Texas is fortunate that it did not have quite the fall out with foreclosures, the lack of jobs that the rest of the country is still recovering from right now. The outlook for the San Antonio real estate market is on the upswing in many sectors, but homes remain a buyers market for the time being. This is due to the tightened rules on approving just about any type of home loans. The sub prime lenders are gone and will not return any time soon, so home shoppers with bad credit would better spend their time restoring their credit to good standing.

Currently homes in the Alamo City, are great targets for investors, and real estate flippers that have the cash to invest, and time to wait until the economy is in a bull market once again. Otherwise a large down payment, a credit score of above seven hundred, and a good job will the only way to get a ten or fifteen year home mortgage approved.

The commercial sector is showing promise, as there are many small businesses that are seeking retail space for coffee shops, diners, and other specialty eating establishments that cater to the large base of tourism that descends on San Antonio year round. Many think that the influx of eating establishments was created from the gaping hole in the employment sector that started a few years back, and people started creating their own incomes from lack of new job opportunities at the time.

Warehouse districts are being picked at by national corporations as they are looking to once again expand in promising markets. Wholesale food distributors and vendor support companies for Sea-World, Fiesta Texas, and the River Walk have been entertaining expansion to larger facilities, as well as a commercial electrical supply distributor.

The sports, and medical industries are on the rise, and currently one of out seven of San Antonio’s employees work in the healthcare or bioscience fields. This dictates that a modicum of growth will come from both, as the population expands, and the large amount of people currently relocating the to the Lone Star State to find jobs to support their families.

Overall, the San Antonio real estate has remained resilient in spite of what the media pours out daily, and is above the fold regardless of how much the media has been reporting that the sky is falling. In some ways, you might say San Antonio is doing better than Houston and Dallas currently

Mortgage brokers are jumping ship left and right today, as lending institutions everywhere have tightened their purse strings, and no longer offering those easy to achieve sub prime loans. In Houston currently many home loan specialists are going to back to school for new career paths in order to make a living. In San Antonio, the real estate market is staying with its huge military base of homebuyers. With Fort Sam Houston, plus Lackland, and Randolph air force bases teaming with support personnel looking to purchase single-family homes, the VA mortgage options for San Antonio homebuyers is a thriving industry.

Whether they are still serving their country, are veterans, or retired there is a VA mortgage to fit a service person’s needs in the housing market. Actually with the guarantee of the government behind each home loan, this is probably the majority of home mortgages being approved currently. There are several real estate firms that work closely with all branches of the military, and have many resource on speed dial to help in gaining a first time buyers, or even a VA home refinance loan.

Military service persons on active duty, and have a modicum of rank (E5 and above), have a handsome BAH allowance each month, and can easily make a mortgage payment with a little money left over for incidentals. This is a perfect time to start making a permanent home for one’s self prior to retirement, or opting of the service to work in the private sector. The interest rates are never going to get better than they are currently, and since it is a buyers market, it is like the perfect storm for someone wanting to finally own a home.

A VA loan does not give a person a pass on bad credit, and if there are past due bills, or writes off on the applicants credit file, then they will need to be taken care of prior to applying. Having hardcopy, proof in hand that these old bills have been taken care of will trump the credit report any day of the week. Be warned, honesty is the only policy when applying for any type of credit today. After the fraudulent mortgage fallout, government backed lenders are prosecuting fraud cases to the fullest existent the law will allow.

VA loans are a great benefit after having served your country, but they should not be taken lightly, as they are a privilege and not a right

There are few people who enjoy living in the downtown area of any major city today, and San Antonio is no exception. The tourist trade keeps that area busy, noisy for a great part of each twenty-four hour cycle, at the end of the day the luxury living in Alamo Heights is going to be a much wiser choice for most professionals, and executives that work in town Monday through Friday. Just south of the San Antonio Airport sits this small municipality, that has a perfect mix of high-end custom homes, and great retro single-family homes from the thirties and forties. This bedroom community is considered one of the safest areas in the suburbs of the city, and has its own fire, and police departments to keep homes safe, quiet, and generally free of crime.

Sure you can buy a two million dollar condo in a high rise near the River Walk, but that kind of money will buy a homeowner so much more in Alamo Heights, and will offer that qualify of lifestyle that so many strive for when house hunting. There is an eclectic mix of home designs to chose from, and also a large selection of contemporary living quarters that have been built in recent years to appeal to the younger crowd that appreciates the atmosphere that has been created in this city that is small in size, but huge character.

Whether your budget is a little over one hundred thousand, or you want to blow your recently acquired inheritance on a six thousand square foot custom home complete with cabana style outdoor living in the backyard, and dining pavilion with kitchen. People today have a much larger list of features, options, and amenities in their home shopping lists, on their property and in the subdivisions they reside. Alamo heights seems to fill these needs for most residents just fine, and it just a short commute into the city come Monday morning.

If you are a person that likes to renovate homes then the Spanish style villas that were built during prohibition era will be a great place to start looking. They do not come with deep discounts, but these homes were built with solid base materials that are still in quality condition today, and putting a new face or restoring them to their original charm will pay off big when it comes time to sell.

There is plenty of shopping in the city limits, but just hop on the freeway, and you are minutes from any shopping venue in and around the San Antonio Metroplex

The Alamo city does have a few high rise options dotting the skyline, but this is one place that is more into rentals due to the tourist trade than selling. There are however some developers who have create four very upscale high-rise condominiums for those who enjoy a more Metropolitan lifestyle. People usually get their first taste of what high rise living is like on television, and the movies. Places like Manhattan, New York, and Chicago Illinois have been setting the standard for this opulent lifestyle, but they are available in every major city in the United States.

Usually people want to enjoy a taste of resort living, with that five star hotel ambiance throw in for good measure will be the perfect buyer of these steel, and glass-encased homes. Even though a condo on the twentieth floor will not offer the standard fare a single family home will, the costs are much higher, due to the upkeep, and of course downtown real estate is always at a premium in most large cities.

The prestige of having a twenty-four hour doorman, concierge service, and complete business center, plus around the clock fitness spa are just a few of the amenities that high rise dwellers look for when shopping for a new condo. There are basically four major San Antonio high rise options

• Vidorra Condos

• Alteza Condos

• La Cascada

• The Broadway

They all offer a unique decor, and themes, but the one common thread is a luxurious lifestyle that only the few can afford, while the many dream of when driving by the buildings themselves. It gives some homeowners the satisfaction of feeling they have finally made it to the big leagues, and their home is an iconic display of accomplishment.

There is of course a slight dip in every real estate market currently, but with the lack of competition in this exacting niche of home purchasing do not expect a huge break in pricing. High-rise living is not for everyone, and a testing period should be considered before signing on a new mortgage for such an extravagant purchase. Leasing a condo for six months in the preferred building you are looking make your purchase should give a sense of if this is the best fit for you and your family.

When planning your future housing budget for a purchase of this magnitude, be sure and speak with management about all the monthly and annual fees that might not be mentioned up front, as they can range in the several hundred dollars per month.