Went and looked at a few lots in Cordillera Ranch this weekend and looking for any insights from the locals. We live in the DFW area but want to get back to the Hill Country and like all the amenities Cordillera offers (for us and our two small kids). Any thoughts on the development and that area in general would be appreciated.

Have been there for three Interclub matches and a member guest, very nice facility, top shelf nice. No question about it.

Not sure about you but I find I get along well with some folks and not others. I've just never clicked here. Members here are wildly successful and they flaunt it. It rubs me wrong when I'm introduced to "XYZ" in the foursome and they say I'm "Doctor So n So". I know you Mama did not name you Doctor.

Did get a solicitation for The Dominion last week, suspect I'll go see them. But with several holes are close to I-10 I'm not gung-ho. Best guess, Briggs Ranch is the best in town.

I'm in Dominion and enjoy it, but would prefer a bit more land (i.e. Cordillera or raw land near Sisterdale area) if I didn't work in downtown SA. The extra 20 minutes out to Cordillera each way is simply too much for our family right now. I know about a dozen families out there and they love it though. Holler if I can help with any specifics...

Prepare to wear out cars on an regular basis if you want to go anywhere other than the neighborhood.

I speak from experience on this matter.

We looked there also. I never could get a straight answer about the unrestricted reserves that border the development. I suspect they do not own them. You could wake up with a high rise or a mall in your back yard if you are on the perimeter. I was a little dubious about their water supply at the time. This was about four years ago. Nice place but too many unanswered issues.

Thanks for all the replies. I work from home when I am not on an airplane, so my main concern is the commute to and from the airport and flight availability out of San Antonio. Both seem doable. But, the wife is the one ferrying the kids to school and activities every day so her extra drive time could be an issue.

My understanding is the corridor between Boerne and Bulverde is set for heavy growth, right? This should bring more amenities and potentially closer schools, etc.....

RedgeTX said:

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Thanks for all the replies. I work from home when I am not on an airplane, so my main concern is the commute to and from the airport and flight availability out of San Antonio. Both seem doable. But, the wife is the one ferrying the kids to school and activities every day so her extra drive time could be an issue.

My understanding is the corridor between Boerne and Bulverde is set for heavy growth, right? This should bring more amenities and potentially closer schools, etc.....

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Boerne ISD schools are great. You'll have a HEB in Boerne or Leon Springs. Zoned schools aren't far from the entrance to Cordillera on 46. Drive to the airport will be right at 1.5 hours. I also work from home / fly and between SW and United are able to fly direct to most locations. Many times its a red eye departure which I prefer. Only issue is international at which point I take the direct flight to Heathrow out of Austin on BA.

The only downside I can see for Cordillera is if you are looking for a "neighborhood" type of feel for your kids. Cordillera homes are pretty far apart and private

Traffic around Boerne is not great right now, as growth has outstripped infrastructure. It will probably work itself out, but specifically hw46 from Bergheim (edited, not Bulverde, brain fart) to Herff road is bad for an hour or 2 around school drop off and pick up.

(for perspective I grew up in Houston and moved to the Boerne area after 8 years in Plano)

Houstonians and those from DFW might scoff but if you are sitting in it, it does take an hour to drop off at HS some days (I live in Fair Oaks). If you get a chance, visit for a day during school and check it out. Right now i-10 is also awful due to construction. Again, 5 years from now and this is a different conversation. There is also talk of a loop around town. Hugely controversial, right now political backlash has it stalled but people are suspicious that it is still in the works. Gateway Loop - it will take property from lots of people and if they really do all 4 sections will have a huge impact on what is country and what is like Katy Texas. Look it up to see if your country living will stay country. We live smack in the middle of Fair Oaks, and if the proposal were to go through we would still be pretty darn close to a multi-lane freeway.

Schools are great but as with all else are experiencing growing pains. I don't know what it will be like in 5-10 years as the growth is exponential.

BT1395 said:

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HumbleAg04 said:

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RedgeTX said:

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Thanks for all the replies. I work from home when I am not on an airplane, so my main concern is the commute to and from the airport and flight availability out of San Antonio. Both seem doable. But, the wife is the one ferrying the kids to school and activities every day so her extra drive time could be an issue.

