San Antonio Areas
Far West Side,
San Antonio
Past Loop 1604 on Culebra, Potranco, SH 211 and US-90, out to Castroville: two school districts, a long list of master-planned communities, and 2026 tax rates that differ by a full dollar per $100 from one subdivision to the next.
Questions about the far West Side? Call or text me at (919) 800-9870
San Antonio's far West Side is the newer, mostly master-planned stretch west of Loop 1604, from Culebra Road south to US-90 and out to Castroville, plus SH 151 around SeaWorld. Northside ISD serves the Culebra and Potranco side, and Medina Valley ISD serves most communities along SH 211 and US-90. Combined 2026 tax rates on the Bexar County side run about $1.89 to $2.89 per $100, and the closest communities are about 8 to 12 miles from Lackland's Valley Hi Gate. Builder base prices start around $176,000.
Tiffany Reed, REALTOR® | MRP · Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector · Bexar Appraisal District · OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM)- Two school districts split the area. Kallison Ranch, Stillwater Ranch, Riverstone at Westpointe, Arcadia Ridge, Redbird Ranch and Westover Hills are in Northside ISD; Ladera, Prominence, Briggs Ranch, Brookmill and Castroville are in Medina Valley ISD.
- Most of the newer subdivisions here are in unincorporated Bexar County, so there's no city tax; an emergency services district takes its place on the bill. Several also carry a district of their own: $0.56288 per $100 for a special improvement district in Riverstone, Ladera, Brookmill and Prominence, and $1.00 per $100 for the water control and improvement districts on Redbird Ranch's Phase 2 sections.
- On a $350,000 home you live in, that spread is real money: about $4,740 a year in Kallison Ranch or Arcadia Ridge, about $6,900 in Ladera or Prominence, and about $8,240 in Redbird Ranch's Phase 2, after the standard homestead exemptions.
- Builder base prices start at about $176,000 (Lennar in Brookmill) and $227,000 (D.R. Horton in Redbird Ranch). Perry Homes' 60-foot series in Kallison Ranch, Ladera, Flat Creek and Alsatian Oaks start in the $580,000s and $590,000s.
- Lackland's Valley Hi Gate is the closest 24/7 gate from every community here: about 8 miles from Westover Hills, about 11 from Brookmill, Briggs Ranch, Prominence and Alamo Ranch, and about 16 from Kallison Ranch and Castroville. Camp Bullis is 16 to 25 miles from the Bexar County communities.
Where is the far West Side
of San Antonio?
It's the land west of Loop 1604, from about Government Canyon and Shaenfield Road south to US-90, plus the SH 151 corridor between Loop 410 and Loop 1604 around SeaWorld and Westover Hills. Head far enough west on US-90 and you cross into Medina County and reach Castroville, a small city of its own that shares Medina Valley ISD with Ladera, Prominence and Brookmill.
Five roads tie it together. Culebra Road (FM 471) runs along the north side, past Stillwater Ranch and Kallison Ranch, then drops the Culebra name and carries on as FM 471, bending south to Castroville. Potranco Road (FM 1957) cuts through the middle. SH 151 carries you from SeaWorld out to Alamo Ranch. SH 211 runs north and south across all of them, with Redbird Ranch, Ladera, Prominence and Brookmill strung along it, and US-90 forms the southern edge on the way to Castroville. Most addresses fall in ZIP codes 78245, 78253 and 78254; the SH 151 side near SeaWorld is 78251, and Castroville is 78009.
People often lump this area in with the Northwest Side, and they're two different places. The Medical Center, Bandera Road, I-10, Leon Valley, Helotes and The Dominion are Northwest, with more established streets and shorter drives to Camp Bullis. The far West Side is newer: nearly every subdivision on this page started building after 2005.
