Best Restaurants In San Antonio

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, HOME, VISIT SANANTONIOHOMEQUEST.COM.

Now, here's the latest news from one of the best restaurants in San Antonio.

Dear Friends, This weekend we have some delicious specials including Roasted Poblano Bisque, Honey Brined & Grilled Thick Cut Pork Chop with a Creole Mustard & Maple Syrup Reduction, Tilapia stuffed with Shrimp, Scallops & Crab and Slow Braised Osso Buco. Treat your Valentine to to a gourmet 4 course meal at Mike’s. This special meal will be offered February 13th thru 15th and reservations are recommended. Click here to view the menu. Bon Appétit, Chef Mike PS - Don't forget about our special dinner menu offered on Wednesday & Thursday evenings from 5pm until 6pm.

Having trouble viewing the message below? View as a webpage

Visit Mike's In The Village For One Of The Finest Restaurants In North San Antonio

Looking to buy or sell a San Antonio, Texas, area home.  Visit sanantoniohomequest.com. Looking for great restaurants in the northern San Antonio are, see the following from Mikes In The Village. Dear Friends, This weekend we have some delicious specials including Poblano Bisque, Scallop Appetizer, Oyster Appetizer, Crawfish Cornbread Stuffed Quail and 32 oz Bone-In Ribeye. We are the perfect choice for your holiday catering needs. From holiday luncheons and company parties to catered events and gift baskets, our services keep the jolly in your holiday. Click here to learn more. Spend New Year’s Eve at Mike’s in the Village. We will be offering our regular menu and wonderful Chef Mike inspired specials. Call 830-438-2747 or click here to make your reservation today! Bon Appétit, Chef Mike PS - We will be closed on December 25, December 26 and January 1 to celebrate the holidays with our families.

Having trouble viewing the message below? View as a webpage

Mike's In The Village | 2355-3 Bulverde Road | Bulverde, TX 78163

E

For the 4th time in as many years, the group at Keller Williams, Legacy (where I work) sponsored a BBQ benefiting the Children's Shelter of San Antonio.  It's called Grillin' on the Lot and with today's temperatures reaching around 100 degrees, there was a lot more "grillin" than just the BBQ.  The amazing volunteers braved the heat and raised quite a bit of money for the Children's Shelter. They were still counting a few minutes ago and even before the profits from all the desserts (generously donated by agents at the office) the amount has surpassed last years' event. 

I am proud to be part of  an organization that supports a worthy cause and gives back to the community.  You can learn more about the Children's Shelter by visiting their website. 

Christmas in July  to benefit the shelter is the next event that Keller Williams, Legacy will be sponsoring.  If you are in our area, please drop by our office with your donations - anytime during the month of July.  We have a big bin that is located by the front desk.  Drop by and say Hi!   Diapers, toiletries, gift cards and cash donations are always welcome.  There is a detailed list of wish items and ways that you can help at the website.

****

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® 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 me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

January 2012 San Antonio Realty Market Report

When forecasting housing and other economic trends, it seems no one has a crystal ball. The best the experts can do is look to the present conditions and short term indicators for hints of things to come.

Now, as San Antonio enters the New Year, there are clearly impressive indications that the Alamo City area is likely to see remarkable economic strides - and an interesting housing market - in the coming months.

Who are experts supporting that conclusion?

First, the respected Milliken Institute recently ranked San Antonio as number 1 on its annual list of Best Performing Cities Index. Second, Livability.com ranks San Antonio second among the best 10 places in the Nation for recent college graduates. Third, in an article last July, Forbes Magazine ranked San Antonio as number 4 in its list of the nation's next boom towns. Fourth, Kiplinger Magazine gives San Antonio high rankings as a "best value city." The list goes on and on.

Significantly, the last time San Antonio received such high rankings from so many quarters heralded the city's historic 2006 realty boom. Is it possible that 2012 will see the return of a frantic residential realty market like 2006? It's possible, but not likely, because the nation's slowly progressing economic recovery should check what could otherwise be an overheated 2012 San Antonio realty market.

Nevertheless, as pointed out in our preceding blogs, many favorable factors are converging to make 2012 an exceptional realty year for San Antonio/Bexar County and the surrounding counties and communities.

Specifically, the area's employment rate is high, the population growth is steady, and, compared to other large metropolitan areas, home prices are more reasonable than average. Mortgage rates remain historically low and lenders are aggressively seeking qualified home buyers. The Eagle Ford Shale oil play just south of town is infusing manpower, money, and materiel into the economy and spurring high demand for housing for oil and gas industry workers and their families.

To say the least, there's ample reason to believe that San Antonio's 2012 realty market will be much more active than in any year since 2006.

For data lovers, here's the picture in and around San Antonio as of 2 January 2012:

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.There are 9, 598 homes listed for sale compared to 10,984 one year ago. The inventory is exceptionally low but will likely trend steadily upward as New Year listings are brought to market. For the time being, the market 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 $181,030 compared to last year's $190,656. Sales prices are rising - a trend likely to continue through the higher paced late winter/spring and summer home selling seasons. That's a good sign for sellers.

Average cumulative-days-on-the-market (CDOM) for the most recent sales is 149 compared to 144 last year. A continuing downward trend is expected. That's a positive 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 January 2012 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader comments and recommendations about how to make our reports more informative and useful.

Wishing you and yours a 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, 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 http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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