Comparing Neighborhoods for a young, newly married couple (San Antonio, Universal City: leases, hotels)

[deneacr]

Hi there,

I have been scouring San Antonio threads for days about great neighborhoods to live in and I just don't feel like all of my questions have been answered. So, I apologize upfront if some of this seems repetitive, but I could REALLY use some help.

My husband and I are freshly married ( 6 months) and he has recently been promoted to San Antonio and we need to find a home (to buy ) quickly.

We have visited once, ( when he was interviewing) and did a run through of the city. We realllllly fell in love with Alamo Heights bc it is similar to the neighborhood we live in now ( St. Petersburg, FL). However, alot of the advice we have received from his colleagues living in San Antonio is that all the young people ( 25-35) live out in Stone Oak and the areas around it ? Is that true? I love Alamo Heights area but don't want to be the only young person living there? What are your thoughts?

Obviously we could get WAY more for our money living out in the Stone Oak area, I am just not to keen on the cookie cutter neighborhoods. I don't mind a gated community, I would just like to be able to tell my house apart from my neighbors

That said here are my specific questions-

1. Would you consider living in Alamo Heights as a young professional ( no kids yet, probably try in about a year) and if yes/no why ?

2. Are their neighborhoods in the Stone Oak Area ( I know there are many neighborhoods around there) that are not soooo cookie cutter? If so, what are they?

3. And finally where do YOU think is the most ideal place for a young proffesional couple to live in San Antonio and why ?


A few tidbits about us to consider when answering the above questions

1. We aren't huge unsettled party animals. Our idea of a fun Friday night is a good restaraunt and maybe a few cocktails after with a group of friends or by ourselves.

2. We both are actively involved in community based groups ( Rotary, Jr. League etc.)

3. We both really enjoy running, Saturday morning markets, brunch, and taking in a cultural event every now and then ( theater, art exhibit etc.)

4. We do want to try for a baby in the beginning of 2010

Thanks in advance, any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

[Lauren0319]

From one young married to another, I think Alamo Heights would be perfect for you!

[rd2007]

Finally, a detailed, well written first post from someone moving here. You even mentioned where you're moving from They should sticky this for all the others to read..
I also think AH would be good for you. Stone Oak is for masochists and former californians that love awful traffic if you ask me..

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by rd2007

Stone Oak is for masochists and former californians that love awful traffic if you ask me..

Wow someone is a bitter betty today. The area you live isn't congested? Anyway.



In regard to the OP's question though... Alamo Heights, based on what two want, sounds like a great place! Stone Oak and anything in and around 1604 is going to be cookie cutter or master planned (even if it isn't cookie cutter...it's a subdivision).

You'll probably end up venturing out Stone Oak way for events and outtings with friends and co-workers, just because there are some places of interest in the Stone Oak area, but there are plenty of interesting places in the AH area as well.

Also consider the Monte Vista, King William, Lavaca, and Southtown area too. Those may have the character you are looking for. The kids may have to go to private schools in that area (just future fyi). However, AH schools are top notch (for future reference).

[Eleanor Rigby]

1. Would you consider living in Alamo Heights as a young professional ( no kids yet, probably try in about a year) and if yes/no why ?

Oh yes, most definitely. Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills have a wide range of ages. Because the school district is considered highly desirable, there are lots of young families, and people looking to start families. There are also a lot of young professionals who work downtown, plus people like me who grew up in the area and wouldn't live anywhere else.

2. Are their neighborhoods in the Stone Oak Area ( I know there are many neighborhoods around there) that are not soooo cookie cutter? If so, what are they?

Stone Oak is not my area, but from what I've seen, not so much. Or at least, the ones that might be less cookie cutter are going to be WAY out of your price range (I am thinking of Champions and parts of Sonterra). Someone who is more familiar with the area can tell you if I'm wrong.

3. And finally where do YOU think is the most ideal place for a young proffesional couple to live in San Antonio and why ?

Depending on where you work, I vote for inside the loop, especially since the things you talk about being important to you - the Junior League, brunch, farmer's markets, cultural events - mostly occur inside 410. Other areas you should look into are Lavaca, King William, Olmos Park and Monte Vista. Olmos Park/Terrell Hills/Alamo Heights are ideal if you are looking for a more suburban setting, whereas King William and Lavaca are gentrified/gentrifying historic inner city neighborhoods, and Monte Vista is a historic district that is sort of a bridge between the more suburban tri cities and KW/Lavaca. You'd need private schools, most likely, if you look farther south than Olmos Park.

[dendox]

the one thing I didn't see answered - where will yuo be working. AH is probably perfect; however, if you tell me you will be working in Universal City, I would say something different.

If your jobs will be inside loop 410 or between 10 and 35 to the north of 410 but south of 1604, I think AH may work for you. Obviously, the farther away from AH you live the less desireable it would be.