More about the area's edges and names
The City of San Antonio's planning maps use "Far West" for something else: the established neighborhoods next to Lackland inside Loop 1604, such as Westwood Village and Heritage. On those maps, SeaWorld, Westover Hills and the Alamo Ranch shopping area fall in the "Highway 151 and Loop 1604" area, and the master-planned communities outside city limits fall in no plan area at all. On this page, "far West Side" means what most buyers and local news mean by it: past Loop 1604 on Culebra, Potranco, SH 211 and US-90, plus SH 151 around SeaWorld and Westover Hills.
A San Antonio mailing address says nothing about city limits. Kallison Ranch, Ladera and Brookmill all have San Antonio addresses and pay no city tax. The taxing units listed on the home's Bexar Appraisal District record settle it: if City of San Antonio isn't on the list, the home is outside the city.
Moving to San Antonio on orders and still sorting out the map?
The PCS to San Antonio Guide walks through the areas around each JBSA installation, the gates, and a countdown from orders to arrival.
Get the PCS GuideIs the far West Side a good fit for you?
The far West Side is a good fit if you want:
- A brand-new home with a builder's warranty, or a resale that's only a few years old, rather than a house from the 1970s
- Lackland as your closest installation, knowing Fort Sam Houston and Randolph are cross-town drives
- Neighborhood pools, splash pads, trails and amenity centers, which come with most of the master-planned communities
- A wide price range in one part of town, with new-home starting prices from the high $100,000s up to the $590,000s
Which communities are on San Antonio's far West Side,
and who is building there?
Twelve communities, from an in-city pocket on SH 151 to the master-planned communities along Culebra, Potranco and SH 211, and the town of Castroville in Medina County. Westover Hills is pre-owned only. Everywhere else, at least one builder is still selling new homes in the community or right next to it, alongside the resales.
The prices are builder base prices: the starting plan on a standard lot, before upgrades, lot premiums and incentives. Read them as where a community begins, not what most homes there sell for. Builders also sort their plans by lot width, so a 45-foot series means homes built on homesites about 45 feet wide, and the wider series cost more.
| Community | City or county | School district | Building now? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westover Hills (SH 151) | Inside San Antonio | Northside ISD | No, pre-owned only |
| Alamo Ranch | Partly San Antonio, partly unincorporated Bexar | Northside ISD | No; new homes next door from the mid $240,000s |
| Stillwater Ranch | Mostly unincorporated Bexar; a few sections in San Antonio | Northside ISD | Yes, from about $375,000 |
| Kallison Ranch | Unincorporated Bexar | Northside ISD | Yes, from about $376,000 |
| Riverstone at Westpointe | Unincorporated Bexar | Northside ISD | Yes, from about $245,000 |
| Arcadia Ridge | Unincorporated Bexar | Northside ISD | Yes, from about $340,000 |
| Redbird Ranch | Unincorporated Bexar | Northside ISD | Yes, from about $227,000 |
| Ladera | Unincorporated Bexar | Medina Valley ISD | Yes, from the $390,000s |
| Prominence | Unincorporated Bexar | Medina Valley ISD | Yes, from about $315,000 |
| Briggs Ranch | Unincorporated Bexar (established sections) | Medina Valley ISD | Yes, in the new sections, from the mid $300,000s |
| Brookmill | Unincorporated Bexar | Medina Valley ISD | Yes, from about $176,000 |
| Castroville (Flat Creek, Alsatian Oaks) | City of Castroville, Medina County | Medina Valley ISD | Yes, from about $390,000 |
Westover Hills
The in-city piece of the far West Side, on SH 151 between Loop 410 and Loop 1604 near SeaWorld. Carlson Park, one of its subdivisions, went up between about 2002 and 2021 on compact lots, mostly 3,800 to 5,400 square feet. You get City of San Antonio services here, and it's the closest community on this page to Lackland.
Alamo Ranch
Alamo Ranch has a page of its own. Builders have finished there, so you'd be buying a resale, and the closest new homes are on Talley Road at Lennar's Morgan Meadows, from the mid $240,000s.
