Gruene Opportunity

June 1. Summer is here in my book. I love summer!

Two weeks ago I went to an information session about a new development in the Gruene Historic District of New Braunfels, one of my favorite places to visit during the summer as a kid. Although I haven't been to Gruene in probably 12 years, I can picture it pretty well from my memories: The Gristmill, Gruene Hall, that little ice cream shop, the General Store where they sell delicious homemade fudge and, of course, Hunter Junction with the hilarious t-shirts. It's one of those treasured Texas towns where time seems to have stopped just enough. My favorite thing to do in Gruene--hands down--was (and is) to float the river in an inner tube: hours of relaxation, Vitamin D and good times with friends and family. I may just have to schedule a float trip this summer. But, back to the real estate relevancy of this post...the Van Horn River Lodge.

The Lodge is going to be a "boutique condo-hotel" with only 40 units. It will rise three stories over the banks of the Guadalupe River, just a four-minute walk away from the slow bustle of the town. The great thing about the condos is that you can rent them out when you are not using them. The Lodge doubles as a hotel with a great room anchoring the condominiums. Services will include a reception desk, housekeeping, conference space, maintenance and more. The terraced pool, decks, nature trails and a riverfront park (almost 200 yards long) will all be "common" property of the owners. Owners and guests can rent "play" items for the river and town, like tubes, kayaks and bicycles, and the operations will be run by an on-site general manager.

The look and feel will be "mountain lodge" with all units enjoying a riverfront view. Prices start in the upper $300s. There are 2 floorplans, the "Encino" and the "Cypress," both two bedrooms with around 1,200 square feet of living space plus balconies.

You can reserve a unit now with an initial deposit of around $10K. When 80% has been reserved, construction will begin. At the info session two weeks ago, 12 units had already been reserved. If you're interested in learning more, feel free to send me a line at emilyc@johndaugherty.com.

Here's to a great Summer of '09!