Where to Buy

The 5 best neighborhoods to buy in San Antonio right now — real estate expert weighs in

There's no denying that Texas is the place to live. And with San Antonio's real estate market booming, now is the time to buy. We chatted with longtime Realtor and president of the Phyllis Browning Company, Jennifer Shemwell, to get a little insight on the local housing market and the top neighborhoods to live.

"Sales are up citywide by 5 percent in August compared to August sales one year ago," notes Shemwell, adding that the "average home price has increased 7 percent in San Antonio overall."

Most of the neighborhoods on our list are in San Antonio historic districts, close to downtown, and easily accessible to many shops and restaurants. Here are the top five neighborhoods for investing right now:

Alamo Heights: 78209
"Alamo Heights seems to always be increasing its value; it seems to be one of the highest returns in the city and fastest resale areas in town," Shemwell says. Bonus: Alamo Heights is its own city with its own school district, fire department, and police department.

Dignowity Hill: 78202
Dignowity Hill is a great neighborhood for residents who want to be in proximity to downtown San Antonio. Shemwell explains that the homes in this hot neighborhood are very affordable — some priced under $200,000 — and great fixer-uppers.

Government Hill: 78208
"Government Hill is a historic neighborhood with affordable homes located between downtown and the Pearl Brewery area," Shemwell says. This two-bedroom home is priced at $174,900.

Lavaca: 78210
Many historic homes in this neighborhood — within walking distance to restaurants in Southtown — have been remodeled, notes Shemwell. The area is popular for younger homebuyers who "like to be able to live in urban areas and like to walk their dogs to restaurants and sidewalk cafes," she says.

Mahncke Park: 78209
"Mahncke park has a strong neighborhood association and is located right off Broadway, conveniently located close to Fort Sam Houston, downtown, and Alamo Heights," Shemwell explains. Most of the homes in Mahncke Park were built in the early 20th century and are between 1,000 to 2,000 square feet.

Alamo Heights is continuously increasing in value.

Photo courtesy of Phyllis Browning Co.

Alamo Heights is continuously increasing in value.

home-for-sale

bang for your buck

San Antonio ZIP code is 4th most affordable place for renters in U.S.

Photo by Florian Schmid on Unsplash

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Trying to afford buying a home in San Antonio is difficult enough with current mortgage rates, and doubly so if you're already paying high rent on an apartment or a house. But there are six San Antonio ZIP codes where renters can get the most bang for their buck, according to a new study by financial services company CashNetUSA.

To find the most affordable ZIP codes for renters in the U.S., analysts compared median household incomes by ZIP code to the average annual rent costs in those areas using the Zillow Observed Rent Index. ZIP codes where the average annual rental constituted the lowest percentage of median household income were considered the "most affordable."

San Antonio's 78248 ZIP code specifically stood out as the No. 4 most affordable in the country, and the No. 1 most affordable in Texas. This area encompasses the north San Antonio neighborhoods of Inwood, Forests at Inwood, Oakwood, The Park at Deerfield, Canyon Creek Bluffs, Canyon Creek Village, Blanco Village, Deerfield, Cadillac Drive, and Churchill Estates.

According to the study's findings, the average monthly cost of a rental in 78248 comes out to $1,259.17, and the median annual income of a household in the area is $122,986. Analysts then calculated that the annual rent of a home in this ZIP code only takes up 12.29 percent of a household's median income, which is the fourth-lowest in the nation.

CashNetUSA found the No. 1 most affordable ZIP code for renters nationwide is 66224 in Leawood, Kansas, where annual rent only takes a 10.57 percent cut out of a household's median annual income.

Elsewhere in Texas, two Houston-area ZIP codes – 77401 and 77094 – ranked No. 9 and No. 12 nationally, while Allen's 75013 ZIP code fell two spots behind to claim the No. 14 spot.

The most affordable San Antonio-area ZIP codes for renters
CashNetUSA further unveiled the five most affordable ZIP codes across major U.S. cities, including in San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.

Following 78248 (which took the No. 1 spot citywide) is 78261 (No. 2), which spans east of Highway 281, across Smithson Valley Road. Rent costs in this ZIP code averaged out to $1,698 per month, the report found.

Landing in the No. 3 spot is 78258, which includes Rogers Ranch, The Vineyard, Stone Oak, Summit, Hidden Canyon, and Big Springs neighborhoods. The report said average rent in the area comes out to $1,507 per month, which takes up 17.54 percent of a household's median annual income.

The remaining top two most affordable ZIP codes for San Antonio renters are located in 78259 (Encino Park, Encino Ranch, Cavalo Creek Estates, Northwood Hills, Summit at Bulverde Creek, Roseheart, Redland Woods) and 78260 in Timberwood Park, which is about 25 miles north of downtown San Antonio.

rent rent prices affordable housing