If you are thinking of buying a home in San Antonio, know that this city is half the size of Rhode Island. Browsing through the real estate in San Antonio and finding that one house will take a considerable amount of time if you are a nitpicker. However, the below tips will help you in the search for your dream home here.
So, what area of San Antonio are your eyes on at this moment? Defining your area on the map will give you a quick count of what houses are available for sale. You should be looking around 1000+ houses at any given season. You have a lot of choices, so why not categorize them into three factors – features, affinity and stability.
The set of features that you are looking in a house is on your list and you have done plenty of homework about what your priorities are. You are sticking to your budget as well as making sure that the house comes with all the elements on your list. What is next? You are about to see a lot of varieties in floor plans, amenities and overall value during house hunting. Market has its own way of moving. For example, by the time you are browsing the houses, your preferred two-bedroom houses may have sold out. Four-bedroom homes that are beyond your price range are going next. Trapping yourself in a limited set of desired features and narrow price range will make this journey of finding the home a bumpy one. The solution is to consider looking at houses in multiple areas, not just your favorite location close to the top-ranking university.
Affinity is about how you feel when you visit a certain neighborhood. A few neighborhoods will make you feel warm and friendly, others not so much. This friendliness you will experience just by driving through, and in some locations, you may have to spend hours to learn the atmosphere. Nevertheless, it is good to know about your potential neighborhood before moving in. So, go there and talk to as much people as you can. Open yourself up and let others know of your needs. Walk down the road, sniff the air and enjoy the sunset until you are very sure that you want to live in a particular place.
Stability is finding the right house at the right place and time for the long term. Every area in a real estate market experience some level of turnover. A neighborhood full of young couples next to an elementary school may reduce to half its original population for many reasons, such as growing income, growing family, change of school and job relocation. Homes in an affluent community may become vacant all of a sudden because a few group of friends decided to downsize. Change is always in the air. Knowing that turnover occurs in every area is as important as watching the real estate market’s ups and downs. If you are paying attention to these changes, you can get to action on time.
