You remember the San Antonio homes with the soaring, beamed ceilings, the cascading waterfalls, the kitchen with more granite than a quarry, and the bathrooms the size of a small home?

Hopefully you have a fond memory of these San Antonio luxury homes, because chances are, you won’t see too many of them on a builder’s list of projects. In fact, many of the high-end custom home projects that were once a mainstay in the San Antonio market are now being traded for more affordable homes.

Instead of the multi-million dollar homes, think half-million dollar homes. Sure, they’re still nothing to scoff at, but place them beside the homes of just a few years ago and you’ll soon see a new trend developing.

The Newest Cash Cow: The Moderately Priced Home

With too many multi-million dollar homes sitting on the market, builders have begun looking elsewhere. In short, they have to look for a new cash cow, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be found anywhere in the luxury home market.

Because of the challenges of 2009, most builders are looking for a bridge to buoy their business along for the time being and it looks as if smaller homes are the way to go.

Why the Luxury Market Struggled in 2009

There may be many reasons San Antonio buyers are looking to downsize: the difficulties with the stock market collapse; the struggling credit sector where jumbo loans are hard to come by; and the mere fact that many buyers have discovered that the cost of maintaining a multi-million dollar home simply isn’t worth the financial strain.

As a result, many builders have now begun focusing their efforts on the $200,000 to $500,000 market. And, given the fact that many luxury homes can cost a builder between $4,000 and $6,000 a month in holding costs, it just doesn’t make financial sense for builders to build homes that will sit on the market for months.

Although the worst has passed for the San Antonio luxury real estate market, it appears as if the general consensus of building more moderately priced homes will be a mainstay in the San Antonio real estate market throughout 2010 and beyond.

As San Antonio continues to lure individuals and families from all over the country, new home communities have sprung up all around the city. With an eye towards energy efficiency and a conscience about protecting our environment, many of these new communities have employed the latest design techniques and state-of-the-art building materials. These homes are not only earth-friendly, but offer many advantages to those who live in them.

Go Green and Save Money

Not only are energy efficient homes good for our environment, but they mean money saved every month on heating and air conditioning. By using closed attic systems, innovative framing, and high-grade insulation systems, not only do your heater and air conditioner have to work less, but they will also work more efficiently. This translates into fewer air pollutants and up to a 50% savings on your energy bills. These homes typically have much better indoor air quality, leading to increased personal health and well-being.

Imagine homes, builder of the San Antonio new home communities of Monterrey Village, Stillwater Ranch, and Lakeview, was named as the 2008 NAHB Green Building Award Winner. The design innovations in these homes extend to the exterior to include drought resistant landscaping. All of their San Antonio new home communities are Energy Star and Build San Antonio Green certified.

The family-friendly design of these San Antonio new home communities include gated access, walking trails, preserved open spaces, community pools, and private ponds or lakes.

Efficiency can be Beautiful

KB Homes’ San Antonio new home communities include Fox Grove, Sundance Trails & Sundance Ridge, and Cobblestone, to name just a few. They offer Disney dream rooms for the kids featuring their favorite cartoon and movie characters, design features in cooperation with Martha Stewart, and wooded communities that are both good for the environment and beautify the neighborhood. Many of these San Antonio new home communities have won design awards for their beauty.

In addition to high-tech materials that improve energy efficiency, these new homes incorporate design elements such as stone and brick exteriors, luxury bath elements, three-car garage options, and high ceilings to make them as visually appealing as they are environmentally friendly.

All of these San Antonio new home communities not only save you a great deal of money on energy costs, but they are reasonably priced so that anyone can enjoy their many wonderful benefits.

Birkel Residential Group, LTD has recently developed two, new condo/townhome communities which are sure to satisfy the need for more luxury living in San Antonio.

Pinnacle at Oak Hills

This brand new, gated community of mid-rise condos and two-story townhomes overlooks the Oak Hills Country Club and is located in the heart of San Antonio’s medical and business corridors. Just some of the features of Pinnacle at Oak Hills include a private, state-of-the-art fitness center, a gorgeous pool and spa, a clubhouse and a terrace plaza.

Amenities found through the residences of Pinnacle at Oak Hills include spacious, walk-in closets, private balconies with golf course views, nine to ten-foot ceilings, designer lighting packages, modern kitchens with granite countertops and GE Energy Star appliances and spa-like bathrooms with oversized, garden tubs and double sinks.

Prices for Pinnacle at Oak Hills start in the $170,000s.

Slate Creek at Westover Hills

The gated community of Slate Creek at Westover Hills consists of 96, stone and stucco townhomes which overlook the Lakes Golf Course at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa. These two-story, luxury townhomes feature classic, Hill Country architecture, open layouts, modern amenities and a close proximity to downtown San Antonio.

Some of the amenities of Slate Creek at Westover Hills include an oak tree-lined jogging trail, a private pool, an open-air cabana and a barbecue area.

Some of the features found throughout the residences include hardwood floors, spacious, walk-in closets, large patios overlooking the golf course, nine-foot ceilings, spa-like bathrooms with soaking tubs and double vanities and gourmet kitchens with granite countertops and GE stainless steel appliances. Select townhomes also include gas fireplaces and vaulted ceilings.

Prices for Slate Creek at Westover Hills range from the $200,000s to the $400,000s.

Birkel Residential Group, LTD

Birkel Residential Group, LTD began in 1993 as a developer of multi-housing communities in Texas. Since then it has developed seven communities in Texas and has moved its corporate offices to Texas.

Birkel Residential Group expects to start three to four new projects per year.