Old neighborhoods in the NEISD? (Alamo, Converse: crime, new home, safe neighborhood)

[MPinSC]

I'm still eternally sifting through online realty listings, trying to get a feel for what's there - tough to do without being there in person.

Hubby and I will be looking for an old 60's ranch house (we love 'em), and our first choice would be the NEISD, as there seem to be a lot of what we're looking for in that area. Tons of trees are a must - we'll buy as much for the yard as for the house! We'd like to stay around the 150 - 200,000 range, as we plan to put some money into rehabbing the house. We're not afraid of gutting a kitchen, knocking out a wall, or getting rid of godawful dark paneling if the house has good bones.

My question is that several neighborhoods keep popping up when I search NEISD in that price range. I see a few in Castle Hills (not as many, as lots of those are priced higher or are too small if cheaper). Mostly I'm seeing:

Harmony Hills (tons, and the trees are gorgeous)
Windcrest (not as tree-filled, but big lots)
Ridgeview
Misty Oaks
Northern Hills (mostly 70's houses, not the "classic" 60's ones)
San pedro Hills (more Spanish style, kind of run-down area, but great trees)

Anyone have info/experience with these neighborhoods? Are any of them truly awful? I like the looks of Harmony Hills the most, but for all I know it's crackhead city or something.

[slaleman]

Best way to check on neighborhoods as far as crime is to check the streets in the crimebase: http://crimebase.mysanantonio.com (broken link)

[smuboy86]

Windcrest is it's own city, and incredibly safe. The city is very attentive to the needs of it's citizens. It has it's own golf course and city pool and tennis center.
Another neighborhood I would check out in NEISD is Northwood. It's mostly 50-60's ranch homes with large lots and tons of trees.

[googie2525]

Skip Windcrest, the general area is quickly becoming a slum (the closure of Windsor Park Mall had a lot to do with this IMHO). One of my business acquitances has owned a popular QSR business in the area for over 20 years, and said that the area has REALLY gone downhill, and he's moving on to a newer area with a better clientele. Granted, Windcrest has nice 70's era homes, large, spacious, very affordable, but Walzum Road and the area around Windcrest is the pits. I can actually remember when Windcrest was considered swanky - a shame.

[googie2525]

Oh yes, Northwood is awesome though (my Grandmother lived there for many, many years). Great, safe neighborhood, wonderful ranches from the 1940's-60's mainly, pricier than Windcrest though for sure. Also check out Northwood Estates, same general area, but cheaper than Northwood proper, as is the Oak Park and Leland Terrace, which are very close by. They are also in the Alamo Heights School district, which is great if you have kids, the much-coveted zip code (78209, or the "09er"), granted, the AH school does cut off at a certain point in Northwood, so be careful with that.

[smuboy86]

I think that Windcrest is on it's way back. The lowest point was probably early nineties. You have new homes being built in windcrest that are $250,000+. Windcrest is proactively bringing it's self back, from the brink. Now further out on Montgomery is bad, and south of Eisenhower is bad, but the area directly around walzem really isn't, it mostly a perception problem. To say that Windcrest is turning in to a slum is ignorant.

[smuboy86]

one of the new homes available in windcrest
http://www.meritagehomestexas.com/imgcache/img_data_35735_250_150.png (broken link)
I don't think it would look out of place in Stone Oak honestly.

[wCat]

I lived in Windcrest.....and my mother is still in our same home. The city of WINDCREST is not at all slummy and very safe. Their 1st response to 911 calls is less than 2 minutes to any place in Windcrest. My elderly mother chooses to stay because of the safety offerred by the city!

I will honestly say, however, that it's better for retired military with no kids in school. Roosevelt....my alma mater is no longer the same school I attended.
Drugs, violence and acedemics are problematic.

There are areas that feed into Roosevelt that have dwindled and are run down.

People....please be aware that generalities in descriptions can be misleading new people in this area. It seems prudent to not offer an opinion unless you have first hand knowledge of an area. "Slummy" is pretty harsh ....

[wCat]

Originally Posted by MPinSC

Hubby and I will be looking for an old 60's ranch house (we love 'em), and our first choice would be the NEISD, as there seem to be a lot of what we're looking for in that area. Tons of trees are a must - we'll buy as much for the yard as for the house! We'd like to stay around the 150 - 200,000 range, as we plan to put some money into rehabbing the house. We're not afraid of gutting a kitchen, knocking out a wall, or getting rid of godawful dark paneling if the house has good bones.
.

MP.....best to decide on a specific school in NEISD.....and go from there.

In order by State ranking, Churchill, MacArthur, Madison, Lee, Roosevelt (Reagan was not on the list but would be up by Churchill).

Churchill and MacARthur would have more of the older type homes you are looking for because they are older schools (both having been totally rebuilt).

Check out "Forest Oaks" and "MacArthur Park" for nice roomie ranch style homes built in the 60's and 70's. Many in your price range.

Harmony Hills has a very similar neighborhood feel. You're on the right track.

[LivingLikeAGradStudent]

I also would avoid Windcrest and the Roosevelt neighborhood. I used to ride my bike through there on the way to Kirby/Converse, and it's kind of iffy. A friend bought a home near Roosevelt last year and has had a constant battle with some iffy neighbors.