Let’s talk about living in San Antonio

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

16 minutes ago, Eastwood said:

The farther west you get from 281 north of 1604, the less affordable it gets. The farther east you go from 281, the more affordable it gets, generally, but the prices are fairly consistent, overall, east of 281 until you start getting closer to Judson ISD territory.

Edit: If you guys are ever in town, let me know. I can give you a quick tour of what a typical weekend would look like for a family of 4 with young kids.

Right on. I will actually be there Friday, but very briefly for some photography stuff and then lunch at 2M. Not sure if you could make it down there for lunch, but let me know. 

 

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

1 minute ago, solamente73 said:

This surprises me.  I've always seen more of the "Houston hates Dallas" and "Dallas hates Houston" dynamic.  San Antonio was where everyone wanted to visit/vacation because of the Riverwalk, food, Alamo, etc.

Well, yeah, there is that. But those people are talking about visiting, not living there. 

[Eastwood 4394]

7 minutes ago, South Austin said:

There's probably something to that.  It's nowhere near as white as most of the other major metropolitan Texas areas.  But for me that's the beauty of it.  There's always a more authentic Texas feel in San Antonio, holding onto the older parts of our state's heritage before everything became paved over with strip centers and chain restaurants (and yes, there's still lots of that in SA).

It's the last bastion of the Texian and Tejano harmony that existed when we were still a Republic. Everybody participates in the culture and knows a little bit of Spanish, no matter the skin color.

2 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Right on. I will actually be there Friday, but very briefly for some photography stuff and then lunch at 2M. Not sure if you could make it down there for lunch, but let me know.

You and I are actually switching spots. I'm going to Houston that day. Next time, for sure.

[South Austin 52515]

San Antonio is definitely a lot safer these days.  When I was a kid, I saw somebody get shot along the Riverwalk over a video game cartridge.  And then a plane exploded at the airport that same night.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

1 minute ago, South Austin said:

San Antonio is definitely a lot safer these days.  When I was a kid, I saw somebody get shot along the Riverwalk over a video game cartridge.  And then a plane exploded at the airport that same night.

My cousin went to school with Elliot. 

[South Austin 52515]

1 minute ago, Patricio Swayze said:

My cousin went to school with Elliot. 

Was he one of the bikers who got to fly with E.T.?

[C-Man 27230]

As many of you know, I grew up there (6-18) and then spent two years back down there just after graduating from UT. I left for good in 1998. SA has changed exponentially in the time since I left. And for the better. It's a great little town but I agree with midtown that it's still lacking a bit for the 22-30 single set probably. That part was terrible when I was working for KMOL and the Express News and had a few really good friends going to St. Mary's Law School. But that's changed quite a bit, I think. If my whole world wasn't in Dallas now, I'd consider moving back in a heartbeat -- or out to the Hill Country, a stone's throw from the north side of SA where I grew up.

[relapse98 634]

1 hour ago, Mr.Hovis said:

 Kids were in Smithson Valley ISD. they liked it but I don't know where it ranks compared to others.

Comal ISD. As far as the schools in Comal go, that's gonna be the better of our high schools right now.

I live in New Braunfels, so sorta SA exurb. Right now, I wouldn't live anywhere else. I have San Antonio close by that I can drive to, Austin if I have to, and if I really need city life, Houston aint that far away but I don't have to deal with the traffic etc. that comes from those larger places.

[C-Man 27230]

Got remarried last April out in Boerne and that place was nothing 15 or so years ago. That town kicks serious ass now. Highly recommend.

[Mr.Hovis 70]

26 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Got remarried last April out in Boerne and that place was nothing 15 or so years ago. That town kicks serious ass now. Highly recommend.

 Have only been there on weekends and the main drag was packed all day. Last time was their Oktoberfest so maybe that was busier than normal. Had lunch at that Dodging Ducks place, looking at a local real estate magazine while waiting  and apparently everyone likes it. Cool little town though I wonder how bad the commute into San Antonio is.

[C-Man 27230]

1 minute ago, Mr.Hovis said:

 Have only been there on weekends and the main drag was packed all day. Last time was their Oktoberfest so maybe that was busier than normal. Had lunch at that Dodging Ducks place, looking at a local real estate magazine while waiting  and apparently everyone likes it. Cool little town though I wonder how bad the commute into San Antonio is.

We ate lunch at Dodging Duck on our way out of town on Monday after the wedding. My parents are in Shavano Park (basically at Lockehill Selma and 1604) and that run up I-10 to Boerne was pretty shitty last April if you caught it at the wrong time in the late afternoon/early evening.

[midtown 3346]

1 minute ago, Mr.Hovis said:

 Cool little town though I wonder how bad the commute into San Antonio is.

Suicide if you are working in the med center and IMO no real benefit unless you just really like the country feel.   If you want the experience of living in Houston traffic wise this is the best way. 

