Boerne

Watch: Hill Country living on the north side

Who picks Boerne

Families whose duty days are almost all at Camp Bullis, since the Fort Sam Houston drive from here is the longest on the list. Retiring and separating families who want a Hill Country town for the long run. Families who put Boerne ISD at the top of the list and accept the commute for it. If your unit splits time with Fort Sam, Boerne is usually the wrong trade; the US-281 corridor or inside 1604 serves that split better.

What the houses are

Three distinct markets. Older homes and cottages in the original town grid near Main Street, some historic. Established subdivisions from the 1980s to 2000s inside the city. And new construction on the edges along I-10, Highway 46, and Scenic Loop, in master-planned communities where the builder's price looks competitive until the PID or MUD line appears on the tax certificate. Lots run from town-sized to acreage.

The commute

To Camp Bullis: I-10 east past Fair Oaks Ranch and Leon Springs to the Camp Bullis Road exit. To Fort Sam Houston: I-10 the length of the northwest side, then across the city, which is the drive to test at 7:40 a.m. before you decide. I run both from any address you are serious about and send the numbers; the commute video shows what the I-10 morning looks like.

Schools, taxes, and the things to check

• School district named: Boerne ISD. Confirm the assigned campus for the exact address on the district's boundary map; the district has grown with the town and boundaries move.
• Taxes: Kendall County Appraisal District, not Bexar. New subdivisions along I-10 often carry a Public Improvement District or Municipal Utility District that adds to the rate for decades; the seller must give you a notice, and the tax certificate shows the real number.
• Water and sewer: city utilities inside Boerne, wells and septic on many acreage lots outside it. The seller's disclosure says which.
• Edwards Aquifer and the Cibolo: development rules over the recharge and contributing zones affect septic placement and impervious cover on larger lots.
• Insurance: Hill Country brush, hail, and roof age all move quotes; quote the actual address and ask about defensible space.

What 2026 BAH buys here

JBSA is one BAH area: E-5 $1,869, E-6 $2,094, O-3 $2,127, O-4 $2,307 a month with dependents (jbsanantoniohousing.com, January 2026). BAH alone reaches roughly $205,000 to $253,000 of price at today's rates. Boerne's older in-town homes and some of the new construction come closer to that line than Fair Oaks Ranch or Shavano Park do, which is part of its appeal, but the PID or MUD on a new subdivision can push the real payment past what the listing price suggests. Run the payment with the tax certificate, not the listing's estimate. The Camp Bullis page walks the rent-or-buy decision.

Questions I get about Boerne

How far is it, really?

Far enough that the drive is the decision. Test it on a weekday morning to the gate your unit uses, and to Fort Sam if there is any chance of a split assignment.

Can I buy new construction here with a VA loan?

Yes. The builder's warranty paperwork and the VA appraisal are routine. Read the PID or MUD notice and the HOA documents during the option period; those, not the loan, are what surprise families here.

Will it rent to a military family when orders come?

Boerne draws tenants, but fewer military ones than the neighborhoods closer to the gates, and new-subdivision taxes can push the payment past a BAH-anchored rent. Plan the exit before you buy.

Fifteen minutes before you commit to anything

If you are buying in San Antonio in the next 12 months, book 15 minutes on my calendar. You will leave with both JBSA commutes mapped against your report date, your BAH against the real payment in Boerne, and an exit plan if orders come early. Straight answers, no pitch.

Book a 15-Minute Fit Call

Or call 210-906-0829. Back to the Camp Bullis page or the PCS to San Antonio hub.