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 In fact, some of the popular venues are many hours to days out-of-date.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.

Construction Update - US 281 Loop 1604 Interchange

The US 281/Loop 1604 interchange construction project is well into its eight month. Long awaited and sorely needed, the completed interchange is projected to relieve the chronically congested traffic conditions on one of the area's most heavily travelled highways.

The project is truly a "pardon our improvements" situation. Motorists have cause to be aggrevated by the rerouting of construction area access roads, periodic traffic stoppages, delays caused by heavy equipment moving materials and reconfiguring the right-of-way, and the much lower and slower construction zone speed limit. Everyone wants to know what's happening now, what's next, and when will it all end.

The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority has developed a number of ways to keep citizens up-to-date and in tune with road project developments. According to Leroy D. Alloway, the Authority's Director of Community Development, you can visit these sites for the US 281/Loop 1604 interchange construction news:

Visit http://www.alamorma.org/ for daily closure announcements.

Go to http://www.facebook.com/AlamoRMA.

Go to http://www.twitter.com/AlamoRMA .

Get instant telephonic text messages by texting "follow AlamoRMA" to 40404 .

This blog is brought to you by the http://sanantoniohomequest.com/ Realty Solutions Team. If your're looking for San Antonio homes for sale, visit our world class search engine at:

http://www.sanantoniohomequest.com/ext-search-listings.asp

If you have questions about San Antonio living, real estate, mortgage loans, or anything realty, call Randy Kelley at (210) 863-2661 or Stephanie Kelley at (210) 867-8743 or enter your question at sanantoniohomequest.com/resources-ask-anything.asp . We'll answer as soon as possible.

How To Get The Cleanest Windows In San Antonio

The SanAntonioHomeQuest.com team provides realty solutions, and they're not limited to buying or selling your San Antonio home. Sometimes we see a home maintenance need that needs addressing - like how to get the cleanest windows in San Antonio.

Believe me, having lived in San Antonio so many years, I'm confounded by the gunk clouding my home's windows. I'm certain I've tried every window cleaning product, including some "as seen on TV." You know, the one not found in stores, but already on the "As Seen On TV" shelf up the street at Walgreens. I guess Walgreens isn't a store - huh?

I digress -- back to my point. It is truly hard to keep your San Antonio home's eyes bright and shiny.

But, there's a homemade formula that works better than anything we've found in the stores and we are sharing it with you at our Texas Home Girl sister site. Give her a click and learn the right formula to combine hot water, ammonia, vinegar, and alcohol (no -- not in yer mouth -- in yer wash pail), to whisk away San Antonio window crud.

This helpful hint blog is brought to you by the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team. We're the best - leave the rest.

If you're looking to buy a San Antonio, Bulverde, or military base area home, go here for our world class listings search engine.

Loan Prequalification And Down Payment For San Antonio Homes For Sale

The SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team loves to answer questions about buying and selling homes. Here's the latest one.

Question: How do I get pre-qualified and what is a good down-payment for a home?

Our Answer: If you are just wanting to get an idea, you could use the link below for some general information:

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/houseafford/houseafford.html

If you are seriously considering purchasing, you will want to visit with a loan officer that you feel you can trust. Your agent might recommend one or you could ask friends to suggest someone with whom they have had a good experience. You could also visit your personal bank or credit union.

A pre-qualification should not cost you anything. A pre-approval is often required when you are ready to make an offer and that will usually have the cost of a loan application and credit check. The pre-qual is enough to get started in most areas, but there will be a point where you need approval.

The down payment is variable and is different from your earnest money. How much you choose to put down (along with other things) can affect the interest rate. If you are VA eligible, or qualify for a USDA financing, you may get by with 00 down payment. FHA will require 3.5 percent down. A conventional loan will vary and can run anywhere from 5% to as much as you want to put down. Many people choose 20% down on a conventional loan to avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI).

A good agent and/or a good loan officer will guide you through this maze? Good luck!

If you're looking for San Antonio homes for sale, visit our world class search engine at

http://www.sanantoniohomequest.com/ext-search-listings.asp.

Brought to you by the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions team. If you have a question about San Antonio, real estate, mortgage loans, anything realty -- go here -- and we'll get back to you with our answer as soon as possible.

November 2011 San Antonio Homes For Sale Report

If you're visiting to find homes for sales in San Antonio, visit our world class realty search engine at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com. If you want to know what's happening in the residential realty market, read on:

It's autumn in South Texas. Bright beautiful days, balmy afternoons, and cooler nights herald the approaching holiday season. Residents and tourists are out and about, delighting in San Antonio's most pleasant season.

Typically, San Antonio's residential realty market cools down with the season. It's to be expected because San Antonio's realty market runs in a predictable seasonal cycle. The lowest sales month is January, the higher sales season kicks off in March and usually peaks in June, and, after school starts in August, the market draws down in a leisurely fashion through the fall and early winter.