Stillwater Ranch
On Culebra Road, close in toward Loop 1604, with homes from about 2009 on. Stillwater has two pools (one a 6,000-square-foot beach-entry pool), two playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, a fitness center and trails, and Scarborough Elementary sits inside the community. Most sections are in unincorporated Bexar County, but a few are inside San Antonio, so two similar houses here can carry different tax rates. Coventry Homes is building from about $375,000 in its 45-foot series and $520,000 in its 60-foot series, and Chesmar Homes from about $375,000.
Kallison Ranch
Farther out Culebra Road, west of Loop 1604 in ZIP 78254. The first homes went up in 2006, and lots typically run 5,600 to 9,600 square feet. There are two pools, two playgrounds, a catch-and-release fishing pond and a fenced dog park. With no special district on the bill, its taxes sit at the low end for the far West Side. The trade-off is one of the longer drives to Lackland. Meritage Homes is selling from about $376,000, and Perry Homes from the $430,000s in its 45-foot series up to the $590,000s in its 60-foot series. Section by section, with both of its tax setups and the HOA, it's all on my Kallison Ranch page.
Riverstone at Westpointe
Reached by Talley Road and Wiseman Boulevard, in ZIP 78253. Homes went up from about 2020 on, mostly on lots around 4,800 to 7,300 square feet. The amenities are the headline: a lazy river, water slides, a pool and splash pad, pickleball and a fitness center. Every home here pays the Westpointe Special Improvement District on top of the usual taxes. D.R. Horton is building from about $245,000.
Arcadia Ridge
Off West Grosenbacher Road, about a mile north of Prominence. Homes have gone up since about 2016, on lots of roughly 5,400 to 9,300 square feet. Like Kallison Ranch, it has no special district on the bill. Meritage Homes is building from about $340,000, and Perry Homes from the $440,000s in its 45-foot series and the $470,000s in its 50-foot series.
Redbird Ranch
Near Potranco Road and SH 211, with amenity centers, pools, a splash pad, trails and a third amenity center on the way, and a Northside ISD elementary school sits inside the community. The section sets the tax bill. The earlier sections, built in the 2000s and 2010s, carry one of the lowest tax rates on the Bexar County side. The Phase 2 sections sit in a water control and improvement district (Redbird Ranch WCID No. 2 or No. 3) that gives them the highest. D.R. Horton is building from about $227,000, and its homes now for sale are in Phase 2, so they carry the WCID.
Ladera
On SH 211 between Potranco Road and US-90, outside San Antonio city limits. Building started in 2016, and lots are typically 6,000 to 10,600 square feet, larger than most new sections out here. Every Ladera lot is in the Westside 211 special improvement district. Three builders are selling: Perry Homes from the $390,000s in its 45-foot series up to the $580,000s in its 60-foot series, and Coventry Homes from about $400,000 and Drees Homes from about $450,000, both in 50-foot series.
Prominence
Prominence covers 324 acres off West Grosenbacher Road in ZIP 78245, planned for 1,167 homes on lots 33 to 65 feet wide. There's an infinity-edge pool overlooking a golf course, pickleball and basketball courts, a playscape and walking trails. HOA dues are $250 a quarter, plus a one-time $1,500 working-capital assessment and a $375 transfer fee at closing. Its special improvement district is called Briggs Ranch II, but that's only the district's name; Prominence isn't part of Briggs Ranch. DRB Homes is building from about $315,000, Chesmar Homes from about $330,000 and Scott Felder Homes from the $480,000s, and Highland Homes is selling here too.
Briggs Ranch
Out here, Briggs Ranch means two different places. The established sections near the golf course, including Trails of Briggs Ranch, have lots from about 7,000 square feet to an acre and a half and no special district. The new 800-acre Briggs Ranch from Johnson Development and Heartwood, near US-90 and SH 211, is planned for about 2,000 homes, with Medina Valley ISD elementary and middle schools slated for the community. Its newest streets aren't on the appraisal roll yet, so read a lot's taxing units before you sign; some newer sections nearby already pay a special improvement district. In the new sections, David Weekley Homes is building from the mid $300,000s, Toll Brothers from about $415,000, and Perry Homes from the $420,000s in its 45-foot series and the $490,000s in its 50-foot series, with Highland Homes selling as well.
