Business

Ready to Build or Buy a House?

Published

4 years ago

February 12, 2019

Editor

By Lisa Harrison Rivas

So, you have a pre-approval letter from your lender and you’re ready to go house hunting.

Now, you must decide if you want to buy an existing home or have a house built. If you choose to build, will it be a tract home from one of the well-known builders or will you choose a custom home?

A custom home is built to the specifications of the buyer, while tract homes feature similar styles and floor plans. Tract homes are what you see in most subdivisions.

As a Realtor, I can help guide you through the process for buying any of these types of homes.

But if you are considering a custom home, you’ll need land and design plans. Your lender can provide information about home construction loans.

The San Antonio area has numerous custom home builders including Abraham Solis, chief of operations for Future Tech Custom Homes. Solis says his firm can offer construction loans at 4 percent interest and provide help with design plans.

“We have three designers that you can work with each with different price ranges from low to high,” he said. Future Tech Custom Homes start at $250,000.

Solis now runs the business that began with his father’s framing business 30 years ago. He and I recently talked about some basics of custom home building.

Q: What surprises people most about the process?

A: I think for us it was the timing. People were surprised at how fast we were. And surprised with how we work with them and how everybody treated them.

Q: How long does it take?

A: For a big home, a million-dollar home, it generally takes about eight months.

Q: How does the process work?

A: I have a little system before we even start. When we get the initial commitment contract signed, they put down a deposit and from there, I give them a checklist. They have to go and get all the materials for the flooring, everything, you name it. So, before we even begin anything, they already start doing that checklist. So right before I break ground, on day one, I’m already ordering floors, countertops things like that.

Q: Do you help clients order the materials?

A: We have vendors that we have been working with, so we can send them to our vendors. If they have vendors, that’s fine too.

Q: Where do you build?

A: We mainly build in the north area. We’ll go as far as Austin.

Q: How would you describe Future Tech Custom Homes’ style?

A: It’s Hill Country meets modern contemporary. You still have your metal roofs, the colors outside are the light beiges and on the inside, it has a Spanish feel.

Q: Why is Tech part of the name?

A: The smart homes. There’s a crew that we work with, they fully automated one of our homes. Apple watches can be used to turn on lights and appliances. People really like that.

Q: How much would that technology cost?

A: A good setup would cost about $10,000 or $15,000 for a fully-automated home.

Q: Do most people want one or two stories?

A: One story. People just don’t like to go up the stairs. Another thing that I also heard is that they like to do away with dining rooms as well. They want a nook, that’s it. An open floor plan and a little nook on the side.

Q: Any unusual requests?

A: One couple had a foyer with a dome ceiling and the woman wanted gold flakes up there. They ended up going with this copper type paint. It shined, it looked beautiful.

Q: Why would someone have a custom home built?

A: I’ll say it the way my dad would say it. In a custom home, you get what you want. Everything is pretty much beefed up on a custom home. You’ll get your bang for your buck.

Lisa Harrison Rivas is a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Don Johnson Realtors. If you are planning to buy or sell, feel free to contact her at 210-380-9006 or lhrivas@realsa.com

Business

San Antonio Airport to Set Record for Travel During Memorial Day Weekend

Published

1 week ago

May 25, 2023

Editor

More people are packing their suitcases for trips in and out of San Antonio International Airport (SAT) than ever before. SAT will see a record-breaking number of travelers – close to 190,000 total – from Thursday to Memorial Day. During that 5-day period, there’s an estimated 14% increase in scheduled seats to and from SAT compared to 2019 and a 19% increase since last year.

“We’re expecting the busiest Memorial Day weekend travel in our airport’s history,” said Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports, San Antonio Airport System. “People want to fly and it’s getting more affordable to do so. We are seeing more competitive fares with the addition of Spirit Airlines over the last year – and that’s helping our travelers find better deals on flights that are too good to pass up. We’re also expecting our busiest summer ever, but right now we’re focused on making sure everyone has a smooth experience in the days ahead.”

According to the Transportation Security Administration, here’s a day-by-day breakdown of how many passengers are expected to fly in and out of SAT:

Thursday: 38,514
Friday: 38,600
Saturday: 34,000
Sunday: 38,100
Memorial Day: 37,700

Fly Away Valet has also set records recently. Earlier this month, the company reported a gigantic increase in parking spaces at SAT since the service began in 2020. The service started with 80 spaces and now has 500.

Last week, valet operations were consolidated to the Short-Term Parking Garage for both pick-up and drop-off of vehicles.

For more information and to watch a video showing how to valet park at SAT, please visit the airport’s website.

