Mr. Montgomery,

Welcome to San Antonio. Good to see you are asking questions BEFORE making the plunge.

As already mentioned, we have many good builders here in San Antonio. My recommendation is for you to visit several exisiting homes and compare the quality of the work done by the individual builders. See what you like or may not like about their styles, techniques, etc.

Also suggest you not look for a home based upon price. Rather, on what you need: square feet, number of bedrooms, one vs. two story, number of garage spaces, size of yard, etc. This will help in deciding what price home you are looking for.

Again, wlecome to San Antonio. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

Call if you have any specific questions.

Regards,

Dominick Dina, Broker/Owner
Christian Realty San Antonio

Keith,

Good day. There are many excellent builders in the San Antonio area. I would recommend visiting http://www.buyershouserealty.com/custom7.shtml and doing searches for new homes to find the different builders in your price ranges. Then feel free to ask me about the builders that you like and their properties. I think you will find this link very informative and useful.

Keep in mind that BuyersHouseRealty is not your traditional brick and mortar real estate company. We are the evolution of real estate and provide you a large financial incentive for using our services. Learn more by visiting our FAQ section of our site. http://www.Buy75.com

Happy House Hunting,

Gavin St.Louis
Realtor
BuyersHouseRealty
"The Real Estate Deal"

Hi, Keith,

You're going to love San Antonio! I am sure that you are reading all the available online information about the city, schools, neighborhoods, etc. Depending on your household, schools may or may not be important now, but they will be important at resale time. n, You will need a trusted local contact to tell you about traffic patterns, commute times, shopping, neighborhood values, etc. Professional REALTORS do this every day as a service to our clients.

Any of us will be happy to send you a Relocation Guide, and a CARE package full of builder offerings, pre-owned homes for sale, and maybe more detail than you want. You can pick a REALTOR to represent your interests in the transaction, since everyone else you deal with will be representing the interests of the Seller/Builder. Many people don't know that it actually saves you money when you have a competent "hired-gun" on your side of the table.

You can go to our website at http://www.TellEllen.com and do a map-based search, or contact the REALTOR of your choice and let us set up a search based on your preferences. The searches can cover both new and pre-owned homes, and possibilities are e-mailed to you when they come on the market. Many REALTORS will actually go preview the homes that interest you most and even send you a virtual tour or video of the property. There is usually no charge for this extra service.

Last of all, we know.which Builders have "extra" inventory and are willing to negotiate on price. In Real Estate, everything is negotiable. Having a pro on your side of the table can make a huge difference, both in quality and price of the home and in making your move to SA hassle free. Good luck on your move, and thank you for your service to our country.

Keith,

Just to back up something Amanda noted... If you plan on building a home, make sure you go the extra mile and order phased-inspections from a licensed inspector. Do not just rely on the builders inspections. It will cost you a bit more (and a Realtor® can help you find many excellent inspectors) out of pocket, but can save you thousands in the long run. Like Amanda said, any builder can have a "bad day" - getting these phased-inspections can help catch any trouble spots before they are all sealed up in the walls and don't become apparent until years down the line.

Hope that helps!

Matt Stigliano, Realtor®
RE/MAX Access
(210) 646-HOME
http://www.RErockstar.com
"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Hi Keith,

Welcome to San Antonio!

As everyone has mentioned, we have several excellent builders here in San Antonio in your price range. In fact, my opinion is that they are all good builders! However, any good builder can have a "bad day". It is more important to look at the location/schools first. Once you have narrowed down your primary areas, then search for the home/builder/floor plan that fits your needs, wants and quality that you desire. The property inspection will be very important in determining that the builder was having a "good day" and was on top of the construction site at the time that particular home was being constructed!

Since you are new to the area, I would definitely suggest you hire a realtor to assist you in sorting out your many options! I am an Accredited Buyer Representative and would be available to work with you in your search! Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.

Good Luck with your relocation here!

Amanda P. Herring
Realtor, Broker, ABR
(210) 771-8608
amanda@amandaherring.com

Keith,

As the others have said, there's a lot of determining factors in finding that home for you. Just about every area of the city will have something to suit your needs ($180K is above our median price range here in San Antonio). Many builders offer great incentives as well that once you can narrow down an area, you can find homes that are typically priced higher, but have come down to the range you're looking for.

Of course, there's other things to take into consideration too. Do you have children? Do schools matter to you? Where will you be working, does your commute matter to you? Many of the questions could help narrow down areas to look in.