[South Austin 52515]

I mentioned Boerne in the thread on small towns.  We pass through there on the way back from our annual family Garner State Park camping trip, and have lunch and a beer at Dodging Duck.  We like Boerne, but it does seem to have outgrown a good measure of its small town charm, and others claimed that it's become overrun by yuppies and San Antonio commuters.

[Landomatic 3813]

So is Dodging Duck the only restaurant in Boerne or something?

[52-80 19162]

6 hours ago, Hate said:

I've lived in all 4 of the major cities in Texas and would choose SA over any of them.  

Lived in all 3, and if I had to pick out of the 4, I'd probably pick San Antonio simple because its *NOT* any of those 3.

Kinda funny since I never "got" S.A.  Had a thing against it, actually.

Feel the same way others do about Austin - shits changed, man.

 

[South Austin 52515]

10 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

So is Dodging Duck the only restaurant in Boerne or something?

Yes, but they have eight of them.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

I think the reason people think it's terrible for young adults is because the colleges are mainly commuter schools.  Utsa is relatively young and when built was way out in the sticks.  St marys, uiw, and incarnate word are all very small. Utsa has gotten much bigger but is still at the edge of town.  

Traffic is getting worse.

Cost of living / housing  is also getting worse.  

I like it here, I would prefer austin but the jobs were in S.A. at the time.  In all honesty when I moved here I thought It's close to austin, ill just drive up whenever I feel like it."  But it turns out I dont really have a need to unless a special event, like a game or concert.  

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

55 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

So is Dodging Duck the only restaurant in Boerne or something?

They also have a rudys and taco cababa

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Scratch that, no rudys

[Landomatic 3813]

3 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Scratch that, no rudys

No rudys?  I’m out.

[po elvis 2072]

I really do like living in San Antonio. It feels small but big enough. I like where I live between 410 and 1604 and in between 281 and 10. Easy to get anywhere. 3/4 of San Antonio is a dump but you never have to go there unless you want to pick up some empanadas.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

4 hours ago, po elvis said:

I really do like living in San Antonio. It feels small but big enough. I like where I live between 410 and 1604 and in between 281 and 10. Easy to get anywhere. 3/4 of San Antonio is a dump but you never have to go there unless you want to pick up some empanadas.

You probably haven’t seen my photos, I am quite comfortable with shitty parts of cities. Not to live though. I think the most major cities typically have more shitty areas than good. In Houston, with exception of a few pockets, the whole east part of Houston from 45 to the beltway is shitty. Some pockets in there, especially for a single person or couples without kids, but for the most part, it’s a dump. 

[Bert Orange 1120]

13 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Scratch that, no rudys

Did they close the one across from sea World?

[Bert Orange 1120]

1) hot, dry weather with sustained drought

2) a six flags theme park

3) Miller lite / bud light

4) two good schools

5) Multitude of cheap furniture stores at every exit

 

Maybe I need to take a harder look at SA

 

[relapse98 634]

15 minutes ago, Bert Orange said:

Did they close the one across from sea World?

Sea World != Boerne.

[dirtonia 269]

I'm moving into La Fogata.  Mmmmmmmm, so trill. 

[SHOOTER12 8810]

Don Pedros on SW Military would make the move worth it all on it's own.

[Mr.Hovis 70]

16 minutes ago, Bert Orange said:

1) hot, dry weather with sustained drought

2) a six flags theme park

3) Miller lite / bud light

4) two good schools

5) Multitude of cheap furniture stores at every exit

 

Maybe I need to take a harder look at SA

 

Don't harsh my SA buzz man!

[Hate 20108]

Boerne may not have a Rudy's, but the original Rudy's is just up the road in Leon Springs.  It's maybe a 20 minute drive from Boerne.  

[BurdineBandit 815]

1 hour ago, Bert Orange said:

1) hot, dry weather with sustained drought

2) a six flags theme park

3) Miller lite / bud light

4) two good schools

5) Multitude of cheap furniture stores at every exit

 

Maybe I need to take a harder look at SA

 

It really is funny. It's like if someone asked about the benefits of moving to Austin and everybody started saying how great it can be and how much it has changed for the better but then a conversation about living in Kyle actually broke out.

[South Austin 52515]

4 minutes ago, BurdineBandit said:

It really is funny. It's like if someone asked about the benefits of moving to Austin and everybody started saying how great it can be and how much it has changed for the better but then a conversation about living in Kyle actually broke out.

Kyle doesn’t have a Dodging Duck.

[idigTexas 2289]

One thing I forgot to mention is that it is ideally located if you like to frequent the Hill Country, Austin, and the beach. 

[Eastwood 4394]

17 minutes ago, idigTexas said:

One thing I forgot to mention is that it is ideally located if you like to frequent the Hill Country, Austin, and the beach. 

