the seller agrees to kick back the surplus cash to the buyer at the closing. On its surface, cash back at closing seems to benefit everyone involved. The buyer pockets some extra cash. The seller u...
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By Shirley Parks, Broker, 210-414-0966, San Antonio TX Real Estate
(Sands Realty 210-414-0966)
 History of Hunters CreekHunters Creek is a community of 611 single family homes centrally located in North Central San Antonio. It is situated between Wurzbach Road and Huebner Road, with the main entrance off Lockhill-Selma. It was originally built beginning in about 1980 and most construction was completed by 1990. Children from Hunters Creek attend Oak Meadow Elsm, Jackson Middle  and Winston Churchill in the North East Independent School District. Neighborhood amenities include walking/nature trails and a Swim and Recreation Club. Membership is available in the Swim and Recreation Club for a reasonable yearly fee and provides access to lighted tennis courts and a large competition size swimming pool with a nearby wading pool. A large attractive clubhouse, with a working fireplace a...
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By Rob and Camille Di Maio
(San Antonio Real Estate - Keller Williams Legacy)
If you ask a child what they think they will find in Heaven, you might hear answers like "Disneyland", "cotton candy", or "puppies."Aside from the obvious spiritual aspects of Eternal Life, I hope that Heaven has copious chocolate and books.I fulfilled my chocolate dreams by having lived for several years near Hershey, Pennsylvania, where the air smells of cocoa and the streetlamps are kiss-shaped.However, it is in San Antonio that my book dreams have been answered.The Scholastic Warehouse on Perrin Creek is Book Heaven.Think back to when you were in school, and the teacher would pass out those newspaper-like flyers with book lists. My mom would let me pick two each time, and I had such a hard time narrowing down my choices. I was the kid that chose to go the library at recess. (Sister ...
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  Realty Viewpoint: Bad Builder Numbers Where They Should Be by Blanche Evans The Commerce Department reported that new home sales in December dropped to the lowest level in nearly 13 years. Instead of the million or two we're used to hearing reported at year's end, new home builders only sold about 774,000 new homes in 2007. That's 26.4 percent below 2006, and the biggest year-over-year drop since 1963, when new home sales were first tracked by the government. Prices fell dramatically in December for both the average (-11.5 percent to $267,300) and the median (10.9 percent to $219,000) price fell 10.9 the biggest drop in prices since 1970. The median is the point at which half the sales are under and half the sales are over. Completed homes were 40 percent of the inventory on hand, whi...
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By Shirley Parks, Broker, 210-414-0966, San Antonio TX Real Estate
(Sands Realty 210-414-0966)
BLANCO WOODS is a small, quiet, single-family housing development in a "pocket neighborhood" consisting of only eight streets. Each homeowner takes pride in keeping this subdivision in pristine condition. Mature trees and greenbelts abound in our little area. Streets included are Blanco Woods. Brookwood, Brookstone, Summer Creek Drive, Wood Canyon, Wood Moss, Hidden Timber Wood, and Hidden Oak Wood. BLANCO WOODS has a beautiful pool for families to use, and tennis courts as well. Or, enjoy a game of basketball in the Common Area. Use of these facilities is limited only to those who are a member of the Blanco Woods Homeowners AssociationFAITH LUTHERN CHURCH is located at the main entrance into the subdivision. There is also a day-care facility located at the Brookstone Road entrance off ...
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By Robin Rogers, CRS, TRC, MRP - Real Estate Investment Adviser
(Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas)
San Antonio has a diversified, growing economy and continues to add jobs. One of my favorite sectors as it relates to investment properties is the medical/biotech industry. Until recently, hospitals were located mainly downtown and biotech, research, schools, and other medical facilities were concentrated on the northwest part of the city at the South Texas Medical Center.In my opinion, the Medical Center area has long been one of the best areas for investment properties because it attracts prospective tenants with well-paying jobs as well as students and interns the University of Texas Health Science Center. Methodist Hospital, Christus Santa Rosa, and ancillary clinics and doctors' offices are clustered in the area, which continues to expand north. The South Texas Oncology and Hematol...
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By Shirley Parks, Broker, 210-414-0966, San Antonio TX Real Estate
(Sands Realty 210-414-0966)
In Green Spring Valley you'll find a true respite from the stresses of daily life, nestled among 167 acres of peaceful wooded winding streets. The perfect place to live and enjoy a unique blend of well-kept homes designed as a showplace of nature and beauty. Even though you'll feel like you're in the country, Green Spring Valley is located just a mile inside Loop 1604 off Bulverde Road, minutes from all your favorite shopping and entertainment destinations. If you're looking for an active lifestyle, you'll find a beautiful recreation center complete with swimming pool, a separate wading pool, and a cabana sheltered under giant trees. There are lighted tennis courts, basketball court and a sand volleyball court. We have a fenced play area for the little ones complete with a covered deck ...
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By Judi Morgan, San Antonio, TX Real Estate
(RETIRED)
  Do you think that just because you can't get to New Orleans or Galveston to celebrate Mardi Gras you're going to miss it?  Think again!  We celebrate Mardi Gras in San Antonio! There will be a Mardi Gras Arts & Crafts Fair held on the River Walk Extension from February 1 thru 3, 2008 from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm each day. On Saturday, February 2, 2008, the San Antonio River Walk will be transformed into a floating Bourbon Street.  Krewes dressed in costumes will be on the floats celebrating Mardi Gras in San Antonio Style! The Mardi Gras River Parade, sponsored by BUD LIGHT, will start at 3:00 pm and finish up around 5:00 pm.                                                                    I plan to be there, wearing my beads and taking lots of pictures!  Hope to see you there!        ...
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By Sheri Walls
(Sheri Walls, Realtor)
Well, I am sure the housing market is what is on everyone's mind! I realize that so many of us use the national news media to report on what we don't have time to verify or read. I have TWO pieces of advice: 1) Don't trust everything you hear, research independent sources. 2) Remember Real Estate is LOCAL, not National. With that being said, I would like to address the San Antonio market from a Real Estate perspective. Real Estate is LOCAL! Let me say it again, Real Estate is LOCAL. You cannot put every real estate market in the same box. When you hear the national media reporting about the housing crisis, remember that they are reporting on the national stats and some of the reporters are only reporting on a select few cities. They sale what sells! I wish there were a disclosure on the...
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By Frank Zeno
(Integrity Realty)
  Your 5-minute guide to credit cardsCredit cards do have some benefits, but it's easy to get into financial trouble if you rely on them too much. Here are more than a dozen tips for using cards wisely.advertisement Article ToolsE-mail to a friendTools IndexPrint-friendly versionSite MapDiscuss in a Message BoardArticle IndexBy MSN Money staff Use a credit card wisely and you can reap benefits like cash back, bonus points and airline miles, not to mention a better credit score. Use it unwisely and you could end up under a mountain of debt.The No. 1 rule is: Pay off your balance every month. Otherwise, you'll pay interest on your purchases. Paying the balance takes discipline. About 40% of households carry credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve. Protect your good name (and sc...
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