MSN’s Most Affordable Housing Markets
July 3, 2008
MSN has published it’s list of the what it’s calling the nine most affordable housing markets and has San Antonio at No. 5.
1. Wichita, Kan.
2. Omaha, Neb. — Council Bluffs, Iowa
3. Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pa.
4. Madison, Wis.
5. San Antonio
6. Indianapolis
7. Pittsburgh
8. Dallas-Fort Worth
9. Tulsa, Okla.
To develop the 2008 MSN Real Estate Most-Livable Bargain Markets list, we asked Bert Sperling of Sperling’s Best Places to evaluate the most affordable housing markets from the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and pinpoint the nine most livable areas: places where unemployment is low, commute times are short and there’s enough interesting entertainment or recreation to keep most people busy. We defined affordability by the ratio of median income to median home price.
Moving to one of these cities could allow you to “sell your two-bedroom bungalow in Southern California…and buy a house on a number of acres and suddenly have a nest egg you’ve never had before,” Sperling says.
For such a big city — eighth-largest in the nation — San Antonio feels remarkably like a town. It has a strong sense of community and plenty of festivals, shopping, theme parks and other entertainment to keep most families happy. The modern city is home to numerous historic neighborhoods and sites including the Alamo, the Spanish Governor’s Palace and the River Walk, which contains shops and outdoor restaurants along the San Antonio River, just below street level downtown.
Thanks to the current demand for oil, the economy here is booming and there is a mix of neighborhoods catering to just about every taste and income level. The Texas Hill Country, which surrounds the city, provides numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism.
Cons: The city’s biggest drawback can be summed up in one word: heat. Extreme heat and humidity in the summer can make it hard to enjoy the city’s wealth of cultural and recreational amenities. And crime is higher here than in other cities of the same size.
Source: MSN Real Estate
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