Supply and Demand

San Antonio bucks this nationwide real estate trend

23 Oak Hill San Antonio house for sale living room

San Antonio has seen a bigger uptick in home inventory than almost anywhere else in the country.

Photo courtesy of Kuper Sotheby's International Realty

All across the U.S., there are typically fewer homes for sale right now than there were this time last year — except in Texas. San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston are all seeing an increase in inventory, which contradicts the main findings in Zillow's February Real Estate Market Report.

The real estate and rental marketplace found that, nationally, inventory is down (nearly 3 percent) and home values are up (6.9 percent, their highest since June 2007). This combo signals another competitive home shopping season.

In Texas markets, our home values are certainly rising, but so is the number of homes for sale.

Austin, in fact, has the highest inventory increase in the report: a whopping 24 percent. Home values there are right in line with the nation at 7 percent, which is also similar to San Antonio's 6 percent. The availability of homes in the Alamo City is also up there, 16.4 percent higher than last year.

Dallas-Fort Worth has 4.1 percent more homes on the market, and they're valued at 11.1 percent more than they were this time last year. That's among the top three increases in the country, second only to Seattle and Tampa.

With its 3.1 percent increase in available homes, Houston is well ahead of most of the cities in the study, even if its 4.5 percent home value increase is below that of the national average.

Homes are actually scarcest in Minneapolis-St. Paul, while Las Vegas is right behind No. 1 Austin for its abundance of homes.

zillow reports

views for miles

Extraordinary self-sustaining Hill Country ranch hits the market for $8.75 million

Photo courtesy of DMTX Realty Group

Lonesome Valley Ranch is located in Hye, Texas.

A glorious and spacious Hill Country ranch fully equipped for off-the-grid living has landed on the market with a grand $8.75 million price tag.

The Lonesome Valley Ranch, located at 1430 Gibson-Best Rd. in Hye, sits behind a gated entrance on a short road for ultimate privacy. Past the gate is 260-plus acres of land, a one-acre pond, and four fully-furnished buildings ready to accommodate large gatherings or events.

The single-story main residence has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, while the two-story "barndominium" serves as a three-bedroom, three-bathroom bunkhouse and saloon. The bunkroom includes 10 bunk beds, so it's perfect for large groups. Both homes have wrap-around porches, extensive outdoor living spaces, and 360 degrees of Hill Country views.

Overlooking the pond is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom cabin with a connected 40-foot pier for guests to try their hand at fishing or take a dip in the water. Also within the pond is an anchored dock and a fountain.

The fourth building on the ranch, hidden among the woods, is an equipment barn and workshop with a loft, apartment, and caretaker's residence.

The ranch is fully capable of operating off-the-grid thanks to an extensive solar system, several backup generators, a deep water well, a supplementary 100,000 gallons of rainwater collection, a propane capacity of 4,000 gallons, and much more.

Lonesome Valley Ranch is truly an entertainer's paradise. With the benefit of having no restrictions, the next owners could choose to Airbnb the bunkhouse, host special events or corporate retreats, and more. According to the listing, the property could generate $200,000 to $300,000 yearly for the next owners, while still operating as a family compound.

Photo courtesy of DMTX Realty Group

Lonesome Valley Ranch is located in Hye, Texas.

Thanks to the seller's intentional preservation of the heavily-wooded areas of the property, there is an abundance of wildlife suitable for hunting. Other outdoor amenities provided include an NBA-sized basketball court, a tennis court, and a pickleball court.

The property is also neighbored by the award-winning William Chris Vineyards and Garrison Brother's Distillery. The ranch is an easy 20 minute drive from Fredericksburg, and about an hour and 15 minutes from San Antonio.

David Murray from DMTX Realty Group holds the listing. More information about the ranch can be found on dmtx.com.

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