My understanding is the corridor between Boerne and Bulverde is set for heavy growth, right? This should bring more amenities and potentially closer schools, etc.....

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Boerne ISD schools are great. You'll have a HEB in Boerne or Leon Springs. Zoned schools aren't far from the entrance to Cordillera on 46. Drive to the airport will be right at 1.5 hours. I also work from home / fly and between SW and United are able to fly direct to most locations. Many times its a red eye departure which I prefer. Only issue is international at which point I take the direct flight to Heathrow out of Austin on BA.

The only downside I can see for Cordillera is if you are looking for a "neighborhood" type of feel for your kids. Cordillera homes are pretty far apart and private

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Drive to SAT isn't 1.5 hours from Cordillera. I'd say 1 hour at worst. Takes me 25 minutes from Dominion to be parked in a lot there. Obviously if traffic is bad that can add some time as it would anywhere else, but 90 minutes from Cordillera seems way high.

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So I went high on the estimate. Its right at 30 miles away and as long as you aren't catching I-10 during rush hour it won't be bad.

RedgeTX said:

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Thanks for all the replies. I work from home when I am not on an airplane, so my main concern is the commute to and from the airport and flight availability out of San Antonio. Both seem doable. But, the wife is the one ferrying the kids to school and activities every day so her extra drive time could be an issue.

My understanding is the corridor between Boerne and Bulverde is set for heavy growth, right? This should bring more amenities and potentially closer schools, etc.....

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For what it is worth, George Strait moved from Dominion to Cordillera several years ago.

If you are used to DFW, you will be disappointed in SAT and limited direct flights, depending on where you need to go. EDIT: Oh, yeah, and forget about grabbing a Chic-fil-A at SAT (idiot politicians) ...

Boerne ISD opens a new middle school Fall 2019 (Voss Middle School) for which most/all Cordillera is zoned. On that same acreage, BISD master plan calls for a third high school at some point in the future. Elementary would bus into town on 46 to new Herff Elementary, located at the back of Esperanza subdivision (or perhaps to Cibolo Creek Elementary?). As mentioned previously, BISD will suffer from the continued growth; questionable current leadership.

Geneva School of Boerne is a popular private option. Challenging to fight traffic and get there from Cordillera but students come to that school from much farther away.

Look for Bergheim to be the next commercial explosion area - as Bulverde has been recently. All corners of 46/3351 interchange will look vastly different in 10 years or less. As New Braunfels creeps west and Boerne creeps east, yes, this is a high-growth area.

milner79 said:

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Boerne ISD opens a new middle school Fall 2019 (Voss Middle School) for which most/all Cordillera is zoned. On that same acreage, BISD master plan calls for a third high school at some point in the future. Elementary would bus into town on 46 to new Herff Elementary, located at the back of Esperanza subdivision (or perhaps to Cibolo Creek Elementary?). As mentioned previously, BISD will suffer from the continued growth; questionable current leadership.

Geneva School of Boerne is a popular private option. Challenging to fight traffic and get there from Cordillera but students come to that school from much farther away.

Look for Bergheim to be the next commercial explosion area - as Bulverde has been recently. All corners of 46/3351 interchange will look vastly different in 10 years or less. As New Braunfels creeps west and Boerne creeps east, yes, this is a high-growth area.

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Any of the bold will be a nightmare in the short term. I know the OP said young kids, so elementary school will be the first hurdle. I would very much encourage you to check out the traffic on a school day. I imagine buses for little ones leave way early in the morning from Cordillera. Driving rather than busing will be not fun either. Each of those school neighborhoods has one entry/exit right now, onto 46. Rumors are they are doing something in Herff Ranch (which is Cibolo) to address this but I haven't seen an alternate exit. Idk about Esperanza - as mentioned above the school is in the back of that neighborhood.

Geneva is even further away.

The MS at Bergheim will be an interesting traffic issue, adding more traffic going the other way on 46 to the already overcrowded flow to CHS and Cibolo (and soon Espiranza). This will be brand new for everyone starting in August of this year.

I would hate for any of this to be a surprise. Just be informed.

Appreciate all the insight. At this point we are likely going to buy a lot and not build for at least two years. Hopefully some of the traffic issues will be addressed by then. Ideal scenario would be another elementary near Bergheim to go with the middle school and the high school that is supposedly being planned for the same area.

