Joe Corwin, Broker, 1% Buyer Rebate San Antonio

Once a sleepy little town just northwest of San Antonio, the city of Helotes has nearly doubled its population over the past ten years, but still maintains its small town tranquility and family-oriented activities. Centrally located in Bexar county and just off Interstate 1604. Normally less than thirty minutes to the San Antonio International Airport and downtown.

Surrounded by the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, the city originally served as a stagecoach stop between San Antonio and Bandera. Settled around 1856 by Mexicans who intermarried with the Apache Indians camped in the vicinity. Helotes, which in Spanish means "green roasting ear of corn." A post office opened at Helotes in 1873, and by 1885 the community had a hotel, a school, a general store, a blacksmith, and a population of fifty.

For decades, Helotes remained a farming community. The opening of the famous John T. Floore County Store in 1946 marked a turn towards commerce and economic growth. The dance hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Texas Historic Landmark that draws top musical talent to its stages.

The City of Helotes owns four park areas: Helotes City Park, Helotes Natural Area, Iron Horse Canyon Natural Area, and the Helotes Creek Linear Park. A disc golf course is also at the Helotes Nature Area.They have many functions throughout the year to include the Cornyval festival and a monthly outdoor market place to name a few.

Helotes in a nut shell boasts a high quality of life, hill Country surroundings, beautiful trees and nature trails, master planned communities, a commitment to history, and a top rated public school system. No wonder it is becoming more and more popular.

As the growth of San Antonio expanded and approached the outskirts of Helotes in the 1970s, residents determined to take their fate into their own hands. After a decade of planning and negotiation, Helotes became an incorporated city in October 1981. Residents still struggle with the dilemma of maintaining the city's rugged country charm, while at the same time allowing for the development of modern suburban facilities and businesses.

If your looking for somewhere to explore this weekend or maybe a future place to live, charming Helotes is worth a look.

Joe Corwin is a Broker Associate and Owner of SellSmart Lone Star Real Estate in San Antonio. He offers a 1% buyer rebate and lower listing fees. Call him anytime at (210) 792-8589 and www.JoeCorwin.com.

Remember the Alamo! We all know San Antonio is known for the Alamo and the Riverwalk but there is much more to this great city. To explore its true fiber, you may want to consider living downtown where the uniqueness and history of the city really shows its colors.

A great place to consider and is also a great weekend getaway is called the Andalusia Condominiums. It is one of the newer complexes downtown and is located at 221 Lexington Avenue, only one block to the Riverwalk. Built in 2002, they were the first condominium complex built downtown in the past twenty years. Many of the other complexes in the general area are from converted old buildings of the past.


The three-story Mediterranean style architecture is complimented by many fine details. When entering the building there is a lush New Orleans-style fountain courtyard thru the very large gate.

There are gorgeous views of The Tower of Americas and the city skyline at night from the second and third floor sitting area for the residents. With the cable cars running past the complex, it feels like your a tourist throughout the year. The city is also extending the Riverwalk near the complex for even more Riverwalk to explore very soon. Another great perk is the ability to walk to the all the restaurants and night life on the Riverwalk without having to get into a car.

The complex is a truly unique piece of art in many ways and has one of the best locations in the city. I would also consider it one of the best values as well. Current price ranges for the units are from $295,000 for a two bedroom, two bathroom with 1,200 square feet with access to the roof to $135,000 for an efficiency with 610 square feet. Myself and business partner have owned a unit in this complex for over four years. I am speaking from experience of actually living there as well.

Joe Corwin is a Broker Associate and Owner of SellSmart Lone Star Real Estate in San Antonio. He has sold over 240 properties in the past ten years and offers a buyer rebate of 1% of the purchase price as well. Contact him anytime 7 days a week at (210) 792-8589 and at www.JoeCorwin.com.

The Dominion, Alamo Heights, and Stone Oak round out San Antonio's top three most affluent neighborhoods. The Stone Oak Community is a very popular area and is located just 20 to 30 minutes north of downtown San Antonio on Highway 281, just outside the IH 1604 Loop. This premier master-planned community was developed in the 1980's after the stock market crashed. Over 4,300 acres of land was purchased during that time.

Cobblestone walkways connect the neighborhoods in Stone Oak to restaurants, shops, services and newly constructed Hospitals. A new HEB Plus store was recently opened with many new stores projected to include an Olive Garden and Logan's Road House currently under construction. The area's natural stone and lush landscaping add to the community's appeal.

The area is known for its numerous gated-communities with some having guarded security at the gates. Attractive communities such as Sonterra, The Vineyards, Canyon Springs, Champions Ridge and Roger's Ranch, is the location away from the hustle and bustle of city living but with easy access to all that the metropolitan area has to offer. Each community offers various amenities, so one is sure to fit your lifestyle.

There is the recently built JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa that is a member of the PGA TOUR's TPC Network of premier clubs that was built nearby. Children's programs, aquatics centers, tennis courts, parks, trails, and recreation centers coupled with the serenity and beauty of the Texas Hill Country living. The area's natural stone and lush landscaping add to the community's appeal.

Known for having some of the top schools in San Antonio, Stone Oak presents excellent educational environments for its students. In fact, many families specifically move to Stone Oak for its school districts. The state-of-the-art Lady Bird Johnson High School was built three years ago. There are a number of institutes of higher education just 30 minutes or less away, including the University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio College, Palo Alto College, and the University of Texas Health Science - San Antonio.

Joe Corwin is a Broker Associate and Owner of SellSmart Lone Star Real Estate. He can be reached at (210) 792-8589 and www.JoeCorwin.com.

As a real estate broker working each day in the area, I am keenly aware of the mood of the local San Antonio real estate market. There is concern in the air with some but others recognize this may be the best market conditions they will see in their lifetime.

With interest rates the lowest in over 50 years and plenty of inventory, they have lots of options. Not only is there a large inventory of resale homes but all the various builders are offering great incentives as well. There are still great buys currently for foreclosure and short sales. But there are also some motivated sellers out there as well. We are starting to see the investors coming back to the market from out of state as well. That will help get rid of some of this inventory. They recognize that Texas and San Antonio is still the best real estate market around. Good values with high projections in the future. The ability to purchase a newer home for around 100K and get $1,000 dollars or more in rent a month is attractive. The San Antonio rental market demand remains strong.

I am also hearing more from buyers that want to get out of the city. They want acreage and some animals. There are still very good buys with land in the outer lying areas like La Vernia and Lytle which are within 30 minutes of downtown. Plus towns like Von Ormy which is near the newer Toyota plant where they build the Tundra and Tacoma. The new Texas A & M campus under construction is nearby as well. Another growing area is Spring Branch near Canyon Lake. Homes with acreage vary from custom to manufactured homes and can vary greatly in cost.

With our lower cost of living, good weather and one of the better economies in the nation, people are moving here at a fast pace. Their coming from California, Florida, the Midwest and everywhere in between. Our military, healthcare and tourism lead the way with more companies coming. As you look around the landscape of San Antonio, you can see the commerical side of real estate improving. After a few years of little construction, you now can see many projects under construction around the city from shopping centers to hospitals to apartment complexes.

My projection is 2011 will be a very good year for real estate sales in the San Antonio area. As we continue to grow and prosper, the demand for housing will continue... History has proven this over and over.... I wouldn't want to be anywhere else on the planet right now.

Joe Corwin is a broker and owner of SellSmart Lone Star Real Estate in San Antonio. He has been a real estate investor for over twenty years and in real estate sales for over ten years since retiring from the U.S. Air Force. Contact him at (210) 792-8589 and see him at www.JoeCorwin.com.