Your Expert Guide
Southtown: San Antonio's artsy, historical enclave

There are so many great places to live in San Antonio that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Kuper Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.
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"Southtown is a neighborhood in the truest sense," says real estate agent Debra Maltz, "residents with diverse backgrounds who care deeply about their community, both its people and its structures, who strive to maintain balance in order to assure that future generations have the same quality of life."
The artsy neighborhood of Southtown is where Maltz keeps her office, and it's an area that she's been happily introducing clients to for the past decade.
"The vibe of Southtown is well appreciated among San Antonio," she says. "It is probably the most walkable neighborhood in the city, with fabulous restaurants, interesting shops, Blue Star Arts complex, the San Antonio River, the So Flo HEB, and gorgeous Victorian homes, all only a short walk to downtown."
Maltz offered up a few more of her personal favorites about life in Southtown. Here's her guide to the area:
Where to eat & drink
"There are too many to pinpoint, but I love Cascabel, a small Mexican cafe across from Bonham Elementary — delicious!" she says.
Liberty Bar, Upscale, Bar Loretta, Little Em's, Pharm Table, Bliss, and The Good Kind also make the list, though Maltz points out that new favorites seem to always be appearing.
Where to play
Obviously Hemisfair Park and the San Antonio River hike and bike path, which goes all the way to the Missions, are oft-visited spots, as is Yanaguana Park and just strolling down King William Street.
What to see
Though the Edward Steves Homestead Museum is currently closed, you can still visit Villa Finale and the Blue Star Arts Complex for your doses of culture and history.
Where to live
"Southtown has wonderful historic homes, many of them well over 100 years old, as well as newer, more modern ones," Maltz says. "Many of the older homes are filled with history, and when you decide to live in a home filled with history you are agreeing to be a steward of the home."
One such homes is a recent listing of Maltz's: 134 Cedar St., a four-bedroom 1904 King William home.
The Lucas House, as it's known, sits on almost half an acre in the heart of the city, with a landscaped back yard that offers a koi pond and water feature, potting/storage shed, and raised zinc garden beds.
The additional, 480-square-foot Alamo motif structure in the back could be a guest house, artist studio, or office. In the main house, original wood floors, tall windows, and intricate woodwork can be found throughout, plus tiled fireplaces that have all been meticulously maintained.
But perhaps the most appealing feature is the number of outside porches. The large front wraparound porch affords a place to interact with neighbors and watch school children pass by, while the two private, large, screened-in porches in the rear are the perfect spot to dine al fresco or watch the fireworks at the Tower of the Americas.
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Debra Maltz works and plays in Southtown. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email debra.maltz@kupersir.com, or call 210-639-3272.