FRONT-Line Defenders Program

Teachers

Nurses

Officer

Rescue

Firefighter

Mission Realty rebates 25% of real estate commission received back to eligible Veterans and members of the FRONT-Line Defenders Program that buy a qualifying home exclusively through Roman Alfaro and Randy Watson of Mission Realty.

In addition to the substantial rebate on commission; both programs have teamed up with a variety of community minded San Antonio Real Estate professionals to offer lower rates, preferred pricing and discounts on such services as mortgage loans, home inspections, and home hazard insurance.

The FRONT-Line Program is now available to active and retired Firefighters, Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, Law Enforcement Officers, Corrections Officers, Registered Nurses, and Texas certified schoolteachers. The MILRIP program is open to Active Duty, Reservists and Retired military personnel. Mission Realty respects and knows that these hard-working people protect the lives, children, and property of San Antonio, and is using these programs to say “thank you!”

Military Relocation Incentives Program (MILRIP)

For the Uniformed Services of the United States, don’t feel left out, we offer identical benefits to you through the MILRIP program.

We support our troops

San Antonio Economy

6,000 jobs were created in the city in February alone, and last year San Antonio added just under 20,000 jobs to its market.  In fact, Texas seems almost impervious to much of what is going on in the rest of the country.  Unemployment is at a 30 year low at 4.1% , and the state added over a quarter of a million jobs in 2006.

San Antonio has been positioning itself as a travel and vacation destination over the past few years, and this effort seems to be paying off.  Many of the new jobs are in the leisure and hospitality industry, one of the first that is usually hit by economic downturns—a good sign for the local economy.  The city has seen the Final Four, NBA playoffs, in addition to the regular events and festivals, such as Fiesta, and construction is underway for the new Marriott resort and golf center, which will only add to the legitimacy of San Antonio as a world-class tourist destination.

Over at Fort Sam Houston and Brooke Army Medical Center a $2.3 billion dollar construction boon is beginning due to BRAC. It is estimated that the project will create an additional 10,000 to 12,000 new jobs both military and civilian. This will also bring an additional 5000 family members and will significantly increase demand for housing and schools. The 3-year construction project at BAMC will add over 6 million square feet of space. The entire project will likely be the biggest economic bonanza in San Antonio’s recent history.

The economic downturn, while bad for many domestic businesses, is a godsend for foreign countries wishing to invest in the US.  Out of all the G7 countries, only Canada is the cheapest for doing business since the depreciation of the dollar.  For cities with large international populations and businesses, the time has never been better to expand to America.  Cities like San Antonio, who have large populations from South America, Central America, and Spain, among others, may see their economic situation actually benefit in the long run, as international businesses decide to take advantage of America’s problems and use their strong currencies to enter a market which was, until recently, not cost-effective.

While San Francisco remains the most expensive city in the US to do business, it has dropped below many of Europe’s major industrial centers, which means that many Europeans who feel that they are getting priced out at home, may be heading to America to look for bargains.

Texas Military Vets Have an Array of Loans Available

Since 1946, the Texas Land Board has been offering great benefits, in the form of below market loans for purchasing land, houses, and even home improvements, exclusively to Texas military veterans. In addition to these offers, the Board also offers retirement homes and cemeteries with dignified, specialized care, as well as a full array of amenities to those Texans who have helped to keep America, and Texas, safe and free.

In 1836, when Texas declared its independence from Mexico, and many Texans fought to insure this freedom, the state sought to reward those who sacrificed so much for the nascent republic. Unfortunately, as a newly-formed entity, Texas was not yet wealthy, and had little means at its disposal. So poor was the republic, that it didn't even have enough money to pay its soldiers. Although short of cash, there was one resource in which Texas was extremely wealthy: land. Thus, the Texas Land Board was created to grant land in lieu of cash payment.

Over the years, as the amount of public land has decreased, the system has been adjusted to still assist Texas military veterans, all the while keeping up with modern times. In 1946, soldiers returning from the WWII were greeted with the creation of the Texas Veterans Land Board, which remains an updated version of the original. Since there was a shortage of land and Texas, at this point, was fairly well-developed, the Veterans Land Board offered below market loans that would allow vets to purchase land. In the 1980s, the plan was further adjusted to allow for loans to be given to purchase houses and even make home improvements.

It is safe to say that the program has been a resounding success. Last year, the program lent $1 billion, and reports indicate that every dollar lent results in six dollars for the local economy in the form of real estate, construction, materials, and labor. Perhaps the best part is that the taxpayers pay nothing to keep this program alive, as it is self-funded and self-sustaining, and the vets who use it are some of the most dependable and responsible members of the community. Although over 180,000 Texas veterans have taken advantage of this program, nearly 1.5 million have not.

The plan is continually being updated, changed, and modified to insure that Texas vets will always receive the best benefits package in the nation. The past few years have certainly seen quite a few improvements across the board. For example, the land loans project has not only dropped its minimum land purchase amount from 5 acres to 1, but has also raised the loan amount from $40,000 to $60,000. The home loan project has raised its maximum loan amount from $240,000 to $325,000 and also offers a 15 or 30 year term, which can be used with other loans, such as VA, FHA, or conventional loans. The Texas Veterans Land Board's home improvement loans have a maximum of $25,000 on a 25-year note, and all of these loans can be used more than once, if the original has been paid in full.