So far, this year's cycle has been typical, with one exception. The area has experienced a significant reduction the homes-for-sale inventory.

Currently there's approximately a 7 months supply of homes on the market - signifying a weak buyer's market. If the supply drops much lower, the market will experience a balanced market neither favoring buyers or sellers and likely causing a gradual rise in home prices.

Balancing the market is a healthy trend indicative of improving economic conditions. That's unquestionably the case in San Antonio this year.

Here's why.

Job growth is excellent and the unemployment rate is relatively low. Just south of the city, the developing Eagle Ford shale oil field is attracting new businesses and generating thousands of new job opportunities throughout South Texas. Also, the Alamo City's traditional economic generators remain strong with financial, service sector, military, bioscience, and medical establishments leading the way and showing no signs of weakening.

Barring unforeseen factors, San Antonio's realty market will likely mirror San Antonio's vibrant economic conditions - strong, resilient, & growing.

Here are the relevant market stats for San Antonio area single-family detached homes as of 5 November 2011.

There are 10771 active listings, compared to 12072 one year ago. The inventory is decreasing very rapidly. That's a good sign for home sellers.

The average sales price for the most recent closings is $181,243, compared to last year's $183,131. Because the decrease is likely seasonal and not indicative of a long term trend, it's neither a good nor bad sign for buyers or sellers.

Average cumulate-days-on-the-market (CDOM) for the most recent sales is 146 compared to 126 last year. For the time being, CDOM data remains positive for San Antonio home buyers.

Industry analysts see these data as reflecting a housing market moving toward balanced conditions. That means the market might soon favor neither buyers nor sellers.

That's our November 2011 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader questions, comments, and suggestions for making this monthly report more relevant and informative.

Wishing you an wonderful November and a blessed Thanksgiving, we are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors ® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio. If you have questions, need San Antonio area realty or mortgage advice or assistance, or just want to chat, please call (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or send an email to swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com. Our http://sanantonohomequest.com Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs.

Things To Do San Antonio Texas Halloween 2011

If you are looking to buy or sell a haunted or not-haunted San Antonio home, visit
our world class listings search engine
otherwise, pass on (he.he) to the Texas Home Girl's report of things to do on Halloween in San Antonio. The Home Girls's report is found here:
Halloween In San Antonio

The SanAntonioHomeQuest.com wishes you a BOO-TIFUL Halloween 2011.

Free San Antonio Halloween Events - Witte Museum

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A SAN ANTONIO AREA HOME, VISIT

OUR WORLD CLASS RESIDENTIAL REALTY SEARCH ENGINE

Rent And Sale Prices In San Antonio Could Signal A Buyer's Swing

The following very excellent and timely article is written by Kala Bell, our guest blogger from the University of Michigan.

RENT AND SALE PRICES IN SAN ANTONIO COULD SIGNAL A BUYER'S SWING

In most housing markets, the fall and winter months can often signal a slow period for both buyers and sellers. With the holidays approaching, many families often get locked in and restart their search after the New Year begins. While this may often be true, trends and statistics often help to determine the market. Buyers who are on the fence are looking to reap the benefits of good trends and the San Antonio area offers up some appealing figures for buyers as October draws to a close.

The numbers for rentals in San Antonio are in for the fall season and they are telling for interested buyers. Right now, San Antonio apartments are averaging $758 per month. This is a 2.4 percent increase from the rent averages in late 2010. Rentals in the area are at 93.5 percent occupancy, which signals low rental inventory and the possibility for even more rising rental rates.

With the rental rates up in San Antonio, potential buyers who are on the fence could certainly be tempted to pull the trigger on a possible new home. Median price in the area is also certain to have an effect on the feelings of potential buyers. Sale prices are down about 3 percent from 2010. In September, the median sale price in San Antonio was $183,762.

Also in September, the San Antonio housing sales numbers were very promising. An eight percent increase in sales over 2010 reflects an area market that could be primed for resurgence. Buyers can take note of the record low mortgage rates throughout the nation and in San Antonio, specifically. A 30 year, fixed rate mortgage is now as low as 3.94 percent, marking the first time a 30 year has dropped below 4 percent.

Inventory has been down for homes as well, however the average time on the market has gone up for homes. The market has stayed pretty steady in the San Antonio area for the past year. This is a good sign, as many other areas throughout the nation have taken catastrophic hits in the same time period. The San Antonio area, as well as other major Texas hubs should continue to do well as many places in the country experience issues. With this area often driven by the oil industry, the region seems to be better off, especially when it comes to unemployment.

The San Antonio real estate market should continue to stay steady with the possible hope for a full bounce back some time 2012. The numbers from January to September of 2011 are telling, signaling a hopeful resurgence in the late months of the year and early part of 2012.____________________________________________________

Thanks Kala for your excellent analysis and thought provoking blog article. We look forward to hearing from you again very soon.

This blog is brought to you by Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. We are professional residential realty analysts and negotiators. If you're looking to buy or sell a home, our goal is to help you get the best price, terms, and conditions. Visit us at sanantoniohomequest.com.

