Buying

Oil Fields Near Lackland and Randolph AFB Impact on Homes Sales

April 25, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

In a recent article in the San Antonio Business Journal, Mike Thomas reports “Oil production in the Eagle Ford Shale was up 74 percent in February compared to one year ago to set an all-time high.”

San Antonio’s Lackland and Randolph Air Force Bases are close enough to the Eagle Ford Shale oil fields to feel the economic impact of what is fast becoming one of North America’s major oil finds.

The signifigance to San Antonio’s Air Force families is that there’s higher demand for homes in the communities near the bases. This, in turn, has caused a dramatic increase in residential property sales, higher home sale prices, and elevated residential property tax values.

If you are planning to buy or sell a home soon near Lackland or Randolph AFB, contact Randy Kelley (210) 863-2661 or Stephanie Kelley (210) 867-8743 for advice and assistance. Their goal is to help you get the best price, terms, and conditions for your residential real estate investment.

Randy and Stephanie are Realtors ® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. Their website is sanantoniohomequest.com.

Homes For Sale Near Lackland Air Force Base

April 17, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

Home For Sale Near Lackland

This home is a rare find the Lackland AFB area. It’s exceptionally well maintained, located in a gated community, featuring a partially fenced 1.24 acre corner lot, a large air conditioned 2 car garage, four bedrooms, 3 full baths and a half bath. Details at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.

Serving the San Antonio military community since 2002, we’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. Call Randy (210) 863-2661 or Stephanie (210) 867-8743 for the very best San Antonio realty and mortgage loan advice and assistance or for an appointment to visit any San Antonio area home for sale.

Filed Under: Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB Tagged With: Buying, homes for sale, Lackland AFB, San Antonio

Strong April 2013 Residential Realty Market Around San Antonio Air Force Bases

April 16, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

It’s April 2013 – early PCS season for incoming and outgoing San Antonio active duty Air force families.

Recently, the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team published its April 2013 San Antonio area realty market report. It has very significant information for anyone planning on buying or selling a home near Lackland, Randolph, or Fort Sam Houston this year. You can read the full article at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com, but here’s a summary of the main points:

This year, the communities surrounding San Antonio’s 3 major military bases are seeing the best residential realty market since the fabulously active 2006/2007 home selling season. Will this year’s booming market beat 2006/2007? It could happen.

Home prices are slowly but steadily rising.

The supply of available new and resale homes is just enough to meet demand.

The best listings are selling fast – many with multiple simultaneous offers.

So, it’s clearly good news for home sellers, but not necessarily bad news for home buyers because today’s very low mortgage interest rates are keeping quality San Antonio area homes remarkably affordable.

For information about the best ways to buy or sell a San Antonio military base area home in today’s booming market, visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com or call Randy at (210) 863-2661 or Stephanie at (210) 867-8743.

We’re the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas, serving the Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, Camp Bullis, & Kelly and Medina Annex areas.

Filed Under: Brooks AFB, Buying, Randolph AFB Tagged With: Brooks AFB, Buying, Ft Sam Houston, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB, San Antonio, Selling

Budget Home With Pool Near Randolph AFB And Ft. Sam Houston

April 1, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

Listed for only $76,000

This Randolph AFB and Ft. Sam Houston area single family detached residence is an exceptional find for the buyer seeking a budget priced home including its own pool. The Randolph AFB and Ft Sam Houston commissaries and the San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) are close by.

The property is listed by Todd Avery, Realtor ®, Phyllis Browning Company, San Antonio, Texas

Contact Randy Kelley, Realtor ® , 210 -863-2661 or Stephanie Kelley, Realtor ® , 210-867-9743, for more information or an appointment to visit this or any San Antonio Air Force Bases area home for sale.

Filed Under: Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB Tagged With: Buying, Ft Sam Houston, homes for sale, Keller Williams Legacy, Randolph AFB, San Antonio

Homes For Sale Near Lackland And Randolph Air Force Base

March 25, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

This exceptionally well maintained 3195 square foot resale home is presented by Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas.

The home is located in the attractive Stonewall Ranch community and is approximately 30 minutes from either Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB, or downtown San Antonio.

The 2003 Newmark built residence features 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths, and a 2 car garage. It’s on a .25 acre partially wooded lot.

Stonewall Ranch is a popular gated community located just off Interstate 10 near Boerne, Texas. The community is well known for its stylish homes, Texas Hill Country atmosphere, and beautiful neighborhood pool.

For more information visit the listing report or contact Randy Kelley, Realtor®, at (210) 863-2661 or Stephanie Kelley,Realtor® at (210) 867-8743.

Filed Under: Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB Tagged With: Buying, homes for sale, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB

Don’t Waste Your 2013 San Antonio BAH On Rent

March 22, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

Rent It Or Buy It?

