Military Moves Made Simple: Renting vs. Buying in San Antonio

At Kazana Realty Group, we know that moving to a new city as part of the military community can feel like a mission full of unknowns. The biggest dilemma is usually: Should we rent or buy?

This was exactly the case for Luis, a sergeant newly assigned to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), and his wife Maria, who was excited but also a bit nervous about starting fresh in the Alamo City.

Luis (scrolling through apartment listings): Renting seems easier… no headaches.
Maria (dreamily): “But what if we buy this time? It would be our house, not the landlord’s.

That’s when they came to us at Kazana Realty Group. And here’s where the numbers told a very different story.

🏢1. The Temptation of Renting

Of course, renting looked like the practical option at first:

💵The average rent in San Antonio is $1,465 per month, much lower than in other major Texas cities.

🏘️Depending on the neighborhood, you can even find options between $1,100–$1,284.

🛠️And the best part: no worries about repairs, property taxes, or replacing the AC in the middle of August.

The comfortable choice was right there… but was it really the smartest investment?

💰2. Buying: When the Benefits Outweigh the Risks

Once we crunched the numbers together, Luis and Maria realized something powerful: as a military family, Luis qualified for the VA Loan, which meant they could buy with no down payment and no private mortgage insurance.

🪖The average monthly mortgage payment in San Antonio (including taxes and insurance) is about $1,784, yes, roughly $500 more than renting.

💸But instead of “throwing money away,” each payment would help them build equity.

🏡The median home price in San Antonio is between $278,000 and $290,000, far more affordable than in many other major U.S. cities.

📈Even better, the local market has shown steady 3% annual appreciation, meaning their home could gain value over time.

Suddenly, buying didn’t look like a burden it looked like a long-term strategy.

💖3. The Emotional (and Practical) Factor

Beyond the math, Maria summed it up best:

When we rent, it always feels temporary. Buying would mean putting down roots, decorating without asking permission, and giving our family stability.

Luis, who was hesitant at first, realized that while military orders could always change, owning a property in San Antonio also meant holding a valuable asset in a city with growing housing demand.

🗺️4. Kazana’s Guidance: Buy Smart

At Kazana Realty Group, we created a clear plan for them:

📍Focus on a neighborhood near JBSA with strong appreciation potential.

🪖Use the VA Loan to buy with no down payment.

🏘️View the purchase as both a home and an investment: if they were reassigned in a few years, they could rent the house out and generate passive income instead of losing money on rent.

🏡Conclusion: Buying Was the Right Decision

After weighing all the pros and cons, Luis and Maria chose to buy their first home in San Antonio. And when they held the keys, Maria laughed and said:

“Well, if we ever get stationed somewhere else, at least now we’ll always have a piece of San Antonio that’s ours.”

What started as uncertainty turned into a confident, strategic move: buying gave them not only a home but also a solid investment for their future.

At Kazana Realty Group, we believe every military family deserves to make clear, confident housing decisions. If you’re moving to San Antonio and asking yourself whether to rent or buy, let us show you why owning your home might just be your best mission accomplished.