October 2011 San Antonio Real Estate Market Report

Like the weather, San Antonio's realty "hot season" typically ends in September. In October, falling leaves and falling temperatures are accompanied by falling home sale activity.

It's to be expected. San Antonio's realty market runs in a predictable seasonal cycle. The lowest sales month is January, the higher sales season kicks off in March and usually peaks in June, and, after school starts in August, the market draws down in a leisurely fashion through the fall and early winter months. Interestingly, some years see a spike in activity in late October and early November. Will that happen this year? It remains to be seen.

So far, this year's cycle has been typical, albeit sales volume has been unusually modest due to the influence of the continuing national economic malaise.

Barring the return of a full-blown recession, industry analysts see little reason to be concerned about San Antonio's economic health.

Why?

The area's job growth is excellent. Its unemployment rate is relatively low. Corporations are relocating to the area. Just south of the city, the developing Eagle Ford shale oil fields are fueling an economic boom. The Alamo City's financial, service sector, military, bioscience, and medical establishments are strong and fully capable of providing the stable economic environment needed to encourage and sustain small and large business development.

Looking at real estate specifically, local analysts are confident that, barring unforeseen factors, San Antonio's realty market will breeze through the expected seasonal cool-down and come back even stronger in the spring.

Here are the relevant market stats for San Antonio area single-family detached homes as of 1 October 2011.

There are 10974 active listings, compared to 12495 one year ago. The inventory is decreasing very rapidly. That's a good sign for home sellers.

The average sales price for the most recent closings is $188,836, compared to last year's $188,411. The very small increase in average sales price is insignificant and, therefore, neither a good nor a bad sign for sellers or buyers.

Average cumulate-days-on-the-market (DCOM) for the most recent sales is 135 compared to 123 last year. For the time being, CDOM data is positive for San Antonio home buyers.

Industry analysts see these data as reflecting a housing market slowly drifting toward balanced conditions. That means the market neither favors buyers nor sellers.

That's our October 2011 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader questions, comments, and suggestions for making this monthly report more relevant and informative.

Wishing you an wonderful October 2011, we are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors ® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio. If you have questions, need San Antonio area realty or mortgage advice or assistance, or just want to chat, please call (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or send an email to 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.

Texas Home Buyer Two Steps Around Her Agent

This is a re-blog of a recent posting on the very interesting texashomegirl.blogspot.com site.

It gives some insight into one of the trials and tribulations of working as a home buyer's agent.

I think people tend to forget that the buyer's agent is essentially the buyer's employee. This blog is presented here to in an effort to make readers sensitive to the significance of that relationship and to encourage everyone employing a buyer's agent to follow the golden rule.

Here's the blog:

A friend stopped by the Home Girl's office yesterday. She was terribly upset because a client that she had worked with for over a decade was terminating their agency agreement.

It's painful to be fired. Ask any number of the currently unemployed who have been terminated or laid off due to downsizing and the lousy economy.

Sometimes the termination is justifiable because of the employee's actions or non-actions, and sometimes not so much. But, no matter the cause, the sick feeling in the pit of the stomach is right there, a tight, nauseating knot that lasts for days. Even when the termination makes sense, it hurts.

In the private sector, employees are paid for their services. If an employee is not paid for work performed, then a complaint can be filed for theft of services. Governor Perry signed SB 1024 eliminating a loophole that previously existed for a criminal theft of service charge. Under prior law, a party obtaining services from another under a promise to pay could avoid a criminal charge of theft of service so long as the party was making minimal payments. Read more here:

http://bit.ly/qYuWSJ .

My colleague did not have such recourse. The buyer felt she had "found" her home without assistance.

• She failed to take into consideration the hours that were spent setting up searches using specific criteria requested by the buyer.


• She did not take into consideration the number of homes that had already been shown to her.


• There was no accounting for time spent researching property values in communities in which she had expressed an interest.


• No mention was made for reimbursement of travel or gas expenses.

This is just a partial list. The buyer just didn't understand or care what her friend and agent was doing on her behalf, spending considerable time (and time is money) and concentrated effort.

This agent is sharp. Had the buyer mentioned that she was not finding her desired home, that her needs had changed, then the search would have been tweaked and more homes may have been available. There was a signed buyer agency agreement and an established relationship of many years.

Instead of communicating her wishes to her agent, the buyer called another agent to show her a property. Kind of like a first date with somebody when you are married to somebody else. I guess the showing agent didn't ask the right questions (are you working with an agent?), had no ethics, or the buyer answered "not really."

When I receive a sign call and ask "are you working with an agent" and the potential buyer answers "not really," I usually cringe and then proceed to lose the lead by saying something intelligent like, "Seriously? What does that mean? Not really? Do you or do you not have an agent?"

