Pre-Existing vs New Construction Homes: Which Is Right for You?

So the folks living out in Bandera are probably going to hate that. I'm putting together this video about things that you would absolutely love about living in the cowboy capital of the world, but it's just too cool of a town not to let you know about it. Ryan Renton here, Renton Realty Group, your favorite realtor right here in the Texas Hill Country. So why does Bandera, Texas have the nickname Cowboy Capital in the world in the first place? Well, it originated when it became a staging area for the last great cattle drives of the 1800s, confirming Bandera as the cowboy capital of the world and a bronze monument honoring the many national rodeo champions who call Bandera home, stands out in front of the courthouse lawn. So in today's video, I want to go over some reasons why you would absolutely love living in Bandera, Texas, but also some reasons why you may not like living there. So what I did is hop onto ChatGPT since that's been the big rave as of lately. To ask you, what do people think about living in Bandera, Texas? And this is what it had to say. As of my last update in September of 2021, Bandera, Texas is a popular destination loved by many for several reasons. And of course, I'm not surprised that number one, which is the cowboy culture and Western heritage. GPT stated that Bandera is often referred to as the Cowboy Capital world. As I mentioned earlier, it has a rich history deeply rooted in cowboy culture in Western traditions, making it a magnet for people who are interested in experiencing the cowboy lifestyle, attending rodeos, and learning about Texas history. Now, this has to be one of my favorite things about Bandera itself. Any time I go to Bandera, there's always some type of cowboy event going on, whether it's Quickdraw shooting competitions, roping, barrel racing, whatever the case is, if you go to Bandera, you can find some kind of cowboy event happening. And for number two, we have scenic beauty and outdoor activities. So the chat says that Bandera is located in the Texas Hill Country, known for its beautiful landscapes, rolling hills and picturesque river views. The area offers a wide range of outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, fishing and camping, attracting nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. I would say ChatGPT nailed this one on the head. Just like it said, there's all kinds of opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping and what have you. And for number three, it says that it's a warm and friendly community. The chat describes that the residents of Bandera are often described as warm and welcoming. The town has a small town charm that makes visitors feel at home, and many tourists appreciate the friendly and laid back atmosphere. And I would definitely have to agree with the chat on this one as well. Just like many other small Texas hill country towns, the people are very, very welcoming and I've covered this in many other videos. But this is one thing that people love about living here in the Texas Hill Country. This is how welcoming everybody tends to be in this area. This is number four is the authentic Texas experience. It says that for those seeking an authentic Texas experience, Band Air provides a genuine taste of Texas culture, cuisine and hospitality. You'll find local eateries serving up delicious barbecue and Tex-Mex dishes, along with other Texas traditions. And for number five, it's Western events and festivals. The chat mentions that Bandera hosts various events and festivals throughout the year that celebrate cowboy culture and Western heritage. These events can be highly entertaining and educational, giving visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the unique Texas way of life. And this really relates back to number one, which is that Western heritage. Pretty much any time you go to Bandera, you're going to find people wearing cowboy hats, boots, spurs. You'll literally see people riding on the side of the road on horseback. And there's all kinds of chuckwagon events and different festivals. So if you want that cowboy lifestyle, like I said, Bandera is the spot for you. And then number six is the live music and entertainment. The chat says that Texas is renowned for its vibrant music scene, and Bandera is no exception. Visitors can enjoy live country and western music performances at local venues, creating a lively and enjoyable atmosphere. And this is really the case for just about any small Texas Hill country town in this area. You can find live music in Fredricksburg, Kerrville, Comfort Center, Point Ingram here in Bandera. So if you're the type of person that really likes to enjoy sitting on a back porch with a hamburger, a beer or some wine, whatever while listening to some Texas country music here in Bandera is going to be a great spot for you. And then number seven is the escape from city life. The chat says for city dwellers, Bandera offers a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of urban areas and provides an opportunity to relax, unwind and connect with nature. One of the great things about Bandera is how small the town is, but how close it is to the city. So if you're wanting to escape that, see lifestyle San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas, wherever you're actually a pretty good located. This is another great aspect about Bandera. If you are just absolutely tired of living in the city. Bandera is a very small town, but you know, there's course tours coming in during the weekend, but it's a small town, so if you want to get away from, like ChatGPT said, the hustle and bustle of the city life. Bandera is a great environment to really kind of calm your senses, get away from all that craziness and really just kind of enjoy life. Now, obviously, these seven reasons aren't going to be for everyone, but it should at least give you a pretty good idea of what Bandera is all about. Now, there's probably going to be some things you just won't care about in Bandera, so obviously it's probably a good idea that we go ahead and cover those as well. So again, for