RedgeTX said:

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Appreciate all the insight. At this point we are likely going to buy a lot and not build for at least two years. Hopefully some of the traffic issues will be addressed by then. Ideal scenario would be another elementary near Bergheim to go with the middle school and the high school that is supposedly being planned for the same area.

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Not a good idea in my opinion, lot prices out there will not increase faster than what your going to pay in taxes and interest (assuming you finance) holding it for 2-4 years.

RedgeTX said:

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Appreciate all the insight. At this point we are likely going to buy a lot and not build for at least two years. Hopefully some of the traffic issues will be addressed by then. Ideal scenario would be another elementary near Bergheim to go with the middle school and the high school that is supposedly being planned for the same area.

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Hard to envision that the next elementary would go on the same 142-acre tract as Voss MS and a potential next high school. Cordillera could make things easy for its residents by contributing land for an elementary in its expansion east of 3351 ... but they would rather sell it to the district. At some point, a developer out in that eastern part of the district will put up land in a new subdivision and the next elementary will take shape.

Re the elementary the Cordillera people say there is land set aside in that new development (Springs) for an elementary but the bond to fund construction has not been passed yet. We will see. I've heard promises from developers before....

Understood, but lots of factors going into this. One of which is scarcity of the kind of lot I want.

Totally ignorant on lots in that subdivision.

Are there wildlife exemptions to be had?

I ask bc we did the "buy a lot now, build later" in a place closer to Bulverde. Ended up building somewhere else. But the land has an ag exemption, so our yearly taxes are $6 bucks. So the lot price increase has out paced our tax liability.

RedgeTX said:

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Went and looked at a few lots in Cordillera Ranch this weekend and looking for any insights from the locals. We live in the DFW area but want to get back to the Hill Country and like all the amenities Cordillera offers (for us and our two small kids). Any thoughts on the development and that area in general would be appreciated.

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I just bought a lot in the Springs of Cordillera, currently live at I-10 and Ralph fair road (3351). Distance was our main concern. It takes on avg. 13-15 additional minutes from where we are now. Growing up in Houston, this was no big deal to me. I also work from home when I'm not traveling. Wife works in the USAA area, so this was the biggest issue for us to overcome. Ultimately the neighborhood and amenities won out.

I like the Springs section because there's more of a sense of community, at least in the first phase. Water, gas, sewer, underground electric utilities all included which is unusual for remote areas. Cordillera has about 8,000 acres total, so a lot of options and overall distance can very, especially if you live well within the gates.

Don't let the traffic on I-10 get to you, relief is coming soon. TXDOT is also conducting a survey to expand 3351. Yes, Cordillera is a bit further from the city but that's also the point.

Taxes are lower in Kendall County. If I remember correctly, you'll save about $1,000 for every $100,000 of house you have (compared to Bexar county). Don't quote me on that, but I think it's a good rule of thumb. HOA dues are $160 or so a month, and paid annually. More expensive than most but you get what you pay for IMO. Pretty strict building requirements, and they strongly encourage their preferred builders. A couple are Aggies, so you're in good hands.

If you're a golfer, it's worth looking into a master membership, which is required upon purchase of a lot. There's some long term advantages of that. It's also possible they might build a second golf course in the Springd section, although nothing in stone and would be several years away. Unbelievable club and not stuffy like other country clubs. Most are down to earth, so I disagree with some of the opinions above in this regard. If you're coming from Dallas, don't think you'll have any issue here (no offense Dallas folks). It's a very active club with a lot going on. So much more than a golf club.

I am a member of Briggs Ranch as well, which I love. Best kept secret in San Antonio, just a bit of a drive. Wouldn't want to live out there but if you just want to join a club for golf at a fraction of the price, this is a good option. It's now a network of 5-6 clubs across the country that you have full membership rights to. Dormie Network, check it out.

Boerne ISD schools. Elementary school planned for plot of land right in front of the Springs of Cordillera. Middle school being built just down the road at 46 & 3351. HS not too far away, and I'm confident 46 traffic will be improved by the time you build.

Hope this helps. I just went through the entire process, so a lot of what you are considering I did as well. Feel free to DM me and would be glad to answer any questions you may have.