These questions are not an effort to be lazy, to not show my own listings, but are used as an effort to be ethical, to respect the efforts that another agent has invested into his or her client, and to avoid the confusion caused by an existing buyer's agency agreement versus the procuring cause argument that will probably be offered by the agent that showed the one property that my friends client "found."

As Realtors, we have an obligation to be ethical. Customers are under no obligation to share in that responsibility, but clients have signed an agreement to be loyal. It just seems to me that you got to dance with who brung ya, and if you don't want that, then break up before the dance begins.

Post Script: I was able to visit with my colleague today to see how things were going. It turns out that she did have a conversation with the "new" buyer's agent. The agent did ask the questions, but the answer was the usual - not really, not a signed agreement. (I guess the buyer forgot - hummmm). The new agent has offered to pay a referral fee to my colleague. I don't really think this is a win-win. I am happy that my friend is getting a little compensation. My opinion of her former client is not so great, slightly better of the other agent, but now I am the one with a sick feeling in my stomach and I don't feel like dancing with anybody.

Many thanks to Stephanie Kelley, the author of the preceding blog at http://texashomegirl.blogspot.com/ .

If you want to know more about buyer agency relationships, need information about homes for sale in the San Antonio area, or want advice about how to best go about finding and buying a residential real estate property, please contact a member of the http://sanantoniohomequest.com/ Realty Solutions Team at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or kelleybus@aol.com or swkrealtor@aol.com.

Free Calls Home From Gmail For All U.S. Service Members

The Gmail program has recognized and honored our service members by providing an excellent way for uniformed service personnel to call home. Read more on their blog –

Military Calls Free calls home from Gmail for all U.S. service members - Official Gmail Blog.

This blog is brought to you by the SanAntonioHomequest.com Realty Solutions Team. We are Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® - (210) 867-7843 / swkrealtor@aol.com and Randy Kelley, Realtor® - (210) 863-2661 / kelleybus@aol.com - residential realty analysts and negotiators at Keller Williams Legacy. If you're looking to buy or sell a San Antonio, Texas, area home, our goal is to help you get the best terms, price, and conditions.

Things To Do In San Antonio - 24 September 2011

It's 24 September 2011 - the first weekend of fall. The weather is wonderful in San Antonio, so get out and enjoy. The SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team recommends these things to do.

DINING:

Join us this weekend and begin your meal with our Poblano Bisque and then taste the Seared Sea Scallops & Fried Soft Shell Crab over Angel Hair served with Tomato Basil Sauce entree special or the Osso Bucco braised in Italian Style Red Sauce served over Creamy Polenta entree special.

Our new Brunch Buffet is going great! Stop by from from 11am-2pm on Sundays for all you can eat hot entrees, fresh sides and a salad bar. The price for a child’s buffet (under 10) is $6.00 and an adult buffet is $12.95.

Saturday night, join us on the back porch from 6-9 pm for live music by Jerry Bailey. He will be playing guitar and singing some great tunes.

Bon Appétit,
Chef Mike

Mike's In The Village 2355-3 Bulverde Rd. Bulverde, TX 78163 -- 800 438-2747

THE ARTS & MUSEUMS:

McNay Art Museum P:210.824.5368 6000 North New Braunfels San Antonio TX 78209

PARKS AND GARDENS:

555 Funston @
North New Braunfels Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone (210) 207-3250
TTY (210) 207-3097

Here's hoping you enjoy this wonderful San Antonio weekend.

If you're looking to buy or sell a San Antonio area home or if you want some more information about San Antonio recreation and entertainment activities, contact us. We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, residential realty analysts and negotiators, at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio. (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743.

San Antonio Homes For Sale Today

It’s a lovely 14 September 2011 in San Antonio.

It’s still hot and dry but a cool front is approaching and there’s a chance we’ll see relief from our protracted heat wave and drastic drought conditions. That’s great news for the weather weary citizens of the River City.

There’s also good news for home owners and buyers. The area’s realty market is unusually active for this time of the year.

Sellers should be pleased to hear that pending home sale closings are up and the inventory of available homes is down. That means less competition.

Buyers should be happy to learn that the mid-price for homes for sale hasn’t changed much from last year’s median sales price.

Both home sellers and buyers should know that the market is drifting toward a balanced condition neither favoring buyers nor sellers.

Here’s a simple summary of San Antonio’s single family detached housing market today:

There are 11250 listings.
There 1908 home sale contracts scheduled to close soon.
The average list price of pending sales is $186,626.
The median sold price for recent sales is $149,995.
Homes are selling for 96% of their list price.
It’s taking about 132 days to sell a house. Of course, many well prepared homes are selling much quicker.

That’s all for today’s report.

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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

Least And Most Expensive Homes For Sale In San Antonio

$1,400,000 - 2 bedrooms

$25,000 - 2 bedrooms

Sometimes, San Antonio real estate is hard to figure out.

Here’s an example. Looking at the 517 new listings recorded in the San Antonio Multiple Listing Service in the last 7 days, the least expensive and most expensive properties were both 2 bedroom homes. The least expensive is listed for $25,000 and the most expensive for $1,400,000.