Home ownership is still the American dream, but, for most military members considering buying a home, the real estate market can be overwhelming.

Also, the recent "great recession" has clouded the public's dream of home ownership. This is particularly true for service members worrying about holding a home long enough to build enough equity to overcome an unexpected housing market downturn our early PCS.

So, here’s some advice for a military member destined for a permanent change of station (PCS) to the San Antonio area.

First, don’t approach buying your primary San Antonio residence as an investment unless you intend to keep it as a rental property when you make your next move.

Here’s why. The recent great recession wiped away the concept of owning a home as an investment. Now, you’re advised to consider your home only as a place to live with the possibility of making some money when you sell it or convert it to an investment property.

Second, when weighing the pros and cons of home ownership, keep in mind the exceptional value of the government’s BAH contribution to satisfying your housing needs. Even after considering the risk of losing money because of economic conditions or being forced to sell early because of an early PCS, many financial advisers suggest that it’s better to use your BAH to buy a home instead of sacrificing it to a landlord.

Third, before deciding to buy instead of renting, consult with an experienced Realtor® who can refer you to the most reputable local lender specializing in VA mortgages. Realtors® and VA qualified lenders are held to extremely high ethical standards in Texas. They are duty bound to give you fair and honest advice.

Fourth, consider this. Over time, the San Antonio home market has proven to be highly stable and offers some of the best home values in the nation. With mortgage interest rates remaining close to historic lows, it’s a good time to buy.

The only slight downside for buying this spring is this.

For the time being in early 2013, the San Antonio residential market strongly favors sellers over buyers. Consequently, it’s wise to use an experienced buyer’s agent to help you find and negotiate for the best newly constructed or resale home. The services of your buyer,s agent are free and you’ll find your agent to be a marvelous asset during one of the most financial events of your lifetime.

If you need to know your San Antonio area BAH, go to the Department of Defense – BAH (Housing Allowance) Link on our military page.

Talk to us. We specialize in representing active and retired uniformed services home buyers.

We are the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas.

Contact Stephanie Kelley at (210 867-8743) or Randy Kelley at (210 863-2661).

AUTHOR: Randy Kelley

Filed Under: Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB Tagged With: 2013, BAH, Buying, homes for sale, military, Renting, San Antonio

Air Force Home Buyers Find San Antonio To Be A Big City

March 20, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

Air Force families new to the San Antonio area are often surprised to find the city to be a sophisticated metropolis spread over 400 square miles of what was once range land and farms.

Yes, you can still see a horse in downtown San Antonio — pulling a tourist carriage. And what about the fabled Texas long horn cattle herds? You’ll have to drive quite a few miles outside of town before you see even one long horn cow – if you’re lucky.

Yes, San Antonio is a very big city – the nation’s seventh largest to be exact. Furthermore, the San Antonio/New Braunfels area is the nation’s 25th largest metropolitan area.

San Antonio’s explosive growth has had its impact on the city’s famous military bases. Kelly Field and Brooks Air Force Base are closed. The remaining bases reside in a unique urban environment never anticipated when they were built on open land well away from town. Now, every local fort, camp, and base is surrounded by urban sprawl.

The good news for military newcomers is that every military installation in the San Antonio area has a large civilian community with affordable housing very close by.

The bad news is for military home buyers hoping to find elbow room and possibly enough land for a horse for the kids . Although it’s still possible to find a home with land relatively close to a base, the cost will be high. Fortunately, for the buyer willing to accept a long commute to work, there are reasonably priced homes on acreage lots in the outlying rural and semi-rural communities surrounding San Antonio.

If you’re on the way to San Antonio and want to live in the open spaces, contact Randy or Stephanie Kelley, Realtors®, at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio. The Kelleys have extensive experience representing military families buying real estate in the rural areas nearest Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB and Lackland AFB. Their buyer representation services are free. Call them at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or visit their website at sanantoniohomequest.com.

Filed Under: Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB Tagged With: Buying, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB, Real Estate, San Antonio

New or Resale Home? Which is the better deal?

March 19, 2013 by Iris Green Leave a Comment

This home has been barely lived in, but is a resale and priced better than new.

If you are on your way to Macdill Air Force Base and are looking to buy a home, you are likely wondering if it is a better deal to buy a new or existing home. The answer is: it depends on what you are looking for. Right now there are new developments popping up everywhere and builders are offering great incentives to homebuyers. Step one is always going to be to find a good realtor who will negotiate on your behalf with selling agents and builder reps. Remember – there is no charge to you as the buyer and the other side has representation so why shouldn’t you? Here are a few points to consider when making your decision:Pros For New Construction:

Builder may pay closing costs
Realtor can negotiate upgrades
May have special incentives for military
Can be customized to suit your lifestyle
Shiny and new! You are the first to live here!