I live in Cordillera and we are social members at the club. My son went all four years to Boerne High. My wife taught at Boerne Champion. We were pleased with Boerne High but he never quite burst the "Boerne Bubble". We moved here from Flour Bluff when he started ninth grade. He had a good experience overall but the longtime Boerne resident kids were definitely a tight knit group. Champion is more of a suburban school and Boerne High still has a small town feel. Drugs are more prevalent at Champion. The kids there are more smart aleck. Boerne High is more of a yes sir/no sir kind of school. There are some nice people in Cordillera but there a lot of people like the ones described in the post above. Too many Yankees and city people have moved here that just don't know how to be Texas friendly. For example, it is not uncommon for people to just not be friendly at the mailboxes or simply walking down the street. I am use to a simple hello or a wave and many people, I would say the majority, just don't do it. I don't know where these people are from. We are on a well and water is an issue. We have to manage our sprinkler system very carefully or we will run out of water and have to buy a truck load.

If you like getting stuck behind someone going 35 in a 60mph zone, then you'll just love that commute.

GreyhoundDad said:

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Drugs are more prevalent at Champion.

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Is there an issue at Champion. We live near fair oaks and are zoned to champion. We just had a neighbor move into town to be zoned to Boerne High. They stated that they wanted a smaller school and mentioned the drug issue as well. Their oldest is in 2nd so I think they are jumping th gun a little bit. With the high schools so close to each other and potential of a third, who know what zoning will look like in 5 to 10 years.

GreyhoundDad said:

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There are some nice people in Cordillera but there a lot of people like the ones described in the post above. Too many Yankees and city people have moved here that just don't know how to be Texas friendly. For example, it is not uncommon for people to just not be friendly at the mailboxes or simply walking down the street. I am use to a simple hello or a wave and many people, I would say the majority, just don't do it. I don't know where these people are from.

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I hate to hear that for you and unfortunately that is prevalent throughout Texas these days. These people will keep on moving farther out of town killing any small town within commuting distance of a large city.

From what my wife saw at Champion versus the kids our son was around while going through Boerne High for four years, I think we made the right choice for him. He graduated in 2018. Boerne High has a completely different feel than Champion. The town of Boerne is rapidly changing though. I'm sure Boerne High is too. Champion already has.

aduey06 said:

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GreyhoundDad said:

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Drugs are more prevalent at Champion.

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Is there an issue at Champion. We live near fair oaks and are zoned to champion. We just had a neighbor move into town to be zoned to Boerne High. They stated that they wanted a smaller school and mentioned the drug issue as well. Their oldest is in 2nd so I think they are jumping th gun a little bit. With the high schools so close to each other and potential of a third, who know what zoning will look like in 5 to 10 years.

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My daughter just finished her sophomore year at Champion. Drugs are no more an issue at Champion as they are with any HS.

I would assume it is no different than other HS but I have heard multiple people talk about it so was just thinking maybe there was something up.

We LOVE Cordillera!! Lived there for 5+ years and absolutely loved everything it has to offer. Unlike some of the previous posters, we did not meet anyone who we did not like. Everyone was extremely friendly and inclusive no matter if it was at the Club, on the Golf Course, at the mailbox, etc... Most residents are retirees however there is a small group of families that have been good friends and they tend to spend alot of time together. However, we ALL intermingled which kept thing interesting and fun! The "ranch" is first class all the way and you will not meet a better bunch of people whether they are Yankees, city people or country folk! There is something for everyone...and if you choose not to get involved, well, that's ok! The Springs is targeted for more families and that will be another plus. There are a few ppl who left Dominion including George S. for various reasons but it's also a very different vibe at Cordillera. There continues to be alot of growth in the ranch as well as the Boerne area and yes, the BISD is outstanding!! Unfortunately, we recently left the area to be closer to our grand babies and we really miss it. We are so grateful to have experienced living at Cordillera and you will too. Remember...life is about choices and how you chose to enjoy your life is up to you!! You can't go wrong at Cordillera Ranch!! Best of Luck!

I wanted to thank everyone for all their input and guidance on this thread. We pulled the trigger and bought a lot. It will likely be a few years before we are ready to build and move, but I am really looking forward to doing so. Thanks again!

Congrats. I think I speak for everyone here, we are available to play golf as your guest.

Shhhhhhhhhh. We have plenty of people here in Boerne. No room for any more.