Caring For Your St. Augustine Lawn 

St. Augustine is a shade-tolerant warm season grass that is perhaps not the best suited, but is the most popular turf-grass in San Antonio.  It is recognized by its medium to dark green color and thick, coarse blades.  Here are some helpful tips to keep your St. Augustine yard looking its best during the hot months in San Antonio.

Mowing – St. Augustine prefers to be mowed at a taller height than other grasses.  Resist the urge to drop your mower height; it will not reduce the time between mowing, it will only reduce the quality of your grass.  The ideal mowing height during the summer is 3 to 3.5 inches.  This not only allows deeper root growth, it also gives the soil a little shade and helps it to retain water.  Do not bag grass clippings.  Besides the headache of constantly emptying clippings into trash bags, allowing the clippings to decompose in the yard will return large amounts of nutrients to the soil.

Watering – During the hot months, St. Augustine needs approximately 1.5-2 inches of water per week to thrive.  It is best to water for longer and less frequently than to water for a shorter time period and more frequently.  This lets the water penetrate deeper into the soil for stronger root growth of your grass.  An effective way to determine the amount of water is to place empty open top cans around your yard while watering, allowing you to measure the amount of water caught in each can.

Fertilizing – Fertilizer should be applied every 8 to 10 weeks.  After applying the fertilizer, immediately water it in thoroughly.  For most lawns, a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium will work fine.  The nutritional analysis should be printed on every bag.

Weed Control – The best way to control weeds is by maintaining a healthy, dense lawn.  This gives the weeds nowhere to establish a foothold.  It is recommended to apply a pre-emergent herbicide during the early spring to prevent germination of any weeds, and again in the fall.  If weeds do appear, I usually pick them by hand while the soil is damp.  If you do apply a weed killer, do not use any products containing 2,4-D, as this ingredient will damage St. Augustine.

If managed properly, St. Augustine can provide a lush, thick yard that thrives in both sun and shade.

Blake Mayerhoff, Agent w/ River Valley Real Estate

19202 Huebner Rd Suite 100

San Antonio, TX 782588

210-853-5327

www.rivervalleyre.com

When is the home buying season?

 (a case study of the Stone Oak area)

The title is a loaded question. So, let’s clear things up by stating that I am asking when is the best time of the year to look for and purchase a home within the Stone Oak area. 

To answer this question, I completed a market analysis of the general Stone Oak area inclusive of all single family homes regardless of size or price over the past three years. As a homeowner and Broker, my opinion tends to focus on price and competition more than on the amount of available inventory.  I like to think I made a good purchase price-wise, and I don’t like to be involved in bidding wars on a property with other buyers.  I understand that many of us are not afforded the luxury of purchasing when we want to but rather when we have too due to jobs schools or what have you.

When looking at the closed transactions over the past three years, July consistently has the largest number of closed transactions, and they were twice, if not three times the number as the corresponding January.  June is just slightly behind with August being third for all but one year.  It is important to keep in mind that these statistics are based on the date the home closed and funded.  Therefore, the homes were escrowed under contract between 30 to 60 days prior in most cases.  With that in mind, April, May and June are noted as the hottest selling months within the Stone Oak Area. 

Another interesting factor concerns price per square foot. Of the three months evaluated, February has the lowest price per square foot sale prices two of the three last years.  Remember, that these sales more than likely occurred during December or November.

So, what‘s the take away?  Well, if you are like me and value price and limited competition, the fall is the beginning of the home shopping season with the best deals being made in November and December.  

Last, I would mention that there is just as much valuable information contained within this study for those wanting to sell their home.  When you are considering a Realtor, remember there are some that really study the market tends and offer much more than a sign in the yard and an internet posting.  I invite you to allow us the opportunity to interview for your business.  You will appreciate our professional approach.

Bill Barkley

Owner & Broker of River Valley Real Estate

19202 Huebner Rd. Suite 100

San Antonio, TX 78258

210-853-5327

bill@rvreco.com

www.rivervalleyre.com

 All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

Touring the Dominion Hills in 78257

While touring the Dominion Hills Condominium Subdivision with a client, we ran across an interesting property that seemed a bit out of place. Typically, you’ll find that homes for sale in the Dominion Hills currently range from $329,000 to $2,099,999 or $158.50 to $362.06 per square foot. They’re condos with a residential home feel; Gated community with the option to join The Dominion Country Club. HOA amenities include landscaping, irrigation, pest control, and domestic water for daily use.

After completing our tour, my client asked me if I knew what the white house that seemed so out place was doing right in the middle of all these nicer homes. I jokingly replied, “I’m not sure, but I would assume the developer will be tearing it down as soon as possible.” Not satisfied with my answer, I stuck around a while after my client left. I walked over to the house and found several men working cautiously inside. I continued to ask, “Sorry to bother; but what is this older home doing here?” They replied that “This place has historical significance and it use to belong to the Lucchese family. As in Lucchese boots.” I never would have guessed. The next few minutes talking to these guys really helped put it into perspective. 

They proceeded to tell me a story they heard from the current owner of the property. Turns out this home was built back in the day in the middle of nowhere. They said it belonged to one of the Lucchese brothers and served as a safe house for the gangster brother. An artist friend by the name of Peter Hurd also took up residence there for a time. While a tenant, he produced several sketches, decorations, and hand painted tiles that are thought to be priceless.  This was the answer to our question of why this otherwise non typical Dominion home was there. I’m not sure what they plan on doing with the home or its treasures but it’s discoveries such as that keep me excited to do my job in real estate.

This proves that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Some things are more valuable than you’ll ever know. The new Dominion Hills homes are fortunate to be surrounding such a unique property. You can find additional information on the Lucchese family history and Peter Hurd online.

Oscar Felan

 Looking for someone who goes the extra mile to find out as much about a neighborhood as they can for their clients? Call me! 

                          Oscar Felan, Realtor / River Valley Real Estate Co.

(210)-793-3493 / oscar@rvreco.com

www.rivervalleyre.com