Brookmill
Lennar's community off SH 211 near US-90, in ZIP 78245, built from 2023 on, with a clubhouse, pool and fitness center. Its recorded plat name is Millbrook, which is the name you'll see on appraisal and title paperwork. Like Ladera, it's in the Westside 211 special improvement district. Lennar's homes start at about $176,000, the lowest base price on this page.
Castroville
A city of about 3,400 people on US-90 in Medina County, planned in 1844 on the Medina River and still known as the Little Alsace of Texas. It has two master-planned communities. At Flat Creek, David Weekley Homes is building from about $408,000 and Beazer Homes from about $480,000 on 50-foot homesites, and Toll Brothers from about $530,000 and Perry Homes from the $580,000s on 60-foot homesites. Alsatian Oaks sits where FM 471 meets US-90, with Chesmar Homes from about $390,000, Highland Homes from the $390,000s, and Perry Homes from the $440,000s in its 50-foot series and the $580,000s in its 60-foot series. The town, its two communities and their tax setups get the full treatment on my Castroville page.
Plan on an HOA with any of the newer communities; the dues pay for the pools, splash pads and trails that sold you on the place to begin with. Ask for the dues and any special district on the lot before you sign a builder contract.
One thing to weigh before you buy new out here: every builder named above is still building, several of them within a mile or two of each other. Sell in the next few years, and your house would be listed next to brand-new homes with builder incentives attached. If that could happen, plan to hold it longer, or keep it as a rental after you move.
Before you walk into any builder's model home, call me. I come to the model visits and handle the negotiation with the builder, and the builder pays my commission. My new construction page covers the rest of how a new build works with me.
Comparing builders before you visit?
The New Construction Buyer Guide explains builder contracts, incentives, inspections on a new home and what to ask before you sign.
Get the New Construction GuideSources
How far is the far West Side from Lackland,
the Medical Center and downtown?
About 8 to 16 driving miles to Lackland's Valley Hi Gate, which is the closest 24/7 gate from every community on this page. Camp Bullis is about 16 to 25 miles from the Bexar County communities, and getting to Fort Sam Houston or Randolph means crossing town. The tables give rounded driving miles.
| Community | Lackland (Valley Hi Gate) | Camp Bullis (main gate) | Fort Sam Houston (Walters Gate) | Randolph (Lindsey Gate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westover Hills | 8 mi | 17 mi | 19 mi | 31 mi |
| Brookmill | 11 mi | 25 mi | 24 mi | 39 mi |
| Briggs Ranch (new sections) | 11 mi | 25 mi | 24 mi | 39 mi |
| Prominence | 11 mi | 25 mi | 24 mi | 39 mi |
| Alamo Ranch | 11 mi | 16 mi | 23 mi | 35 mi |
| Arcadia Ridge | 12 mi | 24 mi | 25 mi | 40 mi |
| Ladera | 12 mi | 25 mi | 26 mi | 40 mi |
| Stillwater Ranch | 13 mi | 16 mi | 25 mi | 35 mi |
| Riverstone at Westpointe | 14 mi | 20 mi | 25 mi | 39 mi |
| Redbird Ranch | 16 mi | 25 mi | 29 mi | 39 mi |
| Castroville | 16 mi | 33 mi | 29 mi | 44 mi |
| Kallison Ranch | 16 mi | 19 mi | 27 mi | 38 mi |
The routes come in three kinds. From the Culebra Road communities you head south on Loop 1604 to SH 151, then in to Loop 410; from the SH 211 communities you drop down to US-90; and from Castroville it's one straight run in on US-90. Luke East, Lackland's other 24/7 gate, is no more than about two miles farther from any of them. For gate hours, the visitor center and base housing, see my Lackland page and Camp Bullis page.
