Relocating to SA... Beacon Hill or Pecan Valley? (San Antonio, Anton: real estate, apartment)

[tsimon]

I am moving within the next 24 months to SA from cleveland ohio. I am thinking of moving to Beacon Hill or Pecan Valley can anyone tell me about those area's are they safe? I also would like to rent for a year before I buy that way I will know what area I really want to live in. Do these area's have alot of rental property would prefer to rent a house not a apartment.

[Chaka]

Beacon Hill is an up and coming historic district near the high-rent Monte Vista. Nice area, but individual houses are hit and miss. Some great, some look like crack houses. It's a great area to live and invest in if you're willing to tolerate the early days of revitalization - it's well on it's way, but it's still early. Lots of artist/architect/university types.

Pecan Valley is nice enough, but IMO, not really "interesting." Typical suburban middle class, older communities than those on the north side (60s/70s housing stock). Nice safe area though.

[RGJ]

Interesting take on Pecan Valley. It is mostly typical tract housing, but when built, it was the site of the Parade of Homes. There are some interesting houses in Pecan Valley built like most mid-century modern homes. When E.J. Burke developed it and Pecan Valley golf course, for some reason, there weren't any golf course sites.

[Proffer]

In Beacon Hill you would live the early DECADES of gentrification.

[sshurgot]

Between those two, I'd pick Beacon Hill. I love San Antonio's historic neighborhoods, and their old homes that are full of character and solidity. My question to you is: why a choice between those two particular neighborhoods? There are more interesting ones near Beacon Hill and the prices are about the same.

[Proffer]

I agree with sshurgot. As in many areas of the city, Beacon Hill's prices spiked during the real estate bubble (yes, San Antonio indeed had one, with prices in these areas more than doubling in a short period of time). Yet the architecture is less attractive and condition of the neighborhood is more spotty than other nearby historical areas such as Alta Vista and Monticello Park that are similarly priced. Most of that neighborhood looks like it rotted for months under a Katrina-like tidal surge.

[sshurgot]

Part of Beacon Hill is too close to IH-10 and to the railroad tracks. Proffer's description of Beacon Hill homes is accurate. Alta Vista is a great neighborhood; I like the homes in Monticello Park as well. If you were interested in buying, the foundation problems in that area might be a concern but if you're renting it's not a big deal.