Yes, believe it! A $1.4 million 2 bedroom house!

The least expensive property is located at 1110 Patton Blvd, San Antonio. The MLS number is 911866.

The most expensive newly listed property is located at 21625 Cielo Ridge, San Antonio. The MLS number is 911299.

Right in the middle of the 517 new listings is the property at 1607 Selkirk Street, San Antonio. It’s listed for $172,500 and is within easy commuting distance to Randolph AFB and Fort Sam Houston.

If you want detailed information about it, you’ll find it at sanantoniohomequest.com.

If you want to know more about least expensive or most expensive new listings, or any listings in between, contact us.

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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.

San Antonio Jobs For Veterans

This information is found in the fall 2011 edition of the USAA Magazine. CivilianJobs.com has identified 35 of the country's most veteran friendly employers. USAA (United Services Automobile Association) made the list in San Antonio. For available jobs in the company's financial services sector, go to: www.usaa.apply2jobs.com/profext/careers.html .

Why is USAA is on the list?

In 2010, more than 25 percent of USAA's new hires were military veterans or military spouses - and 20 percent of its 22,000-plus employees are former military.

USAA is only one of many fine businesses seeking military veterans, members of their families, and non-veteran personnel for employment in the San Antonio area's vibrant economy. The Alamo City is a wonderful place to work and live; so, if you're looking to relocate to or within San Antonio or to buy or sell a San Antonio home, please contact the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team.

Our team is Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. Please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com . The SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs and to answer your questions about life in San Antonio.

San Antonio Area Property Tax Rates

They say it's bad for rankings to repeat a blog post, but the question of San Antonio area property tax rates keeps coming up, so, here's my past, but still current blog addressing that subject.

If you're moving to the San Antonio area, you’ll want to know about local taxes and the cost of registering your automobile and insuring your home. Here are the facts.

The area’s sales tax rate averages 8.125% but may vary a little between the various incorporated jurisdictions in and around San Antonio and Bexar County.

The real estate property tax varies between jurisdictions and is influenced mostly by the school tax component. Count on paying approximately 3% of your home's tax appraised value for the more costly school districts to as low as 2% or less for rural areas.

What about homeowner’s insurance? The cost will vary between insurers. As a rule of thumb, count on paying approximately .005 times your home’s value.

And now, what about the cost of bringing a non-Texas registered auto into the area? You’ll pay a registration fee of $60 to $90, a title application fee of $28 to $33 - depending on the county - and a new resident auto tax of $90. You’ll required to have the auto inspected. That will cost approximately $18.00.

Those are the facts.

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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.

The Fear Of Making A Wrong San Antonio Home Buying Decision

It's natural and understandable. Every home buyer is scared of making a wrong decision.

Why not? Buying a home is one life's most stressful decisions.

So, in today's oftentimes confusing market, how is the average home buyer insuring against making a wrong decision?

The answer is evident to anyone who works with realty consumers. Today's home buyer uses the Internet as the platform for becoming an informed and, hopefully, a more secure realty consumer.

Yes, the Internet is a good starting point; however, using the Internet as the sole information source to insure against making a bad decision is inherently risky, especially when it involves a critical financial decision like purchasing real estate.

Let's face it. The Internet is a deep well of facts and fallacies, and, for both the uninitiated and the repeat home buyer, getting the complete picture and sorting Internet truth from fiction is a daunting task.

Unfortunately, many Internet reliant home buyers become over confident. Empowered and emboldened with online information about home values, neighborhoods, and home buying processes and procedures, they charge into the realty market place, knowing much, yet rarely knowing everything they need to know.

So, what's a home buyer to do - stop using the Internet's vast realty research capability? Certainly, not! Use it skeptically? Absolutely - plus seek the advice and assistance of a reliable person who knows the difference between Internet fiction and realty fact.

The most reliable source for separating Internet truth from fiction is a trained, experienced, and licensed real estate professional such as a realty attorney, real estate broker, or a real estate agent. All can answer the questions, set the expectations, and activate the procedures that are so critical for a successful and frustration free home buying experience.

Naturally, most homebuyers seek out a real estate broker or agent.

Selecting the right real estate agent is critical. It's best to use someone with the Realtor® designation, signifying the broker or agent holds the highest legal and professional duty to protect realty consumer interests.

So, to relieve home buying fear and anxiety, there's a simple formula. A trusted Realtor®, plus the right knowledge base and tools, equals the right decision.

We help San Antonio area home buyers and sellers be informed and capable realty decision makers. We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy. For the best realty services, call us at (210) 863-2661 (Randy) or (210) 868-9743 (Stephanie) or email us at kelleybus@aol.com or swkrealtor@aol.com. You're also invited to visit our website at sanantoniohomequest.com for reliable and informative home buying and selling information.

San Antonio Mortgage Loan News

Here's great news!

