shore thing

Charming Texas Gulf Coast community named one of the most affordable beach towns in U.S.

Rockport is one of the best beach town values in the U.S.

Photo by Cissy Beasley via Visit Rockport Fulton

Here's some welcome news for San Antonio residents in search of a beach house that won't break the bank: A new report from Realtor.com says a popular Texas coastal town is among the most affordable in the country.

Rockport, Texas, a coastal community a little under a three-hour drive from San Antonio, lands at No. 7 on Realtor.com’s new list of most affordable beach towns in the country. The charming Gulf Coast town’s average home list price is $435,112.

Rockport is popular for its “clean beaches, fantastic fishing, and world-class birdwatching,” the report says.

Rockport offers 10 different sites on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, which boasts the planet’s sole migrating flock of over 265 whooping cranes, which passes through the Aransas Wildlife Refuge every winter.

In Rockport, waterfront homes start in the mid-$400,000s, the report notes, with standouts including a $449,000 two-bedroom townhouse with lovely views of the Aransas Bay and a three-story, two-bedroom house on Mustang Island on the market for $599,900.

To generate the list, Realtor.com’s team surveyed the median home list prices of more than 1,300 towns located across America’s coastlines from May 2021 through April 2022. These areas had at least 30 homes for sale in April (not including pending transactions), the report adds.

Properties must actually be on the water and not just nearby to qualify for the list, and be “more than just a strip of sand and surf” and have diverse entertainment. Rockport is 18 miles from Port Aransas and 30 miles from Corpus Christi.

“The U.S. has over 95,000 miles of shorelines,” George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor.com, noted in the list. “But most people, when they think of beach towns, they focus on a few dozen destinations. However, there are a lot of hidden gems, which offer all the benefits of seaside living at a much lower price.”

America’s cheapest beach town, according to Realtor.com, is Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a median list price of $161,754. Tiverton, Rhode Island is the priciest of the cheap deals, with a median home price of $480,262.

Here’s the full list from Realtor.com:

1. Atlantic City, New Jersey
Median list price: $161,754

2. Deerfield Beach, Florida
Median list price: $230,071

3. New London, Connecticut
Median list price: $242,392

4. Mastic Beach, New York
Median list price: $334,907

5. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Median list price: $347,875

6. Seal Beach, California
Median list price: $400,338

7. Rockport, Texas
Median list price: $435,112

8. Lynn, Massachusetts
Median list price: $449,626

9. Morehead City, North Carolina
Median list price: $464,842

10. Tiverton, Rhode Island
Median list price: $480,262

reports rankings lists home-for-sale

Take A Walk

New multifamily community opens near Stone Oak restaurants and shopping

Rendering courtesy of Greyson Luxury Living

The new community offers 291 units.

A new multifamily community is now open to prospective residents in San Antonio. Greyson Luxury Living comprises 291 units at 1734 N. Loop 1604 West, with a focus on lifestyle amenities. But the location will be the main draw for many.

Apartment floor plans range from one to three bedrooms, starting at $1,317 for one bedroom and one bathroom, and working up to a base price of $2,611 for three bedrooms and two baths. The community's pet policy according to the website is: "We welcome all your furry friends at Greyson."

Residents will get reserved parking and a garage with EV charging stations, but it might not always be necessary to hop in the car. The apartments are directly adjacent to restaurants like Cover 3, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, and Blü Prime Steakhouse — not exactly everyday eats, but there's tons more at the Vineyard Shopping Center and the Stone Oak neighborhood's Blanco Market Shopping Center across the highway.

In addition to restaurants, the community is less than a five-minute drive from H-E-B Plus, Whole Foods Market, Target, fashion and furniture stores, and multiple fitness studios like StretchLab and LA Fitness.

A press release promises wood-style flooring, quartz and granite countertops, and ceramic tile backsplash. On the more utilitarian side, it offers single-basin sinks, kitchen islands, "spacious" pantries, a stainless-steel Energy Star appliance package, and washer and dryer connections. (Images shared by the complex so far appear to be more illustrative of the desired vibe than the actual space.)

Every floor plan also shows a private patio or balcony. The most expensive floor plan — the three-by-two — has a wraparound outdoor space.

For shared spaces, a resort-style pool with a tanning shelf (a very shallow area for placing lounge chairs) and bike storage encourage residents to get outside, and a dog wash station makes it easy to leave dirt and hair outside of apartments. There's also a fitness center, a clubhouse with wi-fi, elevators, and concierge services.

“We developed Greyson as a luxury multifamily community aimed to fit any type of lifestyle, and we are grateful for all of our partners that helped bring this project to life,” says Ed Garahan, partner and CEO at Carbon Companies, the development firm heading the project.

Carbon Companies also sold the Addison Medical Center Apartments, Ventura Ridge, Triomphe Apartments, and Pecan Springs Luxury Apartment Homes, with more in the works in San Antonio.

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shore thing

Charming Texas Gulf Coast community named one of the most affordable beach towns in U.S.

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