San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Community, heritage and fun: Fredericksburg is an amazing place to live
Fredericksburg, located deep in the heart ofGillespie County and nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, is known as a popular tourist destination spot – but its residents agree it’s also a remarkable place to live.
Caitlin Probandt, a REALTOR® with Century 21The Hills Realty, which covers Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Hunt and other Hill Country spots, said Fredericksburg is a beloved place to visit and to live.
“People love the history and charm of Fredericksburg, not to mention all of the social activities,” she said.
The city was founded in 1846 by German immigrants, and it sits between two creeks just a little north of the Pedernales River.
Eventually, the city became the economic hub and manufacturing center of the county, a coveted role it still enjoys today.
Probandt added that folks from all over Texas – and the country – want to move to the Fredericksburg area for its natural beauty and many things to do.
“We see a lot of people fromall over the country, and the state, relocating to Fredericksburg and the Hill Country,” she said.
An array of demographics move to Fredericksburg and seek to buy there – families with young children, retirees and others. There’s certainly something to appeal to all buyers.
A wide range of real estate is available in Fredericksburg, Probandt said. For those in search of gorgeous historical homes, they are plentiful. But new builds and vast acreage are also for sale in the area.
“Really, there is something for everyone,” she said.
Probandt noted that the Fredericksburg is also a tight-knit community which offers so much by way of Texas hospitality.
And with much to see and do in the bustling town, those who buy homes in Fredericksburg will never be bored or disappointed.
“On any day you can find excellent shopping, food and entertainment,” said Probandt.
She added that it is also known
nationally for its wineries, its summer horse races, and the holiday festivities such as the Christmas parade and Oktoberfest.
In fact, Oktoberfest and its accompanying Food andWine Festival are extremely popular events for visitors and locals alike.
And, as Probandt mentioned, the Gillespie County Fair draws a huge crowd each year on the third weekend in August, and a hunter-jumper horse show is held on the fairgrounds in June, as well as other racing meets.
Probandt added that like many other areas in the Hill Country, Fredericksburg is seeing great economic growth.
“I believe the 290Wine Trail is bringing a lot of people in, too,” she said. “Fredericksburg has so much history, and is always supporting great new businesses. It really does have it all!”
But the area is one of vast cultural and historical significance as well.
The National Museum of the Pacific War, located at the historical Nimitz hotel, attracts 150,000 visitors every year, and other historical events and cultural landmarks are a feature of the town, too. And the Fredericksburg Historic District was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in Texas back in 1970.
Though the city is only 8.6 square miles, its agritourism is another delightful asset that draws many. Locals and residents can visitWildseed Farms on 200 acres in Fredericksburg, as well as the Texas Hill Country Lavender Trail or beautiful herb farms.
Home buyers with children will be happy to discover that education is one major priority in Fredericksburg. The city is zoned to Fredericksburg Independent School District, and a handful of private schools are also within the city limits.
For higher education, look no further than Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg, where students can explore both undergraduate and graduate programming in various fields including general studies, nursing and teacher certification.
And for convenience’s sake, both the Hill Country Memorial Hospital on Highway 16 and the Gillespie County Airport are readily accessible to locals.
Probandt said that if she had three words to describe Fredericksburg, they would be “community, heritage, and fun.”
The most recent Fredericksburg market report listed 194 listings still for sale.
Of the approximately 200 homes whose contracts have closed in the last six months, the median sold price was $419,000, but many pending contracts are also on homes in the $200-$400,000 price range.
The median time frame spent on the market for a home in the area is 97 days, with homes in the $2.2-$2.4 million price range selling the most quickly over the past six months.
Probandt has been selling real estate in Fredericksburg for a year and a half and has called the Texas Hill Country home for a decade. For more information on buying homes or properties in Fredericksburg, contact her at 830-9281704 or cailtin@c21thehills.com.