Have you recently been denied a mortgage loan to purchase a San Antonio home because your credit score wasn't high enough?

Maybe we can get you qualified.

W.R. Starkey Mortgage can help prospective home buyers who have a credit score of 580 or higher!!

Rates are great - Low 4%.

We can also help you refinance a home.

Apply on line www.shannoncollier.com

Shannon Collier
Senior Loan Officer
NMLSR # 232124
Office: (210) 545-9300 ext 235
eFax: 1-866-703-8734
scollier@wrstarkey.com
WR Starkey Mortgage, LLP
NMLSR # 2146
12500 San Pedro Avenue, Suite 100
San Antonio, TX 78216

Mortgage Loan Information For San Antonio Home Buying And Selling

Are you looking to buy or sell a San Antonio area home?

Here's some mortgage loan basics you need to know:

Today (24 August 2011), mortgage interest rates are at an all time low. Bankrate.com cites the following national averages:

• 30 year fixed 4.19%


• 15 year fixed 3.43%


• 5/1 ARM 2.92%

Here are the loan limits for Federally insured mortgage programs for single family homes in the San Antonio area:

• VA $417,000


• FHA $332,500 now, but goes down to $287,500 on 1 Oct 11 (better act quick if you're a buyer)

Contact us if you have questions about applying for a mortgage loan or to get our recommended lender list.

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com. Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit us at http://sanantoniohomequest.com .

Zillow Home Valuations For San Antonio Homes For Sale

For our friends at Zillow, here's an explanation of this blog's purpose.

It isn't intended to slam your excellent service in any way. Simply, its purpose is to answer a very good question recently posed to us by a some San Antonio home buyers.

Their question is this. How accurate is Zillow's Zestimate® home valuation program for San Antonio homes?

The answer is easy - Zillow's accuracy is very low.

How do we know? Zillow says so; in fact, on the Zillow.com website, it acknowledges its Zestimates® are not very accurate for almost all Texas homes.

So, why can't we rely on Zillow's Zestimates® for Texas homes?

Here's why.

Zillow uses a secret formula to calculate a home's estimated value. The formula relies on complete and accurate data from counties and cities. Although the formula is secret, it's not hard to guess that recent sales price data for homes sold in the area is a vital component of the calculation.

Now, in most states, getting that information is no problem because it's legally required to file a home's sales price as a matter of public record. But, Texas is one of the few states in the Nation where that's not required. So, when Zillow's Zestimate® program looks for the publicly recorded home sales price data for Texas cities, it comes up empty handed.

What's the result of missing that vital data when calculating a Zestimate® for a Texas residential property. Usually, the outcome is an unreastically low Zestimate valuation.

So, if you want to know what a home is worth in Texas, there are two alternatives. The best choice is to hire an appraisal by a licensed real estate appraiser. The second best choice is to ask a local Realtor® who has access to the most recent homes sales data from the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

If you are looking to sell or buy a San Antonio home, we'll be glad to provide our best home value opinion. Contact us if you need one.

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, or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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.

Facts For San Antonio Home Buyers

Here are some facts for home buyers thinking about moving, or on the way, to San Antonio.

San Antonio has long been identified as one of America's most unique cities.

It isn't small, in fact, it's the nation's 7th largest city, yet there's still a small town feel in many of its unique and culturally diverse neighborhoods.

The city goes by many names - San Antonio (of course), The Alamo City, Military City USA, The River City, and, most recently, America's Military Medical City. Just don't call it San Antone (San An Tone). The natives hate that pronunciation!

San Antonio is the home of 3 major military bases and some smaller military camps and posts, so, as you'd expect, it has a relatively young military age population. City-Data.com cites 34.7 years as the median resident age. The neighborhoods closest to the military bases tend to have a much younger population.

Of course, as a sun belt city, it is a major relocation site for retiree families seeing a warm climate and relatively low cost of living.

Speaking of cost, for buyers needing a mortgage loan, there's an ample supply of trustworthy lenders. Landing a loan is another issue. Underwriters are picky-picky-picky nowadays. They seem to go out of their way to deny loan applications. Naturally, buyers with the very best income and credit scores have no problem obtaining their loans. On the other hand, even the smallest blemish on a buyer's credit report or an irregular income flow can be the kiss is death for getting a mortgage loan. So, before you go San Antonio house hunting, talk with a lender about your chances of getting your mortgage loan.

What about the availability of newly built and resale homes?

San Antonio has an ample supply of home builders eager for business as well a many available resale homes. Historically, the area's real estate market has favored new home builders because their freshly built products have proven more competitive than resale homes. A recent offsetting trend has seen San Antonio area builders putting less available new home inventory on the ground, indicating the builders are now satisfied with marketing to buyers who can afford the time to contract for a to-be-built home.

What about commute time to affordable neighborhoods? Basically, the Alamo City's commute times and distances are nothing compared to other large metro areas. Although the San Antonio metropolitan area is large and very spread out, buyers can usually find quality affordable housing within a 20 to 30 minute commute to work.

