Homebuyers in Spring Branch, Texas, search for their 'American Dream Home'
A San Antonio couple looked in the rural hill country of Texas for breathing room and greener pastures
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For this week's episode of "American Dream Home," we took viewers to the Texas Hill Country, an area of the Lone Star State that is very close to my heart.
My aunt and uncle moved there years ago.
They wanted to buy a ranch property and fill it with dogs, deer and Texas longhorn cattle.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}I asked them what's changed about the area since they moved there back in the '90s.
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They bought 69 acres in 1995 and built the house in 1997 — that's 25 years in the hill country! They even added 25 acres.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}My aunt said that on the plus side, the economy in the area is vibrant due to tourism.
"There is never a lack of things to do here and there are lots of volunteer opportunities."
"We have lots of restaurants, shops, hotels, etc. — and there are numerous events going on at all times both on weekends and weekdays," she said. "There is never a lack of things to do here and there are lots of volunteer opportunities."
As for the hill country, she said, "This area has become such a big draw for the San Antonio/Austin/Houston crowd. We also have thousands of people who visit from not just other parts of the U.S. but from all over the world."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A student is shown walking along the campus at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas. People from San Antonio, Austin and Houston all travel to the Texas Hill Country, said one resident of this part of the state. (REUTERS/Jon Herskovitz/File Photo)
She added, "Our Chamber of Commerce advertises very heavily in publications all over the world."
Of course, living in the Texas Hill Country has its challenges when it comes to real estate prices.
My aunt said, "Real estate prices have skyrocketed — good for those of us who want the equity in our homes, but not so great for businesses."
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"One of the big problems, which has been written about extensively in the local paper, is the lack of affordable housing. We keep adding more restaurants and hotels, but the people who might work at those places cannot find a place to live that they can afford."
Restaurants and hotels continue to crop up in the Texas Hill Country — "but the people who work at [these] places cannot find a place to live that they can afford." (iStock)
Still, with their four dogs, my aunt and uncle remain busy and happy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}They're surrounded by deer, squirrels, ducks on the lake — and even armadillos.
‘Far out enough in the country’
As for Chris and Allison, who appeared on "American Dream Home," they're still working in San Antonio.
So they needed to find something within a reasonable distance to downtown, but far enough out in the country where they actually felt they were living in the country and not just a suburb of San Antonio.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The city of San Antonio, Texas, is pictured here in an image taken by a drone. (iStock)
I caught up with them to see how life has been for them since they filmed with our camera crew several months ago.
"We had a great time filming the show and with the crew," Chris told me. "They were super helpful and easy to work with. It was a great experience and, I must say, we were exhausted at the end of day three. It was a long process but well worth it."
"Our parents instilled a work ethic in us that we cherish to this day."
He also said, "We're so happy with our new home and the area we are in. We say almost every day how blessed we are and how happy we are that we moved to Spring Branch."
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"It's quiet and peaceful — and the people are amazing. I would say the best part of the new home is the one-story layout and all of the modern amenities."
He added, "The 10.5 acres and the 2,000-square-foot barn are also huge assets for us."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This part of Texas — Texas Hill Country — is shown glowing with bright colors in a fall image. This is an aerial and breathtaking image of the Pennybacker Bridge built in 1984; it completes the Austin vibe of West Texas Hill Country. (iStock)
"Allison and I both learned at an early age the value of a hard day's work and what is like to be efficient and productive," he told me as well.
"Our parents instilled a work ethic in us that we cherish to this day."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Our parents were all hard workers and nothing was given to them. This helped drive us to have the same outlook on life. If you want something, you have to work for it. Nothing in this life is free!"
Cheryl Casone is host of "American Dream Home" on FOX Business Network. It airs every Wednesday evening at 9 p.m. ET.
Chris said, "We both played sports growing up so learning the taste of victory and defeat helped mold us as well. We firmly believe that the experience in sports helps a person adjust to life as you get older."
He said as well, "Our parents did a great job providing for us as we grew up. We wanted the same for our children. We had four between us when we met."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are truly blessed to be able to provide for ourselves and our children as we all get older."
"When Harper arrived, we knew we needed to work hard and be dedicated to our craft to provide for [the kids] in the same way we were, possibly even more."
"Our attitude and outlook on life has not changed — and we are truly blessed to be able to provide for ourselves and our children as we all get older."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Said Chris, "Everything was pretty much covered in the show, we believe. We knew it was a relatively short segment, so not everything would get squeezed in."
"Now, the kids are a little miffed that they did not get more screen time. Ha!"
To learn more about this couple and their search for a wonderful home in the Texas Hill Country, check out the video at the top of this article, or click here to access it.