That's key, in my opinion. How often do people in Austin truly do all the things that Austin offers? Enough to justify the cost of living or enough to justify an hour drive once a month or so? My friends who bag on San Antonio and live in Austin are sitting their ass at home and going out a couple weekends a month like the rest of us working schmucks. Only difference is they pay more for the privilege.

[midtown 3346]

14 minutes ago, Eastwood said:

That's key, in my opinion. How often do people in Austin truly do all the things that Austin offers? Enough to justify the cost of living or enough to justify an hour drive once a month or so? My friends who bag on San Antonio and live in Austin are sitting their ass at home and going out a couple weekends a month like the rest of us working schmucks. Only difference is they pay more for the privilege.

This x1000.   Suburbs are suburbs.  And it's not just Austin.  It's the same with any city. How many people who live in Dallas go to Cowboy, Stars, or Ranger games?  

Edited May 3, 2018 by midtown

[Aqua Buddha 14598]

Exactly.  Most people who brag about living in Austin live in Cedar Park or some shit and suburbs are suburbs the world over.  Might as well live in Plano or Marietta.  They're not driving into Austin for shows or restaurants.  They're eating at chain restaurants and watching Netflix.  Austin is one of the more overrated cities in America for this reason.

As for the drought or lack of rain in SA, that's one thing that surprised me, although Austin has the same problems.  Water usage is highly regulated, the water and electric bills themselves are relatively expensive and you kind of miss seeing green, although in some of central neighborhoods you'll get a different look.

Kind of missed rain after a while and not getting tickets for watering my lawn at the wrong time of day.

[midtown 3346]

1 minute ago, Aqua Buddha said:

As for the drought or lack of rain in SA, that's one thing that surprised me, although Austin has the same problems.

The weather is the same.   I shit you not this actually happened.  I was a kids b-day party in the summer at a neighbors house.  It was like 95 degrees.  And one of the parents mom was complaining about the heat and keep saying how much better the weather was where she was visiting from.  I asked her where she was from thinking.  Portland, LA, Wisconsin.  Her answer:  Austin.  

[Aqua Buddha 14598]

14 minutes ago, midtown said:

The weather is the same.   I shit you not this actually happened.  I was a kids b-day party in the summer at a neighbors house.  It was like 95 degrees.  And one of the parents mom was complaining about the heat and keep saying how much better the weather was where she was visiting from.  I asked her where she was from thinking.  Portland, LA, Wisconsin.  Her answer:  Austin.  

Everything is better in Austin, right?

I actually found the weather in SA better than Dallas or Austin.  SA doesn't get 100+ temps day after day over the summer.  They'll get more humidity but it's not Houston, which has the worst weather in my opinion.  I'm not saying any of the markets has great weather but I'd actually take SA's over the others.  I actually thought Dallas was the hottest.  Not enough humidity to keep the temps down but still enough to give you a 115 degree heat index.

[TankedBevo 2482]

Having lived in SA most of my life up until about 6 years ago, I present my shitty marked up screenshot of where you should more than likely focus your living. Imagine an exaggerated "V" overlayed onto the city, the further down to the southern point you go the more charm and older homes are, as you go up and out you get you builder homes/mcmansionfests.

 

The further outside 1604 you get the more hills and scenic qualities take over.  I loved living in SA and plan on moving back down from Dallas after the wife gets finished with school. I'll probably try and sneak into Alamo Heights or Olmos Park area if the price is right, otherwise head north to Bulverde Spring branch area.

 

Good luck and God speed.

[midtown 3346]

9 minutes ago, TankedBevo said:

I'll probably try and sneak into Alamo Heights or Olmos Park area if the price is right, otherwise head north to Bulverde Spring branch area.

 

It's a nice area but then there are the people who live there.   My living boundaries will always be 410 on the south, 281 on east, 10 on the west, and 1604 north.   You can find almost any price point for homes.  School wise might be an issue if you want one of the newer high schools.  My kids are going the magnet route in NEISD so our location is perfect.   The 3 best high schools in SA are Health Careers (NISD, med ctr) Alamo Heights, and ISA (NEISD) which is on the Lee campus and inside the loop.

Edited May 3, 2018 by midtown

[TornACL 7698]

38 minutes ago, midtown said:

The weather is the same.   I shit you not this actually happened.  I was a kids b-day party in the summer at a neighbors house.  It was like 95 degrees.  And one of the parents mom was complaining about the heat and keep saying how much better the weather was where she was visiting from.  I asked her where she was from thinking.  Portland, LA, Wisconsin.  Her answer:  Austin.  