How about recreation and shopping amenities? No problem! San Antonio is one of the nation's top destination cities for tourism and shopping.

Finally, what about friendliness and newcomer acceptance? Again, no problem! Cities with large military populations aren't known to shut out newcomers. After all, San Antonio is Military City USA. So, don't expect a newcomer to find rejection. Everybody's welcome!

Do you want more information? Just let us know and we'll fill in the details.

We're Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio area realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or
(210) 867-8743, 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 and selling needs.

San Antonio CPS Energy Asks All To Conserve Power

All local news media have passed along this 2 August 2011 power conversation request from San Antonio's CPS Energy.

Rate payers are asked to take steps to conserve their electric power usage between the hours of 3:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M.

Why? The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), warns there is a risk of overloading Texas' power grid because of the extreme heat wave gripping the state. Overloading the grid will necessitate initiating rolling power blackouts throughout the state.

Here's what's recommended:

Turn off unnecessary lights, appliances and electronic equipment.

Set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher.

Use the dishwasher, laundry equipment and other appliances only during non-peak hours, preferably during the late evening and night time hours.

Instead of using high energy consuming ovens and range tops, microwave food whenever possible.

Keep drapes and blinds closed.

More information is available at http://cpsenergy.com

This public service blog is brought to you by Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio area realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or email us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com. Our sanantoniohomequest.com Realty Solutions Team

August 2011 San Antonio Realty Market Report

2011's very hot and very-very dry San Antonio July has passed.

Because of South Texas' drastic drought, we're lucky the Alamo City can still claim its River City nickname. But tourists and natives need not fear, the San Antonio River is flowing well and the famous River Walk is open for business as usual.

Has the area's unusually arid summer cooked its realty market. Not at all. In fact, compared to the preceding summer seasons, July's closed home sales and August's pending sales reflect a relatively active real estate market for San Antonio and the surrounding communities.

August usually heralds the end of realty high season around here and, based on many years experience, home buyers and sellers can expect to see a cooler, more casual, and less aggressive low season for new and resale home sales.

Will the coming fall and winter season see the market continuing many months of favoring home buyers over sellers?

Perhaps not, because there are increasingly strong indications that the market is drifting toward a more balanced condition.

Specifically, the homes for sale inventory has decreased markedly. That means less competition for sellers and fewer opportunities for buyers.

Also, 2011 has seen the return of the area's typical 2% to 3% home value appreciation rate. That means sellers are less likely to consider low ball offers and more likely to expect a sales price that's closer to their asking price. Consequently, in the near term, buyers can expect to encounter less seller flexibility and harder negotiations.

Clearly, San Antonio has weathered the late great recession very well. The area's past economic and demographic trends and its long term projections reflect a large and vibrant metropolitan area with a strong, stable, and growth oriented personality.

The Alamo City area realty market is expected to follow suit.

That's all for our August 2011 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader comments and recommendations about how to make our reports more informative and useful.

We're Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio area realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, 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 and selling needs.

San Antonio Homes For Sale - The Seller's Disclosure

The Seller's Disclosure is a state law requirement. Its purpose is to have the seller tell prospective buyers specified things the seller knows about the property.

Real estate agents are barred by law from helping or even advising the seller about filling out the form. The intent is to keep everyone out of the seller's disclosure preparation process except the person who knows most about the property and that's the seller.

Sometimes the seller will revealed some property defects. Undoubtedly, there will be other unknown defects. There always are - even in newly constructed homes. That's why, when buying a resale home, it's advisable to negotiate for an option period, to get the property professionally inspected during the option period, and to negotiate with the seller for repairs when repairs are called for.

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, or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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.

July 2011 San Antonio Realty Market Report

The second week in July is typically San Antonio's realty market yearly high point. Many pending sales will close within the next 30 days. Uncommitted buyers with school age children must rush to find the right home in order to able to close on their purchase or at least be under a binding contract before school starts.

Many factors are converging to make this year’s San Antonio's realty market interesting. The local economy is strong, population growth is high and, after being relatively flat for many months, home values in most neighborhoods are gradually rising.

Home sellers have responded accordingly as evidenced by a gradual upward creep in the asking price for homes for sale.

Buyer response has been fair to good so far, especially for moderately to lower priced homes and for luxury grade housing.

It's difficult to reach conclusions as to the long term market trends, but, in the short term, it's clear San Antonio's current home sales market parallels last year’s relatively tepid market. Basically, it’s not unhealthy, but significantly less than vibrant.

For those who love stats, here are the key indicators for San Antonio's single family detached home listings as of 8 July 2011.

There are 12,094 active listings, compared to 12,891 one year ago. The inventory is slowly decreasing. That's a good sign for home sellers.

The average sales price for the most recent closings is $193,883, compared to last year's $190,763. This increase in average sales price, although small, is another good sign for sellers.