There are plenty of neighborhoods all around the city that could be recommended, but AH is a great place to start looking

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by deneacr

Hi there,

That said here are my specific questions-

1. Would you consider living in Alamo Heights as a young professional ( no kids yet, probably try in about a year) and if yes/no why ?

2. Are their neighborhoods in the Stone Oak Area ( I know there are many neighborhoods around there) that are not soooo cookie cutter? If so, what are they?

3. And finally where do YOU think is the most ideal place for a young proffesional couple to live in San Antonio and why ?

Thanks in advance, any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

First, welcome! There are a lot of folks like you (young, educated professionals) moving to SA. My wife & I are in our low-30s, and in the last year, we've made friends similar couples from Chicago, NYC, D.C., etc. The steady influx of folks like you is really helping SA to become a more well-rounded city (culturally speaking).

Second, whoever told you that Stone Oak is where the 25-35 crowd gave you really bad advice. That's really generic suburbia, and if we're making huge generalizations, it's mostly families out there (mostly because the schools are all new). Of course, there are younger people out there, too. But they tend to be of the suburban variety.

To respond directly:

1. Yes, sure, even though we don't live there. AH is probably the most walkable part of SA. There are lots of independent restaurants, bars, and shops, and the best grocery store in town (Central Market) is in AH. Plus, you're walking distance to Brackenridge Park (400-acre urban park), McNay Art Museum (a great contemporary art museum with lots of stuff always going on), Botanical Gardens, etc.

There are lots of different folks in AH - young & old. There's a high percentage of people there who've lived there for quite some time (or grew up there and returned). It can be a little insular, in that way.

It is also (unsurprisingly) one of the most expensive neighborhoods (on a per-foot basis) in SA. But it's a great place to live.

2. No. Not even close. Even the "custom" subdivisions are filled with generic McMansions. Stone Oak really isn't San Antonio.

3. Most of our friends live in Monte Vista (where we live), Mahncke Park, Alta Vista, Lavaca and King William (though a few live in AH/TH/OP). The houses are (generally) less expensive than AH/TH/OP. These neighborhoods (which are all at least 100-years old) have great architecture, good independant restaurants & bars, lots educated "progressive" people, galleries, etc.

Like you, our crew likes to have cool/unique social outlets/options available, and there's more in these neighborhoods than in any other part of SA.

The major drawback for these places is that the public schools aren't great. But that decision (for those of us who haven't had kids) is 5+ years away. And I have a couple of friends who send their kids to private school.

Also, while these neighborhoods are much less expensive than their counterparts in other major cities, they are expensive by SA standards.

Good luck on your search - DM me if you have other questions - I'll buy you guys a beer when you get to SA.

[deneacr]

Wow, first let me say a big THANK YOU to all of you for your quick and helpful comments! I can't believe how active this site is, wow! Thank you!

Alamo Heights and a few of the other places u mentioned sound amazing! I can't wait to visit ( in 2 weeks) and look again!

My husband's new office is located somewhere "around" Stone Oak, not sure of the address yet? ( Maybe that's why all of his colleagues want him out there, so when he's working til all hours its a quick hop skip from home, haha ) but as for me, no job yet. We won't move until June 1, so at this point I am still working at my present job as a Corporate Event Planner and probably will continue to do this up til June 1 due to events already on the books, so that said.... If you know of any companies in need of someone with experience in Communication/PR/Event Planning please feel free to give me a shout ( shameless plug )

But again, thanks for all your help, I am sure I will be posting more questions as we get near! If you ever need any advice about Florida, give me a shout, I've worked all over the state in a million hotels and resorts, so I feel like I'm a pretty good judge of the area! Thanks!

[V3rtigo]

definitely do not buy a house until you have rented here for 6 months. find a place to rent in alamo heights and start exploring the city. many places offer 6 month leases. once youre comfortable and like an area, then start looking to buy.

[scuba steve]

To answer questions 2 and 3, there are some areas a few miles from Stone Oak (go figure, they were developed before Stone Oak and are all inside loop 1604) where the houses were all built by different builders, in different styles, and can easily be told apart from each other. I too find Stone Oak and much of the stuff outside the loop to be WAY too similar for my tastes. Anyway the zip codes are 78248 and I think 78230 (232?).

Question 3 - where are the young people? I'm in a similar situation - from Seattle, engaged, late 20s. No kids until 2012 at the absolute soonest. I'm in 78248 and have met similar people in 78247 and a couple living in a place not too far from Hildebrand Ave. One couple (mid-30s?) somewhere in Stone Oak, and another somewhere towards Sea World. Plot it all on a map and you see that's all over the place. I know a bunch of college-age people that live within a few miles of the university. Usually we do stuff with them since they're who she knows best (and she's still in school too) and go somewhere between I-10 and hwy 281 most of the time. The crowd might be just a little younger than what you're looking for but it seems like most of the places we go have a large 20-something group. From my place I can get to nearly anyone I know in 15 minutes, door to door, FWIW.