How far is it to the Medical Center, downtown and the airport?
Westover Hills and Stillwater Ranch are the closest to the Medical Center, at about 11 and 12 miles. From the SH 211 communities it's closer to 20, and downtown is 15 to 25 miles from everywhere on the list.
| Community | Medical Center (University Hospital) | Downtown (City Hall) | Airport (SAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westover Hills | 11 mi | 15 mi | 17 mi |
| Stillwater Ranch | 12 mi | 21 mi | 19 mi |
| Alamo Ranch | 14 mi | 19 mi | 21 mi |
| Kallison Ranch | 15 mi | 24 mi | 22 mi |
| Riverstone at Westpointe | 16 mi | 21 mi | 23 mi |
| Redbird Ranch | 18 mi | 25 mi | 25 mi |
| Brookmill | 19 mi | 20 mi | 25 mi |
| Briggs Ranch (new sections) | 19 mi | 20 mi | 25 mi |
| Prominence | 19 mi | 21 mi | 26 mi |
| Arcadia Ridge | 20 mi | 21 mi | 26 mi |
| Ladera | 20 mi | 22 mi | 27 mi |
| Castroville | 24 mi | 25 mi | 30 mi |
I put live far West Side listings just under this section. Use them to compare today's asking prices on resales and finished new builds side by side.
(SEP 27, 2026 - OCT 27, 2026)
What are property taxes
on the far West Side?
For 2026, about $1.89 to $2.89 per $100 of taxable value on the Bexar County side. Three things set where a home lands in that range: whether it's inside San Antonio city limits, whether it's in Northside ISD or Medina Valley ISD, and whether its subdivision has a taxing district of its own.
- ESD (emergency services district): funds fire and EMS service outside city limits, in place of the city's tax line. Bexar County ESD 2 is $0.089845 and ESD 7 is $0.100000 for 2026.
- SID (special improvement district): a taxing district on certain subdivisions that pays for the public improvements built for them. The SIDs out here are $0.562880 for 2026, the same rate as the City of San Antonio, but an SID taxes the full value with no homestead exemption, so it costs more. On a $350,000 homestead, the SID line is about $1,970 a year; the city line, after its 20% exemption, would be about $1,580.
- WCID (water control and improvement district): a district under the Texas Water Code that can tax to pay for water, sewer and drainage. Redbird Ranch WCID No. 2 and No. 3 are each $1.000000.
The listings above show asking prices; this table shows what the same $350,000 house would cost you in taxes each year, depending on where it sits.
| Where the home is | 2026 rate per $100 | Where you'll see it | Yearly tax, $350,000 homestead | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated, Northside ISD, ESD 2 | $1.886929 | Kallison Ranch, Arcadia Ridge, much of Alamo Ranch's county side, Redbird Ranch's earlier sections | About $4,740 | About $395 |
| Unincorporated, Northside ISD, ESD 7 | $1.897084 | Most of Stillwater Ranch, part of Kallison Ranch | About $4,780 | About $400 |
| Unincorporated, Medina Valley ISD, ESD 2 | $1.978629 | Established Briggs Ranch sections | About $4,930 | About $410 |
| Inside San Antonio, Northside ISD | $2.359964 | Westover Hills, the in-city parts of Stillwater Ranch and Alamo Ranch | About $6,000 | About $500 |
| Northside ISD, ESD 2, Westpointe SID | $2.449809 | Riverstone at Westpointe | About $6,710 | About $560 |
| Medina Valley ISD, ESD 2, a special improvement district | $2.541509 | Ladera and Brookmill (Westside 211), Prominence (Briggs Ranch II) | About $6,900 | About $575 |
| Northside ISD, ESD 2, Redbird Ranch WCID No. 2 or No. 3 | $2.886929 | Redbird Ranch Phase 2 | About $8,240 | About $685 |
The monthly column is taxes only. Homeowners insurance and any HOA dues come on top of the mortgage and taxes, so get an insurance quote early.
