Real estate
BY THALIA GUZMAN
Home Edition
2024
Readers, welcome to your annual CI Home Edition! This guide features news ranging from key real estate trends and new developments unique to your neighborhood to an overview of the housing industry across Texas. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—show them your gratitude by supporting local businesses. This year’s Home Edition takes a deeper dive into the real estate data we provide monthly and explores the current state of real estate in the Northeast San Antonio Metrocom and the surrounding area. We explore the temperature of the current housing market and some of its unique challenges in our cover story. Other content includes a look at the a professional household organization business.
What's inside
Monthly real estate market data (Page 12)
Heather Demere Publisher hdemere@ communityimpact.com
Professional home organizing with The Tidy Pigg (Page 13)
Northeast San Antonio Metrocom homes staying on the market longer (Pages 14-15)
Sponsor: Jefferson Bank
Home weatherization resources for Texans As the weather turns colder and summers get hotter, weatherizing one’s home can improve comfort and reduce energy costs. For Texans looking for ways to decrease their monthly bills, home improvements can be achieved through easy practices or funded programs. What you need to know The Alamo Area Council of Government’s weatherization assistance program can cover attic, wall and floor insulation replacement or repairs, solar screen installation, removing and replacing window AC units, weather-stripping, caulking, and other air infiltration reduction measures. Although the program does not address major home repairs, it can help lower the amount of energy used in a home by enhancing the struc- ture’s thermal boundary, ultimately helping a home stay warm in the colder months and cold in the warmer months, according to AACOG officials. CPS Energy’s Casa Verde weatherization program assists low-income qualifying homeown- ers and renters to reduce energy loss and costs with free energy efficiency improvements. The Casa Verde program covers upgrades such as attic
Weatherizing your Texas home
Roof
Windows
Home weatherization means improving a home to reduce energy costs, increase efficiency, safety and comfort. Examples of weatherization include moisture control, air sealing, ventilation and upgrades to insulation, doors, windows and roofs.
HVAC
Door
Garage door
SOURCE:AACOG/COMMUNITY IMPACT
insulation, wall insulation, air-sealing, replace- ment of incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, duct-sealing and solar screen installation. For homeowners who don’t qualify for funded programs, some roofing companies offer roof restoration, repairs and replacements through financing or homeowners insurance, as well as free roof inspections. “Proper roof insulation and reflective shingles for homeowners are cost-efficient on their electric bill,” said Adrian Guerra, managing partner with Design Roofing & General Contractors. More to know Home weatherization tips provided by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs include:
• Use dishwashers, washers and dryers at night • Replace filters in heating and cooling systems on a monthly basis • Adjust the thermostat to slightly lower tem- peratures in the winter and slightly higher temperatures in the summer when your family is sleeping or away from the home • Use conservation shower heads to eliminate hot water waste • Close drapes or blinds and lock windows to ensure a tight seal • Replace old appliances with new energy efficient models. Look for the Energy Star label • Add insulation to water pipes • Check the direction of ceiling fans
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NORTHEAST SAN ANTONIO METROCOM EDITION
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