Sante Fe Trails vs Summerfield (San Antonio, Castle Hills: for sale, HOA, crime)

[jaschu]

Looking for some neighborhood advice regarding the two areas. I currently live in the neighborhood adjacent to Hollywood Park but looking to move to an area that has a community pool for me and a park within walking distance for my husband. The only areas we could find are Sante Fe Trails and Summerfield. We're familiar with Sante Fe only because we frequent McAllister Park pretty often. Our first realtor suggested an area close to Phil Hardberger Park and a house currently listed in Summerfield claims the park is within walking distance.

Can anyone compare the quality of houses between the two areas? So far we've looked at three houses in Sante Fe and I didn't get a warm fuzzy from them. Not sure if it's lack of homeowner maintenance, builder quality or, a combination of both.

What's traffic like around Summerfield during rush hour? Would you say 410-281-Jones Maltzberger is comparable? I work at Ft Sam and my husband is at Lackland so I wouldn't think the traffic would be much different between the two areas, but not sure.

Schools aren't a big issue - no children. Slightly important but only because of resale value.

Our sticking points are mandatory HOA with a pool, a park within walking distance with long running trails, inside 1604 and, nothing on the northwest side or near Randolph. We're looking to stay centrally located between Randolph and Lackland. Any other areas that might fit the bill?

Last thing - Summerfield is gated but does anyone know if can we just drive through and look at the neighborhood? One of the mistakes we made with the house we're in now is we didn't drive through at various times of the day to get a feel for it.

Anything we haven't thought of?

Thanks for any candid advice you can offer.

[kevcrawford]

I've sold homes to buyers in both neighborhoods and both are pretty happy. Wurzbach Pkwy being open now should help your commute tremendously. I've got personal friends in Summerfield and they love it. Schools are good enough to not affect resale for either home. It really depends on where you spend most of your time. When you drive to them, where does your gut feel most at ease?

[smuboy86]

Don't know if it's out of your price range, but maybe look into oakwell farms, it's gated with a strong HOA, pool and clubhouse, and tons of walking trails and adjacent to the Salado creek trail.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

Don't know if it's out of your price range, but maybe look into oakwell farms, it's gated with a strong HOA, pool and clubhouse, and tons of walking trails and adjacent to the Salado creek trail.

If you're adding Salgado creek to your list of selling points is consider taking it off. At the Tobin trail head I, as well as others (in the span of several months to years) have had ours broken into. Just there. No other trail heads in the city. I feel safe at every trailhead I have been to (even near Ingram/410 and down to mission reach) but I have not been back there since my car was broken into there.

I'd pick summerfirld, myself for the reasons others have said and the shopping.

[smuboy86]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

If you're adding Salgado creek to your list of selling points is consider taking it off. At the Tobin trail head I, as well as others (in the span of several months to years) have had ours broken into. Just there. No other trail heads in the city. I feel safe at every trailhead I have been to (even near Ingram/410 and down to mission reach) but I have not been back there since my car was broken into there.

I'd pick summerfirld, myself for the reasons others have said and the shopping.

That's kinda ridiculous to strike it because of a few property crimes, wasn't a girl raped at a park on the NW side this last year and they just found a body in Mcallister park with in the last two months. Besides you can walk to the Tobin trailhead from oakwell.

[forest1492]

Originally Posted by jaschu

a park within walking distance for my husband.

How would you define walking distance - 0.25 mile, 1/2 mile? The Vista Del Norte neighborhood is off Blanco, and you may consider it within walking distance of Hardberger. Vista Del Norte is not gated, and it has a community pool. However, there is a portion of the neighborhood in the back that is gated, but I don't believe the gated section of the neighborhood has rights to use the community pool.

Also, do you consider access to the linear park trails the same as park access? The Oak Meadow and Castle Hills Forest neighborhoods are north of Summerfield along NW Military, but border the linear park that leads down to Hardberger. Oak Meadow has a pool, not sure about CH Forest.

Originally Posted by jaschu

Last thing - Summerfield is gated but does anyone know if can we just drive through and look at the neighborhood?

I think Summerfield may have a guard house, so you probably couldn't follow someone in like a keypad gate. You may want to check with your realtor before heading over.

[blizzrd]

I recently drove through summerfield to drop a friend off and it was beautiful. It's now one of the places I would like to get into some day. I liked the club house and pool as well as the guard shack and gate.

[jaschu]

I appreciate all the suggestions. A few things:

Oakdell Farms - exactly what we're looking for but out of our price range, unfortunately. I'd rather have a bit more house for the money. We're looking to spend between $275-300k which will barely get us into Summerfield.

Walking distance to a park - I'd say no more than about a mile to get to a park entrance. I think it goes without saying that neither of us want to risk our lives walking to a park by crossing a busy street. For me, linear park trails would be absolutely fine. My husband would probably be okay with a linear park trail, not longer than about a mile, as long as he can access long loops - if that makes sense. Long loops being 3-4 miles.

Park safety - It's definitely important but I recognize we're in a big city and crime can happen anywhere. I admit I was a little surprised to hear the police found a dead body in McAllister while looking for another body. I'd much rather my car broken into than my house.

Vista Del Norte - There is one house for sale that looks to be within walking distance of a greenway. If that area isn't gated we'll drive through this weekend. That neighborhood looks promising.

Oak Meadow - Looks like it's a voluntary HOA and not what we're looking for. Good location otherwise.

Castle Hills Forest - No HOA.

Looks like Summerfield is fairly popular so I'll contact my realtor this weekend for a couple viewings so I can get a feel for the neighborhood.

[ashbeeigh]

I cannot think of any other neighborhoods that are within your budget that back up or are within a mile of any of the linear greenways outside of the Salado Creek and Tobin area...if you are looking for a place with a madatory HOA I believe Summerfield is your best bet (although I cannot fathom how you would walk to the northern part of Salado Creek from there unless I'm being completely obvilious of the route at this time).

[jaschu]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

I believe Summerfield is your best bet (although I cannot fathom how you would walk to the northern part of Salado Creek from there unless I'm being completely obvilious of the route at this time).

I agree. I'm having a hard time with that walk claim as well. The FSBO description that caught my eye is "you are within a 4 minute walk to the premier San Antonio Hardberger Park." There has to be a gate in the back of the neighborhood if the "4 minute walk" is accurate.