Business

Job Fest 2023

Published

1 week ago

May 22, 2023

Editor

Mark your calendars for JobFest 2023, happening on Thursday, June 1 from 4 -7 p.m. at the ATT Center. Whether you’re a recent graduate, looking for a summer internship, or seeking professional development opportunities, JobFest is the place to be!

We are seeking youth looking for Internships, part-time, and full-time positions. This is a no-cost, in-person event at the AT&T Center. Register today and connect with local employers with various positions in high-demand, high growth careers! To reserve your spot, go here.

Open to Youth 16-24 and the General Public

Opportunities include:

✅Internships

✅Part-Time Positions

✅Full-Time Positions

✅ Resume & Interview Skills

This is a partnership event from Texas State House Representative Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, in collaboration with Bexar County, City of San Antonio, Ready To Work, Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, Spurs Sports & Entertainment, and Workforce Solutions Alamo.

JOB FAIR TIPS FOR YOUR SUCCESS:

✔️Come dressed professionally

✔️Bring your updated Resume

If you would like help updating your resume, please visit any Workforce Solution Alamo Career Center location before the event or call (210) 224-4357 to make an appointment.

Business

Bexar County Couple Offers Counseling & Mentorship Program

Published

3 months ago

March 17, 2023

Editor

Community-based counseling is happening at Ken-Lyn Consultants and Associates, a vision Dr. Kenneth Brown and Dr. Lynda Brown had years ago. The couple is now considered a family counselor and life coach duo.

Ken-Lyn has been serving Bexar County since 2017 and has grown almost immediately from serving 3-5 clients weekly to serving 50-70 globally. One of their greatest accomplishments is their continuous “5-Star” ratings. Amazingly, of the thousands of clients that have chosen to write a review, they all have shared the same sentiment.

Dr. Lynda Brown is a product of the East Side, where her father, Dr. Walter Duncan, served as one of the leading dentists to Black clients. Her mom, Dr. Joan Duncan, spent 40 years as an educator and professor. Dr. Kenneth Brown’s mom was an office manager, church leader, and pianist in Southern Maryland.

The Brown’s services have taken them to faraway places such as Australia, Dubai, Italy, Hawaii, and Alaska. They travel to perform workshops and officiate weddings all over the country. The Brown’s business partner, Tiana Hill, is an Air Force veteran like Dr. Kenneth Brown. A University of Texas at San Antonio graduate, Hill develops all website and software programming, mentors the youth, and is also a parent in the program. Ken-Lyn’s associates and partners are specialists in their fields, such as nurse practitioners, military human resources, special education professionals, attorneys, doctors, pharmacists, information technology specialists, movers, mechanics, realtors, credit recovery, insurance brokers, and many more.

Ken-Lyn’s vast array of services is “everything family.” Their youngest client is four years old, and their oldest is 86. They have assisted over 110 students to get into four-year universities, helping them earn over $5.2 million in scholarships. Their clientele is diverse, from local families simply trying to keep their child in school to West Coast entertainers, East Coast politicians, doctors, lawyers, police officers, active military and veterans. They also serve as educational advocates during 504/IEP meetings from the school conference room to the Texas Education Agency and the Office of Civil Rights as needed.

Ken-Lyn Consultants and Associates has been where undergraduate psychology students come to “cut their teeth” and learn how to run a practice and market their services. As of spring 2023, 80% of their undergraduate interns have come from UTSA. Interns serve in the tradition of “camp counselors” as they aid students within the Ken-Lyn mentorship program.

They say, “We monitor grades. We aid them with everything from hygiene, makeup application, grooming, and college prep to cleaning and organizing backpacks. We help our mentees to discover themselves, despite the possible odds and misunderstandings they may face daily.”

This spring, Ken-Lyn has a busy community schedule while serving clients daily:

Their office has recently expanded, and on March 23 at 6:30 pm, they will host a brief “Business Blessing Ceremony.” Dr. Otis Mitchell, pastor of Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, will officiate.
On Thursday, March 30, the six-week “12 Steps Toward Communicating Better” workshop will conclude at the Windmill Ice House at 2769 Nacogdoches Rd, featuring artist Elizabeth Holmes and the Ken-Lyn Communicators Band.
Their mentorship program will host female and minority pilots at the Boerne Stage Field, 100 Boerne Stage Airfield, on Sunday, March 26at 5 pm.
Other mentorship guest speakers this semester will include professionals in tech fields, professors, and adults who have turned their lives around for themselves and their families.
Every semester, students in their program will tour at least two colleges. This semester, they will visit Our Lady of the Lake University and Texas A&M University at College Station.

To learn more about Ken-Lyn’s services, visit (KenLynConsultants.com) or call 210-761-4345.