The yearly figures use the general homestead exemptions for a home you live in: $140,000 off the school district value, 20% off for Bexar County, University Health and the City of San Antonio, $3,000 plus 20% for Road and Flood, 4% for the River Authority, and $5,000 for Alamo Colleges and ESD 2. The SID and WCID lines get none.
If you keep the house as a rental after you move and make your home somewhere else, the homestead exemptions come off and the full value is taxed. In Kallison Ranch, at $1.886929, the same $350,000 house goes from about $4,740 a year to about $6,600.
More about the taxing units on a far West Side bill
Every Bexar County home pays the same five county-wide units for 2026: Bexar County $0.285963, University Health $0.276235, Alamo Community College District $0.166650, San Antonio River Authority $0.019300, and Road and Flood $0.014036, for $0.762184 together. Then add the school district (Northside ISD $1.034900 or Medina Valley ISD $1.126600), and either the City of San Antonio ($0.562880) or an ESD, plus any SID or WCID on the subdivision.
To see exactly which units apply to a home, open its record at bcad.org and read the taxing jurisdiction list. On a new build that isn't on the appraisal roll yet, ask the builder which districts the lot is in before you sign.
A new home's first tax bill is often based on the lot alone or a partly finished house, and the next year's bill reflects the completed home. Budget for the second year, not the first.
More about Castroville and Medina County taxes
Castroville homes are appraised by the Medina Central Appraisal District and taxed by Medina County units instead of Bexar's: Medina County (its general fund, the farm-to-market road tax and the Precinct 2 road tax), the Medina County Hospital District, Medina County ESD #1, the Medina County Groundwater Conservation District, the City of Castroville, and Medina Valley ISD at $1.126600. Inside Castroville city limits, which take in the old town, Alsatian Oaks and Flat Creek, the 2026 total is $2.322494 per $100, and Flat Creek lots also pay a yearly public improvement district installment on top. Medina CAD's property search lists the units on any address, and the Medina County tax office posts the rates.
More about homestead and disabled veteran exemptions
File the homestead application (Form 50-114) with the appraisal district once the home is your principal residence: Bexar Appraisal District for most of the far West Side, Medina CAD for Castroville.
When it starts depends on what you buy. On a resale bought partway through the year, the seller's exemption usually stays on that year's bill, so yours begins the following January; file for it by April 30. On a new build, or any home whose seller didn't have the exemption that year, you can have it for the rest of the year you buy, as long as you apply before the first anniversary of your closing.
Starting the year after you first qualify, Texas caps the increase in your homestead's appraised value at 10% a year, not counting new improvements. At 65 or older, or disabled, the school exemption grows by at least another $60,000 ($73,330 in Northside ISD).
Disabled veterans get an additional exemption on one property: $5,000 at a 10% to 29% rating, $7,500 at 30% to 49%, $10,000 at 50% to 69%, and $12,000 at 70% to 100% (Form 50-135). A veteran who receives 100% disability compensation and is rated 100% disabled or individually unemployable can have the homestead fully exempt, and an unremarried surviving spouse keeps it.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector, 2026 Official Tax Rates and Exemptions · Bexar Appraisal District property records (Medina Valley ISD, Westside 211, Briggs Ranch II SID and Redbird Ranch WCID No. 2 and No. 3 rates) · Texas Water Code, Chapter 51 · Medina County Tax Assessor-Collector · Texas Comptroller, exemptions · Texas Tax Code, Chapter 11 · Texas Tax Code §23.23 · Texas Comptroller, disabled veteran exemptions
Taxes, schools and city limits vary by address. Confirm them for any home before you make an offer.
Which school districts serve
the far West Side?
Two: Northside ISD and Medina Valley ISD. The line between them runs between neighbors: Arcadia Ridge is Northside ISD, while Prominence, about a mile south, is Medina Valley ISD. With the line that close, check the district by address before you get attached to a house.
- Northside ISD covers about 355 square miles of northwest Bexar County and reaches into Medina and Bandera counties, with 97,597 students and 133 schools. Its Boundaries and Buses tool shows the assigned campuses and bus route for a street address.
- Medina Valley ISD covers close to 300 square miles west of San Antonio, with about 10,500 students on ten campuses: six elementary, two middle, and two high schools, Medina Valley and the newer Creek View. Its attendance zone map lets you pick the school year and enter an address.
Once you have the campus names, each one has a state report card at tea.texas.gov.
More about growth and changing school zones
Both districts are still adding campuses as these communities fill in, and a new campus usually means redrawn zones for the neighborhoods around it. On a home in a section that's still building, check the zone map for next school year as well as this one; Medina Valley's map has a school-year drop-down for exactly that.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: Northside ISD · Medina Valley ISD, About MVISD · Medina Valley ISD attendance zones
What is daily life like
on the far West Side?
A normal week out here runs through a few big intersections. Each of the three H-E-Bs below anchors one, with the pharmacy, gas and takeout clustered around it. Very little is walkable, so plan on the car for errands.
Weekends usually point outdoors. Government Canyon State Natural Area takes up the north edge, with 13,000 acres and more than 40 miles of trails, including a five-mile hike to the only known dinosaur tracks on public land in Bexar County. And at the far end of US-90, Castroville feels like a different place: a small town on the Medina River with the Landmark Inn State Historic Site a short walk from the water.
Shopping and groceries
- Potranco and 1604 H-E-B plus!, 10718 Potranco Road
- 211 and Potranco H-E-B, 14325 Potranco Road, open since 2020
- H-E-B on Alamo Ranch Parkway, with big-box stores and restaurants around it
Trails and parks
- Government Canyon, 12861 Galm Road: open daily, $6 for adults, with no charge for 12 and under; pets aren't allowed on the dinosaur-track trail
- Neighborhood pools, splash pads and trails, which differ by community and HOA
Entertainment and history
- SeaWorld San Antonio, 10500 SeaWorld Drive, off SH 151
- Santikos plans a roughly 20-acre entertainment complex near Potranco Road and SH 211, with theaters and bowling; no opening date has been set
- Landmark Inn State Historic Site, 402 Florence Street, Castroville, a five-acre site on the Medina River with overnight rooms
More about utilities on the far West Side
Inside San Antonio, CPS Energy, the city-owned utility, handles electric and gas, and most homes get their water from SAWS. Outside city limits, the electric and water providers depend on the subdivision, so ask the builder or check the listing for the specific home, and confirm with the provider before closing. CPS Energy may waive the deposit for relocating military members.
In Castroville, the city itself provides electric, water, sewer, gas and residential trash service, with a $200 residential deposit for each of electric, water and gas.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: H-E-B, Potranco and 1604 · H-E-B, 211 and Potranco · Texas Parks and Wildlife, Government Canyon · SeaWorld San Antonio · KSAT, Santikos plans · Texas Historical Commission, Landmark Inn · CPS Energy · SAWS · City of Castroville Utilities
Before you tour the far West Side
Out here, two houses at the same price can come with very different bills, school districts and drives. Settle these before the first showing.
- A monthly payment that still fits after taxes. Your lender's approval tells you the most you can borrow, not the payment that fits your budget. On the same $350,000 house, taxes alone can run about $290 a month more in one subdivision than in another.
- The special districts on the lot. They're most of the reason that gap exists. On a resale, read the taxing units on the Bexar Appraisal District record; on a new build, ask the builder before you sign.
- Whether the school district matters to you. If it does, look up Northside or Medina Valley by address, including next year's zone in sections that are still building.
- HOA rules that would stop you. Tell me what's a deal-breaker, like leasing limits if you'd lease it out after your next PCS, nowhere to park a boat or trailer, or fence and pet rules, and I'll find out before you tour.
- Must-haves and deal-breakers for the house. Brand-new with a warranty, or a few years old with the trees already growing in? Single story, three-car garage, a bigger lot? Decide which ones you'd actually walk away over.
- The drive at your real hours. If you know your gate or office, make the trip from the community you like at the times you'd actually leave in the morning and head home.
What working with me looks like
on the far West Side.
I'm Tiffany Reed, REALTOR® and Military Relocation Professional (MRP) at Real Broker. A far West Side search usually puts new builds and resales side by side, and plenty of my clients have handled the whole purchase from another state or overseas.
- Homework on resales comes first. Before a resale tour, I ask for the seller's disclosure and any inspections done in the past, and I find out how old the roof, the HVAC system and the water heater are.
- Touring from out of state. I take you through the homes on video, so you can decide without flying in.
- New builds start with a call. Call me before you visit any builder. I attend the model visits, manage the negotiation on price, incentives, closing costs and upgrades, keep up with the build, and go to every walkthrough with the inspection report in hand. Already been to a builder? Tell me, and I'll ask whether I can still be added to your purchase.
- If you'll rent it out at your next PCS, I pull rental comps on the homes you're seriously considering, so you can see how the likely rent stacks up against the mortgage.
- Lenders who know VA loans. I can connect you with lenders, including VA lenders.
- Offer to closing. I write your offer and negotiate it, line up inspections when they're needed, and do the final walkthrough with you before closing.
Questions buyers ask about
the far West Side
What ZIP codes are on San Antonio's far West Side?
Mainly 78245, 78253 and 78254. The SH 151 stretch near SeaWorld and Westover Hills is 78251, and Castroville, at the far end of US-90, is 78009.
Is the far West Side the same as the Northwest Side?
No. The Medical Center, Bandera Road, I-10, Leon Valley, Helotes and The Dominion are the Northwest Side. The far West Side starts past Loop 1604 on Culebra, Potranco, SH 211 and US-90, plus SH 151 around SeaWorld, and it's generally closer to Lackland and farther from Camp Bullis.
Are far West Side neighborhoods inside San Antonio city limits?
Mostly not. Westover Hills and parts of Alamo Ranch and Stillwater Ranch are inside the city; Kallison Ranch, Riverstone, Arcadia Ridge, Redbird Ranch, Ladera, Prominence, Briggs Ranch and Brookmill are in unincorporated Bexar County, even with San Antonio mailing addresses.
Why are property taxes higher in some far West Side subdivisions?
Special districts. Riverstone, Ladera, Brookmill and Prominence each sit in a special improvement district at $0.56288 per $100, and Redbird Ranch's Phase 2 sections are in water control and improvement districts at $1.00 per $100. Those districts pay for public improvements built for the subdivision, and they tax the full value with no homestead exemption.
Which far West Side communities are closest to Lackland?
Westover Hills, at about 8 miles to the Valley Hi Gate, then Brookmill, Briggs Ranch, Prominence and Alamo Ranch at about 11, and Ladera and Arcadia Ridge at about 12. Drive times vary by time of day, traffic, and gate. Check current conditions for your route before deciding.
Should I buy a far West Side home if I'll PCS again in a few years?
It can be a great move, and keeping the house as a rental after your next PCS is one of the upsides. With remaining VA entitlement, you can still buy with a VA loan wherever you're stationed next, though the lender may want money down depending on the entitlement left and the county loan limit there. Selling after only a couple of years likely won't cover the costs of buying and selling, and here most builders are still building nearby, so a quick resale would compete with their new homes and incentives. Plan to hold it longer, or rent it out.
Is Castroville part of San Antonio?
No. Castroville is its own city in Medina County, about 16 miles from Lackland's Valley Hi Gate on US-90, with its own city utilities and Medina Valley ISD schools. Flat Creek and Alsatian Oaks are its two master-planned communities.
Data current as of October 2026 · Sources: Bexar Appraisal District · Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA loan limits and entitlement
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