For instance, I see you're moving from out of state. A lot of our inbound moves are for military reasons. Let's assume you are in the military for one moment. If you were stationed at Lackland (Air Force), I'd be thinking about some of the developments in Westcreek and Northwest areas. If you were stationed at Fort Sam, I'd be thinking of the i-35 corridor most likely and areas like Schertz, Selma, and Cibolo. Of course, if you were non-military I'd still have lots of places to consider too.

Of course, even those ideas above are rather far-encompassing and would need to be narrowed down too.

Then of course, there's the house itself. Fieldstone builds very simple homes that are very large for their price. But they make up for it by making most of their homes very boxy and simple on the outside. Imagine builds amazing energy efficient homes. Lennar builds some gorgeous homes. DR Horton builds from the low-ranges to the much higher ranges. Centex (now Pulte) builds some great affordable homes, but if you move into the high dollar areas of town, I think you pay more than you should for some of their homes. As you can see - it's very varied.

Another thing to consider is city taxes, many developments are outside the city of San Antonio where you won't have to pay our city taxes. These can add a lot to your monthly payment, so if you're saving that by living on the "outskirts" you may actually be able to afford more home than you think. Price is one thing, but depending on other factors, monthly payment is a true indicator of where you want to be. Speaking with a great lender can help narrow that down for you as well.

Although I don't cover every neighborhood under the sun (yet), check out the link below and you can see some of the neighborhoods in and around town and perhaps that will help give you a feel for some of the things you like and don't like:

http://www.rerockstar.com/buyers/neighborhoods/

You can also look through market data to help you understand our real estate market a bit better:

http://www.rerockstar.com/market-reports/

Hope that helps!

Matt Stigliano, Realtor®
RE/MAX Access
(210) 646-HOME
http://www.RErockstar.com
"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Keith,

We have some great home builders all depends upon which areas you want to live in. There are many pre owned homes that are just like new as well. They have window coverings, lawn complete front and back etc... You have so many options. If you would like call or email me and I can assist you in further detail. I would be honored to assist you. I guarantee you will be pleased with my services! Have a great day!

Sincerely,
Sally Cresswell
Keller Williams Realty
210-385-6458 http://www.cresswellsells.com

Hi Keith,

Well, we certainly look forward to having you here in San Antonio! Are you PCSing here from FT Lewis and heading to FT Sam Houston? I

There are many good home builders with inventory here in San Antonio. There is DR Horton, Ryland, Meritage, Fieldstone and honestly lots more. It would truly depend on what area you would like to live in and what type of home and amenities you are looking for.

If you would like, I would be happy to help you narrow it down. My contact information is below and be sure to check out my website for further information on military relocation and San Antonio in general. I look forward to hearing from you!

Brenda Mullen, REALTOR® ABR®
Home Team of America
210-807-0819
brenda.mullen@sbcglobal.net
I

Keith,
Good question, but I think the better issue is the neighborhood you decide upon. San Antonio is a collection of many different neighborhoods. There are 27 separate registered historical districts alone. There is a significant inventory of new and existing homes all over San Antonio, but it is a big city geographically. Depending on where you may work or desire particular school district, the neighborhood is a critical first decision. By looking at neighborhoods, you may get a feel for the different builders. Once you have a fiduciary (Realtor), he or she will be able to give you opinions and advice.
Don Reser

Hi Keith,
In the price range that you mentioned, I quickly found that DR Horton, Lennar, and Fieldstone all have existing inventory homes available for purchase. All are reputable builders, and offer the expected warranties that come with a new home.
Are you planning to buy an existing inventory home or do you plan to build from dirt? Are you familiar with the San Antonio area and in which area of town you plan to reside? The price and even your taxes will vary depending on the area and school district that you choose. If you have not selected a Realtor to represent your interests, you would be wise to consider doing so. While the builders will have a site agent to guide you through the process, the site agent works for the builder and represents the builders best interest and bottom line. Any of the above mentioned builders are accustomed to paying a buyer's agent commission and a buyers' decision to not have representation doesn't usually save them any money and in fact can cost them in closing costs, negotiation, and just plain inconvenience - particularly when you are unfamiliar with a city, the areas, or the builders. The two most important reasons to use a buyer’s representative are protection and efficiency. Most likely, the seller of whatever property you buy -new or resale, will be represented by a listing agent who can provide expertise throughout the transaction. Don’t you want the same kind of service as a buyer? A buyer’s representative can provide you with the expertise you need through the entire transaction. According to NAR research, buyers who work with a buyer’s representative also find their homes quicker, while viewing more properties in their search, than buyers who do not engage a buyer’s representative. I am an Accredited Buyer's Representative and have spent many years working as a builder's site rep. , so I have seen this business from both sides. If you have not found someone to help in your move, please give me a call or an email, or visit our website http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com