Cons For New Construction:

You will have to buy window coverings
If in a new community, you could be living with construction in the area for a Very long time
Taxes for the first year are on land only and you could see a significant increase the next year
You may have to pay for the upgrades you want at the builder’s prices
Your closing costs could be higher because there are fees the builder does not pay that a seller would

Pros For Existing:

Seller may have already put in the upgrades you were looking for (such as a swimming pool)
Seller may have more incentive to negotiate price, repairs and closing costs
Window coverings are usually included
The neighborhood is likely established with mature landscaping
You don’t have to find temporary lodging while the home is being built

Cons for Existing:

Home may have blemishes (scuffed walls, stained flooring)
You will likely have to pay some of the closing costs and/or prepaids
There may be hidden defects (always do your inspections)
The home must appraise

Every family has different needs and wants that can be met through new or existing homes. Talk to your real estate professional for help in identifying the right type of home for you.

Filed Under: MacDill AFB Tagged With: Buying, New Construction, New home, New House, Real Estate

San Antonio Facts For Air Force Home Buyers

January 30, 2013 by Randy Kelley Leave a Comment

San Antonio is an incredibly appealing place for active duty and retired Air Force and other uniformed services families. It duly deserves its nickname “Military City USA.”

Recently, a client on PCS orders to Lackland Air Force Base asked some very important questions about what to expect when she starts her San Antonio home search. She was concerned about acquiring a home loan, whether to concentrate on buying a new versus resale home, traffic delays and commute times, community acceptance of herself and her family, and the availability of shopping and other amenities. Here’s what I told her.

Lenders and Loans: San Antonio is a big city (7th largest in the Nation) with an ample supply of business hungry lenders. Finding a lender is no problem for first time and repeat home buyers. Landing the loan is another issue. Underwriters are picky-picky-picky nowadays. They seem to go out of their way to deny loans. Naturally, buyers with the very best income and scores usually have no problem with obtaining their loans. On the other hand, even the smallest blemish in a buyer’s credit report or an irregular income flow pattern can be the kiss is death for getting a mortgage loan.

Clearly, as a prospective home buyer, your wisest course is to be loan qualified and know what you can afford before starting your home search.

So, what happens if a lender disapproves your loan application. Unless it’s clear that your credit scores, financial history, or income prevents getting a loan from anyone, the answer is to reapply with another lender. The fact is that some lender’s standards are less rigid than others’, so give another lender a chance to grant you a loan. Of course, the downside to looking for another lender is having to start over with the application process.

New Home Builders vs Resellers: San Antonio has a more than ample supply of new home builders. Historically, our market has favored new home builders over home resellers because the builders focus their products and marketing programs to be more than competitive against previously owned homes. In the last 5 years, an offsetting trend has seen San Antonio area builders putting less available completed home inventory on the ground, indicating the builders were satisfied with marketing more to buyers who can afford the time to contract for to-be-built home. Now, in 2013, with the improving economy in mind, it appears that philosophy has changed as more new homes are currently under construction.

The best course is to not limit your search to new homes vs resale homes. Sample both, but, when you visit the new home developments, take an experienced realty specialist with you to hear the builders’ pitch and give you advice and assistance about the pros-and-cons of buying a new construction home. Because up to 80% of new homes are sold to buyers represented by Realtors® , San Antonio’s home builders rely on an excellent working relationship with the local Realtor® community.

Commute time to affordable neighborhoods. Although the San Antonio metropolitan area is large and spread out, Air Force home buyers can usually find quality affordable housing within a 20 to 30 minute commute to work. Basically, except in a few congested areas around town, our commute times and distances are nothing compared to other large metro areas.

Recreation And Shopping Amenities: No problem. After all, San Antonio is one of the nation’s top destination cities for tourism and readily available shopping, recreation, and dining centers go hand-and-hand with supporting our tourist’s as well as the needs of the local citizenry.

Friendliness And Newcomer Acceptance: Again, no problem! Cities with large military populations aren’t known to shut out newcomers. After all, San Antonio is Military City USA. So, don’t expect to find rejection as a newcomer. Everybody’s welcome!

Need anymore information? Just let me know. Give me a call at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743

I’m Randy Kelley offering my services as your local realty expert.

I specialize in serving active and retired Air Force and other uniformed service military members and their families currently in-or-enroute to the Joint Base San Antonio area. I hope to have the honor to serve you.

For more information, visit my website at sanantoniohomequest.com.

Randall R. (Randy) Kelley

MS, BS, PA

San Antonio Realtor ®

Residential Realty Acquisitions Director and Internet Realty Services Advisor

The San Antonio Home Quest Realty Solutions Team at sanantoniohomequest.com

Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio

Steven Gragg, Broker

San Antonio, Texas (210) 863-2661, (210) 867-8743, (210) 482-3200 (Main Office)

Filed Under: Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB Tagged With: Buying