Average cumulative-days-on-the-market (CDOM) for the most recent sales is 133 compared to 122 last year. In 2010, CDOM dropped fast during the Federal Tax credit home buying frenzy, then rose quickly when that program expired. It remains to be seen if cumulative market time will improve, but a slight downward trend is possible in the short term. For the time being, CDOM data is positive for San Antonio home buyers.

Industry analysts see these data as reflecting a housing market drifting toward balanced conditions. That means the market neither favors buyers nor sellers.

That's all for our July 2011 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader comments and recommendations about how to make our reports more informative and useful.We're Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® of Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions, need San Antonio realty or mortgage loan advice or assistance, or just want to chat a bit about the wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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 and selling needs.

San Antonio Area Fourth Of July Events

SAN ANTONIO AREA FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS

Schertz 4th Of July Jubilee - July 1-4 @ Pickrell Park, Schertz

www.schertz.com/?page_id=2284

July 4th Arts & Crafts Show - July 1-4 on the Riverwalk www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com

Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus - July 1-4 in the Alamo Dome www.alamodome.com

Annual Freedom Fiesta - July 2 @ Central Park in Downtown Seguin www.freedomfiesta.com

4th of July Jazz Explosion - July 2 100 @ W. Houston, 21st Floor of Frost Bank Tower www.cooljazzforever.com

4th of July Celebration - July 2-4 in the Market Square www.marketsquaresa.com

Seaworld 4th of July Fireworks Picnic - July 2-4 @ Seaworld www.seaworld.com

Lights of Liberty - July 3-4 @ Six Flags Fiesta Texas www.sixflags.com/fiestatexas

Summerfest San Marcos Celebration - July 4 in San Marcos Plaza, 232 W. CM Allen Pkwy www.summerfestsanmarcos.com

4th of July Celebration at Woodlawn Park - July 4 Woodlawn Lake Park www.saparksfoundation.org/fourth_of_july.html

Looking to buy or sell a San Antonio area home? Visit us at http://sanantoniohomequest.com

Northeast San Antonio Homes For Sale

RECENT PRICE REDUCTION - $132,500

This is a great single story home in Selma, Texas, near New Braunfels, San Antonio, Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houstion, and SAMMC (San Antonio Military Medical Center).

3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 2 car garage with covered porch and fenced yard. Easy access to IH-35 offers a quick commute to quality shopping, entertainment, and dining amenities .

Get more information by clicking on the photo or calling the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743.

Homes For Sale In North Central San Antonio

The sanantoniohomequest.com Realty Solutions Team specializes in helping homebuyers find and buy quality affordable homes for the best price, terms, and conditions. You'll like this one.

Click To See More

This home is listed for $299,000. It’s in the north central San Antonio area, in the highly rated North East Independent School District, and is close to Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston and downtown San Antonio. Shopping and entertainment amenities are an easy drive away.

June 2011 San Antonio Homes For Sale Market Report





Quality Home Near Randolph AFB And Fort Sam Houston

 Summer weather came early to South Texas this year. Now, in early June, it’s unusually hot and very dry in-and-around San Antonio.

Does the Alamo City’s residential realty market match the weather? Not yet.

In the first quarter (January through March 2011), home sales activity was very healthy, leading many realty analysts to believe that 2011 would herald San Antonio’s full recovery from the effects of the late great national recession. Yet, April saw a dip in sales and a continuing decline in residential resale list prices. May seemed no better, as pending contracts dropped below May 2010’s less than glamorous pending sales record.

Does this year’s April and May downturn foreshadow an unusually slow late spring/early summer home sales cycle for San Antonio. It remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely even a slow San Antonio realty year will signal a serious decline in San Antonio’s typically healthy real estate environment.

Here’s why.

Because of its solid economic and demographic foundations, San Antonio remains one of the nation’s bright spots for home ownership and rental investments. Affordable mortgage availability is high for those who qualify, mortgage interest rates are historically low, and the area continues to receive an influx of retiree families, job seekers, and military and corporate relocation buyers eager to take advantage of San Antonio’s well priced homes.

Focusing on specifics, homebuyers and sellers should take satisfaction in knowing that there’s some good news for everyone.

For sellers, there are hints that the area’s months long buyers’ market is weakening. The residential listing inventory has stabilized and homes are selling well, particularly in the moderately to higher priced subdivisions in San Antonio’s north, northeast, and northwest sectors.
The advantage goes to sellers willing to beat out the competition by expending the resources needed to put their homes in prime market condition.

On the other hand, buyers have the advantage of being able to select from a large inventory of quality homes offered at close to bargain prices in many areas around town. Where listings are staying on the market longer than usual, sellers are lowering their price expectations accordingly.

Both buyers and sellers should keep this in mind. Those willing to negotiate realistically based on San Antonio’s market realities are the ones most likely to leave the closing table mutually satisfied.

That’s all for our June 2011 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader comments and recommendations about how to make our reports more informative and useful.

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, or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail 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.