Screen dream

Retro Texas drive-in movie theater premieres on the market at $4 million

Chris and Sarah Denny opened the theater, at 1540 Satterwhite Rd., in 2018.

Courtesy of Ben Brennan with Foto ATX for Douglas Elliman Realty

Picture this: You could be the owner of a retro-style drive-in movie theater in Central Texas.

Doc’s Drive-In Theatre, located in the Austin suburb of Buda, recently debuted on the market at a list price of nearly $4 million ($3.999 million, to be precise). The deal includes the business itself, as well as the land and structures.

The 7.9-acre property, near I-35, features the theater setup as well as three fully furnished movie-themed rental casitas and a members-only, speakeasy-like private club. Also included in the sale are the commercial kitchen and bar. The theater, casitas, and club remain open.

The listing notes that there’s “potential to grow and improve” the existing business or entirely redevelop the site.

Central Texas couple Chris and Sarah Denny opened the theater, at 1540 Satterwhite Rd., in 2018. Before construction started, cattle roamed the property.

The Dennys “took a chance on a shared dream and spent incredible time and effort perfecting the systems and layout that would provide unparalleled entertainment to audiences all over Central Texas,” the theater’s website says.

“Inspired by the drive-in movie theater experience at the height of drive-in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, Chris and Sarah decided that, in the spirit of Austin’s free-thinking culture, they would upgrade their drive-in to include so much more.”

The Dennys announced the project in 2017.

“Drive-in theaters now offer only one thing: movies. With Doc’s Drive-In Theatre, we want to create an immersive film experience for individuals and families. Guests can come for a movie but stay overnight, and we will provide the amenities expected from comfortable accommodations,” Chris Denny said at the time.

Now, the Dennys are selling the drive-in following their move last year to San Marcos and the recent arrival of their baby.

“While they would love for the legacy of the business to continue with the next owner, the property itself is so special and versatile that the new owners will be able to adapt the space to make it their own,” says Ezra Cruz, who shares the listing with Douglas Elliman Realty colleague Michael Reisor.

Doc’s Drive-In Theatre recently debuted on the market at a list price of nearly $4 million.

Courtesy of Ben Brennan with Foto ATX for Douglas Elliman Realty

Doc’s Drive-In Theatre recently debuted on the market at a list price of nearly $4 million.

movies 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