Investment is a term that seizes the attention of even the least business-minded person in a room. When we hear the term, many of us imagine dollar signs, remember our Economics 101 professor, or picture Scrooge McDuck swimming through his sea of gold coins.

In real estate, we toss this term around often. When someone purchases a home, REALTORS® like to communicate every benefit that comes from owning a home. And since real estate investing is such a profitable option in the Central Texas’ market, we find no reason to hold back our enthusiasm about the opportunities we see.

Investment sparks a lot to think about for a family. While you weigh your options about whether to purchase a house or to throw all your extra cash into the stock market,

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Everyone dreams about what they’ll look for in a first home. Many Texans prefer city living, while others choose a multi-acre property on the outskirts of town. Some consider lavish spaces, and still others prefer a small house with minimalist furniture and design.

Home preferences can feel as distinct as our fingerprints, but the truth is that our housing preferences aren’t as different from one another as they might feel.

At the end of the day, housing trends exist, even to distinguish generation from generation. Many factors play into generational trends:

• New ideas and technology
• Economic booms or burdens
• Community values
• Celebrity preferences
• Lifestyle needs
• And much, much more

The Wall Street Journal collected a

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San Antonio has a lot going for it. Americans from across the country can recall iconic scenes from our city’s hero-filled history. Major corporations and tech companies move here for the city’s generous business incentives. And the family-centeredness of San Antonio rightly captures the attention of many people looking for a comfortable place to call their own.

At JB Goodwin, we give San Antonio a lot of praise because we genuinely believe it is an awesome place for anyone to call home. In fact, many of us do! So when we see others pointing out some of the features that make San Antonio so great, we like to share their findings with our cherished readers.

Recent data from Zillow found that families looking to buy their first home ought to conduct their

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We live in a time when self-driving cars, robots, and virtual reality are no longer just the topics of sci-fi movies. These futuristic innovations are now real products undergoing rapid cycles of improvement. With all that is being created through the modern tech revolution, it can be easy for San Antonio residents to overlook just how close they are to the real action. Many don’t realize that a digital boom is taking place right here in the "Alamo City."

New startups and established tech-giants of San Antonio are taking industry strides that reverberate across our state and country. Finding out the roles that San Antonio’ innovators play in the worldwide tech boom is easier than some might think. You just need to know where to look.

Here are some of

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San Antonio, Texas is one of America's fastest growing metropolises, estimated to reach another 1 million in population by 2040. Such expedited growth in the last 10 years has inspired the city of San Antonio to execute a series of long-term visions, meeting the needs of those wishing to thrive in an efficiently planned Texas city. Prevalent job security and sturdy local economies have encouraged millennials to invest and start their families in the charming city of San Antonio. Consequently, there are nearly 30 new developments in San Antonio, bringing forward its understated potential, where neighboring cities will contend with.

Let's take a look at some remarkable new developments in San Antonio.

Essex Modern City: 8 Acres of Opportunity

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Once again Texas ranks as the number one state for corporate expansion by Site Selection Magazine. Texas is the 2016 Governor's Cup winner for the most qualified projects of any US state. Site Selection, published by Conway Inc., is the senior publication in the corporate real estate and economic development fields. This magazine has been in existence for over 63 years and has awarded the Governor's Cup annually since 1988. The focus is on new corporate facility projects, including headquarters, manufacturing plants, R&D operations and logistics sites. Site Selection defines a qualified project as one that meets one or more of the following criteria:

• Involves a minimum of $1 million in capital investment
• Creates 20 or more new jobs
• Adds

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The Austin real estate market has seen its share of trends throughout the years, but a report by the Urban Land Institute suggests that some of the hottest trends in real estate this year might even further complement Austin’s already booming real estate market. The report, “2016 Emerging Trends in Real Estate”, outlines the top trends in real estate across the United States and Canada, with an overall positive message for markets across the board. Here’s a closer look at the four of the trends outlined in the report and a little more insight as to how they may affect Austin’s real estate market this year.

1. Secondary Cities Will See The Biggest Boom

What’s referred to as an 18-hour city in the report, cities like Austin will continue to see the

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Welcome to the New Year! Filling out forms probably wasn't part of your New Years resolutions, but the time has come to file your Homestead Exemption forms.

The homestead exemption lowers your property taxes, by subtracting a portion of your property value from the taxation. These amounts vary based on circumstance and county taxes, but can add up to as much as $25,000.

However, there are a few conditions:

• You must be a surviving spouse
• You must own and occupy the property
• The home must have been purchased prior to January 1
• Applications must be filed between Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 of the tax year

If you meet the above requirements, we strongly encourage you to apply. For those who qualify, it's a great perk of owning a homestead and

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