Best Way To Search For San Antonio Homes For Sale

First, if you’re looking to buy or sell a San Antonio area home, please visit Randy and Stephanie Kelley’s http://sanantoniohomequest.com website for the essential advice and assistance you’ll need, including access to our world class realty search engine.

Now, speaking of realty search engines, here’s something you might consider.

If you’re spending a lot of time surfing the Internet looking for San Antonio area listings be aware that all of the Internet search venues, even including the one at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com, aren’t in real time sync with the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) because they all rely on periodic MLS uploads to stay current. In fact, some of the popular venues are many hours to days out-of-date.

What's better? A direct San Antonio MLS search is far superior for detail and timeliness.

Even if you’re making your SAn Antonio home purchase next summer or fall, it’s not too early to start receiving detailed MLS listing reports matching your needs and coming to you directly from the San Antonio Multiple Listing Service.

The MLS search engine lets you save promising listings for future reference, and, by the time you start your on-site housing hunt, you’ll be well primed with information about neighborhoods, home styles, builders (yes, you’ll also get occasional listings for new construction homes) and will have a nice list of promising homes to see right away.

There’s one caveat to keep in mind.

Only a Realtor® member of the local MLS can set up a dedicated search for you. So, if you want an ongoing automated MLS search set up in your name, you must call or send an email request to a San Antonio real estate professional of your choice.

Be sure to describe your ideal home in detail because the MLS search is highly flexible and can be exceptionally specific in terms of your home ownership wants and needs. Ask for your search to be set up as soon as possible.

Be prepared to hear back and expect the Realtor® to explain how he or she can serve your consumer interests as your buyer agent. That’s cool, because the majority of home buyers in the San Antonio area are represented by buyer agents and someday you’ll have to decide which agent will best represent you.

The SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team will set up a free direct San Antonio MLS search for you without any obligation on your part.

Just describe your ideal home in an email to kelleybus@aol.com or swkrealtor@aol.com or call Randy at (210) 863-2661 or Stephanie at (210) 867-8743.

Weekend Events, San Antonio, Bulverde, Randolph AFB And Fort Sam Houston

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in San Antonio, the Bulverde area, or around Fort Sam Houston or Randolph Air Force Base, please visit Randy and Stephanie Kelley’s website for all the advice and assistance you’ll need, including access to our world class realty search engine. You can find us at sanantoniohomequest.com.

Now, for the weekend of 18 and 19 December, 2011, here’s a message from Mike’s In The Village, our favorite North San Antonio, Bulverde, Randolph Air Force Base, and Fort Sam Houston area restaurant:

Dear Friends,

This weekend, try our Roasted Poblano Bisque to start, and then enjoy the Prosciutto & Spinach Stuffed Veal Chop with Pinot Noir pan Jus, the Pan Seared Duck Breast with Raspberry Chipotle Demi or the White Wine Braised Osso Bucco over Creamy Polenta with Gremalatta.

This Saturday, join us on the back porch for live jazz music performed by Phil Grota.

Begin your New Year’s celebration with dinner at Mike’s! We will be serving our regular menu along with some delicious specials from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Reservations are suggested, so make yours now by clicking here or calling 830.438.2747.

Mike’s In The Village restaurant and Chef Mike’s Nouvelle Catering are the perfect choice for your holiday catering needs.

Click here for sample menu ideas or call us today for an estimate at(830) 438-2747.
Bon Appétit,Chef Mike

PS- We will be closed Saturday, December 24-Tuesday, December 27th for the Christmas holidays.

San Antonio, Texas, FHA Mortgage Loan Limits

If you’re looking to buy or sell a San Antonio area home, please visit Randy and Stephanie Kelley’s website for all the advice and assistance you’ll need, including access to our world class realty search engine. You can find us at sanantoniohomequest.com.

Now, here’s today’s blog article, based on a recent notice from J.P. Watkins, loan officer at SWBC Mortgage Corporation, San Antonio.

J. P. writes that there’s great news for San Antonio area home buyers regarding an increase in FHA loan limits.

The result is that borrowers can once again qualify to buy a higher priced home because the FHA loan limits are higher.

The limits were announced in Mortgagee Letter 2011-39. You can look up the new limits for the San Antonio area and other areas throughout the country by visiting: https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/hicostlook.cfm.

The site shows the following limits for home in Bexar County/San Antonio, as of 30 November 2011:

One-Family Home $332,500

Two-Family Home $425,650

Three-Family Home $514,500

Four-Family-Home $639, 400

For more information, please contact JP Watkins Loan Officer, NMLS#220598, at SWBC Mortgage Corporation, 9311 San Pedro, Ste 100, San Antonio, TX 78216 Ph. 210.581.1533 Fx. 210-581-1633 Cell 210.837.3006 Website: www.swbcmortgage.com/watkins

December 2011 San Antonio Residential Realty Market Report

The San Antonio residential real estate market is exceptionally active this holiday season!

Early December is typically the low season for realty activity in and around the Alamo city, but this year it's remarkably different.

Many factors are contributing to the unusually active market.

First, because of the area's high employment rate, population growth, and
better than average home prices, San Antonio is viewed as one of the top 10
large metropolitan markets for both home buyers and sellers.

Second, mortgage rates remain historically low and lenders are aggressively
seeking qualified home buyers.

Third, there are positive signs suggesting the national economy is experiencing
a slow, but relatively steady recovery. That factor alone is bringing more
buyers than usual into the market this December.

Forth, the nearby Eagle Ford Shale oil play is spurring housing demand for
thousands of oil and gas production workers and their families.

Those factors are generating a very healthy residential sales environment
wherein reasonably priced and well prepared resale homes are selling
exceptionally well and new home builders are responding to better conditions by bringing more new homes into production.

For those who love stats, here are the key indicators for San Antonio's single
family detached home listings as of 7 December 2011.

There are 10,401 homes for sale compared to 11,694 one year ago. The inventory is exceptionally low, is trending steadily downward, and has drifted
into the 6 months supply range, reflecting a balanced market (a condition not
seen in San Antonio for many years). A balanced market favors neither buyers
nor sellers.

The average sales price for the most recent closings is $176,003 compared to
last year's $193,701. That's an unreliable indicator because the large number
of lower priced properties sold in 2009 & 2010 under the Federal tax
incentive programs temporarily depleted the lower priced home market. An
analysis of longer term data indicates the absence of any significant sales
price appreciation since 2007. That's a good sign for buyers.

Average cumulative-days-on-the-market (CDOM) for the most recent sales is 139 compared to 144 last year. A continuing downward trend is expected. That's apositive sign for home sellers and the San Antonio realty market generally.

Industry analysts see these data as reflecting a housing market slightly
favoring seller's over buyers.

That's all for our December, 2011, San Antonio realty market report.

We encourage reader comments and recommendations about how to make our reports more informative and useful.

Wishing you a merry Christmas and Happy New, we're Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, are looking to buy or sell a San Antonio home, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 (Randy) or (210) 867-8743 (Stephanie), or email us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com. Our SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs.