PCSing to San Antonio, Texas: A Military Family’s Guide to Living Near Lackland, Fort Sam Houston & Randolph AFB

If you just received orders to San Antonio, Texas, first off, welcome to Military City USA.

Whether you're headed to Lackland AFB, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, or another assignment within Joint Base San Antonio, one of the biggest questions you'll probably have is simple:

Where should I live in San Antonio?

I understand that question from more than just a real estate perspective. I served in the United States Air Force for just under 12 years, spent several years stationed at Lackland, and now I'm a REALTOR® helping people buy and sell homes throughout the San Antonio area.

So if you're PCSing here, this guide is meant to give you a real starting point.

First, Understand Joint Base San Antonio

One thing that can be confusing when you first receive orders here is just how spread out the San Antonio military community is.

Joint Base San Antonio includes several installations, with three of the names you'll hear most often being:

JBSA-Lackland
Located on the southwest side of San Antonio, Lackland is known as the "Gateway to the Air Force" and is home to Air Force Basic Military Training.

JBSA-Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston sits closer to central San Antonio and has a long military history dating back to the 1800s. It's also closely connected to the city's massive military medical community.

JBSA-Randolph
Located northeast of downtown near Universal City, Schertz, and Cibolo, Randolph has a long history as a flying training installation.

Because these installations are in very different parts of the metro, your duty station should be one of the biggest factors in deciding where to live.

PCSing to Lackland AFB: Where Should You Live?

If you're stationed at Lackland, you'll probably want to look at communities on the west and northwest sides of San Antonio.

Depending on your budget and how much of a commute you're comfortable with, there are plenty of newer communities throughout this part of the city.

But here's something I always tell military buyers:

Don't choose a house based only on how many miles it is from base.

San Antonio is a large city, and traffic patterns can make two homes that appear equally far from Lackland feel completely different during your actual commute.

Consider the route you'll take to the gate, your work schedule, schools if you have children, access to shopping and restaurants, and what you want your life outside of work to look like.

PCSing to Fort Sam Houston: Where Should You Live?

Fort Sam gives you quite a few options because of its more central location.

Depending on your budget and lifestyle, you could consider areas around northeast San Antonio, Converse, parts of central San Antonio, or communities farther north and northeast.

This is where the conversation becomes less about finding the one "best" neighborhood and more about finding the right fit.

Someone who wants a newer home with more space may make a completely different decision than someone who wants to be closer to downtown, The Pearl, restaurants, and entertainment.

PCSing to Randolph AFB: Where Should You Live?

If you're headed to Randolph, the northeast side of the San Antonio metro is usually one of the first places I'd look.

Communities around Universal City, Converse, Schertz, and Cibolo can put you within reasonable proximity to Randolph while offering a variety of housing options.

You can also look farther north depending on the lifestyle and home you're searching for.

This part of the metro can be especially appealing to military families who want suburban living while still having access to San Antonio.

Should You Buy or Rent When You PCS to San Antonio?

This is one of the biggest questions I get from military families, and there isn't a universal answer.

If you're only going to be here for a short assignment, renting may make more sense.

But if you're planning to stay several years, potentially retire here, or would consider keeping the property as a rental when you PCS again, buying deserves a closer look.

For eligible service members and Veterans, the VA home loan can also be a powerful tool.

VA-backed purchase loans can allow qualified borrowers to purchase with no down payment, provided the purchase price doesn't exceed the appraised value, and VA-backed loans don't require monthly private mortgage insurance. Eligibility and final approval still depend on your Certificate of Eligibility, income, credit, occupancy requirements, and your lender.

And your VA benefit isn't necessarily a one-time benefit. Depending on your entitlement and circumstances, you may be able to use your VA home loan benefit again.

That's something I think every military buyer should understand before automatically deciding to rent.

What Is It Actually Like Living in San Antonio?

San Antonio gives you a pretty unique combination.

You have a major city with professional sports, restaurants, entertainment, the River Walk, The Pearl, and plenty to do, but you can also head north toward places like Boerne, Bulverde, and the Texas Hill Country when you want a completely different environment.

And because of the military presence here, being active duty or a Veteran doesn't make you an outlier.

It's part of the culture of the city.

That's one of the things I appreciated while serving here and one of the reasons San Antonio continued to feel like home after leaving the military.

My Biggest Advice Before Your PCS

Don't wait until you're a few weeks away from arriving to start figuring everything out.

You don't necessarily need to start looking at houses six months in advance, but you should start learning the city.

Figure out:

1. Which installation you'll be assigned to

2. How much commute you're comfortable with

3. Whether buying or renting makes more sense

4. Your comfortable monthly housing payment

5. What you want outside of the house itself

6. Whether you could see yourself keeping the property after your next PCS

Those answers can narrow a massive city down pretty quickly.

PCSing to San Antonio? I Can Help.

I've been on the other side of this move.

I served just under 12 years in the Air Force, spent years stationed at Lackland, and today I help military members, Veterans, and families navigate real estate throughout San Antonio and the surrounding communities.

Whether you're PCSing to Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph, or you're leaving San Antonio for your next assignment, you don't have to figure everything out by yourself.

If you're several months away from moving, that's completely fine.

Reach out early.

We can talk through your orders, timeline, budget, commute, VA loan options, and the areas that make the most sense for your family before you ever step foot inside a house.

James Green, REALTOR®
SA Sold Realty Group
Military Relocation & VA Buyer Specialist
San Antonio, Texas

Lead. Build. Execute.