this portion, we hopped on to ChatGPT and asked it, what are some of the reasons people do not like living in Bandera, Texas? So this is what I had to say. Reason number one was limited job opportunities. The chat says that Bandera is a small town, and as such, it may not offer a wide range of job opportunities compared to a large city. Residents who require specialized or highly paying jobs might find it challenging to secure a suitable employable look locally. Now, this is probably going to be the case for any small Texas hill country town. If you are a person looking for a highly skilled level job, Bandera may not be the best suit for you. Now, if you are working remotely, well, obviously that could work out. But if you are somebody that's requiring a highly skilled level job or very highly paid job like the ChatGPT said, it may be best that you look closer to San Antonio and or Austin. It says number two is limited amenities and services. The chat says as a smaller community band, air might not have the same level of amenities, services and infrastructure that larger cities offer. This could include limited health care facilities, fewer shopping options and reduced access to certain conveniences. Now, this is definitely true. Bandera is about 25 to 30 minutes from Kerrville, so if you are at an emergency situation where you need to get to a hospital ASAP, your next best option after Kerrville is going to be in Burnie. But like ChatGPT said, you are very limited on different amenities such as grocery stores. So again, if you want a bigger grocery store such as H-e-b or Walmart, you're going to have to head to Kerrville for that. Number three is extreme weather conditions. The chat says like much of Texas, Bandera experiences hot summers and the weather can be quite unpredictable. Some individuals might not enjoy the extreme heat and occasional severe weather events, such as thunderstorms or tornadoes. Now, I wouldn't necessarily say that we have extreme weather here in Texas. Sure, it does get hot. You know, this video is actually shot in July and it's been pretty hot this year. But for the most part, I wouldn't say we necessarily have extreme weather conditions. I don't even remember the last time we've had a tornado in the area. It's been a very, very long time, but nonetheless, it does get pretty hot here. And occasionally there's some years where we do have more rain than others, where there's more flooding happening. But for the most part, I would say our weather is pretty relaxed here in the Texas Hill country, including Bandera. Number four is distance from urban areas. The chat says that Banderas location is a draw for some, but can be a drawback for others. It may be far from major urban centers, which could impact access to cultural events, international airports or a diverse range of entertainment options. I think for this con, this really comes down to personal preference, because you're really only 55 minutes from the San Antonio International Airport and about 45 minutes from the rim where you'll have all your exotic, you know, clothing stores and restaurants. And it says number five is the tour season impact. The chart says that Banderas popularity as a tourist destination can be a double edged sword. While it does boost the local economy, the influx of tours during the peak seasons might result in increased traffic, crowded attractions, and higher living costs for residents. And for this one, I think I might have to partially agree. Yes, I do believe that there's going to be higher traffic during these peak seasons, but for the most part, I don't think it's really going to drive up the cost of living for the residents, and you really won't have to interact with them too much because most of the neighborhoods that we're going to go over here shortly are on the outskirts of town. So you really won't have to deal with these tours very much. And for number six, it says limited educational options. It says that the local school system in a smaller towns like Bandera, might have limited resources and educational opportunities compared to larger cities. Families with specific educational preferences or requirements might find this aspect challenging. And of course, this is very true for any small town. You have very limited schools in Bandera, you have the elementary school, the middle school and the high school. So like ChatGPT said, if there's anything specific, any special educational, you know, resources that you may need for you and your family, yes, Bandera is going to be pretty limited when it comes to that. And it says lack of diversity for number seven. Smaller towns often have a more homogeneous population, which may not suit individuals seeking a more diverse and multicultural environment. Now, this may be primarily true if you are the type of person who likes that cowboy culture and Western heritage. Well, this may be perfect for you, but if you're looking for something outside of that, well, I would say yes. Bandera is pretty limited on diversity. Okay, so now that we cover some of these pros and cons of of living here in Bandera, Texas, I think it's time to go ahead and go over the real estate because I'm sure that's one of the reasons why you're watching this video in the first place. So it is no secret that Bandera is a pretty small town. According to World Population Review, the last population count was 876 people, which that actually blows my mind. I would have never had guessed that it was that few of people. Back in 2010, the population was sitting around 1400 people. Now it's hard to say why the population has shrunk to 876 people as of this year, but nonetheless, we have some development going on and you need to know what the real estate prices are like and what you can get for those prices here in Bandera. So as of today, July 24th, there are currently 99 active listings on the market and according to Redfin.com, the median sales price is 310,000. Now, what we're going to do is go over five different neighborhoods in Bandera and what the price ranges are for each neighborhood, but also an example of a house that you can get in each one of those