This is funny and not surprising to me at all.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

1 hour ago, midtown said:

It's a nice area but then there are the people who live there.   My living boundaries will always be 410 on the south, 281 on east, 10 on the west, and 1604 north.   You can find almost any price point for homes.  School wise might be an issue if you want one of the newer high schools.  My kids are going the magnet route in NEISD so our location is perfect.   The 3 best high schools in SA are Health Careers (NISD, med ctr) Alamo Heights, and ISA (NEISD) which is on the Lee campus and inside the loop.

It should be noted, health careers and isa are both magnets,  But in general nisd and neisd are really good  districts.  If you find a news story ranking the sa area high schools its normally pretty accurate, and you'll see the same schools consistently ranking high.  

Someone above mentioned only 2 good schools, this is false.   There's at least 9 high schools I would feel comfortable sending my kids to.  

[C-Man 27230]

21 hours ago, Landomatic said:

So is Dodging Duck the only restaurant in Boerne or something?

Peggy's on the Green is in the Carriage House Hotel (not sure if that's the name) and it's fucking terrific. It's another Mark Bohanan joint (Bohanan's downtown). 

20 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Scratch that, no rudys

The original Rudy's is in Leon Springs, which is between Boerne and SA (closer to the SA side).

[C-Man 27230]

3 hours ago, Aqua Buddha said:

Everything is better in Austin, right?

I actually found the weather in SA better than Dallas or Austin.  SA doesn't get 100+ temps day after day over the summer.  They'll get more humidity but it's not Houston, which has the worst weather in my opinion.  I'm not saying any of the markets has great weather but I'd actually take SA's over the others.  I actually thought Dallas was the hottest.  Not enough humidity to keep the temps down but still enough to give you a 115 degree heat index.

I've lived in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas and have spent many days in Corpus over the years since my parents are from there originally. Houston's weather is by the far the worst. Hell, it might be in the running for worst weather in the country. The weather in Austin/SA is virtually the same. While Dallas is hotter than all of the above, it's also the driest and (usually) has the least amount of mountain cedar (a plus in my book). I'd take Dallas weather for those reasons and we also get a little more taste of winter for the most part. But when it gets blazing-ass hot in Dallas, it can be pretty miserable.

[RDCanecutter 26446]

5 hours ago, idigTexas said:

One thing I forgot to mention is that it is ideally located if you like to frequent the Hill Country, Austin, and the beach. 

Or Laredo. Don't forget Laredo.

[midtown 3346]

Surprised no mention of the well known ability and accepted practice of just throwing your diapers in the street. 

[Zepol87 9188]

2 minutes ago, midtown said:

Surprised no mention of the well known ability and accepted practice of just throwing your diapers in the street. 

Just like the motherland!!! 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18550]

4 hours ago, midtown said:

It's a nice area but then there are the people who live there.  

Oh, hai!

You know, there are just as many douchebags in Stone Oak. Hell, there are probably more of them. We definitely have more old money types in AH and OP, but I find that people in my peer group (mid 40s with kids) to be pretty decent down to earth folks. Most of them do well financially, but that doesn't mean they are assholes. Personally, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I'm so close to everything (I work close to downtown) and the schools are great. Granted, if I moved out to loop land I could get twice the house for the same price, but no thanks.

And while the traffic isn't anything like Dallas, Austin or Houston, let's not pretend that 281 north of 1604 (where a lot of folks on this thread are saying they'd like to live) isn't a horrific cluster fuck. How they managed to build a freeway with stoplights and without exit ramps is just beyond comprehension. I'm pretty sure that I-10 from close to Boerne on in is no day at the beach either. Both of those areas have grown like crazy population-wise and the city has done next to nothing to build infrastructure. Then again, what would you expect from a city that took 20 years to build a 281/1604 interchange and 30 years to build a 410/281 interchange.

That said, San Antonio has changed for the better so much in the last 10 years. So much more shit to do here. So many more restaurants and bars. The city is still very affordable comparatively and it is easy to get around. The Pearl has completely transformed that area of the city and you see it spreading even to the east side, which to someone who grew up here is borderline unfathomable.  Plus we still have killer mexican food on every corner.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Mitch Cumsteen

[Aqua Buddha 14598]

Count me in the inside 410 camp.  We really liked AH and it's proximity to everything.  Loved the huge trees lining the streets with the lush green grass.  

The people weren't any more or less douchey than any other high end area but they were insular if you weren't born there.  A good way to put it is they were friendly but not welcoming.

Still loved it for the location and the neighborhood feel.....

 

[miguelito 11266]

Fucking '09ers man, they're the worst.

[Gen. Applewhite 226]

4 hours ago, midtown said:

It's a nice area but then there are the people who live there.

 

29 minutes ago, miguelito said:

Fucking '09ers man, they're the worst.

How dare you. Take it back. As has been stated, 1604 is such a clusterfuck it really makes me appreciate Alamo Heights' proximity to town. My job is about to move from DT to Sonterra and if not for the Thundercloud up there I'd be polishing my resume.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Gen. Applewhite