If you're PCSing to JBSA and looking north of San Antonio, this post is for you. I work with military families every month and the same questions come up, so I'm just going to answer them flat.

First thing. The bases you're commuting to matter more than the town you pick. JBSA-Randolph sits on the east side off 1604. JBSA-Lackland is southwest. JBSA-Fort Sam is north-central. If you're Randolph, the FM 3009 corridor through Schertz and Cibolo is the obvious play and most families already know that. The Hill Country pull starts when you're at Fort Sam or you just don't want to live in a stucco subdivision off a feeder road.

For Fort Sam folks, Bulverde and Spring Branch hit the sweet spot. 30 to 40 minutes door to door if you leave by 6:45. After 7:15 you're adding 20 minutes on 281, every time, no exceptions. I tell every active duty client to drive the commute on a Tuesday morning before they fall in love with a house. Do it once. You'll know.

Schools. Comal ISD is the answer most families land on and it's the right answer. I wrote a whole separate post on why, but the short version for military families specifically: they handle mid-year transfers well, the counselors are used to it, and the SLO programs at Smithson Valley and Canyon are real. Canyon Lake and Bulverde both feed into Comal ISD. Boerne ISD is also strong if you're west toward Kendall County, but you're paying for it on the tax side — Kendall County effective property tax runs 1.86% to 2.14%, which on a $550K house is real money every month.

Now the VA loan piece, because this is where I see families get squeezed. Boerne's median sale price was $532,317 as of March 31, 2026 per Zillow. Fredericksburg hit $550,000 in April per Movoto. Your VA entitlement covers it, but the property tax and insurance escrow on a Kendall County house will surprise you. Homeowner's insurance in Kendall in 2026 is running $1,146 to $1,741 a year on a standard build with an 8% projected bump, mostly because of hail. Budget for it now, not at closing when the lender hands you the disclosure.

Here's the thing nobody tells you at the relocation briefing. A lot of these Hill Country properties are on septic, not city sewer. Aerobic septic — which is what you'll have on most rocky lots out here — requires three inspections a year and the fines for missing them run up to $1,000. Comal County permits are around $300. If you're buying a place with an existing aerobic system, ask for the maintenance contract paperwork before you close. Most listing agents won't volunteer it.

My take, and I'll defend this at any BBQ: Bulverde and Spring Branch are the best military-family value in the Hill Country right now. You get Comal ISD, a commute that works for Fort Sam and Randolph both, lot sizes that don't feel like a hotel parking spot, and you're 25 minutes from Boerne for a weekend on the Hill Country Mile — grab coffee and a pastry at The Dienger Trading Co. at 210 N Main and you'll see what I mean. Fredericksburg is gorgeous, the National Museum of the Pacific War on E Main is genuinely worth the day trip with kids, but it's an hour-plus from any base. That's a no for active duty.

One last thing. Redfin had Boerne down 13.7% year-over-year in March 2026 with a median of $443,000. Different methodology than Zillow, but the signal is the same — there's softness in spots. If you've got orders in hand and a VA pre-approval, you've got leverage right now that families didn't have 18 months ago. Use it.

Welcome to Texas. Drive the commute on a Tuesday.

Data sourced from Zillow (Boerne, March 31, 2026), Movoto (Fredericksburg, April 2026), and Redfin (Boerne, March 2026). Verify current numbers with a local agent before acting.