Yesterday we went down to New Braunfels again to check out some rental properties, mostly apartments. We mostly struck out, with many of the buildings being sucky and/or section 8. There were two nicer ones, and another that was okay, but none of those were very close to the downtown area (and we aren’t sure if there are any available apartments).

We swung by a duplex, but it was too far out. Closer in, we went by a really nice little rental we found in the classifieds, only to find it was rented already. While drive around we did spot another rental, a bit run-down, so we’ll have to call and see (it’s also right next to a smokehouse, so I’m not sure of the noise level there.

Up and down the streets we drove, pretty much covering the entire section we’re focused on. Not much in the way of rentals, but there are a decent number for sale. During the drive we did confirm our original suspicions about the area–our boundary lines are holding pretty true. Anything close the I-35 isn’t any good, and the futher you go south of Walnut the sadder it gets. Once you go north of the river it’s too busy with the tube and waterpark traffic (like living near Great America).

It did pour during our first 2 hours there, which was good, as it showed where the flood areas are. There’s not much in the way of storm sewers, especially as you get further out of mainstreet, so it’s obvious that you have to be careful where you buy. Close to the river is iffy, too, as we saw a lot of those houses on stilts. (For Chicagoans, think of the houses along the Des Plaines river, and how it floods every so often.)

After the rains stopped, we walked around the downtown strip a bit. Pretty quiet, but there are a couple of good antique stores. A couple of sports bars, one coffee shop, and a handful of restaurants (some pricey, some not). One of our hopes was to find a second-floor place over a store, but most of those seem to have been converted to offices, so that shoots down that idea. (Lots of lawyers in town–it’s a county seat.)

At this point it looks like we’re going to talk to some real estate people in the area, checking to see if there are any house rentals. (I’m coming to the conclusion that rental an apartment would be pointless, and I’m really really tired of being in apartments.)

New Braunfels or not, I think we’ll be moving soon. The current place isn’t getting any quieter, and it’s just way too small for our needs. We don’t have room to work and we don’t have room for guests, so it’s no longer viable (plus, the rent is going up, again–in a market where occupancy is declining).