neighborhoods. Okay, so for our first neighborhood, we're going to go in pricing order starts with Riverbend Estates, which has a price range of 100,000 up to around 200,000. Now, for the most part, these homes are manufactured homes, but right now there are three active listings on the market. And let's go ahead and see what 215,000 can get you in this neighborhood. Okay, so we're looking at this home on 604 Mountain View Drive, listed for 215,000. It's a three bedroom, two bath home with 13 80ft². It appears to be a pretty decent house. It has some vaulted ceilings in the living room, and it also appears to be fairly up to date. But again, it is a manufactured home, so you're not going to get anything, you know, super special, but it has a pretty good sized lot as well. It looks like it's over well over an acre. But nonetheless, this is something you can get around Bandera for that 200,000 $250,000 range. And for our second neighborhood, we have the flying El ranch, which is a beautiful golf course community. And they have all kinds of deer running around, black buck, antelope, beautiful scenery. But this is a great neighborhood. If you like. Additional amenities such as golf courses, tennis courts, and other common areas. Now for this neighborhood you do have an HOA fee, but it's only $160 annually, which is really not too bad at all. But again, that goes towards the golf course and then the other common areas for upkeep in this neighborhood. Right now we have seven active listings in the price range typically is anywhere from 300,000 up to 500,000. But let's go ahead and see what kind of home you can get in this neighborhood. Okay, so we're looking at this home on 290, no wood circle. It's listed for 429,000. It's a three bedroom, two bathroom home with just over 2400ft². And I've actually shown this house before. It's got beautiful views out the back porch where you can see all the deer, the black book antelope. But the house has been updated in several different ways. The flooring, it's got new light fixtures. The painting's been updated, I think in all, this is a great home listed for 429,000. Okay. The third neighborhood is the Bandera River ranch. In this neighborhood, you can find listings anywhere between 200 and 50 up to around 700,000. And for those of you who like a little bit more elbow room, these lot sizes are just a tad bit bigger. They range from anywhere between one acre up to around three acres in size. And as of right now, we have ten active listings on the market within this neighborhood. But let's go ahead and see what kind of house you can get within that middle price range. Okay, so we're looking at this beautiful home at three, seven seven Park Road. It's a three bedroom, two bathroom, 2150 one square foot home listed for 557,900. Now this house is pretty up today. It's got beautiful landscape. But as you can tell, it's got high ceilings, beautiful wood flooring. It's even got rock archways. But for the most part, you know, this house is fairly up to date. And you know, it does sit on a pretty decent size lot too. So I would say and offer 557,900. This is a great home. Okay. So for our fourth neighborhood, we have a neighborhood called Bridgegate. Now home prices for this neighborhood range anywhere from 600,000 up to right around $1 million. And similar to the last neighborhood, if you like a little bit more elbow space, these lot sizes range from anywhere between 2 to 10 acres. And as of right now, there are seven active listings on the market. But for this neighborhood, let's go ahead and see what you can get for the upper price range. Okay. So we're looking at this beautiful home here on 270 Hagger Ridge Road. It's listed for 928,000. It's a four bedroom, three bath home sitting at just under 20 800ft². It looks like it's built in 2017. As you can tell, it's got some beautiful views out the front porch, really nice looking landscapes and zero scape. But also it's got high ceilings in the inside of the home, vaulted ceilings there in the living room, but also has beautiful, beautiful hardwood floors. And as you can tell, it's a lot of customization with this home. So in all, if you're looking for a bigger home with a bigger lot size, this may be a good fit for you. Okay, so for our fifth neighborhood, we're going to slide more into the luxury side of things. Now the list prices for these homes, even though we haven't had much come on the market within the last 4 to 5 years, but they typically range around 500,000, up to almost $2 million. And they also have some pretty big lot sizes as well, with most of them sitting right around ten acres. But like I said, we really don't have very many listings come on the market within this neighborhood as of right now, we only have one active listing. But let's go ahead and take a look at it. Okay. So we're looking at three, four five Laguna Road. It's a three bedroom, three bathroom home with 31 50ft² listed for 1.29 million. This home was built in 2019 and sits on just under 11 acres and, as you can tell, has a beautiful pool out the back porch and actually has a barn off to the left of the home as well. But it has a pretty awesome views out the front and back as well. And as you could tell going through these photos, you have beautiful, beautiful features throughout the house. A lot of customization. You know, here in the living room you have boxed, boxed in wood ceilings, high ceilings throughout the house. But you know, it really kind of appears to have that modern hill country feel right here in Bandera, Texas. Okay, so we covered some of the pros and cons of living here in Bandera, Texas, along with some different neighborhoods and what you can get in certain price ranges within those neighborhoods. I want to hear from you guys. What did I miss? Let me know down in the comments below. And as always, if you're looking to buy or sell anywhere around the Texas Hill Country, I would love to be a realtor. Choice. All my contact information is above, but down in the description. And make sure you watch this next video, which is the pros and cons of living in Fredericksburg, Texas. We'll see you in the next video.